PUMPKIN VEGAN YOGURT

Pumpkin Vegan Yogurt made with actual pumpkin puree! This easy, breezy recipe will only take up several minutes of your time to prepare, but will make your day brighter with every bite! Made with only a few simple ingredients, this pumpkin vegan yogurt is super delicious, has a nice hit of protein, probiotics, and nutrients, and will satisfy all of your pumpkin spice cravings.

Jump to Recipe

VEGAN RECIPE FOR THE FALL … or all year

Pumpkin spice! Pumpkin spice! I can hear the chants and feel the anticipation in the air as early as mid summer, when all of the pumpkin spice die hards eagerly await their favorite flavor season. While in the eyes of the pumpkin spice fan club there is pretty much no wrong way to use pumpkin spice, there are definitely a few vehicles for pumpkin spice that really hit the spot for me. And yogurt definitely firmly holds its spot in at least the top 10. 

PUMPKIN SPICE AND PUMPKIN PUREE

Now when most of us are craving our hit of pumpkin goodness, we are not actually thinking of actual pumpkin. Instead we are thinking of the spice associated with pumpkin…the infamous pumpkin spice. Like peanut butter and jelly, pumpkin and pumpkin spice are often inseparable. For those of us that don’t know, pumpkin spice is a blend of cinnamon, nutmeg, clove and ginger. One whiff of this aromatic powerhouse of flavor and you will be immediately transported to all things Autumn. This makes pumpkin spice seasoning a fantastic option for adding to a ton of recipes, in this case vegan yogurt and pumpkin puree. 

Although pumpkin spice is responsible for a lot of the traditional flavor we associate with pumpkin, let’s not overlook the importance and benefits of actual pumpkin! 

Pumpkin can be roasted, leaving you with a wonderful dish, similar to butternut squash. But if you don’t have it in you to find, cut, and roast a pumpkin, pumpkin puree us an excellent alternative!

Pumpkin has many benefits. It is a great source for beta carotene, which is excellent for your immune system. Pumpkin is also high in vitamin C, E, iron and folate.   So pairing actual pumpkin with your pumpkin spice is always an excellent idea. 

PROTEIN PUMPKIN PUREE 

As mentioned above, there are many health benefits in pumpkin. So including pumpkin puree in this recipe was super important. I also wanted to add a bit more protein to this pumpkin yogurt recipe, so this seemed like the perfect opportunity. 

How did I add protein? Cashew powder! If you haven’t stumbled upon cashew powder yet, it is worth checking out! It add a nice punch of protein with a lot less fat than cashew butter. It’s also a great way to thicken up purees.  You can find cashew powder online or in the nut butter section of your grocery store.

When using cashew powder I like to mix mine with a fork to remove the clumps. Still clumpy despite your best efforts? Use a hand blender…sometimes you need to bring in the big guns. 

VEGAN YOGURT

Vegan yogurt has come a loooong way and is now absolutely creamy and delicious. There are many amazing flavors on the store shelves. These days my go-to is Oatly. For this recipe I used Oatly’s Plain yogurt, but any brand of plain, vegan yogurt will so the trick. 

One of my favorite parts of flavoring yogurt myself in the fact that I get to control how sweet it is.  For this recipe, I only added a small amount of maple syrup because I didn’t want to make this recipe a total sugar bomb. But feel free to add more maple syrup, agave or stevia if you prefer a sweeter taste. 

PECANS

Pecans are delicious all year round, but I definitely associate them with fall and winter. With their nutty flavor and not too crunchy, not too soft texture, they are a wonderful addition to many sweet potato, pumpkin and squash dishes. But their flavor and texture is not all pecans have going for them. Did you know pecans contain over 19 vitamins and minerals?! That’s right! Calcium, potassium, magnesium, and several B vitamins are packed in these babies, just to name a few! So a handful of pecans is always an excellent idea. 

HULLED HEMP SEEDS

Hulled hemp seed are aaaaamazing! They are full of essential vitamins and minerals and contain brain-friendly antioxidants. But why I love to toss them into the mix when creating recipes is their omega fats. Hulled hemp seeds are high in omega-3 fatty acids. They are also high omega-6. Amongst many benefits, the omegas are beneficial for supporting your cardiovascular health, boost immunity, and help keep your brain healthy.

PERFECT FOR MEAL PREP

This recipe is fantastic for a healthy meal prep option. You can make a batch at the beginning of the week and portion it out into servings! Perfect grab and to breakfast! 

MAKES A HEALTHY DESSERT

This pumpkin yogurt recipe also makes a wonderful healthy vegan dessert! Keep as is or add a bit more maple and top with vegan whipped cream to create a delicious, nutrient dense plant based dessert. Definitely a crowd pleasing recipe, perfect for a gathering. And a kid friendly recipe too!