Vegetarian Nut ‘Roast’

Looking for a mouthwatering vegetarian centrepiece for your Christmas table? Look no further than this delectable nut ‘roast’ recipe. Bursting with savoury flavours and textures, this festive dish is perfect for those seeking a fulfilling and delicious alternative to traditional meat dishes. Packed with mushrooms, lentils, hazelnuts, and mature cheddar, this nut ‘roast’ is sure to steal the spotlight and satisfy everyone’s taste buds. Follow this step-by-step guide to create a show-stopping vegetarian masterpiece that will leave your guests craving more.

To make this incredible wholesome and even-better-the-next-day nut roast, you need:

• 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 1 large onion, peeled and finely chopped
• 2 sticks celery, leaves trimmed and sliced
• 2 cloves garlic, peeled and sliced
• 200 grams button mushrooms, sliced
• 1 capsicum, grated
• 1 large carrot, skin on, grated
• 1 tablespoon smoked paprika
• 100 grams red lentils
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste
• 1 cup stock of choice
• 100 grams breadcrumbs
• 150 grams hazelnuts
• 3 large eggs, lightly beaten
• 130 grams mature cheddar, grated
• Salt and pepper to taste

Step 1: Prepare and Sauté the Vegetables

1. Preheat the oven to 180°C and line a loaf pan with baking paper.
2. Heat olive oil in a large frying pan over medium heat. Add the chopped onion and sliced celery and cook for about 5 minutes until they begin to soften.
3. Stir in the garlic and sliced mushrooms, and continue cooking for another 10 minutes until the mushrooms are tender and fragrant.
4. Add the grated capsicum, grated carrot, and smoked paprika to the pan. Cook for an additional 3 minutes, then add the red lentils and tomato paste. Cook for about a minute, stirring well to combine.
5. Pour in the stock, reduce the heat to a simmer, and cook until all the liquid has been absorbed and the mixture becomes fairly dry. This will take approximately 15-20 minutes. Set aside to cool.

Step 2: Prepare the Nut ‘Roast’ Mixture

1. Transfer the cooled vegetable mixture to a large mixing bowl. Add the breadcrumbs, hazelnuts, lightly beaten eggs, grated mature cheddar, and a generous pinch of salt and pepper.
2. Stir the mixture thoroughly until well combined, ensuring that all the ingredients are evenly distributed.

Step 3: Bake the Nut ‘Roast’

1. Spoon the mixture into the prepared loaf pan, pressing it down firmly to create an even and compact loaf. Smooth the top with the back of a spoon.
2. Cover the loaf pan with foil and bake in the preheated oven for 30 minutes. Then, remove the foil and continue baking for an additional 30 minutes, or until the nut ‘roast’ feels firm when pressed.

Step 4: Serve and Enjoy!

1. Allow the nut ‘roast’ to cool in the loaf pan for about 10 minutes before carefully turning it out onto a serving board or plate.
2. For the best slicing results, refrigerate the nut ‘roast’ until cold before slicing. It can be prepared a day ahead, refrigerated overnight, and reheated the next day for serving.
3. Serve your vegetarian Christmas nut ‘roast’ with gravy and your favorite festive trimmings, such as roasted vegetables, cranberry sauce, or a fresh green salad.

This vegetarian Christmas nut ‘roast’ is the ultimate showstopper that will impress your guests and delight their taste buds. With its robust flavours, hearty texture, and a medley of mushrooms, lentils, hazelnuts, and cheddar cheese, this festive dish offers a delightful alternative to traditional meat-centric holiday meals. Prepare this recipe step-by-step and serve it with your favorite trimmings for a memorable and fulfilling Christmas celebration. Embrace the joy of vegetarian cooking this holiday season and savour every delicious bite of this mouthwatering nut ‘roast.’

Print Recipe

Christmas Nut Roast

Prep Time30 minutes mins

Cook Time1 hour hr

Cooling time15 minutes mins

Total Time1 hour hr 45 minutes mins

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Mediterranean

Keyword: christmas, nut roast, veggie bake

Equipment

• Food processor
• Kitchen scales
• Wooden Spoon
• Frypan
• Measuring cups and spoons
• Loaf tin

Ingredients

• 3 tablespoons olive oil extra virgin
• 1 large onion peeled and finely chopped
• 2 sticks celery leaves trimmed and sliced
• 2 cloves garlic peeled and sliced
• 200 grams button mushrooms sliced
• 1 capsicum grated
• 1 large carrot skin on, grated
• 1 tablespoon smoked paprika
• 100 grams red lentils
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste
• 1 cup stock of choice
• 100 grams breadcrumbs
• 150 grams hazelnuts
• 3 large eggs lightly beaten
• 130 grams mature cheddar grated

Instructions

• Heat the oven to 180C and line a loaf pan with baking paper.
• Heat olive oil in a large frying pan and cook onion and celery for 5 or so minutes until beginning to soften.
• Stir in garlic and mushrooms and cook for a further 10 mins.
• Add capsicum and carrot and cook for 3 mins then add smoked paprika and cook for another minute.
• Add lentils and tomato paste and cook for about a minute, then add stock and simmer over a medium heat until all the liquid has been absorbed and the mixture is pretty dry. This takes about 15-20 minutes, depending on how high you have your stove. Set aside to cool.
• Place cooled mixture into a bowl and add breadcrumbs, hazelnuts, eggs, cheese and a big pinch of salt and pepper to taste.
• Stir to mix very well then spoon the mixture into the loaf tin and press down firmly to evenly compact and smooth the top.
• Cover with foil and bake for 30 mins, then remove the foil and bake for a further 30 mins until quite firm when pressed.
• Allow the loaf to cool in the tin for about 10 mins then turn out onto a serving board or plate to slice. It actually slices better the colder it is so you can bake it a day ahead, let it go cold, slice and reheat the next day for serving.
• Serve with gravy and your favourite trimmings!

Notes

Use a food processor to chop, slice and grate all of the vegetables.