Vegan Pumpkin Soup Recipes

Steps:

• Heat the oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6. Peel, deseed and chop the pumpkin into 3cm chunks (reserve the seeds for the relish - see tip). Tip the pumpkin onto a baking tray, drizzle over half the oil, scatter with the allspice and toss well. Season and roast for 30 mins until golden and tender. Meanwhile, toast the coconut flakes for the relish in a dry frying pan over a low heat for a few minutes until lightly golden. Remove from the pan and leave to cool, then stir in the pumpkin seeds, chilli, coriander and lime zest.
• Heat the remaining oil in a large saucepan over a medium heat, and fry the onion for 5 mins until tender but not golden. Add the ginger and garlic and fry for another minute, then tip in 1 litre stock and the miso. Put the roasted pumpkin in the pan, then bring to a simmer. Remove from the heat and blend the soup with a stick blender until smooth. If you prefer a thinner soup, add the remaining stock. Return the soup to a gentle simmer, then season well and stir in the lime juice. Ladle into bowls, and serve topped with a swirl of the soya cream and a sprinkle of the relish.

Steps:

• To prepare the pumpkin: Cut the pumpkin in half through the center and scoop out the seeds and strings. Reserve the seeds. Carefully cut away the hard peel with a paring knife - or, better, a vegetable peeler - and chop the flesh. You should have about 6 cups of pumpkin flesh.
• In a large saucepan over medium-low heat, warm the olive oil with the sesame oil. Add the shallots and sauté them, stirring occasionally, until they are translucent, 3 to 4 minutes. Add the stock, pumpkin, potato and carrot, raise the heat to high, and bring the mixture to a boil. Reduce the heat to low, cover and simmer until the vegetables are tender, about 25 minutes.
• Using an immersion blender, purée the soup until very smooth, or (carefully!) purée in batches in a blender with a towel placed over the lid. Stir in the brown sugar, molasses, orange zest and curry powder. Over low heat, stir in the soy milk, dark rum and Tabasco sauce. Taste carefully. Season with salt and pepper and add the nutmeg.
• Toast the pumpkin seeds. Preheat oven to 250 degrees. In a roomy bowl, stir the seeds with peanut oil or canola oil - about a half cup of oil for every four cups of seeds. Add a nominal amount of kosher salt. Try adding a bit of thyme, oregano, cumin, coriander, cardamom and/or cayenne pepper, if you like.
• Line baking sheet(s) with parchment paper. Spread the seeds in one layer on the sheets. Toast slowly for about an hour, checking them every 10 to 15 minutes and stirring if they are browning unevenly. Store the toasted seeds in tightly sealed containers lined with paper towels.
• Serve soup in warmed bowls, and pass the toasted pumpkin seeds and vegan cheddar cheese for sprinkling.