What do you do with watermelon seeds after eating a delicious slice? Do you throw them out? If your answer is yes, maybe we can gently sway you in the other direction, because if you roast watermelon seeds, we promise you they’ll be delicious!
Watermelon seeds can actually be a very crunchy and tasty snack that is worth giving a shot to this summer. Wouldn’t it be quite a shame to waste them? We already have a huge tendency towards food waste globally, but also throwing out edible parts of fruits and vegetables is a nasty habit for us humans. We miss out on so much nutrition that way! When it comes to watermelon, we can even use the white part of the rind in stir-fries or salads, so why don’t we?
Why you should roast watermelon seeds
But I digress. Let’s talk about all of the reasons you should roast watermelon seeds. And they are plenty. I have to admit that when I was a kid I was too lazy to get rid of them so when I was biting from a juicy watermelon wedge I would crunch the seeds in my teeth. I never minded them. Finding out that you can roast watermelon seeds has been a great change though.
Why, though, you might ask? Well, besides the pleasant taste and the fact that they add great visual interest to a salad, for instance, they’re also pretty nutritious too!
The seeds are loaded with protein, healthy fats, vitamins, and minerals. Among these, there’s vitamin E, which ensures that your eyesight is protected and nourished. You need these things!
How to roast watermelon seeds
First of all, gather your ingredients. Get some olive oil or another oil that you prefer. You can also use butter if you want, but also herbs and spices like ground black pepper, cumin, paprika and so on. Experiment with it! And of course, don’t skimp on the salt.
Preheat the oven to 330 degrees F/ 165 degrees C. Then rinse the watermelon seeds and make sure you get rid of the watermelon flesh as much as possible. Then keep them in a bowl filled with water and salt for a couple of hours. Throw away the water and dry the seeds. Put them in a baking tray, drizzle them with oil and mix so that they’re properly coated. Add salt and your chosen flavorings.
Roast watermelon seeds for about an hour. They should go brown in color and have a nice crunch to them. Then let them cool off on paper towels, to get rid of the excess fat, too. And enjoy!
