Roasted Pumpkin Seeds With Brown Butter and Sage Recipe

The classic combination of brown butter and sage makes an ordinary batch of roasted pumpkin seeds extra delicious.

By
J. Kenji López-Alt
Kenji Lopez Alt
J. Kenji López-Alt
Culinary Consultant
Kenji is the former culinary director for Serious Eats and a current culinary consultant for the site. He is also a New York Times food columnist and the author of The Food Lab: Better Home Cooking Through Science.
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Updated March 19, 2020
Pumpkin Seeds With Brown Butter and Sage

Heat 3 tablespoons of butter in a small skillet, swirling, until golden brown and nutty. Immediately add 2 tablespoons of chopped sage leaves and 1 tablespoon of lemon juice (the butter will spatter, so stand back!). Remove from heat.

Roast your seeds according to our Basic Roasted Pumpkin Seeds recipe, using the browned butter sauce in place of the oil. Toss with additional fresh sage as soon as they come out of the oven.

. Photograph: J. Kenji López-Alt

Why It Works

  • Drying the seeds before roasting ensures they can be evenly coated in butter, for a perfectly toasted texture.
  • Roasting the pumpkin seeds at a moderate temperature dries them out without burning them, for a golden exterior and crisp center.
  • Substituting a simple mixture of brown butter and sage for oil infuses the pumpkin seeds with fall flavors.

A coating of nutty, golden-brown butter and sage leaves makes an easy (and fall-appropriate) upgrade to plain old roasted pumpkin seeds.

Recipe Details

Roasted Pumpkin Seeds With Brown Butter and Sage Recipe

Prep 20 mins
Cook 30 mins
Active 15 mins
Rest Time 60 mins
Total 110 mins
Makes 2 cups
Cook Mode (Keep screen awake)

Ingredients

  • 2 cups pumpkin seeds

  • 3 tablespoons (45 g) unsalted butter

  • 2 tablespoons chopped fresh sage leaves, plus more for garnishing

  • 1 tablespoon (15 ml) lemon juice

  • 1/4 tsp salt and freshly ground black pepper

Directions

  1. Carefully wash pumpkin seeds to remove all excess pulp. Transfer pumpkin seeds to a paper towel–lined rimmed baking sheet. Allow to rest at room temperature until completely dry, about 1 hour. To speed up the process, dry pumpkin seeds in a 200°F (90°C) oven, stirring occasionally, or use a hair dryer.

  2. In a small skillet, heat butter, swirling, until golden brown and nutty. Immediately add chopped sage leaves and lemon juice (the butter will spatter, so stand back!). Remove brown butter from heat.

  3. Adjust oven rack to center position and preheat oven to 325°F (160°C). In a large bowl, toss dried pumpkin seeds with brown butter mixture and season with salt and pepper. Transfer to a rimmed baking sheet. Roast until pale golden brown, stirring occasionally, about 25 minutes total.

  4. Remove seeds from oven and immediately transfer to a serving bowl. Toss with additional chopped sage leaves and serve.

Special equipment

Rimmed baking sheet

Nutrition Facts (per serving)
881Calories
59gFat
70gCarbs
24gProtein
×
Nutrition Facts
Amount per serving
Calories881
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 59g76%
Saturated Fat 26g131%
Cholesterol 92mg31%
Sodium 327mg14%
Total Carbohydrate 70g25%
Dietary Fiber 24g85%
Total Sugars 0g
Protein 24g
Vitamin C 3mg17%
Calcium 91mg7%
Iron 4mg25%
Potassium 1219mg26%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

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