Nut Roast
Nov 23, 2021 (Last updated Mar 18, 2024) by Hannah Sunderani
Nut Roast
Hiya Friends! Today I’m sharing a holiday inspired nut roast! This nut roast is savoury, protein-packed and made with wholesome ingredients. It’s a blend of mushrooms, nuts, brown rice, and fresh herbs with lots of umami flavour. I like to serve with my homemade vegan gravy and a simple mushroom topping.
This is a recipe for you to enjoy during the holidays season as a meat-free alternative at your family gatherings. It’s vegan and gluten-free, making it a great alternative for those with dietary restrictions.
And, I can promise you, nobody will miss the meat! This nut roast is savoury and satiating. I recipe tested this on my parents (both non vegans) and they absolutely loved it. Actually, they preferred it over turkey! Everyone was going back for seconds.
So, let me tell you exactly how to make this recipe so that you can enjoy it pronto.
Nut Roast
This nut roast is:
- vegan
- gluten-free
- protein packed
- made with wholesome ingredients
- a great meat-free alternative
I really think you’re going to love this nut roast as much as our family did. I must say, my parents are English and so roasts like these are very popular in our home. Typically we grew up eating meat loaf, and this nut roast is a really nice meat-free alternative. We served it this year at Thanksgiving.
In fact, this recipe is inspired by one from BBC Good Food. Made with mushrooms, veggies and mixed nuts. Mine however is vegan and gluten-free.
All-in-all, this vegan nut roast was a huge success in our home (including the vegan skeptics!). I’ll definitely be making it again at Christmas this year, and for future holiday gatherings.
How to make this nut roast recipe
This nut roast recipe is so easy to prepare.
To start, we will chop the nuts into very fine pieces. I like to do this in a food processor, (although a blender on the pulse setting will also work). Pulse the walnuts, brazil nuts and cashews into a nut-meal like substance. Set aside.
In a large deep skillet, soften the onions and mushroom with fresh herbs. Once that’s done, add it to the food processor and pulse with the nuts to combine.
Bring back to the skillet and add chia egg and brown rice. Mix everything to combine.
Then, transfer the mixture to a 9×5-inch loaf pan. Bake in the oven at to 350F/175C for 50 minutes, or until golden on top and around the edges.
The Mushroom Topping: (optional)
The mushroom topping for this nut roast recipe is optional. As there are mushrooms in the loaf itself. However, I like to add the mushroom topping as it really brings the wow-factor.
We love mushrooms in my household, so the more the merrier!
Making the mushroom topping is easy to do, and you can do it while the nut roast is cooking. Simply melt some vegan butter in your skillet and add sliced mushroom. Cook on medium-high heat stirring often for 10 to 12 minutes, or until the mushrooms are browned.
Make this nut roast recipe with me!
Make this nut roast with my on my Ultimate Christmas Dinner Menu episode on YouTube!
Easy Vegan Gravy: (optional)
I’ve used my homemade easy vegan gravy to serve alongside this recipe. This is optional, but I really love the gravy for adding extra umami flavour, plus it’s a perfect side to serve at your holiday feast. (It’s equally as delicious poured over roasted vegetables).
The gravy is made with simple pantry ingredients and is quick to make. It can also be made up to 4 days in advance, reheat in a saucepan on medium-low heat. Add splashes of water or vegetable broth as needed to thin.
Can you prepare this nut roast in advance?
Yes! This loaf can be prepared in advance. Cover in plastic wrap and keep refrigerated. Reheat in the microwave, or in the oven at 350F/180C for 15 minutes. If reheating in the oven, be sure to wrap the loaf in tin foil (this will stop it from drying out as it warms).
Can you freeze this loaf?
This loaf can also be frozen. Reheat from frozen in the oven at 325F/180C for 30 minutes, wrapped in tin foil to stop it from drying out.
Can this recipe be assembled ahead of time, and baked just before serving?
Absolutely! You can assemble the recipe 1-2 days before and bake just before serving. Store the mixture in an air-tight container in the fridge and transfer to the loaf pan when you’re ready to cook. 🙂
If using the mushroom topping, I prefer to prepare this the day of serving for the freshest taste.
How long does this recipe keep?
This nut roast will keep for up to one week. Store in an air-tight container, or wrap well with plastic wrap or bees wrap and keep refrigerated.
