Crunchy Salad with a Seed Medley

Ingredients 0/11

Step 1

Warm your oven to 375°F (190°C) and lining a large baking sheet with parchment paper—this makes cleanup easier and helps when you store the seeds later. In a big bowl, toss together all the seeds: pepitas, sunflower, flax, egusi, chia, quinoa, white and black sesame, plus amaranth. Drizzle a tablespoon of olive oil over the seeds and mix everything well with a rubber spatula. Add the rest of the olive oil little by little while stirring to coat all the seeds evenly. Sprinkle in some salt, a pinch of cayenne, and ground peppercorns, then give it another good mix.

Step 2

Spread the seed mixture out in a single layer on your prepared baking sheet. Pop it into the oven and roast for 10 minutes, then take it out and stir everything around. Put it back for another 5 minutes, stir again, and keep an eye on the egusi seeds—they’ll be the first to turn brown as a sign they’re roasting nicely. Continue baking for about 5 more minutes, checking after 3 minutes without opening the oven door. When the egusi seeds are golden brown and the pepitas start to get a shiny, slightly puffed look, turn off the oven and crack the door open. Let the seeds sit inside for about 10 minutes to finish drying out.

Step 3

Once that’s done, take the baking sheet out and let the seeds cool completely, stirring them occasionally so they cool evenly. When they’re fully cooled, transfer them to an airtight container. They’ll keep their crunch and flavor for up to three weeks—perfect for adding a tasty, nutty crunch to your salads!