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    Home » Recipes » Entrées

    Published: Nov 11, 2021 · Modified: Dec 11, 2022 by Gus · This post contains affiliate links and I will be compensated if you make a purchase after clicking through my links.

    Perfect Holiday Vegetarian Roast | Gluten-Free

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    pastel de carne vegano
    vegetarian roast pinterest pin
    VOFGF

    Is it time to start thinking about what vegetarian main dish you will serve for the holidays? If so, then this Vegetarian roast is for you. It is one of the vegan holiday meals that vegans and non-vegans love equally!

    plate vegan roast with gravy and veggies
    Jump to Recipe - Print Recipe

    We're talking about a vegan roast dinner made with nuts and mushrooms that can be served as a vegan holiday dinner's main dish. This vegan roast recipe is perfect for Christmas or Thanksgiving dinners and tastes delicious!

    The vegetarian savory roast has a rich, savory flavor with just enough sweetness to satisfy even the pickiest of palates.

    Even meat-eaters are always pleasantly surprised with this veggie roast dinner that can sit head to head with a traditional holiday roast which you can also add to your Sunday dinner recipes arsenal.

    This vegan holiday roast recipe makes a great main dish and pairs nicely with side dishes like mashed potatoes, stuffed onions, vegan honey-roasted vegetables, or green beans with almond flakes.

    As a cherry on top, the nuts roast is 100% vegan and gluten-free. We also love topping it with a quick mushroom gravy as an extra treat.

    plate vegan roast with gravy and veggies
    Jump to:
    • 🥇 Why you will love this vegan holiday roast
    • 🧾 Ingredients
    • 🔪 How to make nut roast
    • 🥡  Storing and freezing
    • 👨🏻‍🍳 What to serve with vegan roast
    • 💡 Tips for making nut roast
    • 📖 Variations
    • ❓ FAQ
    • 🍄 Benefits of mushrooms
    • 🎄 More vegan holiday recipes
    • 📋 Recipe
    • 🌡️ Food safety
    • 💬 Reviews and Comments

    🥇 Why you will love this vegan holiday roast

    • This vegan holiday roast recipe is a great vegan holiday dinner main course. It makes a wonderful addition to any Christmas or Thanksgiving dinner and can even be made ahead of time for stress-free entertaining!
    • It is vegan and gluten-free.
    • The recipe includes helpful tips for preparing your vegetarian roast to have the best results possible when serving this dish as part of your festive meal.
    • A plant-based nut roast can make an excellent vegan alternative to traditional meat roasts at Christmas time and Thanksgiving gatherings. They're easy to prepare, too: you just need to mix everything and bake it with no crusts or layers.
    • Concerned about protein? This roast is a high-protein vegan meal!
    • It is super easy to make, and no kitchen skills are needed.

    We had this for Christmas this year, and our Italian neighbors who kept the leftovers told us two days later that now they understand why we are always so energetic. Hearty filling and healthy food.

    They are still amazed how they ate so much on Christmas eve and the day after, and they felt fantastic!

    🧾 Ingredients

    These are the ingredients for the perfect roast dinner for vegetarians!

    vegetarian roast ingredients
    • Mixed nuts (walnuts, almonds, and sunflower seeds)
    • Dried porcini mushrooms
    • Cremini mushrooms (or portobello)
    • Chia seeds (or flax meal)
    • Spring onions
    • Garlic cloves
    • Fresh herbs (rosemary and sage)
    • Tamari sauce (or soy sauce)
    • Nutritional yeast

    Optional:

    Tomato paste and dried cranberries.

    🔪 How to make nut roast

    Make the chia eggs. Add 3 tablespoons of warm almond milk for every tablespoon of chia seeds and let it sit for 10 minutes. This will add extra moisture and will hold our plant-based nut roast together.

    make chia eggs

    Chop the onions and garlic. In small dices. Preheat the oven.

