Chili-Lime Roasted Pepitas with Smoked Paprika
Crackly toasted pumpkin seeds tossed with chili, lime and smoked paprika for a mineral-rich autumn snack.
Best for A mineral-dense, plant-protein snack rich in magnesium, zinc and heart-healthy fats
This is the snack I make by the jarful once the nights turn cool: green pepitas roasted until they puff and pop, then coated while warm in chili, smoked paprika and a squeeze of lime so the spice actually clings. It leans on the natural fats in the seeds to carry the seasoning, no oil-slicked handful required. Genuinely portionable, deeply savory, and every scoop delivers magnesium, zinc and plant protein instead of empty crunch.
Ingredients
- 200 g raw green pumpkin seeds , unsalted, hulled
- 15 ml olive oil
- 5 g smoked paprika
- 3 g chili powder , or ancho chili powder
- 2 g ground cumin
- 1 g cayenne pepper , adjust to taste (optional – can be omitted)
- 4 g fine sea salt
- 1 Lime , zest and juice
- 5 ml maple syrup , helps the spice cling (optional – can be omitted)
Instructions
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1
Heat the oven to 160°C and line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment. In a bowl, toss the pepitas with the olive oil, smoked paprika, chili powder, cumin, cayenne, salt and lime zest until every seed is evenly coated.
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2
Spread the seeds in a single layer on the sheet and roast, stirring once halfway through, until they are golden, puffed and audibly popping. Watch them near the end — pepitas turn from toasted to bitter quickly.
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3
Squeeze the lime juice over the hot seeds right on the pan and drizzle with the maple syrup if using, tossing fast so the moisture flashes off and glazes them. Spread out and cool completely; they crisp as they cool. Store airtight up to 1 week.