What’s the Difference Between Pepitas and Pumpkin Seeds
A pumpkin seed is a pumpkin seed is a pumpkin seed, right? Well, kind of. We investigate whether pepita is just a cooler way of saying pumpkin seed or if it’s something different.
Are pepitas just pumpkin seeds? Or are they something entirely different? Let’s answer this pressing culinary question.
Pepitas And Pumpkin Seeds
Technically, yes pepitas and pumpkin seeds are the same thing. But pepitas (which mean “little seeds of squash” in Spanish) don’t have a shell and are found in only select pumpkin varieties.
Generally, the seeds you dig out of your jack-o’-lanterns are just plain old pumpkin seeds with shells and all. If you felt adventurous and tried to shuck them you’d find a small seed, or pepita, inside. But why would you do that when there are better things to do to them, like roasting and eating.
How To Get Pepitas
If you want pepitas and you don’t want to have to shell them, you can try growing some of the pumpkin varieties that have shell-less seeds. They have cool names like Lady Godiva Pumpkin, Austria Oil Seed Pumpkin, Gleisdorfer Naked Seeded Pumpkin, and Kakai Hulless Pumpkin. But if you’re like me, I can never ever get anything to grow. So this isn’t an option.
Thank goodness lots of grocery stores sell pepitas. They even sell them on Amazon! These babies you can eat by the handful without doing any work. You can purchase already roasted pepitas or you can buy raw and roast them yourself. Once roasted they’re a delicious snack or crunchy topping for all kinds of recipes. Try adding some on top of soups and salads.
Th u
Love Pepitas!
So what is the usual we find in the grocery store? Are they mostly the kind that grow in the Lady Godiva Pumpkin, Austria Oil Seed Pumpkin, Gleisdorfer Naked Seeded Pumpkin, and Kakai Hulless Pumpkin???
The ones I’ve seen in the store are not specific about what kind of pumpkins they come from, Georgia.
Thank you for the explanation! I buy this mix, Cranberry Health Mix, and I knew all the fruits & nuts in there but one, so using my Sherlock Holmesian powers of deduction, while I didn’t know what the little tasty green things were, nor did I know pepitas, I put it all together. And thx to you, now I know all about them!
Sounds great, Mark!
Thanks for the great explanation!
You’re welcome, Kelly!
Thank you so much for explaining. I’m trying to make mole verde and wanted to know difference. This really helps and the first time I just used raw pumpkin seeds from my Hispanic grocery store but am going to look for pepitas! The flavor is just incredible and I was told to add sesame seeds along with it. Do you think sesame will add more flavor or leave out sesame?
You’re welcome, Robert! I’m not sure if it needs sesame seeds, but I’d love to hear how it turns out and what you think.
Christine…
The people bashing you for being wrong or misleading are what some of us call pinheads. Most of us also understood that pepitas are from the pumpkin family & not necessarily from the pumpkins we harvest for Jack-o-Lanterns. Your article was informative & accurate!
You are wrong. They are not the same thing.
Hi Melissa,
I didn’t say they were exactly the same thing. They are from a different species and one has the shell still on while the other doesn’t.
Your article is misleading where you state “technically they are the same thing”. You can not hull a “regular” pumpkin seed to find a pepita inside. Proofs are only found in some pumpkin varieties. They are not inside of all pumpkin seeds
How/where can I get pepitas grown in the USA or at least Mexico?
I’m sorry, Barbara, I’m not sure. You’d have to research the brands that are available to you. I know there’s lots of options online, but it may require lots of label reading and checking company websites.