I'm kicking off the pumpkin series with a pumpkin-y budget recipe that also fits in with the food stamps challenge I'm doing. (It's been a very busy week for me and food!)
I wanted to make a creamy pumpkin soup, but most recipes call for heavy cream while all we had was skim milk. So, in a stroke of inspiration, I decided to substitute some of the regular coconut milk in our fridge for cream. It's a vegan source of fat, and adds a creamy, thick texture to the soup.
Coconut milk is not, by any means, a completely healthy alternative to cream. It's very high in saturated fat. But a little bit goes a long way, and it's a conscientious alternative to milk or cream. Plus, you don't have to worry about boiling and curdling the cream! Coconut milk keeps its consistency at boiling temperatures.
More: Check out another one of my favorite recipes using coconut milk, Thai yellow curry, and scroll to the bottom of the page for even more soup ideas.
Vegan Coconut Pumpkin Soup
The soup alone costs a total of $2.93 to prepare. We ate 2 servings, plus 2 slices of whole wheat bread each, for a total cost of $1.53 for dinner for two. And it felt like eating gourmet!
Ingredients:
- 1 red onion, finely chopped
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
- 2 teaspoon vegetable bullion
- 2-3 cups pumpkin puree
- 1 cup coconut milk
- 1 tablespoon sugar
Directions:
- Saute the vegetable oil and chopped onion on medium high until the onions are soft and translucent.
- Add 2 cups water and vegetable bullion (or 2 cups vegetable broth).
- Add the pumpkin puree and coconut milk, stir to combine. (I used my new food processor to puree the pumpkin, but you could use canned if you wanted). Heat this mixture to a boil, then lower heat and simmer for 5 minutes.
We enjoyed this soup with a garnish of coconut milk, fresh cilantro, and sweet toasted pumpkin seeds. The soup was served with sliced, toasted whole wheat bread.
More: Want more soup recipes? Check out blogger Amy Jeanroy's Easy Vegetable Soup recipe.
