Kürbiskernaufstrich (pumpkin seed spread)
A spread built on toasted pumpkin seeds ground fine, the seeds toasted in a dry pan first until they smell distinctly nutty and pop faintly, since raw pumpkin seeds blended straight into a spread taste flat and grassy by comparison. Blending in a little pumpkin seed oil alongside the toasted seeds deepens the flavour with the same ingredient rather than diluting it with a neutral oil.
Prep10 min
Cook5 min
Servings4
Christoph's pumpkin seed spread, the seeds toasted until they pop faintly for a proper nutty depth.
Ingredients
Units
Temperature
Servings
Spread
- 150 g raw pumpkin seeds rounded
- 1 garlic clove rounded
- 40 ml pumpkin seed oil rounded
- 60 ml water rounded
- 15 ml lemon juice rounded
- to taste fine salt rounded
Dietary labels are a guide, not a guarantee. If you have an allergy, read the ingredients yourself.
Method
- Toast the pumpkin seeds in a dry pan over medium heat, stirring constantly, for 3 to 4 minutes, until a shade darker and smelling distinctly toasted, with a few seeds audibly popping. Let cool for a few minutes.
- Blend the toasted seeds and garlic until finely ground.
- With the blender running, drizzle in the pumpkin seed oil, water and lemon juice, blending until it comes together as a thick, spreadable paste.
- Season with salt.
Notes
- Toast the seeds properly, don’t skip this. Raw pumpkin seeds blend into a comparatively flat, grassy spread; toasting develops the deep, nutty flavour that pumpkin seed spread is prized for.
- Watch for a few seeds popping as your cue that they’re toasted enough. Once several are audibly popping, they’re ready; pushing further risks scorching, which turns bitter.
- Use pumpkin seed oil rather than a neutral oil. It reinforces the same flavour the toasted seeds provide instead of diluting it, giving a noticeably deeper, more concentrated result.
- It keeps for a week in the fridge under a thin layer of oil, or freezes well in small portions.
Ingredient substitutions
- Pumpkin seed oil is worth seeking out for this specific spread; a mix of olive oil and a smaller amount of pumpkin seed oil works if the pure oil isn’t available.
- A pinch of smoked paprika blended in adds a subtle warmth.
- Serve on dark rye bread, the traditional Austrian way, or as a dip with raw vegetables.
From Christoph Mayer