Pumpkin Crostini w/ Sage Cream Cheese

Maple roasted Pumpkin Crostini with Sage Cream Cheese & Spinach.

Pumpkin Crostini with vegan sage cream cheese and garlicky spinach makes an unbelievably delicious snack or appetizer. This crostini is easy to prepare, yet it’s totally stunning. Full of seasonal flavors, this recipe is simply perfect for fall and winter times.

If things like crispy bread slices, creamy toppings and fall flavors are things that tickle your fancy, this recipe is one you have to try!

This crostini is fairly simple to make, but it tastes so incredible. The tangy sage cream cheese, the garlicky spinach, and the sweet and spicy, slightly caramelized maple roasted pumpkin cubes make an amazing combo to top your baguette slices.

Pumpkin Crostini w/ Sage Cream Cheese is…

• Vegan and Vegetarian
• Optionally gluten-free and oil-free
• Packed with seasonal flavors
• Delicious
• Crispy with creamy toppings
• Customizable and versatile
• Easy to make
• Great as an appetizer or finger food
• Also lovely as a quick snack
• Nice for brunch or weeknight dinners as well
• An absolut crowd pleaser

Listen, this Pumpkin Crostini is really good, so I hope you will make it!

How to make Pumpkin Crostini w/ Sage Cream Cheese

You have 4 things to make for this recipe, but they are all very simple to prepare.

PUMPKIN

You start with roasting your pumpkin.

All you do is mixing together some diced pumpkin (or winter squash) with a little oil, maple syrup, and spices of your choice, and spread it on a baking sheet in a single layer. Then roast for about 45 minutes, or until golden brown, depending on the size and type of your pumpkin cubes.

SAGE CREAM CHEESE

To make the sage cream cheese you simply add vegan cream cheese, lots of sage leaves, sunflower seeds, and some seasoning to a blender or food processor, and blend until nice and creamy. You can adjust the consistency with water or unsweetened plant milk.

You can use the cream cheese right away or store in the fridge for a couple of days. The cream cheese might thicken a little in the fridge.

SPINACH

For the spinach all you do is wilt some baby spinach on a little oil. Then season it with garlic, salt and pepper.

Regular spinach or frozen spinach works of course perfectly as well.

BAGUETTE

All you have to do is slice a nice baguette into 0.4 inch/1 cm pieces, and bake until golden brown and crispy.

For extra crispiness you can drizzle the bread slices with some olive oil before baking as well. And for extra flavor you can rub a clove of garlic on the bread slices, or sprinkle them with chili, rosemary, or cumin.

ASSEMBLY

That’s all. Now all you have to do is pile everything on top of your crispy bread slices. You can assemble everything when fresh and hot, or you can chill the ingredients, and serve them as at room temperature.

What pumpkin to use

You can choose almost any type of pumpkin or winter squash for this recipe. Just make sure that the skin is edible, or simply peel it first.

My personal favorites for this recipe are butternut squash, sugar pumpkin, and hokkaido squash.

What cream cheese to use

You can use whatever store-bought or homemade vegan cream cheese you like. My personal favorites are:

• 2-Ingredient Vegan Cream Cheese (very inexpensive)
• Basic Cashew Cream Cheese (extra creamy and luscious)
• Vegan Tofu Cream Cheese (quick and cheap)

Store-bought or homemade sour cream will work as well, just make sure it’s a thicker type or don’t add any extra liquid to your sage cream cheese.

What bread to use

It’s best to use a good quality baguette. It can be white, spelt, whole-wheat, gluten-free, whatever you prefer.

If you don’t have baguette, dinner rolls, or even a smaller, regular bread will will be fine.

Stale bread works for this recipe as well. If using stale bread, drizzle the slices with a little water or olive oil before baking.

CUSTOMIZE IT THE WAY YOU LIKE IT!

There are so many options to adjust this recipe to your liking, so don’t be afraid to experiment with it!

• Choose whatever pumpkin you like. If you don’t like pumpkins, sweet potatoes or golden beets are delicious as well. Feel free to play around with the spicing as well!

• While making the sage cream cheese, taste and adjust the spicing as you like it. Add more lemon juice, or less garlic, or use thyme or basil instead of sage, if you don’t like the taste. Hummus instead of vegan cream cheese is really tasty as well.

• If you are not a fan of spinach, use kale, Swiss chard, or savoy cabbage instead. If you are looking for something more fresh, skip cooking, and top bread with raw arugula, baby spinach, or mixed greens instead.

• Add extra flavor to your bread slices if you want. Drizzle with vinegar, olive oil, or spread with vegan butter. A sprinkle of chili, garlic powder, or onion powder are lovely too.

• Top your crostini with toasted nuts or seeds if you like. Pomegranates are not only delicious, but also super pretty additions as well.

More awesome pumpkin recipes

• Kale and Farro Stuffed Mini Pumpkins
• Green Spelt Salad w/ Roasted Pumpkin
• Gnocchi with Pumpkin Cheese Sauce
• Pumpkin & Walnut Stuffed Christmas Wreath
• Savory Pumpkin Rolls
• Beluga Lentil and Pumpkin Salad
• Pumpkin Hummus
• Quinoa, Pumpkin and Kale Salad w/ Tempeh

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