We may receive a commission on purchases made from links.
As grocery prices continue to surge upwards, it’s time to reconsider the affordable proteins you’ve been overlooking. Seeds, nuts, and other plant-based options are an excellent way to help stretch your meals with filling and fulfilling nutrients while keeping a little extra cash in your wallet. When you want a versatile protein that you can easily make on your own or find at the store, reach for pumpkin seed butter, made from pepitas. The difference between pepitas and pumpkin seeds is that the former is the unshelled version of the latter. This rich seed butter actually contains more protein than most common nut and seed butters, including peanut butter. At 9 grams of protein per ounce, pumpkin seed butter beats out peanut butter, which has 8 grams, almond butter, which has 7 grams, and cashew butter, which has 6 grams. This also makes it an ideal replacement for those with nut allergies.
Preparing a homemade pumpkin seed butter recipe is simple and fun, requiring only pepitas, sea salt, and either vegetable or any other neutral oil of your choosing. Start by toasting the seeds in the oven and then pulsing them into a paste in your food processor. The pureeing process is what will take the most time, while yielding spectacular results. If you don’t have the time to spare, you can also buy a jar online or look for it at your local grocery store. This seed butter will become your new go-to for just about every meal you can think of.
The best uses for protein-packed pumpkin seed butter
Whether you make it on your own or get your favorite store-bought brand, pumpkin seed butter is the ultimate pairing for many different dishes. Try a twist on a typical peanut butter and jelly by using pumpkin seed butter and pumpkin butter or cinnamon apple jelly for a “gourd-geous” fall-inspired sandwich. You can also make a variety of sweet treats, like pumpkin seed butter cookies. For dishes that lean away from the dessert side, mix up your breakfast oatmeal or smoothies with a lush, protein-rich swirl of pumpkin seed butter. It also works great when drizzled over pancakes or waffles.
On the savory side, make your pumpkin seed butter into a delightful pesto sauce, perfect for dressing up pasta, salads, and more. You can also use pureed pumpkin seeds to make a crowd-pleasing party dip to serve alongside veggie sticks and crusty bread. Take inspiration from a spicy peanut sauce recipe by swapping out the usual peanut butter for pumpkin seed butter for use with a number of different meals. With a hearty seed butter and a creative imagination, there’s no limit to the delicious possibilities.
