5 Must-Have Tools for Roasting Pumpkin Seeds
Pumpkin season is kicking off and chances are pretty good you'll have the opportunity this season to cut into a hand-selected pumpkin, carve a jack-o'-lantern, and/or roast pumpkin seeds. It's one of those nostalgic fall activities to look forward to each year. The options for carving a pumpkin are nearly endless, but when it comes to making pumpkin seeds in the oven to snack on, the process is pretty straightforward—cut into the pumpkin, scoop out the seeds, rinse, dry, season, and bake. While you likely have a few kitchen tools that will get the job done, there are some tools for roasting pumpkin seeds that make the task even easier this fall season. Do you have each of these items ready for pumpkin season?
Related: How to Roast Pumpkin Seeds (and Other Squash Seeds, Too!)
Katlyn Moncada
5 Tools You Need for Roasting Pumpkin Seeds with the Ultimate Ease
Get out these tools or add them to your shopping cart so you can start roasting all varieties of squash seeds.
Large Serrated Knife
You may want a variety of smaller knives for the more intricate carving of a pumpkin. But, to get to the seeds easily, you can simply cut the pumpkin in half (or cut a large hole in either the top or bottom of the pumpkin to remove seeds and still have an intact pumpkin for carving) using a large, serrated knife. Serrations make it easier to cut through the tough exterior of the pumpkin. A blade length of 6 to 8 inches offers nice control.
Buy It: Shun Serrated Knife ($115, Bed Bath & Beyond)
Pumpkin Scoop
Growing up in the '80s, we used a long-handled metal spoon for pumpkin seed extraction, which will still work if that's what you've got, but today there are special tools made specifically for this job. This pumpkin scoop tool is double-edged (part serrated, part smooth) so scraping out those tough spots is a cinch and it leaves a smooth finish if you plan to use the pumpkin as a jack-o'-lantern. It makes removing pumpkin seeds a much speedier process.
Buy It: The Perfect Pumpkin Scoop ($10, Amazon)
Colander
You don't need anything fancy here, but you do need a colander to rinse your scooped-out seeds to remove the pulp and strings that came out with your seeds. Running water over the seeds in a colander is the best way to clean pumpkin seeds to remove every last bit of the "pumpkin guts."
Buy It: OXO Colander ($26, OXO)
Baking Sheet
You'd never be able to roast pumpkin seeds in the oven without a trusty baking sheet. Depending on the size of your pumpkin you may not have enough seeds to require your full-size (aka half sheet) sheet pan. Often just a quarter sheet is all that's required. This set includes both sizes so you're covered if you're roasting seeds from just one pie pumpkin or multiple large pumpkins.
Buy It: Nordic Ware Cookie Sheets ($20, Target)
Storage Containers
This tool may not be essential to the baking of pumpkin seeds, but it's unlikely you'll eat all your roasted seeds at once, so you need something to store them in. These small containers lock securely and are perfect for toting for a snack break during your trip to the corn maze or haunted house.
Buy It: OXO Snack Containers ($17, Amazon)
With these tools in your kitchen arsenal, savory or sweet roasted pumpkin seeds are in your near future. For a different take, try our air-fryer pumpkin seeds recipe. You'll still need all the equipment above, just swap out the baking sheet with your air fryer.
