Pepitas vs Pumpkin Seeds + Benefits & Recipes
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What’s the difference between pepitas and pumpkin seeds from your jack o’ lantern? There’s not some mysterious machine removing the tough white shells from pumpkin seeds. Instead, pepitas come from special squash known as “oilseed pumpkins”. In this article, we’ll tell you a little more about these tasty morsels and how to use them.
What’s a pepita? (Hull less Pumpkin Seed)
Pepitas means “little seeds” in Spanish. These hulless pumpkin seeds come from a specific type of winter squash known as oil seed pumpkins or Styrian pumpkins.
Instead of the hard white shell of other winter squash seeds, these seeds have a very delicate skin that comes off easily. They are flat, oval-shaped green seeds with a point at one end.
All pepitas are pumpkin seeds, but not all pumpkin seeds are pepitas.
Pepita Benefits
Pepitas are loaded with nutrition. Just 1/4 cup (32.25 grams) provides significant amounts of manganese, tryptophan, magnesium, phosphorus, copper, protein, zinc and iron.
How do I use pepitas?
I enjoy pepitas as low carb salad topper or snack, but you can use them like you would use other seeds or nuts. Try them in granola bars or trail mixes, in muffins or cookies, or savory dishes. Pumpkin seeds are normally roasted and eaten as a snack.
You can get quite a few fruits from a hill of pumpkins, but each pumpkin yields less than a cup of seeds, which is why hull less pumpkin seeds are so pricey in the store.
Raw Pepitas are Best
Pepitas are one of the best sources of plant based Omega-3 fatty acids, but to preserve those healthy fats, they should be eaten raw. (If you choose to roast, you’ll still get the other nutrients.)
To make pepitas easier to digest, soak or sprout them to reduce phytic acid. You can use this preparation with home grown or purchased raw pepitas.
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When buying hull less pumpkin seeds, make sure they smell fresh, not musty. As the seeds get older, the oils in them can go rancid.
To Soak Your Pepitas
If harvesting from a fresh pumpkin, scoop out seeds and rinse off the pumpkin goobers.
Place your raw seeds in a medium bowl with enough water to cover. Add 2 tablespoons salt. If you’d like a little heat, you can also add a teaspoon of cayenne pepper.
Cover bowl with dish cloth and leave in a warm location to soak for at least 7 hours or overnight. Drain in a colander.
Dehydrated Pepitas
To dehydrate, toss seeds with a bit more salt or seasoning, if desired, and dry at less than 150°F until crispy, 8-12 hours. (Don’t add extra oil.) Mix the pepitas a couple of times during drying, as they tend to stick together.
Once the seeds are dry and crispy, store them in a tightly sealed container. (Wide mouth mason jars work great.) These should last about a year at room temperature, or longer if refrigerated or frozen.
Roasted Pepitas
To oven roast your pepitas, drizzle lightly with olive oil or sesame oil. Toss with seasonings or additional salt, if desired. Spread on a baking sheet and toast at 250°F (120°C).
Mix every 15 minutes to half hour. It’ll take around 45 minutes to an hour to get them crispy. These should keep for a week or two in a tightly sealed container.
More Pumpkin Goodness
- Pumpkin Spice Scones
- Pumpkin Fruit Leather
- How to Make Pumpkin Wine
- How to Cook Pumpkin or Winter Squash – 3 Easy Methods
This article was written by Laurie Neverman. Laurie and her family live in northeast Wisconsin, where they grow annual gardens and a permaculture food forest. The preserve food with a mix of old and new techniques, from root cellaring to freeze drying.
Originally published in 2012, last updated in 2024.