Honeydew

Roasted Melon Seeds

September  7, 2017
4.7
3 Ratings
Photo by Bobbi Lin
  • Makes about 1/4 cup (each)
Author Notes

This recipe is two-part: a recipe for watermelon seeds, and a recipe for muskmelon (honeydew or cantaloupe) seeds. Make and enjoy these separately, or combine them for a seed mix.

Both kinds of seeds completely satiate any longing for a salty, crunchy snack. The final watermelon seeds will have a deep, caramelly nuttiness similar to pumpkin seeds, but more popcorn-like in flavor. Muskmelon seeds are a little bit brighter and lighter, and better suited for taking on the flavors of what they're roasted in. (Here the soy sauce will bake onto the seeds, coating them in salty umami goodness, and the sesame seed oil rounds out the flavor.) The watermelon seeds require an hour pre-soaking, while the muskmelon seeds need to be rinsed and dried (for an hour, but overnight is preferable).

The recipes for each yield about 1/4 cup; scale the recipe up as you see fit. Keep in an airtight container for a month in the fridge or six months in the freezer. —Siobhan Wallace

What You'll Need
Ingredients
  • Roasted Watermelon Seeds
  • 1.5 ounces (about 2.5 tablespoons) rinsed watermelon seeds, about the amount from a 10-ib. watermelon
  • 1/4 teaspoon olive oil
  • Salt, to taste
  • Roasted Muskmelon Seeds
  • 2 ounces (about 1/4 cup) of seeds (a ripe cantaloupe with yield about one ounce)
  • 1.5 teaspoons sesame oil
  • 1.5 teaspoons soy sauce, plus extra for drizzling
Directions
  1. Roasted Watermelon Seeds
  2. Soak the seeds in extremely salty water for about an hour.
  3. Preheat oven to 320°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Drain the seeds and pat dry. Toss with olive oil, just enough to coat, and salt. Place as a single layer on the baking sheet.
  4. Roast seeds for about 20 minutes, until the oil has evaporated, and they look a little dried out. Cool completely before eating.
  1. Roasted Muskmelon Seeds
  2. Rinse and drain the seeds, separating out any pulp. Let dry for at least an hour, preferably overnight.
  3. Preheat oven to 320°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Mix soy sauce and sesame oil together in a small bowl and whisk to emulsify. Toss the seeds with the mixture.
  4. Place as a single layer on the baking sheet and lightly drizzle with soy sauce. Roast seeds for about 20 minutes, until they turn golden. Cool completely before eating.

See what other Food52ers are saying.

  • Siobhan Wallace
    Siobhan Wallace
  • kittyfood
    kittyfood
former blogger royalty, writer for hire, & co-author of "New York a la Cart." all the cookies are for me.

3 Reviews

kittyfood September 12, 2017
It's that "separating out any pulp" part that's a challenge. I have long struggled with this task for pumpkin and other seeds. It wouldn't be difficult for watermelon, but are there any good tricks for the more stringy vegetables and fruit?
 
Siobhan W. September 14, 2017
I don't drive myself crazy with removing ever speck of pulp. Just take out the bigger chunks and let small ones dry out in the oven.
 
Siobhan W. September 14, 2017
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