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Vegan Pumpkin Bread

It’s moist, fluffy, pumpkin-spiced, and seriously cozy. Yes, this easy vegan pumpkin bread will change your life (we think).

Fuzzy blankets, wool sweaters and hot cider can’t hold a candle to this one. Yes, this vegan pumpkin bread is the ultimate in cozy. It’s perfectly moist and intensely pumpkin spiced. Even better, it’s light and fluffy: so you get your pumpkin spice fix without it being overly heavy or rich. Yes, it’s a seriously good pumpkin bread that happens to be plant-based too!

What makes the best pumpkin bread?

My sister has been staying with us for the past few weeks; she’s been living in Southeast Asia and is now relocating back to the US. So in the in-between, she’s been living with Alex, Larson and me here in Indianapolis. It’s seriously fun to have aunt Lisa around at this stage in Larson’s life. And it’s given us all the excuses to try out cozy recipes on her! There’s nothing like a loaf of pumpkin bread in the oven to make a house guest feel at home, right?

And when she tasted this one, she said, “This is the best pumpkin bread I’ve ever had!” We hope you’ll think the same. And after making it, reader Rachel said, “Everyone loved it! It was so moist and delicious with a subtle bit of pumpkin and sweetness. It wasn’t overpowering like some recipes/box mixes!”

Here’s what makes this the best vegan pumpkin bread we’ve made:

It’s light and fluffy. Lots of pumpkin breads are dense and oily. This one won’t leave you with a stomach ache.
It’s just sweet enough. We’ve used a combination of sugar and maple syrup so that it’s sweet, but not too sweet.
It’s perfectly spiced. The pumpkin spice level here brings just the right amount of warmth, without overpowering.

Tips for making this vegan pumpkin bread

This pumpkin bread is vegan, so it’s fully plant-based. Vegan baking is not so different from traditional baking: it uses just a few tricks to stand in for dairy and eggs. Here are a few tips for making this bread:

Use flax eggs. Here we use flax eggs to stand in for traditional eggs. If you’ve never made a flax egg, it’s quick and easy: all you need is ground flax seed and water! You’ll wait 15 minutes for the egg to “gel”: and while you’re doing this, finish prepping the wets and dries.
Baking pan: This recipe uses a 9-inch loaf pan. You can also make it in an 8-inch pan, you may just have to bake a little longer.
*Loaf size: Note that we’ve made this pumpkin bread to be a small sized loaf to keep the serving size to a healthy level. Some pumpkin bread recipes use almost double the ingredients for the same pan. Here we’ve kept it deliberately smaller, so there are less calories per serving.

Make your own pumpkin spice

The best part of this vegan pumpkin bread is that it’s perfectly spiced! Here we’ve used our homemade pumpkin pie spice mixture. You can mix up a batch of your own, or feel free to use a store-bought blend. It’s actually perfect for gifts! A loaf of this pumpkin bread with a little container of pumpkin spice would be the most magical gift ever, in our minds! Here’s what’s in pumpkin spice:

Cinnamon
Ginger
Allspice
Cloves
Nutmeg

How to store it

What’s the best way to store this vegan pumpkin bread? One nice thing about quick breads is that they keep well at room temperature. (This is also true for our zucchini bread and vegan cornbread.) Typically when it’s around we can’t stay away from it, so it disappears quickly! Here’s what we’d recommend for storage:

Room temperature (2 to 3 days): Store at room temperature and cover it with a towel. The benefit of this method is that it stays well and tastes basically like it did the day of baking.
Refrigerated (1 week): Refrigerating your pumpkin bread helps it to stay fresher longer. We prefer letting it come to room temperature before serving.
Frozen (up to 3 months): To extend the life even further, pop your sliced bread into the freezer in a sealed container. It can last at least 3 months, or maybe more.

This vegan pumpkin bread recipe is…

Vegetarian, vegan, plant-based, and dairy-free.

Easy Vegan Pumpkin Bread

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Author: Sonja Overhiser
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 50 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour 10 minutes
Yield: 12 slices

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Description

It’s moist, fluffy, pumpkin-spiced, and seriously cozy. Yes, this easy vegan pumpkin bread will change your life (we think).

