Roasted pepitas are easy to make without oil. Use them to add a flavorful crunch to salads and soups, or eat them as a healthy snack.
Sometimes you just need a little salty, crunchy somethin', amiright? These toasty little guys will hit the spot. And they're made without oil, so they're a much healthier option than a lot of salty crunchy things (I'm looking at you, tortilla chips).
I love sprinkling these on top of salads (especially when I use my favorite nut-free caesar dressing) or soups for a fun crunch and a burst of roasty, toasty flavor.
If you have 20 minutes, a baking sheet, and an oven... ok, and pepitas, and salt, and a mesh strainer, and parchment paper, and probably an oven mitt...
Where was I?
Oh, I was basically trying to say these are super quick and easy to make. Sheesh.
Ingredients
You only need two ingredients to make delicious roasted pepitas without oil.
- Pepitas (obviously)
- Salt (optional, but highly recommended)
See the recipe card at the bottom of this post for quantities and full instructions.
Instructions
First, Preheat your oven and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Place your pepitas in a mesh strainer and rinse them with water. Make sure to shake out any excess water so they're not too wet.
Spread the damp (wait, should I say moist again? I know you love it when I say moist) pepitas onto the baking sheet in a single layer, making sure to break up any clumps that are stuck together. Sprinkle them with salt.
Bake the pepitas for 10 minutes. Take them out and give them a stir. Return them to the oven and bake another 5-7 minutes, until the pepitas smell toasty and fragrant and start to turn a nice golden color.
Let them cool on the baking sheet and enjoy listening to the cute little popping sound they make.
That's it!
Variations
You can also make roasted pepitas without salt. Skip the rinsing step and place the dry pepitas on your lined baking sheet. Bake for 8 minutes, stir, and bake another 4-6 minutes.
Storage
Store the roasted pepitas in an airtight container at room temperature for up to a month. Any longer than that and they will still be edible, but might taste stale. If this happens, you can try popping them back in the oven for a few minutes to freshen them up.
Easy Oil-Free Roasted Pepitas
Ingredients
- ½ cup raw pepitas
- ⅛-¼ teaspoon salt (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- If you’re using salt, rinse the pepitas in a mesh strainer and allow any excess water to drain. (Skip this step if you’re not using salt.)
- Spread the pepitas on the parchment-lined baking sheet in a single layer, making sure to break up any clumps that are stuck together.
- Sprinkle with salt, if using. Start with ⅛ teaspoon and add more if you like them extra salty like I do.
- Roast for 10 minutes. Take them out of the oven and give them a stir/shake. Roast for another 5-7 minutes, until the pepitas are a nice golden color, but not too dark.
- Cool the pepitas completely before storing them in an airtight container at room temperature.
- Add roasted pepitas to salads or soups for a crunchy topping, or eat them as a snack.
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