    Prepare the porcini mushroom. To make this vegan holiday roast plant-based, just substitute the chicken broth with vegan stock. Cut the dried porcini mushrooms into small pieces and soak them in hot water.

    soaking mushrooms

    Blend the nuts. In a food processor, add your choice of nuts and grind them. Continue adding the chia eggs.

    blend soaked nuts for vegetarian roast

    Stir fry. Add the chopped spring onions and garlic to the pan. Add the chopped herbs and cook until the onions are translucent and slightly golden brown. Then add roughly chopped mushrooms and finely chopped sage and rosemary. Sauté for a couple of minutes and turn the heat off. You can use a tablespoon of olive oil or simply add a tablespoon of water if the onions and garlic start sticking.

    sauté spring onions and garlic

    Sauté spring herbs, onions, and garlic.

    mix ingredients

    Add the cremini mushrooms.

    Mix. Add the chopped nuts, chia eggs, tamari sauce, nutritional yeast, and dried porcini mushrooms stock. Combine in a large mixing bowl until a dough is formed. Then adjust the seasoning with salt and black pepper.

    mix all ingredients

    Add tamari sauce and cranberries (optional)

    add breadcrumbs

    Stir in and add nutritional yeast.

    Bake. Line a parchment paper or baking sheet into a baking dish (9” (23 cm) loaf pan). Spoon evenly onto the parchment paper already in the baking dish. Slightly oil it if unsure about the quality of the parchment paper to ensure a smooth demolding.

    line a parchment paper

    Line a parchment paper.

    spread mixture into the baking dish

    Spread the mixture into the baking dish.

    Bake the vegetarian roast for 30-40 minutes until the top looks golden brown.

    bake the vegetarian roast
    bake the vegetarian roast

    Demold. Let the vegan roast sit for at least one hour before demolding to allow it to come together fully. This will prevent it from falling apart when cutting it.

    demold vegetarian roast

    Optionally plate it with mushroom gravy and veggies.

    plate vegan roast with gravy and veggies

    🥡  Storing and freezing

    Store the roast in an airtight container. I like to place a piece of parchment paper on the roast's top and bottom for easy handling when thawing.

    Just thaw overnight and pop it into the oven before heading out for family celebrations on Christmas dinner or Thanksgiving morning.

    vegan roast stored in airtight container with parchment paper on top and bottom
    store in airtight container
    reheat veggie roast
    flip
    demoald thawed vegetarian roast
    reheat

    Then re-heat in a preheated oven at 300 ºF (150 ºC) for 15 minutes, as it has already been cooked; you just need to warm it evenly.

    👨🏻‍🍳 What to serve with vegan roast

    You could serve this vegan nut roast recipe as part of a vegan holiday with vegan gravy and vegan mashed potatoes, along with some other veggies like maple glazed carrots, honey roasted vegetables, or Brussels sprouts for a complete vegan holiday meal.

    Some great additions to this meal are roasted potatoes, roasted carrots, or other veggies such as grilled asparagus. Our 15 minutes of mushroom brown gravy is also great with this veggie nut roast.

    We also love serving it with our delicious spiced cranberry sauce, easily made with dried cranberries.

    Add a kale salad with maple balsamic vinegar dressing topped with brown sugar candied walnuts.

    💡 Tips for making nut roast

    Make this recipe the day before so that you have less to do on Christmas or Thanksgiving morning. - If desired, add mixed vegetables such as peas and corn to the plant-based nut roast mixture when assembling it in step two of this recipe’s directions.

    Ensure to soak the nuts in water overnight before cooking them so they are easier to digest - this step is also known as activating the nuts! Then drain and rinse them well.

    Also, ensure that there aren't any un-hulled almonds or other pieces of shell in your mix (yes, it happens!). This vegetarian roast recipe calls for chia seeds mixed into almond milk, which helps bind everything together.

    You can find dried porcini mushrooms at your local grocery store or online, but you should check out an Asian market for a better price.

    📖 Variations

    Dried cranberries. Although it is unnecessary, we like adding dried cranberries to add some extra acidity and festive flavors.

    Fresh herbs. We love the combination of rosemary and sage on this vegetarian roast, but you can also use parsley and thyme or any combination of these four. Just keep the total amount of herbs proposed in the recipe, so all other ingredients can also shine.

    Want more veggies in your roast? You can certainly add more veggies to your Vegan holiday roasts. We suggest opting to stir in a small carrot and/or celery stick to the mix. Just chop them finely and cook them with the onion and garlic until soft.

    You can also add a diced boiled sweet potato to the mix. If you decide to add more veggies, ensure you also adjust the seasonings so your finished product doesn't taste bland.

    ❓ FAQ

    What can I replace meat with in a roast?