What to serve with this nut roast:
If you’re planning a holiday gathering, try serving your nut roast with the following
And there we have it! A delicious meatless main for your next holiday gathering. This vegan nut roast recipe is perfect for Thanksgiving or Christmas, and nobody will miss the meat! It’s savoury, protein-packed and made with wholesome ingredients. Vegan and gluten-free! I really think you’ll love this recipe as much as we do.
If you do make this recipe please let me know in the comments below what you think! I truly love hearing from you, and I’m always here to answer any questions you might have. And of course, tag me on Instagram with your pictures using the hashtag #twospoons. Nothing makes me happier than to see your recreations.
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Nut Roast
Ingredients
- 1/3 cup ground chia seeds or ground flax seeds
- 1 cup water
- ½ cup walnuts
- ½ cup brazil nuts
- ½ cup cashews
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 yellow onion finely chopped
- 2 cloves garlic
- 8 oz cremini mushrooms chopped
- ½ cup fresh sage chopped
- ¼ cup nutritional yeast
- ¼ cup gluten-free tamari
- 2 tbsp tahini
- 1 tbsp rosemary fresh, chopped
- 2 tsp thyme leaves
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- ½ tsp sea salt
- 2 cups cooked brown rice
Mushroom Topping
- 1 tbsp vegan butter
- 4 oz cremini mushrooms chopped (optional for topping)
Other:
- Vegan Gravy (optional for serving)
Instructions
- Make the chia eggs: In a bowl, combine the ground chia seeds and water. Mix to combine and let thicken at least 10 minutes.
- In a food processor, pulse the walnuts, brazil nuts and cashews into a nut-meal like substance. Set aside.
- Preheat oven to 350F/175C. Line a 9-inch loaf pan with parchment paper with overhang on both of the long sides.
- Bring a large deep skillet to medium-high heat, add the olive oil, onion, garlic and mushrooms. Cook, stirring often, until softened, about 10 minutes. Add the sage, nutritional yeast, tamari, tahini, rosemary, thyme, oregano, and sea salt. Mix to combine.
- Add the mushroom mixture to the food processor with the nuts and pulse a few times until the mixture is well combined, ground, and slightly doughy in texture.
- Transfer the mixture back to the skillet (with the heat off) and add the chia eggs and cooked brown rice. Mix everything to combine. Scoop the nut roast mixture into the prepared loaf pan and press gently to create a smooth, even surface.
- Bake the nut roast in the oven for 50 minutes, or until lightly golden around the edges and on the top. Let cool slightly in the pan, about 10 minutes, to solidify before serving.
- To make the mushroom topping (optional): melt vegan butter in a skillet on medium high heat and add the cremini mushrooms. Cook, stirring often until the mushrooms have browned and turned golden in colour, about 12 minutes.
- To make the vegan gravy: In a small saucepan, melt the vegan butter on medium heat, add the vegetable broth, miso, onion powder, tamari and nutritional yeast, Whisk to combine. Add the corn starch and whisk again. Simmer on low heat until the gravy has thickened, approx. 8-10 minutes.
- Serve the nut roast on a platter topped with the mushroom topping and vegan gravy on the side.
Watch The Video
Notes
Approvals
Nutrition
See more step-by-step instructions by visiting the recipe story here!
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Should the nuts be roasted or raw?
I used raw for this recipe! Roasted would also be tasty too though!
This recipe was delicious. The finished product looks just like real meatloaf. I only used 1 TBL of Tahini and added a 1 TBL of Dijon mustard, which tasted very good. I strongly recommend using the fresh herbs.
I’m so happy that you enjoyed the loaf Jason! Thanks for the kind review. 🙂
I am hosting a dear friend and look forward to preparing this nut loaf for one of our meals. I’m curious, can you omit or substitute the rice? Would quinoa or millet work instead of rice?
I just found this and I have two questions. Can I make it in a round shape? How would that affect the baking time? And what would you recommend substituting the Brazil nuts with? I am not fond of that nut. This sounds great, I’m looking forward to your answers.
Hi Lala! You could substitute Brazil nuts with whatever nuts your prefer: almonds might be nice or you can sub with more walnuts and cashews. I don’t see an issue with you using a round pan for baking the loaf. But the length of bake time would depend on the size of your pan. My recommendation would be to check the bake after 30 minutes and then check every 5 to 10 minutes according to how the bake is looking. The end result should be lightly browned on top and lightly crisp around the edges. Good luck!
I have tried a few nut roast recipes, some were great, others not. This recipe is fabulous. This year, I will make it for Christmas dinner to satisfy my vegan and non-vegan family! Thank you!
