Southwest Roasted Pepitas

If you are looking to add some variety to your snack options, these southwest roasted pepitas may just be the very thing you were looking for.

I don’t know about you, but my salt tooth is much more robust than my sweet tooth.  It just seems that most processed salty snacks available at the store are very carb heavy.  I love potato chips and all the different varieties and flavors of baked snacks and crackers, but they come with a heavy glycemic load from all the carbs.  Also, they tend to carry way more salt than we really need to be consuming.

That’s the beauty of seasoned roasted pepitas.  Although they are not low calorie, they are a natural source of healthy fats, fiber and protein.  They also contain essential oils high in potassium, magnesium, copper and zinc.  The health benefits also extend to hunger management.  Even though these are high in calories, it only takes a few of them at a time to help curb your appetite, so they are a handy little snack to have on hand for that period between meals.  Finally, you control the salt level.

In addition to snacking, roasted pepitas make an excellent topping or garnish for many dishes.  Think salads, roasted vegetables, you name it.  The possibilities are endless.

let’s make southwest roasted pepitas

You can find the ingredients above in almost every household pantry.  I love easy recipes with common, everyday ingredients.

On a side note, don’t be afraid to get creative with these beautiful little seeds.  There are so many different ways to season and prepare roasted pepitas.  You can make them sweet, spicy, Asian… the sky’s the limit.  Just make sure that the packaging says they are RAW when you buy them.  They are often sold already roasted, which means you can’t control the flavor profile.

I start by stirring the olive oil in thoroughly, making sure that each pepita gets coated.  That will help grab and hold the seasoning.

Then I mix the dry seasoning ingredients together before adding them so the mixture is homogenous.

Add the seasoning mix half at a time, stirring thoroughly between the two halves.  That helps ensure the seasoning is more evenly distributed among the seeds.

Pour into a baking sheet, spreading as close as possible into a single layer.

Bake in an oven preheated to 350° F for 10-12 minutes.  Shake the pan every 4 minutes or so to ensure the roasted pepitas cook evenly.  Remove when they are a nice-reddish brown color and crunchy.  Be careful not to overcook or they will definitely taste more burned than roasted

Allow them to cool in the pan but shake the pan every so often so that they don’t continue cooking on one side as the pan cools.

And that’s all there is guys!  Simple as simple can be.  Healthy.  Super tasty.  And they keep for quite some time.  Just make sure that you store them in the refrigerator to prevent the oils from becoming rancid at room temperature.

Ours never last long enough to go into the refrigerator.  Steve usually polishes them all off in 2 to 3 days!

Great with a cold beer or chilled white wine.

Serve on a snack table during game day.  Add some to your charcuterie board.  Garnish other dishes.  Or just grab a handful between meals every day for a crunchy, savory mouthful of goodness.

Southwest roasted pepitas make a perfect little snack!