Nut roast

Name: Nut roast
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 1 h 5 min
Total time: 1 h 35 min
Yield: 4 servings
Ingredients: 1 tbsp olive oil; 15 g butter; 1 large onion finely chopped; 2 sticks celery finely chopped; 1 2 garlic cloves finely chopped; 200 g chestnut mushrooms finely chopped; 1 1 red pepper halved; 1 large carrot grated; 1 tsp dried oregano; 1 tsp smoked paprika; 100 g red lentils; 2 tbsp tomato purée; 300 ml vegetable stock; 100 g fresh breadcrumbs; 150 g mixed nuts such as walnuts; 3 large eggs lightly beaten; 100 g mature cheddar grated; 1 handful flat-leaf parsley finely chopped; 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil; 1 2 garlic cloves finely sliced; 1 sprig rosemary; 400 ml passata

Prep: 30 minsCook: 1 hr 5 mins

Prep

30 mins

Cook

1 hr 5 mins

Servings

Difficulty

Hard

Vegetarian

(0)

This nut roast has become my go to dish whenever I'm feeding a crowd, whether they're vegetarian or not. It's wonderfully satisfying and so much easier to make than people assume, taking just about an hour from start to table. The red lentils are packed with protein and fiber, making this genuinely nutritious alongside being delicious. What I love most is that it's forgiving and budget friendly, using affordable pantry staples mixed with nuts and vegetables you probably have on hand. Sliced garlic and rosemary infused oil drizzled over the top takes it from simple to special, and it's just as lovely served warm with roasted vegetables as it is cold the next day with a salad.

Ella x

Ingredients

Servings:

1 tbspolive oil
15 gbutter
1 largeonion finely chopped
2 stickscelery finely chopped
12 garlic cloves finely chopped
200 gchestnut mushrooms finely chopped
11 red pepper halved(deseeded and finely diced)
1 largecarrot grated
1 tspdried oregano
1 tspsmoked paprika
100 gred lentils
2 tbsptomato purée
300 mlvegetable stock
100 gfresh breadcrumbs
150 gmixed nuts such as walnuts(pecans, hazelnuts and Brazil nuts, roughly chopped)
3 largeeggs lightly beaten
100 gmature cheddar grated
1 handfulflat-leaf parsley finely chopped
2 tbspextra virgin olive oil
12 garlic cloves finely sliced
1 sprigrosemary
400 mlpassata

Detail level

Instructions

1
Line the base and sides of a 1.5 litre loaf tin with parchment paper.
2
Heat 1 tbsp olive oil and 15g butter in a large frying pan and cook 1 finely chopped large onion and 2 finely chopped celery sticks for about 5 mins until beginning to soften.
3
Stir in 2 finely chopped garlic cloves and 200g finely chopped chestnut mushrooms and cook for a further 10 mins.
4
Stir in 1 finely diced red pepper and 1 grated carrot and cook for about 3 mins then add 1 tsp dried oregano and 1 tsp smoked paprika and cook for just a minute.
5
Add 100g red lentils and 2 tbsp tomato purée and cook for about 1 min, then add 300ml vegetable stock and simmer over a very gentle heat until all the liquid has been absorbed and the mixture is fairly dry. This should take about 25 minutes. Set aside to cool. Heat the oven to 180C/ fan 160C/ gas 4.
6
Finally, stir in 100g fresh breadcrumbs, 150g chopped mixed nuts, 3 lightly beaten large eggs, 100g grated mature cheddar, a handful of finely chopped flat-leaf parsley and a pinch of salt and some ground black pepper.
7
Stir to mix well then spoon the mixture into the prepared tin and press down the surface.
8
Cover with foil and bake for 30 mins, then remove the foil and bake for a further 20 mins until firm when pressed gently.
9
Meanwhile, to make the sauce, heat 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil very gently then add 2 finely sliced garlic cloves and 1 rosemary sprig and heat without colouring.
10
Pour in 400ml passata and add a pinch of salt and some ground black pepper. Simmer gently for just 15 mins.
11
Allow the loaf to cool in the tin for about 10 mins then turn out onto a serving board or plate. Remove the baking paper and cut into slices and serve with a little of the tomato sauce.
12
To make a vegan nut roast, use an extra tbsp of oil in place of butter, no cheese and 3 tbsp egg replacer. Bake your nut roast for 1 hour. The loaf will still be soft in the middle after cooking.
13
It can be cooked in advance and then chilled, sliced and reheated to make it easier to serve.

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