So thrilled to hear this Kerry! This nut roast will satisfy your family! Thank you for this nice comment!
Looks great. Hoping to try this week but looking for a way to make these pre-portioned. Wondering if could be maybe in cupcake tins. Thoughts?
Hi Jessica! I haven’t tested this recipe in muffin tins, but I don’t see why now! The only thing I would keep in mind is that because they are in smaller portions the cook time would be much less, (maybe 15-20 minutes) you can tell when they finish when the edges have browned.
I made this recipe and the gravy to test and practice before an upcoming celebration. It turned out great and my non-vegan family also enjoyed it. I will definitely make it again!
So thrilled that you all loved the recipe, and the gravy is a must! Thanks for the kind comment Ana!
Simply one of the best dishes I’ve had – including from before I became vegan two years ago! Hannah’s instructions are super easy to follow, but the recipe is flexible enough to adjust as needed, based on what you do or don’t have on hand. Thanks for making a recipe that exceeded my expectations! I made this twice in one week because we loved it so much. The first time, I followed the instructions as they are written and used it for our Christmas dinner. Later in the week, I added some gluten-free breadcrumbs, exchanged the mushrooms for lentils, and baked it as meatballs for a Swedish meatball dish over some leftover mashed potatoes. Delicious! Thanks, Hannah!
Hi Sarah! I am thrilled that you enjoyed this recipe so much! And I love how you adapted it to be your own the second time round, it sounds so good as a meatball recipe! Thanks for the very very kind words about my recipes – I am soooo glad that you’re enjoying them so much and they’ve been really useful in your plantbased journey. 🙂 Warmest, Hannah xx
Can this recipe be assembled ahead of time, and baked just before serving?
Hi Anette! Great question! Yes, I have done this by assembling the recipe the night before and baking just before serving. Store in an air-tight container in the fridge and transfer to the loaf pan when you’re ready to cook. 🙂
I made this nut roast for christmas dinner and i must admit i wasnt sure if it would be a hit or not. We are not vegans but i do love trying something new. This nut roast far surpassed my expectations, it was delicious and very easy to make. I am so glad i made the gravy – it really completed the meal. I have already shared this recipe with friends.
I’m thrilled that you enjoyed this recipe Elona! It’s always the biggest compliment when non-vegans love my vegan recipes, so thank you for this very thoughtful comment – It made my day! Glad you enjoyed the gravy too! I also love it with this nut roast and on my vegan mashed potatoes. 🙂 Thanks again and I hope you’ll come back for more recipes in the future. 🙂
Made the nut roast and gravy for Christmas dinner and it was a huge hit! The roast is so delicious, really moist, great texture and loved that I could make it a day in advance. The gravy was amazing and even won over our non-vegan family and friends who preferred it over their turkey gravy!
Oh my goodness! This is music to my ears Sheila. I’m thrilled that the nut roast was such a hit, as well as the gravy. We love that gravy too – so flavourful and the perfect compliment to this nut roast. Thanks for the comment and I hope you had a wonderful rest of your Holidays. 🙂
I just made this for an early Christmas dinner with a friend. The gravy was fantastic. The roast was very tasty, but it didn’t set the way I expected it would. Unfortunately it was mushy. Next time I will drain the sauteed mushrooms before adding them to the nuts and maybe use less water with the flaxseed. Even so, this together with the maple roasted brussell sprouts added to a delicious meal.
Hi Jill, I’m sorry to hear that the nut roast didn’t firm up for you! I find ground flax can be a little less predictable than ground chia for making a vegan egg (which is why I always prefer to use ground chia, but still provide the option for ground flax as many have it on hand). If you do make it again, perhaps trying the ground chia for making the vegan egg will help? I’d love to know how to get on if you try this recipe again. Your idea for the mushrooms could also help, we’re definitely looking for well-browned mushrooms that have released most of its water content, so a few more minutes in the skillet on medium-high heat should remove that moisture. If you have time, feel free to check out my Ultimate Christmas Dinner Menu on my YouTube channel to see this recipe coming together. The step-by-step video will be really helpful I think in seeing the consistency before baking. 🙂
This recipe sounds delicious and I can’t wait to try it. I’ve read it over a few times and I can’t seem to find where you add in the 2 cups of brown rice. Hope you can let me know so I can make it asap. Thanks.
Hi Anita! You add the brown rice in Step 6. 🙂