Roast Dinner Vegetarian Nut Loaf

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This delicious nutty, cheesy loaf loaded with vegetables and seeds is what I serve for Emma when we have a roast chicken dinner. She has it with Caramelised Onion Gravy with Marsala Wine and Maple Syrup and whatever sides we are also eating. When she first became vegetarian she really missed her Sunday roasts; apparently it was the texture of the meat she missed the most. Whilst this is different, she said the texture is a wonderful replacement and loaded with so many ingredients, it brings many layers of flavour and nutrients to the meal, which she adores.

It is quite a flexible recipe and you can play around with the vegetables and nuts you add, as well the herbs. I used sage in this one as we were having roast chicken with sage and onion sausage meat stuffing. I tend to add the herbs I’m using with the meat also to the nut loaf, this way it should complement all the other dishes I’m serving alongside or indeed work better with any other courses I have planned.

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How to make Roast Dinner Vegetarian Nut Loaf

Although there is quite a long list of ingredients, this dish comes together quickly (particularly if you use a food processor) and can be made in advance.

Collect all your ingredients together:

• mixed nuts – I used pecans, hazelnuts and almonds
• mixed seeds – I used pumpkin, sunflower and sesame seeds
• onion, peeled and roughly chopped
• carrot, trimmed and roughly chopped
• celery, trimmed and roughly chopped
• olive oil
• garlic, peeled and roughly chopped
• mushrooms, chopped
• fresh sage leaves
• breadcrumbs
• cheddar cheese
• fine salt
• freshly ground black pepper
• egg

Make your Nut Loaf

Although there is quite a long list of ingredients, this dish comes together quickly (particularly if you use a food processor) and can be made in advance.

1. Add the nuts to a dry pan and cook on a medium heat for around 5 minutes until lightly browned.
2. Add the seeds and cook for a further minute. Tip out of the pan into a bowl to cool and prevent further cooking.
3. Blitz the onion, carrot and celery in a food processor until chopped into small chunks. Alternatively chop by hand.
4. Heat the olive oil over a moderate heat and add the chopped onion, carrot and celery. Cook for 5 minutes until softened and lightly caramelised.
5. Meanwhile blitz the mushrooms, garlic and sage until finely chopped. (Alternatively chop by hand.)
6. Add to the pan and continue to cook for a further 5 minutes until all the moisture has come out of the mushrooms and cooked away and all the vegetables are soft.
7. As these cook, cut or rip the bread into cubes/pieces and blitz until you have fine breadcrumbs. Tip out of the processor. (Alternatively rub by hand.)
8. Next add the nuts and seeds to the food processor and pulse until chopped. I do not do this too finely as I like the texture that comes from some larger pieces. Tip out of the processor. (Alternatively chop by hand.)
9. Cut the cheese into rough cubes, add to the food processor and pulse until in small pieces. (Alternatively grate the cheese.)
10. After all the vegetables in the pan are cooked, take it off the heat and add the breadcrumbs, nuts, seeds, cheese, salt and pepper and mix thoroughly.
11. Finally add the beaten egg and thoroughly mix.
12. Transfer to a tin lined with baking parchment. Level the surface making sure you press down well on all the ingredients so that they stick together.
13. Cover with foil and cook for 30 minutes. Remove the foil and continue to cook for a further 15 minutes until the surface is a little crispy. Transfer to a chopping board to slice and serve.

NB I make this in a 2lb loaf tin. This means the loaf is about 1 – 1 1/2 inches thick. Emma likes this ratio of crispy topping with the softer bit underneath. If you want less crispy and more of the softer loaf, cook in a 1lb loaf tin.

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Made this recipe?

If you make this recipe, do please tag me on instagram @daffodil_kitchen. You could also leave a comment in the box directly below the recipe.