Friday, October 9, 2020

The Ultimate Vegan Pumpkin Soup

What says Autumn better than pumpkin soup? I am a total soup person, and this incredible vegan recipe checks all the boxes for a fall delight.

Hello, fall! I adore this season with its array of colors, cooler temps, and produce filling the farmer’s market. And naturally, I love pumpkin anything. (I don’t even limit it to fall and winter.) But one thing I really love is a good pumpkin soup recipe, specifically a vegan pumpkin soup. It’s healthy, filling, comforting, and warms you up when the weather is chilly.

whole pie pumpkin next to a bag of Colima Sea Salt, ready to be roasted for this pumpkin soup

How to roast fresh squash for pumpkin soup

Most of the pumpkin we consume at this time of year comes from cans…am I right? It’s one of the easiest ways to add pumpkin to a recipe. But I implore you to try roasting fresh pumpkin. It’s inexpensive as well as superior tasting to canned. Did you know that most canned pumpkin may not even contain real pumpkin?! Crazy!

Pumpkin roasting options

There are a few options when it comes to roasting the pumpkin for this pumpkin soup recipe. One is to halve the pumpkin, scoop out the seeds and roast the halves. Make sure to cut the pumpkin from the stem down, so that it’s easy to scoop the seeds out.

The other option is to peel and cube the squash, like a butternut squash. It’s totally up to you. I usually opt for the first one because it’s super easy.

a pie pumpkin cut in half on a wooden cutting board, ready to be roasted for this pumpkin soup recipe.

Buying the best pumpkin for pumpkin soup

When looking for a pumpkin, there are quite a few options out there. Sugar Pie pumpkins are wonderful for roasting. Their small size is more manageable than those giants used for carving, even though those big guys can be roasted too. Another of my favorite varieties of pumpkin is the kabocha variety. I find their knobby appearance charming + decorative, and the flavor is fantastic too. And like I said, you can certainly substitute any winter squash here. Use your favorite or whatever is available in your area.

a few halved pumpkins and sliced onions, ready to go into a pumpkin soup

What makes this a vegan pumpkin soup

A traditional pumpkin soup recipe uses milk or heavy cream as the base. My vegan pumpkin soup recipe uses canned coconut milk to achieve the same creamy result. Your tastebuds won’t notice the missing cream, meanwhile your gut will welcome the benefits from the coconut milk! 93% of coconut milk’s calories come from fat. I love using coconut milk for its healthy fat benefits, as it helps break down the carbs + fiber in other foods (like pumpkin).

Other vegan soup recipes

Love the idea of not having dairy as the base for your next soup? I’ve got you covered. Here are a few of my fav vegan soup recipes; all taste tested and family approved!

roasted pumpkin halves with roasted garlic and onions for a vegan pumpkin soup recipe

Pumpkin soup recipe

Although pumpkin is the main attraction in this soup, I want to talk about a few other key ingredients. Roasting the pumpkin with the onions and garlic helps infuse the flavors better before blending. Nothing beats fresh roasted garlic! Now let’s talk about this Colima Sea Salt™. There’s a reason salt is such an important part of just about any recipe. It enhances the flavor of our food and if you’re using the right kind of salt, we can also get trace minerals from the salt we use. This salt is 100% all-natural, unrefined, and hand-harvested to retain 80 essential minerals.

Finally, I use avocado oil for this recipe because of its ability to withstand high heat. The pumpkin needs to be roasted at 425 degrees F, which is too hot for olive oil. Avocado oil on the other hand, still holds together at this temp, making it a perfect oil for this soup recipe.

all the soup recipe ingredients in a vitamix blender container, with coconut milk being poured in.
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Ultimate Roasted Vegan Pumpkin Soup

  • Author: Jen Hansard
  • Prep Time: 15 minutes
  • Cook Time: 40 minutes
  • Total Time: 55 minutes
  • Yield: 6 servings
  • Category: soup
  • Method: blending
  • Cuisine: american
  • Diet: Vegan

Description

One thing I really love is a good vegan pumpkin soup. It’s healthy, filling, comforting, and warms you up when the weather is chilly. Check out the recipe notes for all the variations.


Ingredients

  • 2 small baking pumpkins (sugar pie pumpkin or another winter squash, about 44.5 pounds)
  • 2 tablespoons avocado oil (divided)
  • 1 medium yellow onion (peeled and cut into thick slices)
  • 5 whole garlic cloves (unpeeled)
  • 13.5 ounce can coconut milk (light or full-fat)
  • 1/2 cup vegetable broth (if needed)
  • Coarse sea salt and black pepper (to taste)
  • Optional spices or herbs (see notes)

For serving:

  • 1 pinch Colima Sea Salt™

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 425°F. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.
  2. Carefully cut open the pumpkins with a sharp chef’s knife and a steady cutting board. Scoop out the seeds and discard or save for another use.
  3. Rub the pumpkin halves with a little of the avocado oil. This keeps them from drying out during roasting. Toss a little more avocado oil with the onion and garlic. Arrange everything on the baking sheet. Sprinkle with the Colima Sea Salt™. (The pumpkins do better being set cut-side down on the baking sheet.) Place in oven to roast for 30-35 minutes, or until pumpkin is tender. The tip of a sharp paring knife should pierce through the pumpkin easily. Remove from oven and let cool slightly before handling.
  4. Scoop the cooked pumpkin flesh from the skins. Place into the jar of a blender. It should measure about 4 1/2 to 5 cups of pumpkin. Add the onion to the blender. Peel the garlic and add it to the blender too. Add a pinch of Colima Sea Salt™ and pour the can of coconut milk into the blender. Puree until smooth. If the soup is too thick, add a little water or broth until desired texture is reached. If desired, season according to the directions in the recipe notes.
  5. If the soup isn’t hot enough, pour into a saucepan and heat gently before serving.
  6. Garnish and serve immediately. Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to one week.

Notes

Variations (make recipe as written, just add the following):

  • Toasted Pepita + Herb Garnish: heat 1 teaspoon olive oil in a skillet and add 1/2 cup pepitas plus 1 tablespoon finely minced fresh herbs (rosemary, sage, and thyme), toast lightly and remove from heat. Garnish soup.
  • Curry Coconut: 1 tablespoon Thai or Indian curry paste/powder (to taste), serve with a scoop of brown rice on top, and a sprinkling of toasted coconut
  • Immune Booster: add 1 tablespoon fresh grated ginger, 2 teaspoons ground turmeric, 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, and pinch of cayenne
  • Mexican-spiced: add 1 teaspoon each: dried oregano, ground cumin, and chili powder; top with chopped fresh cilantro -Savory + Sweet: add 1 medium diced green apple or pear to pan when roasting pumpkin; add 2 tablespoons fresh herbs, finely minced (sage, rosemary, and thyme)
  • Maple Spice: roast everything tossed with maple syrup, add 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice, and top with maple candied pecans

Keywords: vegan pumpkin soup



from
https://simplegreensmoothies.com/recipes/pumpkin-soup

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