Ingredients

2 flax eggs (2 tablespoons ground flax seed + 5 tablespoons water)
1 cup pumpkin puree
1/4 cup maple syrup
1/2 cup neutral oil
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1 1/2 tablespoons Pumpkin Pie Spice (purchased or homemade)
1/4 cup roasted salted pepitas, for garnish

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Grease a 9-inch bread pan with coconut oil or oil.
Start the flax eggs (let them soak for 15 minutes while you prepare the next ingredients).
In a bowl, whisk together the pumpkin puree, maple syrup, oil, and vanilla.
In separate bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, kosher salt, and pumpkin pie spice.
When the flax egg is done, whisk it into the bowl with the liquids. Then slowly mix in the dry ingredients until just combined and smooth (don’t over stir). Pour the batter into the bread pan. Sprinkle with pepitas and pat them down gently.
Bake 50 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean. Allow to cool in the pan until room temperature. Run a knife around the edges and invert. Slice into pieces and serve. Stores for about 3 days at room temperature (keep on a cutting board and cover with a towel) or freeze in slices for a few months.

Category: Bread
Method: Baked
Cuisine: American

Keywords: Vegan Pumpkin Bread, Best Pumpkin Bread, Easy Pumpkin Bread, Pumpkin Bread Recipe

More pumpkin recipes?

Gotta make all the pumpkin! Here are a few of our favorite pumpkin recipes we’d recommend:

A Couple Cooks - Healthy, Whole Food, Vegetarian Recipes

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Broccoli Rabe and Pistachio Pesto Pasta with Burrata

This unique piquant twist on pesto is made with broccoli rabe and toasted pistachios and served with creamy chunks of fresh burrata cheese.

Mix up your dinner game with this fast and flavorful pesto-coated casarecce. No basil and pine nuts here: this beaut is made with earthy broccoli rabe and toasted pistachios. It may sound weird, but trust me, this recipe will quickly become one of your new weeknight staples!

Broccoli Rabe and Pistachio Pesto Pasta with Burrata

I’m of the opinion that if it’s green, it can probably be made into pesto.

I’ve done it with arugula and beet greens and kale and even garlic scapes.

Need further proof? Take broccoli rabe. And pistachios. Both green. And together they make for a fabulous homemade pesto.

Broccoli rabe, also called broccoli raab or rapini, somewhat resembles an extra leafy and leggy broccoli with very small, loose florets (although technically speaking, it’s more closely related to a turnip than anything). It has a flavor somewhere in between broccoli and turnip greens, slightly bitter and mildly earthy (but less so than say, beet greens).

If you can’t find it, you can use a mix of regular broccoli or broccolini and dark leafy greens such as turnip greens or kale.

Broccoli rabe can be quite bitter in its raw form (it tends to mellow as it cooks), so we’ve blanched it first to help remove some of that bitterness, before blending it into a piquant pesto along with pistachios, pecorino and parmesan cheeses, and even a splash of toasted pistachio oil for another layer of buttery richness.

Also helping to offset that bitterness? Chunks of rich, creamy burrata cheese scattered on top. (Seriously though, is there any pasta recipe out there that’s not improved by the addition of burrata? I think not.)

(more…)

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Fall Dinner Recipes

Looking for the best meals of the season? Don’t miss out on the very best fall dinner recipes, from cozy pot pie to hearty chili.

Once fall starts, it’s all Alex and I can do to hold back on our fall food traditions. There’s the first chili of the season. Then pumpkin oatmeal cookies and pumpkin bread. And of course, all the squash: risotto, soup, stuffed squash, you name it! Here we’ve compiled a list of all the best cozy fall dinner recipes that embody the coziness and produce of the season. You won’t want to let fall go by without making every single one of these tasty (and healthy) fall dinner recipes.

What foods are seasonal in the autumn? Some of the seasonal fall ingredients you’ll see in recipes this time of year: squashes like butternut squash, acorn squash, and pumpkin, sweet potatoes, Brussels sprouts, cauliflower, apples, and pears.

Since this list of recipes is only dinner recipes, you’ll have to head to our Fall Desserts or 10 Must-Make Fall Recipes for sweet treats to accessorize with these meals. Ready to get started?

