Mushroom & Nut Loaf // Vegan + GF + RSF
22 / 03 / 2020

I can't believe I haven't posted a nut loaf recipe on this blog until now! I mean, I rarely have them because they feel a bit typical and unimaginative in the 'what's for dinner' department. But when done well and not solely comprised of nuts so that they become ludicrously rich - they can actually be very delicious. I acknowledge that sometimes putting together a menu plan when people coming over that's completely vegan can be very daunting, as you suddenly don't have the 'main' component - which is usually meat. So consider this one very handy recipe, that would make a sublime center piece on a fancier occasion or weeknight.
Makes 1 loaf
Serves 4-6
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups raw nuts (I used mix of cashews, walnuts, pecans, almonds & brazil - but it's a very flexible recipe - so use what you have on hand)
- 1/4 cup sunflower seeds
- olive oil
- 1 onion, finely diced
- 4 garlic cloves (or 1 tbsp minced garlic), chopped
- 2 cups mushrooms, chopped small
- 1 cup pumpkin, cubed small (1cm square type size)
- 1/2 vegan stock cube, e.g. 'chicken' or vegetable
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- 1 tsp dried thyme
- 2 tsp italian herb mix
- 1 sprig rosemary, leaves only
- 2 tsp ketchup/tomato sauce
- 1 tsp dijon mustard
- 1 tbsp ground flaxseed
- pepper
- 1 cup breadcrumbs (GF or not)
To serve: gravy and cranberry sauce go wonderfully with this
Method
- Preheat your oven to 180C.
- In a large fry-pan, add the nuts and sunflower seeds, toss and toast for a few minutes until lightly golden on a few sides and smelling mighty-fine. Keep an eye on them as they can burn easily.
- Remove the nuts from the pan and blitz a couple of times in a food processor, or alternatively chop by hand (when they've cooled slightly mind you), or bash with a rolling pin inside a plastic bag. Set aside.
- In the fry-pan, add a generous glug of olive oil and add the onion and garlic. Sauté until starting to soften. Add the mushrooms and sauté until they start to release their juices.
- Add the pumpkin cubes, the 1/2 a stock cube and cover with water. Bring to the boil, give everything a stir, then cover the pan with a lid (or a tray if you don't have one) and cook until the pumpkin has softened. Add more water if need be. It should take about 5 minutes.
- Remove the lid/tin and let any extra water bubble away. Add the herbs and the rosemary, stirring for a minute or two. Take off the heat.
- Using the fry-pan as a mixing bowl now, add the nuts to the pan, along with the ketchup, dijon, ground flax and a generous sprinkling of salt. Mix to combine. Add in the breadcrumbs and mix once more to combine (with your hands if necessary).
- Spread the mixture into a lined loaf pan (can't really go wrong with the shape/size, it will just affect the height of the finished loaf) and cook in the pre-heated oven for 45 minutes to an hour. Serve with sides you'd generally have with a 'roast', or however you'd like to serve it. Go to town!