The Seasonal Homestead These oven roasted sunflower seeds are so delicious and crispy with loads of flavor. It’s a great way to repurpose and fully utilize sunflowers that have bloomed in the garden. Our unique method for this recipe makes them hard to resist!
Davids, Bigs, and Smackin’ Sunflower Seeds are popular brands you find at the grocery or a convenience store and though I am very biased I think this recipe is better! Not to mention if you grew the sunflower seeds it saves you so much money and makes a great snack.
Since we are a snack loving family, so even a big jar of roasted sunflower seeds can get consumed rather quickly around here. These sit on the shelf (though not for long) right alongside our Homemade Hot Cocoa Mix, our Smoked Beef Jerky, or other homestead pantry snacks.
After testing a few variations and flavors, we have a good recipe here as a starting point for simple salted sunflower seeds, or other seasoning mixes like Ranch and Hatch Chile flavor. These are just a starting point but the possibilities are endless.
If you have any requests for copycat flavors let me know in the comments and I will recipe test and get you your favorite type 🙂
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Safe for Storing on the Shelf at Room Temperature. It won’t take up space in your freezer.
- Simple ingredients let the homegrown flavors shine.
- Ready to Eat. These snacks are on our shelf in our own little “snack aisle” of our home grocery store
How to Harvest Sunflower Seeds
If you’re harvesting your own sunflower seeds, it’s important to harvest at the right time for the best results.
Wait until the sunflowers have bloomed and the petals are falling off, the head looks heavy and drooping over, and the place where the petals once where is yellow or a yellowish green.
Double check the seeds are mature by opening one and looking at the inner seed. If its grey, firm, and nearly all the other signs of maturity exist, the seeds are ready to harvest.
The next step is to brush off as much of the brown pollen bits off the outside as possible before taking out the seeds. The easiest method is to put gloves on and brush out the seeds into a bowl by hand.
If the seeds are tightly packed and not coming out easily wack the head hard against something that can handle it. My kids found out this works well for the Mammoth Grey Striped Sunflower heads and is faster than pulling them by hand.
To achieve very clean seeds, you can use a sieve or quarter inch hardware mesh and place the sunflower seeds on it then sift the pollen out.
An alternative method is to winnow the seeds by placing a bowl in front of a fan and dropping the seeds into the bowl. With the right amount of “wind” the empty seed shells blow off as well as the pollen.
Ingredients
Sunflower Seeds – Any type of large sunflower seed will work with this recipe. I used both Mongolian Giant and Mammoth Grey Striped.
Salt – We use sea salt but any kind works. This recipe uses a brine of salt and water then additional salt after soaking. The important part is when coating the seeds later in the recipe with salt you use a fine grain salt or powdered so it sticks well.
Oil – Use whatever you have on hand. We usually use avocado or olive oil.
How to Make Roasted Sunflower Seeds step by step
Clean and rinse the seeds and remove any residual pollen and debris.
Mix together a salt water brine. For 1/2lb or 4 cups of seeds, use the ratio of 4 cups water to ⅓ cup salt.
Ensure the seeds are completely submerged in the brine for even coverage. We put a plate on top to keep the seeds under. Soak for at least 12 hours.
After the soak, drain the brine completely and rinse the seeds in a colander with water.
Dry the seeds thoroughly with a towel, then put seeds back in a mixing bowl.
Add oil and your preferred seasoning option and stir until coated. Use 1 teaspoon of powdered salt for plain salt flavor, 2-3 tablespoons of the chili seasoning mix, or ¼ cup for the ranch seasoning mix. IMPORTANT NOTE: The seasoning mixes make more than one recipe worth. Don’t add the whole thing! You can adjust to taste prior to baking (raw seeds are ok to eat!) but keep in mind the spice mellows a bit as it cooks.
Pour onto a baking sheet and shake around until seeds are in an even, flat layer. Cook in a preheated oven at 300 degrees for 35-45 minutes. Check halfway through the bake and use a spatula to gently turn the seeds for even cooking. Bake until the seeds are dry and crispy.
Take out, let cool, and enjoy. Roasted sunflower seeds store best in an airtight container for up to 3 months.
