Hi friends! I’m reintroducing you to two of my most popular recipes for the holidays.
Chocolate Pumpkin Pie & Festive Chickpea Tart
Two holiday pies: one savory, one sweet!
Shall we start with sweet? But of course.
Chocolate Pumpkin Pie
This Chocolate Pumpkin Pie is from one of my earlier books (eat, drink & be vegan) and is one of my all-time favorite recipes.
And it’s also one of yours! I hear from readers all the time about this pie. It’s tried and true, you can’t go wrong with it for the holidays.
Why such a hit?
- Unexpected. We don’t often see pumpkin pie in chocolate form. It’s positively fabulous!
- This Chocolate Pumpkin Pie is SO darn easy to make. Melt chocolate, puree with pumpkin filling and a couple other ingredients… done!
- It doesn’t use vegan dairy replacements like vegan sour cream and vegan cream cheese (a lot of pumpkin pie recipes tend to). Yet, it is incredibly rich and decadent.
- Decadent! Did I mention it’s decadent? Really is, a little slice is very satisfying.
Chocolate Pumpkin Pie
This pie is rich and decadent, so a little slice will do!
Ingredients
Filling:
- 1 1/4 cups non-dairy chocolate chips
- 1 can 14-oz/415-ml organic pumpkin pie mix (I use Farmer’s Market Organic brand)
- 2 tbsp unrefined sugar
- 2 tsp arrowroot powder
- 1/8 tsp rounded sea salt
- 1 prepared pie crust of choice optional – this pie is so rich, you can really make it without any crust
- 2 tbsp non-dairy chocolate chips optional (for garnish)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425º F. Fit a metal or glass bowl over a saucepan on medium-low heat and filled with several inches of water (or use a double-boiler). Add 1¼ cups chocolate chips to bowl and stir occasionally as water simmers (not boils), letting chocolate melt. While chocolate is melting, in a food processor, add pumpkin pie mix (scraping out everything from can), sugar, arrowroot powder, and salt. Purée until very smooth, scraping down sides of bowl as needed. Once chocolate is melted, add to food processor and purée with pumpkin mixture, scraping down sides of bowl as needed. Pour mixture into pie crust (scraping out all filling) and tip pie back and forth gently to evenly distribute filling. Sprinkle on 2 tablespoon chocolate chips. Bake for 15 minutes, then reduce heat to 350 degrees F, and bake for another 35 minutes, until pie is set (the center may be soft, but it will set further as it cools). Carefully remove from oven and place on cooling rack. Let cool completely before slicing, refrigerating if desired.
Notes
Notes:
You can use any pie crust of choice, including a storebought pastry crust or graham crust.
Try garnishing with “Macadamia Maple Cream” or “Celestial Cream” (both recipes in eat, drink, and be vegan).
Next, our savory pie!
Festive Chickpea Tart
This Festive Chickpea Tart is from Let Them Eat Vegan. People often ask “what do you have as a main for the holidays?”… well this is it! At least, one of the options for a main.
I typically pick up a storebought crust to fill this pie, or I bake it without a crust (just shave off 5 or so minutes from the baking time). It’s quite easy to make, and has become such a reader favorite!
Definitely serve up with my Traditional Cranberry Sauce (below), and a great gravy. You can try the Rosemary Gravy in LTEV, or my new favorite HOMESTYLE GRAVY p. 108, .
Festive Chickpea Tart
Move over faux turkeys! This savory tart takes center plate with its combination of chickpeas, crunchy walnuts, spinach, and seasonings nestled together. This dish is elegant enough to serve for holiday gatherings, but also easy enough to make for a family dinner any time of the year.
Ingredients
- 1-2 tbsp water
- 1 cup onion diced
- 1/2 cup celery diced
- 4-5 medium-large garlic cloves minced
- 1/4 tsp sea salt
- Few pinches freshly ground black pepper
- 2 cups chickpeas reserve 1/3 cup
- 2 tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice
- 2 tsp tamari
- 1/2 tsp ground sage
- 1/4 tsp sea salt
- 3/4 cup walnuts toasted, see note for nut-free
- 1/3 cup rolled oats optional, see note
- 1 – 10 oz pckg frozen chopped spinach thawed and squeezed to remove excess water (about 1 cup after squeezing)
- 1/4 cup dried cranberries
- 1/4 cup fresh parsley chopped
- 1 tbsp fresh thyme chopped (or 1 tsp dried thyme added to puree)
- 1 prepared whole-wheat pastry pie crust thawed (see note)
- 1 tsp tamari
- 2 tbsp walnuts (see note for nut-free) chopped (for topping, no need to toast beforehand)
Instructions
- Add water, onion, celery, garlic, salt and pepper in a skillet over medium-high heat. Cook 9-10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until softened and turning golden. In a food processor, add chickpeas (except reserved 1/3 cup), lemon juice, tamari, sage, salt, and sautéed mixture, and partially puree (not fully like hummus, but leaving some chunkier consistency). Add toasted walnuts and oats, and briefly pulse to lightly break up nuts. Transfer to a bowl, and stir in spinach, cranberries, parsley, thyme, and reserved chickpeas. Transfer mixture to pie shell (or lightly oiled pie plate, see note), smoothing to evenly distribute. Brush tamari over top. Sprinkle on walnuts. Bake in preheated oven at 400 degrees for 30-35 minutes, until tart is golden on edges and top. Cool 5-10 minutes, then serve with cranberry sauce, a spoon drizzling of oil/balsamic vinegar slurry, or other sauce of choice. Serves 4-5.
