Nut roasts are just that. Nuts that have been roasting away in the oven along with a medley of other vegetarian (and vegan-friendly) ingredients, if you’re making a vegan version of this staple dish.
Some people only eat them at Christmas time with all the trimmings, while others eat them all-year round.
Nut roasts are a regular occurrence on many vegetarian menus; you can eat them hot or cold too.
Some shop-bought nut roasts come with their own special sauce to drizzle over the top or you can smother them with gravy or eat them as they come. What’s more, nut roasts can be enjoyed by meat-eaters, vegetarians and vegans alike.
They’re a highly versatile and widely-loved dish that’s really easy to ‘make your own’ (straightforward nut roasts are also really easy to make too). Keep reading for the lowdown on nut roasts, as well as an easy-to-follow nut roast recipe.
Contrary to their name, nut roasts aren’t just a tray of roasted walnuts, almonds and pistachios.
While these ingredients are used to add texture and a subtle delicious taste, nut roasts are also made up of vegetables, grains, oils and seasoning.
All of these ingredients are mixed together and cooked for no more than an hour in the oven in a loaf tin.
Some nut roasts even come with their own savoury sauce or you can choose to drizzle it in some tasty gravy instead.
For a more traditional nut roast with a classic country taste, the Artisan Country Vegetable & Cashew version makes a tasty centrepiece.
Combining peanuts and cashews with breadcrumbs and a whole host of country veg, it’s a nice traditional option that goes really well with roast potatoes, honeyed carrots and Brussel sprouts.
If you prefer a taste of the exotic, try the Artisan Mediterranean Sundried Tomato Nut Roast instead.
As we’ve just mentioned, freezing is most definitely an option when it comes to nut roasts. The main thing to remember is, cook it first before freezing. It’ll keep better that way.
If you eat it in moderation, i.e. a slice here and there, rather than consuming an entire loaf in one sitting, you can manage those calories.
And, if you think about what’s in an actual nut roast, e.g. lots of fresh veg and nuts of your choice, there are plenty of plus points to eating them.
If you’d rather have a go at creating your own nut roast, there are plenty of recipes out there for you to try.
Here’s a mouth-watering recipe for a nut roast that uses aubergine and mushrooms as its core ingredients.
Before you scroll down, if you’re more of a visual learner and would much rather prefer to see the nut roast come together rather than read about it, you may want to watch this video instead.
No, this particular nut roast recipe isn’t vegan, but there’s no reason why it can’t be.
It’s possible to switch the non-vegan ingredients, such as eggs and cheese, to vegan alternatives. In fact, it’s what we’ve already done for you, see below…
Serves: 6
Difficulty: Easy with minimal prep time
Can it be frozen? Yes, it’s best to cook it first if you’re planning on freezing it.
Cooking equipment needed: Loaf tin, greaseproof paper, frying pan, chopping knife, foil and a spoon to stir all of your ingredients together while cooking.
Energy | Total fat | Saturates | Protein | Fibre | Carbs | Sugar | Salt |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
566kcal | 35g | 5.4g | 27g | 7.7g | 31g | 8.7g | 21.6g |
1
Line a loaf tin with greaseproof paper and preheat the oven to 180˚.
2
Cook the chopped onion and celery in a frying pan with the butter and oil. After five minutes, add in the garlic and mushrooms. Cook for ten more minutes.
3
Stir in the red pepper, carrot, oregano and paprika and cook for a few minutes before adding the red lentils and tomato puree. Stir for a minute before pouring in the vegetable stock.
4
Simmer the mixture until all the liquid has been absorbed then take it off the hob and let it cool.
5
Once cool, add the breadcrumbs, nuts, beaten egg, cheese, parsley and some salt and pepper. Mix well and place in the loaf tin, pressing down at the edges.
6
Cover the tin with foil and bake for 20 minutes. Remove the foil and bake again for 10-15 minutes or until the mixture is firm to the touch.
7
Let the loaf cool for about ten minutes before transferring to a board or serving dish. Cut into slices and serve with lots of roast vegetables and plenty of gravy.
Nut roasts are incredibly versatile, don’t be afraid to experiment with yours once you’ve gotten into the swing of making a basic one!
Nut roasts aren’t just for Christmas, you know. And they’re not just full of nuts either (although you can mix and match which nuts you use and add in as little or as many of them as you like).
These nutty, ingredient-packed loaves are full of fresh ingredients and can be tailored to your tastebuds.
While they’re a widely-enjoyed vegetarian dish, they can also be adapted to be vegan-friendly, with just a couple of ingredient tweaks.
You can eat a slice or two on its own, hot or cold, or with lashings of gravy or nut roast sauce – if you’ve bought yours from the shop and it comes with one.
You can have them all ready to cook the night before you eat them and you can keep them in your fridge for almost a week, and in your freezer for up to three months.
Oh, and they’re really easy to make, which you’ll hopefully have seen from our video recipe. What’s not to love about nut roasts!
Last updated: 9 August 2021
Joined Holland & Barrett: Apr 2019
Masters Degree in Toxicology and BSc Hons in Medical Biochemistry
Bhupesh started his career as a Clinical Toxicologist for Public Health England, advising healthcare professionals all around the country on how to manage clinical cases of adverse exposure to supplements, pharmaceuticals, cosmetics, industrial chemicals and agricultural products.
After 7 years in this role and a further year working as a drug safety officer in the pharmaceutical industry, Bhupesh joined Holland & Barrett as a Senior Regulatory Affairs Associate in 2019.