In a large pot, bring the sunflower seeds, salt, and water to a boil. Reduce the temperature and let them simmer for 15-20 minutes.
Drain the seeds in a colander for a minute or two.
Preheat your oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.
Spread the drained seeds onto a baking sheet in a single layer. Place on the top rack in your oven for 10-15 minutes. After 10 minutes, start keeping an eye on the seeds so that they don’t burn and give them a stir with a spatula. Continue to roast and stir until the seeds are dry and crisp. (But not burnt!)
Let them cool off and enjoy them either warm or at room temperature.
Store in an airtight container.
Notes
This recipe can easily be double or quadrupled if you have a bunch of seeds like we did
You can also just soak the seeds in the salt water overnight without simmering first– it just takes a little bit longer.
The simmering water turned bright purple when we boiled the seeds– I think some of our seeds were black-oil sunflower seeds, which added the extra color.