Belonging to a CSA Farm, we end up with lots of butternut squash at the end of a season. This is a coup, since we love to roast it, make stews with it, top pizza with it and add it to pastas, quinoa and brown rice dishes. In our house, butternut squash is never wasted.
Not even the seeds.
A friend gave me this idea, because she had figured if we can roast pumpkin seeds, then certainly other winter squash seeds would have some value. So I tried it. And wouldn’t you know? I like the butternut squash seeds better!
The butternut squash seeds are more tender, slightly sweeter, and have a more well-rounded flavor. They don’t take as long to cook, either. Since we really appreciate instant gratification in this house, it’s another win for the butternut squeash seeds. Here’s how we do it:
Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Clean and rinse seeds. Pat dry and toss with olive oil, spread on a baking sheet and sprinkle with sea salt. Bake for 20-30 minutes, until seeds start to turn a golden color and get cripsy. Seeds will become crispier when cooled, so don’t overcook them.
You’re done! Although there are always variations when you cook in our house:
Do you have a favorite way to serve roasted winter squash seeds?
Clacked by Debbie McDuffee
on Jan 14, 2009 @ 19:55 EST5EDT
If you’re in a real hurry, you can also pan roast squash or pumpkin seeds in a touch of olive oil and they cook even quicker. Just be on hand to frequently stir or swirl the pan so the seeds don’t burn. Remove from pan and season as desired – salty, sweet, spicy — you can’t go wrong!