39 Pumpkin Seed Recipes That Are Anything But Boring

Pumpkins, we love you, but these 39 recipes are just using you for your seeds.

July 11, 2017

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Pumpkins, we love you, but we're just using you for your seeds. No matter what you call them—pumpkin seeds or "pepitas" when they're green and feeling free from big ol' shells—these seeds are crunchy, nutty, dazzling in their versatility, and totally worth the effort. These 39 recipes know it's true.

Peden & Munk
1/39
Chocolate Chunk–Pumpkin Seed Cookies
For the ideal chewy brownie-ish texture, take care not to overbake these spiced cookies.
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Christopher Testani
2/39
Sweet-and-Spicy Mixed Nuts
Any combination of nuts and seeds will be fine, so feel free to finish up any odds and ends you have around.
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Kyle Johnson
3/39
Seared Halibut with Fall Mole and Radicchio
What makes the dish is a 26-ingredient mole, a riff on the Oaxacan sauce that the chef calls a "happy accident."
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Photo by Alex Lau, Styling by Sue Li
4/39
Herby Avocado Hummus
Creamy avocado hummus, where have you been all our lives?
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Christopher Testani
5/39
Black Bean Soup with Roasted Poblano Chiles and Pepitas
Choose dried chiles that are fairly flexible, a sign they’re not too old.
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Peden + Munk
6/39
Seedy Cherry-Quinoa Bars
Be sure to rinse the quinoa before toasting or these could end up bitter tasting.
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Michael Graydon + Nikole Herriott
7/39
Savory Peach and Cucumber Salad
This is the future of fruit salad—with avocado, herbs, a little spice, and peak season peaches.
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Michael Graydon & Nikole Herriott
8/39
Red Salad with Pickled Beet-Pumpkin Seed Vinaigrette
The color-coded salad is one of Babylonstoren’s signature dishes and always features a mix of fruits and vegetables on the same plate. Chef Maranda Engelbrecht says produce that looks good together tastes great together, too, and she’s developed specific vinaigrettes to complement the red, yellow, and green options.
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Ted Cavanaugh
9/39
Barbecue Pork with Blistered Chile–Pumpkin Seed Salsa
You can always ask your butcher to slice the pork shoulder on the electric slicer for you, which will ensure even pieces and save you time.
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Alex Lau
10/39
Overnight Oats With Cashews, Seeds, and Turmeric
This sizzled seed and cashew mixture is delicious sprinkled over dip and soups, so you might want to make extra.
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Photo by Peden + Munk
11/39
Mackerel with Cauliflower-Pumpkin Seed "Couscous" and Tahini
Use one 2-pound mackerel if you can’t find smaller ones, or substitute arctic char or trout.
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Alex Lau
12/39
Maple, Pecan, and Sour Cherry Granola Bars
If you want to change up the mix of nuts and seeds in these bars, go for it. Just make sure the total quantity adds up to 3 cups total (you could use sunflower seeds in place of the pumpkin seeds, sesame for flaxseed, peanuts for pecans, etc.).
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Peden + Munk
13/39
Horseradish–Pumpkin Seed Pesto
Try this schmeared on toast, tossed with pasta, or dolloped on a baked potato.
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Christopher Baker
14/39
Grilled Vegetable Salad with Raw Green Mole
This uncooked mole gets heat from jalapeño, cooling freshness from lettuce and herbs, and a touch of richness from toasted seeds. Use any extra as a dip for crudités.
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Christopher Testani
15/39
Caramelized-Honey Nut and Seed Tart
This press-in crust is easier to make and handle than a buttery dough that you have to roll out.
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Max Kelly
16/39
Asparagus with Toasted Seeds and Mustard Vinaigrette
Toasted seeds add crunchy texture to this flavorful side dish. Dressing them with a little olive oil and seasoning with salt and pepper makes it that much better.
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Danny Kim
17/39
Morning Barley with Pepitas and Squash, Date, and Lemon Compote
One way to break up the monotony of morning oatmeal is to play around with different whole grains. Here, we lean on a pre-cooked big batch of barley to make a toothsome porridge.
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18/39
Pumpkin Seed Brittle
Kick off the holiday sweet(s) season by sending guests home with this crunchy, easy-to-make-ahead brittle.
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19/39
Spiced Pumpkin Seed and Cashew Crunch
For a salty, savory, crunchy boost, sprinkle this on roasted vegetables, soups, and hot cereal.
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Alex Lau
20/39
Maple, Pecan, Pumpkin Seed, and Sour Cherry Granola
If you chop up the granola in a food processor, you can sprinkle it on fruit or ice cream or dip ice pops into it.
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21/39
Gruyère and Thyme Cheese Ball
Yes, dinner is important. But it's how you coat your cheese balls, with crunchy pepitas, and ice your drinks that really sets the tone. Did we mention that everyone—absolutely everyone—love a cheese ball?
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Alex Lau
22/39
Cantaloupe and Cucumber Salad
Savory fruit salads are officially a thing. (And, for the record, cucumber is a fruit.)
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Matt Duckor
23/39
Brown Butter-Pecan-Pepita Granola
What every other granola wishes it could be—toasty and nutty, with pieces that break into crunchy clusters instead of crumbs.
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Chris Searl
24/39
Shaved Zucchini Salad with Macadamia Nuts and Pepitas
Banish flashbacks of bland zucchini with this crunchy, cheesy, salty, citrusy salad.
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Danny Kim
25/39
Kale and Mustard Greens with Pepitas and Red Onion
This is the easiest kale salad you've made all year. Feel free to substitute white wine vinegar for the lemon juice.
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Alex Lau
26/39
Mixed Nut and Seed Crackers
These crackers are gluten-free, Paleo, vegan.....and Whole30.
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Laura Murray
27/39
Green Curry Pork Tenderloin
Prepared curry paste is a great shortcut ingredient for this pork tenderloin recipe; it carries a ton of flavor and has a very long shelf life.
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28/39
Roasted Pear-Pepita Crumble
Consider this sweet and crunchy dessert a free-form fruit crisp. Be warned: The nutty oat topping is addictive.
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Jake Stangel
29/39
Spicy Avocado Smørrebrød with Roasted Poblano
You see those dense, dark, grainy loaves? Grab 'em! They work well with this smoky iteration of avocado toast.
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Bobbi Lin
30/39
Winter Slaw with Red Pears and Pumpkin Seeds
Trimming a generous amount of the stem from the brussels sprouts makes it quite a bit easier to tease apart the leaves for this winter slaw recipe.
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Christina Holmes
31/39
Thai-Style Grain Salad with Crunchy Seeds
Grain salads, like this herb-spiked one made with smoky freekeh, come together instantly with leftovers—reason enough to cook off a batch on Sundays.
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Alex Lau
32/39
Toasted Pumpkin Seeds
When it comes to tasty pumpkin seeds, it's all about the seasoning—don't go crazy, but do be a little creative.
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33/39
Sweet-and-Sour Brussels Sprouts
White soy sauce is sweeter than regular soy sauce, and creates a sweet and sour counterbalance to the earthy brussels sprouts.
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34/39
Brown Rice Salad with Crunchy Sprouts and Seeds
Toasted nuts and seeds add bite to this nutrition-packed salad. We use dried sprouted legumes, which are even more healthful than ordinary beans and more convenient than sprouting your own. (Cooked lentils and mung beans work well, too.) A vibrant chive vinaigrette brings it all together.
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35/39
Pork Chops and Squash with Pumpkin Seed Vinaigrette
There's no need to peel acorn, kabuki, or delicate squash; their skins are tender and edible, and add extra color and texture to the dish.
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Alex Lau
36/39
Pumpkin Bread with Toasted Coconut and Pepitas
Make sure your eggs and coconut oil are at room temperature: Cold eggs can make the oil seize, making the batter uneven.
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37/39
Pumpkin-Pear Crisps
A whole lot less work than the pie analog, the fresh compote here replaces all that cream-and-egg-laden pie filling.
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Nicole Franzen
38/39
Cauliflower with Pumpkin Seeds, Brown Butter, and Lime
The perks of being a cauliflower: When the veg is deeply roasted and drizzled with butter, there are many.
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Alex Lau
39/39
Grilled Halibut and Summer Squash with Pumpkin Seeds
If you can only find skin-on halibut, carry on: After the fish is cooked, wiggle a spatula between the skin and the fillet, and it will slip right off.
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Associate Web Editor. When she’s not posted up at a café, reading and praying that sipping her cappuccino won’t mean sacrificing a night’s sleep, Elyssa writes about food culture and restaurant trends for bonappetit.com. The team’s unrelenting sweet tooth and beverage nerd, Elyssa can also be found refreshing the Wait-or-Buy ... Read More