And now, our top fall dinner recipes!

Fall Dinner Recipes

Cozy Vegetarian Pot Pie

The number 1 must make in our fall dinner recipes: pot pie! This vegan pot pie is a stunner. Earthy carrots, potatoes and onions are slathered in a savory, creamy gravy, along with fried shallots and white beans. And on top, a flaky pastry crust that you won't be able to stop sneaking.

Eat vegan? Try our Vegan Pot Pie with Sage Crust.

Wild Rice Soup Recipe

What's a fall without wild rice soup? This cozy soup has perfectly tender while rice, surrounded by aromatic veggies in the creamiest sauce possible. This version is made in an Instant Pot, but if you don't have one, never fear: you can make it on the stovetop too.

Best Spaghetti Squash Pad Thai

Once it's squash season, you've got to take the chance to make this spaghetti squash pad Thai! Instead of noodles, this fall dinner recipe uses everyone's favorite squash, which when roasted can be scraped out into "noodles". Add lots of veggies, a tangy sweet sauce, cilantro and bean sprouts, and you've got a unique recipe that utilizes the produce of the season!

Also try: Spaghetti Squash Mac and Cheese

Best Vegetarian Meatloaf Recipe

People who make this swear it has meat in it, but surprise! It's full of rice, nuts, herbs, and cheese that all together work to make the flavor and texture of meat. You've got to taste it to believe it! It's one of our most popular fall dinner recipes for good reason: it's 100% cozy. Serve with roasted Parmesan Potato Wedges or Roasted Brussels Sprouts.

Best Vegetarian Chili

Of course, you've got to have chili as part of your fall dinner recipe repertoire! This vegetarian chili is all things cozy, starring beans, corn, bulgur wheat for a little texture, mild green chilis, and a lot of chili powder. Together with our Easy Vegan Cornbread makes for the perfect fall meal.

Another option? Try our 3-Bean Healthy Chili Recipe

See also: 10 Best Sides to Go with Chili

Baked Gnocchi with Pumpkin Sauce

It's not fall if you haven't make pumpkin pasta sauce! Pumpkin puree turns into a creamy, savory sauce when mixed with garlic, spices, and a bit of Greek yogurt. This fall dinner recipe pairs it with doughy gnocchi pillows and gooey goat cheese. It’s probably one of the coziest comfort foods we’ve baked up, and it consistently gets rave reviews! Every time we serve it, it very quickly disappears.

Also try: Pumpkin Pasta Sauce with Penne and Butternut Squash Mac and Cheese

Delicata Squash Recipe with Black Bean Stuffing

This oblong delicata squash is one of our favorite varieties for fall recipes. A farmer at our farmer’s market convinced us to try it by assuring us it tasted sweet, almost like a sweet potato. Turned out he was right! Here it's turned into filling main dish: it's stuffed with rice, salsa, and black beans, and painted with a chipotle glaze. Yes, you’re going to want to try this ASAP.

Also fun: Roasted Delicata Squash Fries

Best Damn Lentil Soup

Ready for the best ever soup? Yes, we’re pulling out the expletives because this one is so delicious, you won’t even remember that you’re doing your body and the planet good. You’ll just feel like you’re wrapped in a cozy hug. Did we mention it’s a totally plant based dinner recipe, too? This vegan lentil soup is ready to amaze you.

Got an Instant Pot? Here's a pressure cooker version: Instant Pot Lentil Soup

Stuffed Acorn Squash

Here's the fall-est of the fall dinner recipes: stuffed acorn squash! The squash is roasted until tender, then draped in a toasted pecan rice stuffing that makes your kitchen smell like a fall paradise! You know that scent of onions, celery and leeks cooking in butter? Well, this recipe delivers it in spades. Everyone we’ve served it to becomes a believer…and then immediately asks for the recipe.

Got an Instant Pot? Try Instant Pot Acorn Squash

Superfood Butternut Squash Lentil Soup

And last up in our fall dinner recipes: ready for the coziest, most comforting superfood soup? This butternut squash lentil soup tastes like a bowl of sunshine. It’s chock full of beautiful, colorful healthy ingredients, and it tastes surprisingly more delicious than you’d imagine from the humble ingredients. Using leeks brings a complexity to the body of the soup, and it starts the number 1 hit ingredients of the season: butternut squash.

