1½ cups pumpkin seeds from a large whole pumpkin
olive oil
1½ teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
Cut the pumpkin open and scrape out the insides with a spoon. Separate the flesh from the seeds and rinse the seeds with cold water.
Bring two quarts of well-salted water to a boil (the water should taste a little salty). Add the pumpkin seeds to the boiling water and boil for 10 minutes. Drain the seeds and spread them out on paper towels to dry for at least 20 minutes.
Pre-heat the air fryer to 350 degrees F.
Toss the seeds with olive oil, salt and smoked paprika and transfer them to the air fryer basket. Air-fry for 35 minutes, shaking the basket several times during the cooking process. Pumpkin seeds should be crispy and slightly browned.
Allow the seeds to cool before serving or storing in an air-tight container or bag. Enjoy them as a snack or try using them as a topping for salads or yogurt.
Serves 1 Cup
Boiling the seeds in salted water is key to this recipe because that's the only way the seeds get seasoned inside, rather than just on the outside. The smoked paprika gives some nice color and smoky flavor to the seeds, but you can also try spices like chili powder, ground cumin, cinnamon or even curry powder. Sky's the limit!