Explore Bon AppétitFall Pumpkin Pumpkin Seed

Chocolate Chunk–Pumpkin Seed Cookies

Sweet-and-Spicy Mixed Nuts

Seared Halibut with Fall Mole and Radicchio

Herby Avocado Hummus

Black Bean Soup with Roasted Poblano Chiles and Pepitas

Seedy Cherry-Quinoa Bars

Savory Peach and Cucumber Salad

Red Salad with Pickled Beet-Pumpkin Seed Vinaigrette

Barbecue Pork with Blistered Chile–Pumpkin Seed Salsa

Overnight Oats With Cashews, Seeds, and Turmeric

Mackerel with Cauliflower-Pumpkin Seed "Couscous" and Tahini

Maple, Pecan, and Sour Cherry Granola Bars

Horseradish–Pumpkin Seed Pesto

Grilled Vegetable Salad with Raw Green Mole

Caramelized-Honey Nut and Seed Tart

Asparagus with Toasted Seeds and Mustard Vinaigrette

Morning Barley with Pepitas and Squash, Date, and Lemon Compote

Pumpkin Seed Brittle

Spiced Pumpkin Seed and Cashew Crunch

Maple, Pecan, Pumpkin Seed, and Sour Cherry Granola

Gruyère and Thyme Cheese Ball

Cantaloupe and Cucumber Salad

Brown Butter-Pecan-Pepita Granola

Shaved Zucchini Salad with Macadamia Nuts and Pepitas

Kale and Mustard Greens with Pepitas and Red Onion

Mixed Nut and Seed Crackers

Green Curry Pork Tenderloin

Roasted Pear-Pepita Crumble

Spicy Avocado Smørrebrød with Roasted Poblano

Winter Slaw with Red Pears and Pumpkin Seeds

Thai-Style Grain Salad with Crunchy Seeds

Toasted Pumpkin Seeds

Sweet-and-Sour Brussels Sprouts

Brown Rice Salad with Crunchy Sprouts and Seeds

Pork Chops and Squash with Pumpkin Seed Vinaigrette

Pumpkin Bread with Toasted Coconut and Pepitas

Pumpkin-Pear Crisps

Cauliflower with Pumpkin Seeds, Brown Butter, and Lime

Grilled Halibut and Summer Squash with Pumpkin Seeds