Ultimate Guide to Vegan Pumpkin Recipes

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Pumpkin is a flexible ingredient that you can add to your sweet treats and savory dishes to achieve a unique and delicious flavor that will always remind you of the fall season. They are also a staple decoration during Halloween!

But when it comes to incorporating pumpkin into your menu or diet, our vegan pumpkin recipes below will surely make you want to make them despite being in a different month or season!
If you are looking for a detailed guide to vegetarian pumpkin recipes, this is the right place! Let’s learn together why pumpkin is not just excellent for decor but also for nourishing our bodies and blessing our taste buds!

Nutritional Benefits of Pumpkin

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Contrary to what most people believe, pumpkins are fruits and not vegetables. It differs only in terms of the nutrition it provides since its nutrition is more of a vegetable. The pumpkin is under the Cucurbitaceae family and is a variety of winter squash.

The Cucurbitaceae, or gourd family, is a genus in the flowering plant order Cucurbitales that includes roughly 98 different genera and 975 different species. Cucumbers, melons, and gourds are in this family as well.

Just a little background: pumpkins originated in North America, and if you just recently moved to America, you will see a lot of pumpkins during Thanksgiving and Halloween. Cucurbita pepo is the iconic orange winter squash that is most popular for Americans to use for decorations and food ingredients.

Pumpkin has various health benefits in addition to its great flavor. Here are the nutrition your body will get when you eat pumpkin:

• Pumpkins have a lot of healthy nutrients and little calories. It’s also rich in the pigment beta-carotene. Our body uses it to produce vitamin A, a crucial component of healthy eyes, bodies, and immune systems. Antioxidant characteristics are shared by vitamin A.
• It also has vitamin C, which has been proven to speed up wound healing, improve the function of immune cells, and enhance the generation of white blood cells.
• Vitamin E, iron, and folate may also be abundant in pumpkins, and they have all been linked to improved immunity.
• Pumpkin is low in calories and high in nutrients, plus it’s mostly water! It is helpful for weight loss since it provides more volume for the same number of calories as other starchy foods like rice and potatoes.
• It includes a variety of antioxidants that may help prevent cell damage from free radicals; examples include alpha- and beta-carotene, beta-cryptoxanthin, and others.
• Pumpkin is particularly rich in lutein and zeaxanthin, which are associated with reduced risks of AMD and cataracts.
• Carotenoids are found within pumpkins and serve as antioxidants. These compounds have been related to a reduced risk of developing cancer of the breast, esophagus, stomach, and pancreas.

Despite the nutritional value of pumpkin, several pumpkin-based junk foods are high in sugar. These include pumpkin lattes, sweets, and pie fillings. These products do not share the health advantages of eating the fruit itself.

However, if you make a recipe at home, you may enjoy the sweetness and savoriness of the dish of your choice without sabotaging the pumpkin’s nutritional value.

Incorporating Pumpkin into Your Diet

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If you are still skeptical about incorporating pumpkin into your diet but want its nutritional value, then start by making a simple breakfast or easy dish with pumpkin puree. Just note that when you buy the canned version, avoid buying one with sugar.

Kickstart your day by making some oatmeal for breakfast. You may add pumpkin, cinnamon, and walnuts to your usual oatmeal recipe to elevate this otherwise healthy breakfast to a sweet treat. Top it off with maple or agave syrup to make it suitable for vegans.

Here are other ways to incorporate pumpkin into your meals to add extra flavor suitable for vegetarians. Below are pumpkin recipes vegetarian that are easy to make.

Breakfast Delights

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Start your day with a delicious pumpkin spice pancake! It has a perfect balance of sweetness.

Pumpkin Spice Pancakes

This recipe is a piece of cake! You can enjoy this delicious breakfast delight in just 20 minutes. All you need are:

• Pumpkin puree
• Baking powder
• Baking soda
• Salt
• Brown sugar
• Pumpkin pie spice
• Almond milk
• Lemon
• Whole wheat pastry flour
• Vegan-friendly butter
• and your choice of vegetarian-friendly syrup.

Instructions:

1. Combine milk and lemon juice in a sizable bowl, allowing the mixture to rest briefly. Afterward, incorporate melted vegan butter, maple syrup, pumpkin, brown sugar, and vanilla extract. Gradually sift dry ingredients, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and spices over the wet mixture.
2. Sift the dry ingredients, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and spices over the wet ingredients. Add extra flour if the batter seems watery. Pour a little almond milk if it’s too thick to drink. If it is too thin, add some more flour. Give the batter 5-10 minutes to chill.
3. You may now cook the mixture on your grill or pan.

Savory Creations

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If you’re lactose intolerant or don’t eat dairy, this soup is for you.