Notes
Oats Note: The rolled oats, while lending some structure to the tart, can easily be omitted.
Pie Shell Note: This tart can be made without the pastry crust, if needed. If you want to make the tart without the crust, simply prepare the pie plate with a spray of oil (or wipe), and then bake for about 5 minutes less.
Nuts Note: For a nut-free option, use pumpkin seeds. You can reduce the amount in the filling if you prefer.
Note: Serve with Traditional Cranberry Sauce (below), or a gravy. Try Rosemary Gravy from LTEV or HOMESTYLE GRAVY, Plant-Powered Families. This recipe is also a reader favorite, from eat, drink and be vegan.
Traditional Cranberry Sauce
You’ll never buy another store-brand cranberry sauce after you’ve tasted this one – and, it’s a breeze to make!
Ingredients
- 1½ cups fresh cranberries rinsed (see note)
- ½ cup pure maple syrup
- ¼ tsp sea salt
- 1 tsp balsamic vinegar optional
Instructions
- In a pot on medium-high heat, combine ingredients and bring mixture to a boil, stirring occasionally. Once boiling, reduce heat to simmer for 10–15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until cranberries have broken down. (Reduce heat is sauce is sticking or is simmering too rapidly.) Once sauce has thickened, taste test, and add balsamic vinegar for a touch of sourness if desired. Serve warm or chilled. Makes about 1 cup.
Notes
Note: Frozen cranberries can also be used; just continue simmering until cranberries break down into entire mixture thickens and becomes deeper in color.
I hope you enjoy this Chocolate Pumpkin Pie & Festive Chickpea Tart! x Dreena
What are your favorite vegan holiday recipes?
Carol Carson says
I made the chickpea tart and we loved it. Thank you!
Rachel @ My Naturally Frugal Family says
I have been eyeing that pie in LTEV for a while maybe I will make it for US Thanksgiving and give all of my family a little vegan treat.
Happy Canadian Thanksgiving to you 🙂
urbanvegan says
As I’m writing, styling, photographing and disseminating copious pie leftovers for my upcoming pie book, I see pies in my sleep, LOL. But yours look absolutely phenomenal, Dreena. I think I can smell the savory tart beckoning me all the way here on the right coast. Happy Canadian Thanksgiving in advance!
Lash says
Hi Dreena, I’m so glad you posted this as I have a question about the chickpea tart. Is there something I can use instead of walnuts? Peanut and nut allergies in the family prevent me from using any nuts in anything (sad, cuz I love, and miss, me some walnuts!) I know in one of your other recipes you gave the option of using ground pumpkin seeds instead of almonds, so I’m wondering if this would work here as well?
While I’m not vegan, I do have a few of your cookbooks and make many of your recipes consistently. I am trying to include more vegetarian recipes in our meals and you’re always the one I turn to. Too bad I saw this post too late or that chocolate pumpkin pie would have been on my Thanksgiving menu this weekend. There’s always Christmas!
Happy Thanksgiving.
Dreena says
Hi Lash, I think pumpkin seeds would be very good in this. I would toast them first to bring out a nuttier flavour, and pulse them through to break up just a little. I might try I myself with pumpkin seeds now! Happy Thanksgiving to you too. 🙂
Jane says
doesn’t look like you’ve slowed down yet Dreena : )
Just wanted to share 2 things – first, I’ve had my eye on the chickpea tart for xmas lunch – thought I might serve with salad, maybe even cold, as it’s pretty warm here in Oz at xmas!
Second I just made the triple layer choc cake, but because we can’t eat it yet while waiting for the frosting to chill, I made Pecan Date nibblers to keep everyone happy in the meantime……oh my GOODNESS – they are divine!!!!!
Actually 3 things – do you have a recipe for a trad. xmas fruit cake??? Just a wishful thought!
Thanks for inspiring me!