vegan soup | Vegan Recipes for Vegans and Vegetarians: The Blooming Platter in Virginia Beach, VA

For the 18th (!) Annual Christmas, Chanukkah, Curry, and Cakes Party & Swap for some 25 of my girl tribe, I kept the menu simple, healthful, beautiful, and delicious.

This one time buffet dinner morphed into a cocktail party-swap a few years back and then, last year, into a moveable feast and swap featuring curried pumpkin soup. Soup is self-serve from the stove, but I make it festive with a buffet of toppings. This year’s tasty accompaniments were vegan blue cheese-chutney cole slaw, quartered persimmons, and vegan sugar cookies. Oh, and wine. Lots of wine.

This year’s soup creation was superior to last and I am pleased to share it with you, as I wouldn’t change a thing.

Vegan Pumpkin Coconut Curry Soup

Yield: 10 cups

1- 29 ounce can pureed pumpkin

1-15.5 ounce can lite coconut milk

1-30 gram package Jaswant’s Kitchen Chana Masala seasoning packet or the equivalent (you may prefer less–it is spicy)

4 cups vegetable stock or broth

Toppings bar: grated coconut, sliced green onions, roasted pumpkin seeds, dried cranberries or cherries, etc.

Whisk together all ingredients except toppings in a large soup pan or Dutch oven and bring to a simmer over medium to medium-high heat. Simmer, stirring occasionally, until heated through. Serve topped as desired.

Yield: 4 cups (about 60 calories per quarter cup)

Broccoli-Cheese Dip is everyone’s favorite that needs no preamble, except this: my dairy-free version is rich and creamy but the flavor of broccoli and cheese shines through. Serve it a little thinner, and you have the tastiest soup with no tongue-coating, flavor-masking dairy. Just the perfect savory balance of aged and smoky cheddars, aromatic onion and garlic, and fresh, herby broccoli.

I medium-large onion, diced
2 to 3 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
2 cups vegetable broth or stock
16 ounces riced broccoli, purchased or homemade in food processor (I buy at Whole Foods)
2 cups grated vegan cheddar
4 slices–or 4 ounces–vegan smoked gouda, torn into small pieces
Optional: if you like a bit of tanginess, 2 tablespoons vegan Parmesan with other cheeses
2 tablespoons 10-calorie/tablespoon Blooming Platter Mayo (at TheBloomingPlatter.com) or your favorite creamy base, e.g. vegan mayo, vegan cream cheese, cashew cream, etc.
Sea salt and pepper to taste
Accompaniments: raw veg, chips, crackers, or bread

Place onion, garlic, and garlic powder in a large skillet. Add enough broth just to cover bottom of skillet. Saute over medium heat, stirring, for 3 or so minutes until onion is tender. Add broccoli and remaining broth, and simmer 5 to 7 minutes or until very tender. Reduce heat to low, add cheeses, and stir frequently until melted. Stir in Blooming Platter Mayo or favorite creamy goodness. Season to taste with sea salt and pepper. If serving as a dip, continue cooking until desired consistency is reached. You may also bake at 350 for 20 minutes with or without additional grated cheese on top. Serve with the accompaniments of choice. If serving as a soup, add additional vegetable broth, if desired, and heat through.

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