If you're looking for a healthy green smoothie with a nutrient boost, this pumpkin seed smoothie is the recipe to try.
Whole pumpkin seeds are blended with fresh spinach, protein-rich yoghurt, and frozen pineapple into a creamy smoothie, as delicious as nutritious.
Seed smoothies are incredibly good for you. Along with chia seeds and flaxseeds, pumpkin seeds are one of the best seeds you can put in a smoothie.
Using pumpkin seeds in smoothies helps you get extra proteins, healthy unsaturated fats, and minerals like iron and calcium.
And a glass of this healthy pumpkin seed smoothie includes 2 tablespoons of pumpkin seeds, delivering a whopping 16 grams of proteins!
The idea for this pumpkin smoothie recipe came after we made our pumpkin seed milk from scratch and had leftover seed pulp to use up.
From there, we found the best way to make a smoothie with pumpkin seeds: toasting and soaking the pumpkin seeds before blending.
This improves both the smoothie flavour and texture and the smoothie nutrient value, as nutrients in pumpkin seeds are better digested and absorbed.
Low in calories and with no bananas, this pumpkin protein smoothie is great for weight loss or as a post-workout smoothie!
For more green smoothie ideas, check out these recipes:
Can you put pumpkin seeds in smoothies?
Just like for chia seeds and flaxseeds, you can make a healthy seed smoothie with pumpkin seeds as well.
To put pumpkin seeds into a smoothie, let the seeds soak in water to soften before blending into a smoothie for a creamier result.
Are pumpkin seeds good for smoothies?
Pumpkin seeds are a healthy addition to smoothies as they add body and flavour while boosting their nutrient value with fibres, healthy fats, and iron.
Also, pumpkin seeds are good for protein smoothies because they’re one the seeds with the most proteins, second only to hemp seeds.
Pumpkin seeds blended into a smoothie are also easier to digest and have better nutrient bioavailability for optimal absorption.
Can you blend pumpkin seeds in a blender?
As long as you soak the seeds in water first, it’s perfectly fine to blend pumpkin seeds in a blender to make a smoothie.
A basic blender is powerful enough to smash up the pumpkin seeds if you blitz the seeds long enough with the other ingredients.
Still, keep in mind that a raw pumpkin seed smoothie will have a subtle grainy texture from the pulp of the blended seeds.
Can you taste pumpkin seeds in a smoothie?
Pumpkin seeds give a subtle yet delicious nutty flavour to smoothies and add some extra creaminess thanks to healthy fats released in the blending process.
However, the delicate taste of pumpkin seeds can be overpowered by other ingredients you use in the smoothie.
To bump up the smoothie flavour, use roasted pumpkin seeds. Simply toast the seeds in a dry skillet until fragrant or in the oven at 200°C (390°F) static for 10 minutes.
Should pumpkin seeds be soaked or raw for a smoothie?
To get the smoothest result, pumpkin seeds must be soaked before you blend them into a smoothie.
Soaking allows the pumpkin seeds to absorb water, softening. They’ll break down better, taste less bitter, and release more flavour.
The quickest way to soak pumpkin seeds for smoothies is in a bowl of boiling water for 20-30 minutes, ideally 1 hour.
Alternatively, leave the pumpkin seeds to soak in cold water for 8 hours in the fridge in an airtight container.
Do you use raw pumpkin seeds or pumpkin seed butter in smoothies?
Using pumpkin seed butter to make a pumpkin smoothie yields a creamier, smoother result than raw pumpkin seeds, and it’s faster as you don’t have to soak the seeds in advance.
However, pumpkin seed butter is much harder to find and way more expensive than the whole seeds, so we prefer using raw pumpkin seeds in smoothies.
How many pumpkin seeds should I put in my smoothie?
For optimal nutrition, use 20 grams / 2 heaped tablespoons of pumpkin seeds for each smoothie serving.
Two tablespoons of pumpkin seeds add 110 calories, 6 grams of protein, and 9 grams of healthy fats, including omega-3, plus essential minerals like iron, calcium, zinc, and magnesium.
Ingredients
| Raw Pumpkin Seeds | 2 tbsp |
| Milk (Soy / Dairy Milk) | 200 mL |
| Fresh Baby Spinach | 30 g |
| Frozen Pineapple | 80 g |
| Yoghurt (Soy / Greek Yoghurt) | 125 g |
Step 1
For a more flavourful pumpkin smoothie, toast the raw pumpkin seeds in a hot, dry skillet until they start to pop and split — about 5 minutes.
Step 2
Transfer the pumpkin seeds to a bowl, cover with boiling water, and leave to soak for 20 minutes. Then, drain.
Soaking helps soften the seeds for blending and improves digestibility.
You can also soak the seeds overnight in cold water, ready for the next morning.
Step 3
Add the soaked pumpkin seeds to a blender and tip in the milk, spinach, pineapple, and yoghurt (1).
Blitz all for 2 minutes to ensure the pumpkin seeds are finely ground for a smoother result (2).
Step 4
Taste the smoothie for sweetness, adding a splash of honey or maple syrup if you like.
Enjoy your healthy pumpkin seed smoothie right away or store it in an airtight jar/bottle in the fridge for up to 2 days.
Tips
Optional Add-Ons
1 tablespoon of ground flaxseeds for good omega-3 fats.
1/2 scoop of protein powder, like whey protein or rice/hemp/pea protein, for extra proteins.
30 grams of oats for more energy — i.e. to turn this recipe into a more substantial breakfast smoothie.
1 pitted date or 1/2 teaspoon of honey/maple syrup for more sweetness.
1/2 teaspoon of matcha powder for extra antioxidants.