Creamy Pumpkin Soup

Pumpkin puree and oat milk give this healthy pumpkin soup a fantastic thick consistency and creamy flavor. Here is the list of the ingredients:

• Pumpkin puree
• Pumpkin spice
• Salt and pepper
• Garlic (minced)
• Shallot (minced)
• Ginger
• Lemon
• Turmeric
• Olive oil
• Maple syrup
• Vegetable broth
• Oat milk or other non-dairy milk

Instructions:

1. Add the minced shallot and garlic to the pot with olive oil. Saute until the garlic and shallot become aromatic.
2. Blend pumpkin puree, turmeric, ginger (grated), and vegetable broth in the pot using an immersion or conventional blender to blend the soup.
3. Then, add oat milk, lemon juice, maple syrup, salt, and pepper, and continue to simmer for another 5 minutes.
4. Turn off the stove, divide into bowls, and garnish with whatever you choose.

Pumpkin Pasta Galore

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Spicy Pumpkin and Spinach Lasagna

This pumpkin lasagna is vegan and has multiple layers of delicious cheese and pumpkin puree. It is packed with vegetables and is a great meal to prepare ahead of time and store in the freezer.

Instructions:

1. The pumpkin layer is made with two full cans of pumpkin puree with a hint of sweetness from spices like cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and allspice. They complement the layers of ricotta and cheese wonderfully.
2. To increase the healthy greens, add one entire bag of spinach. You’ll incorporate it into the ricotta layer.
3. In this dish, use gluten-free or whole-wheat noodles.
4. For the cheese filling, a combination of fresh mozzarella, parmesan, and creamy ricotta in between the layers of noodles. An egg, some garlic powder, salt, and pepper will also be added.

Cooking Process:

1. Put in a 400-degree Fahrenheit oven. Spray nonstick cooking spray into a 9-by-13-inch baking pan.
2. Get some water boiling in a big pot. Noodles for lasagna should be cooked for 5–6 minutes before being drained. As soon as the noodles are done cooking, spread them out in a single layer on a sheet of baking parchment or cutting board that has been greased.
3. Cook the spinach in a medium pan or skillet with half a tablespoon of olive oil while the lasagna noodles boil. Throw in some spinach, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and cook until it wilts. Put in a bowl and set aside to cool down.
4. Ricotta, spinach, egg, garlic powder, salt, and pepper should all be combined in the little bowl. Leave aside.
5. Add pumpkin, cinnamon, milk, ginger, nutmeg, allspice, salt, and pepper in a large bowl to create the pumpkin mixture. Combine in a bowl.
6. Assemble the lasagna and distribute 1 cup of pumpkin mixture over the bottom. After cooking the lasagna noodles, stack five on top, laying four vertically and one horizontally. On top of the noodles, distribute half of the spinach-ricotta cheese mixture and sprinkle with the shredded mozzarella.
7. On top of the mozzarella, pour 1 cup of the pumpkin mixture and sprinkle with 1/2 cup of the parmesan.
8. Then add the remaining noodles, spinach-ricotta mixture, shredded mozzarella, pumpkin, and 1/2 cup of parmesan cheese, and repeat the layering process. The last step is to sprinkle the remaining cups of mozzarella cheese on top.
9. Wrap in foil and bake for 25 minutes at 350 degrees. After that, remove the foil and continue baking for another 15-20 minutes until the cheese starts to brown just a bit. Extra grated parmesan and minced sage or parsley are great options for garnish. Wait 15 minutes before serving.

Sweet Treats

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The essence of the autumn season is captured in a glass of this velvety-smooth, refreshing smoothie.

Pumpkin Pie Smoothie

Ingredients:

• Pumpkin
• Pumpkin pie spice
• Maple syrup
• Almond milk

Instructions:

1. Throw everything in the blender.
2. Combine and process until smooth in texture.
3. Dispense into a drinking glass.
4. Sprinkle pumpkin pie spice on top of the whipped vegan cream.
5. Serve and enjoy to your heart’s content!

Wrap Up

Pumpkin’s remarkable versatility blurs the lines between fruit and vegetable with its sweet, creamy, and vibrant characteristics. It seamlessly enhances the flavors of your preferred desserts, pasta dishes, or soups; the added benefit is its compatibility with vegan diets!

Let us know if you would like to learn more about vegetarian pumpkin recipes. Contact us at any of our provided contact information below to connect. You can also visit us at 10100 Jefferson Blvd., Culver City, CA 90232, at your earliest convenience.

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Frequently Asked Questions

1. How long can I store leftovers of these dishes?

They can last for up to two days in the fridge.

2. Are these recipes suitable for kids?

Yes, these pumpkin recipes are vegetarian and are suitable for kids. They are even ideal for them to eat because of the nutrition these foods have.

3 . Can I customize the spice levels in these recipes?

Yes, you may. As long as it suits your liking, go for it!

4. Are these recipes suitable for gluten-free diets?

If you are gluten-sensitive or on a gluten-free diet, you may opt to customize the ingredients for some of the recipes above.