More fall dinner recipes!

In case you’re in need of more inspiration, here are more favorites:

A few sweets

OK, we couldn’t resist adding a few fall desserts to accessorize with your meal:

A Couple Cooks - Healthy, Whole Food, Vegetarian Recipes

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Future Fridays: Taylor Lanzet, Elizabeth Meltz on Upstream and Downstream Sustainability

In this Future Fridays installment, Taylor Lanzet, director of supply and sustainability and Elizabeth Meltz, senior director of environmental health at Dig Inn speak about how they are balancing upstream and downstream techniques to make Dig Inn a more sustainable organization. "We like to think of ourselves as the one-two punch of sustainability," says Meltz. Dig Inn's approach is to look at sustainability in a holstic way and build strategies that other companies can replicate.

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Farro with Mushrooms

This farro with mushrooms recipe takes the chewy whole grain to a new heights! It’s sauteed with garlic, fresh herbs and Parmesan cheese.

When Alex and I first started cooking together, we discovered farro. This chewy ancient grain has a texture similar to barley, but it’s much quicker to cook. We whipped up a batch of farro with tender roasted vegetables and took a bite. Hey, that’s actually really good! Since then, we love cooking up a batch as a healthy side dish or as part of a grain bowl. But guess what? We think⁠—no, we know!⁠—we’ve discovered the most delicious way to eat farro! This farro with mushrooms is bursting with flavor from the savory mushrooms, garlic, and fresh thyme and oregano. Add a spritz of fresh lemon juice and some grated Parmesan cheese and well, its pretty heavenly.

How to make farro with mushrooms

This farro with mushrooms is incredibly flavorful and a total crowd pleaser. Even mushroom haters might be convinced here! The garlic, herbs, and cheese are reminiscent of our Mushroom Pasta with Goat Cheese, which has become a fan favorite. (To be honest, adding a few dollops of creamy goat cheese would send this one over the top!)

This recipe works as a healthy side dish and would work well alongside baked salmon or cedar plank salmon. Or, make it into a vegetarian meal by adding a few salads and cornbread. You can serve it in any season. But to us with the hearty whole grain and dark flavors in the mushrooms, it’s perfect for fall and winter. It also actually work great as a Thanksgiving side dish or for a holiday dinner at Christmas!

Here are the basic steps on how to make this farro with mushrooms recipe (scroll down for the full recipe):

Cook the farro (see below).
Saute minced onion in olive oil until translucent. Add sliced mushrooms and saute. Add minced garlic and chopped herbs and saute.
Add the cooked farro and lemon juice and cook until heated through. Stir in Parmesan cheese. Serve immediately!

Note: Farro is made of wheat, so it is not gluten-free. If you have sensitivity to gluten but want to make this recipe, it would work well with brown rice or millet.

How to cook farro: 2 methods

Cooking the grain for this farro with mushrooms is very easy: and relatively quick! We love that pearled farro cooks in only 15 to 20 minutes on the stovetop. You can also cook it in an Instant Pot. Here are our two methods:

Stovetop: Add farro to a saucepan along with 3 times the amount of water and a few pinches of salt. Bring to a low boil, then cook uncovered for 15 to 20 minutes, until the farro is tender.
Instant Pot: Add farro, water and kosher salt to an Instant Pot. Pressure cook on high for 7 minutes and natural release for 7 minutes. With the “preheat” time, this method takes about 20 minutes total and is fully hands off! Go to Instant Pot Farro.

A note: types of farro

You can buy farro as whole, semi-pearled, or pearled. We recommend buying pearled farro for this farro with mushrooms recipe. Why? Pearled farro is the quickest to cook. It’s also likely what you’ll find at the store. If you do buy whole or semi-pearled, the advantage is that it contains even more nutrients (but the difference is not significant, so we go with pearled). To make whole or semi pearled farro cook a little faster, you can soak it for an hour or overnight to speed things up.

Get it! Grab a bag of farro.

This farro with mushrooms recipe is…

Vegetarian.