Vegan Pumpkin Soup
Servings: 6
This vegan pumpkin soup is healthy, filling, comforting and warms you up when the weather is chilly. It uses pie pumpkins, onion, garlic and spices along with dairy-free coconut milk. Double the recipe to save some to enjoy all season long.
Ingredients
- 2 pumpkins sugar pie pumpkin or another winter squash, about 4-4.5 pounds
- 2 tbsp avocado oil divided
- 1 yellow onion peeled and cut into thick slices
- 5 garlic cloves unpeeled
- 13.5 oz coconut milk canned
- ½ cup vegetable stock if needed
- Sea salt to taste
- black pepper ground
- spices or herbs optional, see notes
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425°F. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.
- 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.
- Rub the fleshy part of 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 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.
- 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 along with the onion, peeled garlic and can of coconut milk. Puree until smooth. If the soup is too thick, add a little vegetable stock until desired texture is reached.
- Stir in seasoning (spice mixes below).
- If the soup isn't hot enough, pour into a saucepan and heat gently before serving.
- Garnish and serve immediately. Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to one week.
Notes
Variations:
- 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
- If you aren't able to find pumpkins or squash to roast, you can swap with canned pumpkin. Just make sure it is 100% pumpkin. It can be heated up on the stove with 1/2 cup vegetable stock while the onions and garlic roast in the oven.
- This soup can be frozen in freezer-safe containers for up to 6 months. Just make sure to follow safe freezing instructions as it will expand and if the container is too full, it will burst when frozen.
Nutrition
Calories: 224kcal, Carbohydrates: 34g, Protein: 5g, Fat: 9g, Saturated Fat: 5g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g, Monounsaturated Fat: 3g, Sodium: 137mg, Potassium: 1578mg, Fiber: 3g, Sugar: 13g, Vitamin A: 38635IU, Vitamin C: 43mg, Calcium: 104mg, Iron: 4mg