Roasted sunflower seeds are a delicious and nutritious snack, great as an evening snack or as a mid-day snack. Roasting the seeds is really simple, you can leave the shell or remove it. Keep reading!
Steps
Method 1 of 3: With the Shell
Step 1. Take a cup of sunflower seeds still with their shells
Add enough water to cover them. The seeds will absorb the water so they won't dry out too much in cooking.
Step 2. Add 60-100g of salt
Mix everything and leave the seeds to soak overnight. This step allows you to have tasty savory seeds.
- If you're in a hurry, you can put them in salted water in a saucepan and let them simmer for an hour and a half or two.
- If you prefer unsalted seeds, skip this step.
Step 3. Drain the seeds
Remove the water and pat them dry with kitchen paper.
Step 4. Preheat the oven to 150 ° C
Arrange them on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Make sure they are well distributed in a single layer. Make sure they don't overlap.
Step 5. Place the seeds in the oven
Let them roast for 30-40 minutes or until the shells are golden brown. The shells may also develop a slight crack in the center while cooking. Stir occasionally to make sure the seeds roast evenly.
Step 6. Serve or save them
You can add a teaspoon of butter when the seeds are still hot and serve them immediately. Or wait for them to cool on the baking sheet and then transfer them to an airtight container.
Method 2 of 3: Without Shell
Step 1. Clean enough seeds to fill a cup
Put them in a colander and rinse them with cold water to get rid of any small residue. Remove any bits of sunflower shell or material.
Step 2. Line a baking sheet or baking dish with parchment paper
Preheat the oven to 150 ° C.
Step 3. Spread the seeds on the pan in a single layer
Make sure that no seeds are superimposed on the others.
Step 4. Place the pan in the oven
Let the seeds roast for 30-40 minutes or until golden brown. Stir occasionally so that they cook evenly.
Step 5. Serve or save them
You can bring the hot seeds to the table or wait for them to cool and then transfer them to an airtight container to enjoy them later.
- If you like salty seeds, sprinkle them with salt while they are still on the pan.
- You can even add a teaspoon of butter for an even more delicious snack!
Method 3 of 3: Dressing Tips
Step 1. If desired, choose from one of the following toppings:
- Spicy seeds. You can give the seeds a delicious spicy aroma both sweet and hot by combining three tablespoons of brown sugar with one of chili powder, one teaspoon of ground cumin, half a teaspoon of cinnamon, a pinch of cloves, half a teaspoon of cayenne pepper., ¾ teaspoon of salt and ¾ of red pepper flakes. First put the shelled seeds in a beaten egg white (this allows the spices to adhere to the seeds) and then add the spices. Roast as usual.
- Ranch Sauce Flavored Seeds. It is not difficult to prepare a combination of aromas that reproduce the flavor of the ranch sauce. This dressing will give you a snack that will be impossible to resist. Simply mix 3 tablespoons of melted butter with a teaspoon of ranch spice. Coat the seeds and then roast them as usual.
- Lime seeds. Lime-flavored seeds go perfectly with salads, noodles and soups. Make a mixture in which you soak the seeds with two tablespoons of fresh lime juice, two tablespoons of soy sauce, a teaspoon of agave syrup, half a teaspoon of chili powder, half of paprika and half of canola or olive oil. Toast the seeds as usual.
- Honey seeds. This sweet concession is perfect for lunch at school or at work! Melt three tablespoons of honey (which can be substituted for agave or maple syrup) in a saucepan over low heat. It will only take a minute. Add one and a half teaspoons of sunflower oil and a pinch of salt. Add the shelled seeds and after having covered them well, toast them as usual.
- Salt and vinegar seeds. If you prefer salty snacks over sweet ones, try this recipe! You just have to soak the shelled seeds in a tablespoon of apple cider vinegar and a teaspoon of salt. Proceed to roast them as usual.
- Sweet cinnamon seeds. Add some chopped cinnamon to satisfy lovers of this spice. Just mix the seeds with a pinch of cinnamon, a teaspoon of coconut oil and a pinch of sweetener. You will get a great and low calorie snack.
Step 2. Try other simple toppings
There are thousands of flavors you can experiment with, both alone and in some combinations. If you are looking for a quick fix, try mixing ¼ teaspoon of the following spices before roasting the seeds: cajun spice, powdered barbecue flavorings, garlic or onion powder. You can also drown the seeds in melted chocolate if you really want to overdo it.
Advice
- You can flavor sunflower seeds with the spices you like best!
- You can reduce cooking times by roasting sunflower seeds at 160 ° C for 25-30 minutes.
- Sunflower seeds contain the same amount of vitamin E as extra virgin olive oil.
