Roasted Pumpkin Seeds with Basil and Jalapeño Sea Salt

If you’re carving pumpkins or cleaning up your garden, don’t toss those seeds! Roasted pumpkin seeds are one of the easiest ways to turn your fall harvest into a healthy, flavorful snack.

This recipe combines earthy roasted seeds with the garden-fresh aroma of basil and a little jalapeño heat — a perfect mix of cozy and crisp.

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Ingredients

• 1 ½ cups fresh pumpkin seeds (cleaned and dried)
  
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
  
• 1 teaspoon basil sea salt (recipe below)
  
• 1 teaspoon jalapeño sea salt (recipe below)
  
• Optional: a squeeze of lime juice or pinch of chili powder for brightness
  

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Instructions

1. Preheat your oven to 350°F.
   
2. Clean & dry your pumpkin seeds. Remove any pulp and pat them dry thoroughly — the drier they are, the crispier they’ll roast.
   
3. Toss the seeds in olive oil and your chosen salt blend until evenly coated.
   
4. Spread them on a parchment-lined baking sheet in a single layer.
   
5. Roast for 15–20 minutes, stirring once halfway through, until golden brown.
   
6. Cool slightly before serving. Sprinkle with extra basil or jalapeño salt for extra flavor.
   

Serve warm as a snack, or sprinkle over salads, soups, or roasted vegetables.

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🌱 Make Your Own Herb Salts

Homemade herb salts are simple, beautiful, and a wonderful way to preserve your harvest. You can create endless variations, but these two are seasonal favorites.

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Basil Sea Salt

Ingredients:

• ½ cup coarse sea salt
  
• ½ cup fresh basil leaves
  

Instructions:

1. Combine basil leaves and sea salt in a food processor.
   
2. Pulse until the basil is finely chopped and the mixture looks evenly blended.
   
3. Spread the mixture thinly on a baking sheet and let it air-dry overnight, or dry in the oven at 200°F for about 15 minutes.
   
4. Once dry, crumble any clumps and store in a sealed jar.
   

Use on roasted vegetables, fresh tomatoes, or even popcorn for a garden-fresh kick.

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Jalapeño Sea Salt

Ingredients:

• ½ cup coarse sea salt
  
• 1 fresh jalapeño, thinly sliced (seeds removed for less heat)
  

Instructions:

1. Pulse jalapeño and salt in a food processor until blended.
   
2. Spread on a baking sheet and bake at 200°F for 15–20 minutes, or until fully dry.
   
3. Cool, crumble, and store airtight.
   

Jalapeño salt adds the perfect spark to avocado toast, eggs, or roasted pumpkin seeds.

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Grow, Harvest, and Enjoy

Basil and peppers are two of the easiest herbs to grow in a container garden — and making your own flavored salts is a delicious way to enjoy them year-round.

They also make beautiful homemade gifts. Pour into small jars, label with your herbs, and share a taste of the garden.

Grow it. Harvest it. Taste it. Gift it.