This vegan pumpkin focaccia is the perfect homemade bread for Fall! It’s crunchy on the outside, soft and pillowy on the inside, with a delicious sweetness from the pumpkin. Undetectably dairy-free and eggless too!
My freezer is currently packed full of this deliciousness and I can’t stop eating it. And I don’t plan on stopping for as long as pumpkin season is around!
How to make vegan pumpkin focaccia
Make the pumpkin purée
Pumpkin purée is very easy to make from fresh pumpkin. Start by preheating the oven to 180 degrees C/350 F.
Cut the pumpkin in half just beside the stem, then remove the seeds and cut it in half once again.
You can now peel it using a vegetable peeler, and proceed to cut into small, bite-sized pieces.
Drizzle the pumpkin with olive oil and bake in the preheated oven for 20-25 minutes, until fully softened.
Next, transfer it to a blender or food processor and blend until a purée forms.
Make the pumpkin focaccia dough
Mix together the flour, salt and yeast. In a different bowl, combine water, the pumpkin purée, and maple syrup.
Then, add the wet ingredients to the dry and mix until thoroughly combined. At the end, mix in the olive oil.
Now, transfer the dough to a large baking tray lined with parchment paper, and stretch into a large rectangle.
Cover with cling film and allow to rise at room temperature for 3-4 hours, until roughly doubled in size.
Dimple and allow to rise again
Drizzle more olive oil on the focaccia and dimple the dough using your fingers by pressing them almost all the way through.
Allow to rise for 10-15 minutes more. In the meantime, preheat the oven to 180 degrees C/350 F.
Dimple and bake
Now the fun part – decorating the focaccia! Arrange the bell peppers, red onion, mushrooms, zucchini and fresh chives on the focaccia.
Sprinkle with sea salt and dried thyme, then bake for 22-25 minutes, until crispy on the outside and golden brown.
