Vegan pumpkin soup with crispy sage

A classic pumpkin soup is a great thing to have in your cooking repertoire. This vegan recipe is delicious and easy to make.

Pumpkin soup with crispy sage. Picture: Ellie Bullen

A classic pumpkin soup is a great thing to have in your cooking repertoire. Built on a base of butternut pumpkin and coconut cream, this vegan recipe is easy to make and great for even the youngest members of the family. The cheesy mushroom toastie is packed with flavour.

Ellie Bullen. Picture: Rob Palmer

Pumpkin soup with crispy sage

1 tablespoon olive oil or avocado oil

1 onion, finely chopped

3 garlic cloves, crushed

¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg

¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon

2 vegetable stock cubes

900g butternut pumpkin, peeled and cut into 2cm cubes

½ teaspoon ground black pepper

750ml (3 cups) boiling water

185ml (¾ cup) canned coconut cream

Dried chilli flakes, to serve (optional)

Sliced sourdough, to serve

Crispy sage leaves

2 teaspoons vegan butter

Handful of sage leaves

Heat olive or avocado oil in a large saucepan over high heat. Add onion and garlic; sauté for 1 minute. Add nutmeg and cinnamon, sauté for another 30 seconds, crumble in stock cubes and add the pumpkin, black pepper and boiling water. Cover and bring to the boil; reduce heat to a simmer and cook for 12-15 minutes until pumpkin is soft. Transfer mixture to a blender or food processor; blend or process until smooth. Add 125ml (½ cup) of coconut cream and blend or process to combine.

To make the crispy sage leaves, melt the vegan butter in a frying pan over high heat. Add sage leaves and cook for 1-2 minutes until crisp. Remove pan from heat. Ladle soup into bowls and drizzle the remaining coconut cream over the top. Top with a couple of sage leaves and a few chilli flakes, if desired. Serve with fresh sourdough bread. Serves 4

Mushroom, chive & three cheese toastie

Mushroom, chive & three cheese toastie

1 teaspoon olive oil

3 brown cup mushrooms, cut into 5mm thick slices

Pinch each of sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Vegan butter or olive oil, for spreading

2 slices of sourdough

5 chives, snipped

20g vegan cheddar cheese, sliced

3 tablespoons grated vegan mature cheddar

1 tablespoon cashew cheese

Pinch of dried chilli flakes

Heat olive oil in a small frying pan over medium-high heat. Add mushroom, salt and pepper; sauté for 3-4 minutes, until golden and slightly crisp around the edges. Remove pan from heat. Spread vegan butter or oil on one side of sourdough slices. Top one of the unbuttered sides with mushroom, chives, cheeses and chilli flakes; top with the other bread slice, buttered side up. Toast in preheated sandwich press until golden.

Ellie Bullen’s book

Edited extract from Simple (Mostly) Vegan Kitchen by Ellie Bullen (Plum, $39.99). Photography: Ellie Bullen