Tips For The Best Oven Roasted Sunflower Seeds
- Dry the seeds as much as possible before baking! This helps them to bake up crispy and not steam. We use a towel to rub off any water on the outside and add a fan to air dry if we are in a hurry to get them baking. It also helps the oil and seasonings adhere.
- For a salted sunflower seed, use popcorn salt or salt that has been pulsed in a high powered blender to make it finer after coating the seeds with oil. It will adhere to the seeds better, coat them better, and help enhance the taste.
- Mix Seasonings in a blender. Just like the salt, the more powdery you can get the seasoning the better it sticks to the seeds.
Frequently Asked Questions
In a properly sealed container, roasted sunflower seeds will last at least 3-4 months in a pantry, or up to 12 months in a refrigerator or freezer when stored in an airtight container. If you are immediately storing them after roasting, allow them to cool completely to avoid any condensation inside the sealed container.
No, sunflower seeds are perfectly safe to consume raw. Roasting them gives them a nice, cooked crunch, and helps bring out the nutty flavor of the seed.
In a properly sealed container, roasted sunflower seeds will last at least 3-4 months in a pantry, or up to 12 months in a refrigerator or freezer when stored in an airtight container. If you are immediately storing them after roasting, allow them to cool completely to avoid any condensation inside the sealed container.
Other Favorite Snack Recipes
If you made these Roasted Sunflower Seeds or any other recipe on my blog please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it went in the comments below. It really helps! Thanks for visiting!
Oven Roasted Sunflower Seeds (with flavor options)
Ingredients
For the Brine
- 4 cups sunflower seeds (in-shell) (½ lb or 226 grams)
- 4 cups water
- ⅓ cup salt
Basic Salt Flavor
- 1 teaspoon oil
- 1 teaspoon sea salt more or less, depending on your taste. Use powdered popcorn salt or very fine grain.
Ranch Seasoning Mix
- 1/3 cup buttermilk powder
- 1 tablespoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon dill
- 1½-2 teaspoons salt or to taste (keep in mind this mix makes more than one batch)
- 1/2 teaspoons black pepper
- 1/2 teaspoons sugar
- 1/8 cayenne pepper
Chile Seasoning Mix
- 2 tablespoons hatch chile powder any other pepper powder will work here too, chipotle, ancho, or more paprika and a couple pinches of cayenne for heat
- 2 tablespoons paprika
- 1 teaspoon oregano
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/2 teaspoon cumin
- 1½ teaspoons salt or to taste (keep in mind this mix makes more than one batch)
Instructions
- Clean and rinse the seeds. Make sure all inedible pieces are cleaned out of your seeds.
- Mix together the salt and water in a large bowl to make a brine. For 1/2lb or 4 cups of seeds, use the ratio of 4 cups water to ⅓ cup salt. Ensure the seeds are completely submerged in the brine for even coverage. We like to use a plate on top to hold them down. Soak for at least 12 hours.
- After the soak, rinse the seeds in a colander.
- Dry the seeds thoroughly with a towel, then put seeds back in a mixing bowl.
- Add oil and your preferred seasoning option. Use 1 teaspoon of powdered salt for salt flavor, 2-3 tablespoons of the chili seasoning mix, or ¼ cup for the ranch mix. IMPORTANT NOTE: The seasoning mixes make more than one recipe worth. Don't add the whole thing!! You can adjust to taste prior to baking but keep in mind the spice mellows a little as it cooks.
- Cook in a preheated oven at 300 degrees for 35-45 minutes. Check halfway through the bake and use a spatula to gently turn the seeds for even cooking. Bake until the seeds are dry and crispy.
- Take out, let cool, and enjoy. Roasted sunflower seeds store best in an airtight container for up to 3 months.
Notes
- If using a seasoning mix, the recipe creates more than what you need for 4 cups or a half pound of sunflower seeds. Only add what the recipe instructs.
- Use popcorn salt or salt that has been pulsed in a high powered blender to make it finer. It will adhere to the seeds better, coat them better, and help enhance the taste.
- Pulsing the seasoning mix in a blender before using will make it fine and help it to stick better to the seeds.
Nutrition
The post How to Roast Sunflower seeds {In-shell with Seasoning Options!} appeared first on The Seasonal Homestead.
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