    The roast ingredients that will make up for the meat texture and flavor are

    • Porcini mushrooms - provide meaty and umami flavors. Also, they have a meaty texture and, when chopped, resemble ground meat.
    • Nuts are fatty and packed with protein; once soaked and ground, they complement the porcini mushrooms' texture.
    • Chia seeds - once soaked in almond milk, they also add texture and help to bind everything together, as ground meat would naturally do.

    What is a vegetarian alternative to steak?

    A plant-based alternative to steak is a plant-based nut roast, which can be made from nuts and other plant-based ingredients. Making your vegan steaks at home allows you to experiment with different types of plant-based meats and marinades that go well with them.

    Tofu steaks are a great meat alternative. We love making a marinade and letting the tofu absorb the flavor for 15 minutes and then grilling it; check the recipe. For a festive version, check out our Maple Glazed Baked Tofu.

    Another great option to cook tofu is making maple-glazed tofu baked in the oven. It makes a great main dish and can be paired with roasted veggies, like roasted green beans, roasted butternut squash, or even with delicious vegan mashed potatoes.

    🍄 Benefits of mushrooms

    Since we are using lots of mushrooms in this recipe, we thought you might want to know more about why adding mushrooms to your diet is a great idea, especially if you are vegan!

    Mushrooms' benefits are endless; they can lower blood pressure and help reduce the risk of heart disease. They also may play a role in cancer prevention since some types contain nutrients with antioxidant properties.

    They are also a great vegetarian source of fiber and very low in calories.

    In addition, they're also high in selenium, which helps protect us from free radicals that can damage cells and lead to disease.

    Mushrooms contain essential amino acids that help our bodies produce DNA and build muscle tissue, making them an excellent vegetarian option for people who want to build up their muscles or recover after a workout at the gym since these nutrients support recovery.

    Cremini Mushrooms

    They also have properties that boost immunity helping you fight off infections during cold weather months when we tend to be more susceptible. Mushroom extracts have been used by cancer patients with positive results too!

    Some mushrooms have antiviral qualities that help reduce the risk of a viral infection such as the flu.

    Mushrooms are a good vegetarian option for vegans since they contain vitamin D, which helps our bodies absorb calcium from other food sources, so it's an easy way to boost your daily intake of this essential nutrient that is important for strong bones, especially in children.

    If you are into mushrooms, take a look at our Creamy Vegan Mushroom Risotto, straight from our home in Milano!

    Also, our stuffed portobello mushrooms recipe, Argentinean mushroom empanadas, air-fried oyster mushrooms, and the herbs stuffed pioppini mushrooms are recipes that are continuously present on our table since they are very easy to make and packed with flavor.

    🎄 More vegan holiday recipes

    Check our Vegan Christmas Holiday Menu, including a delicious sun-dried rosé saucé fettuccine pasta.

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    ⭐ If you try this recipe, let us know! 💬 Leave a comment, rate it, and don't forget to tag us @ourplantbasedworld on Instagram. Cheers!

    cut the vegetarian roast carefully

    📋 Recipe

    cut the vegetarian roast carefully

    Perfect Holiday Vegetarian Roast | Gluten-Free

    Gus
    The vegetarian roast has a rich, savory flavor with just enough sweetness to satisfy even the pickiest of palates.
    5 from 36 votes
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe
    Prep Time 20 minutes mins
    Cook Time 40 minutes mins
    Total Time 1 hour hr
    Course Main Course, Side Dish
    Cuisine American, Comfort Food, Holidays
    Servings 6 people
    Calories 358 kcal

    Equipment

    Tovolo Stainless Steel Deep Mixing Kitchen Metal Bowls for Baking & Marinating, Dishwasher-Safe
    (affiliate link)
    Bowl (affiliate link)
    May favorite food processor: Cuisine Art
    (affiliate link)
    Food Processor (affiliate link)
    Loaf Pan 8.5 Inch x 4.5 Inch x 2 Inch, Ideal for Bread Baking Made of Non-Stick Black Aluminum for Home Kitchen and Catering.
    (affiliate link)
    Loaf Pan (affiliate link)

    Ingredients
     
     

    • 1 oz porcini mushrooms dried, in 3.5 oz water or vegetable stock
    • 10 oz mixed nuts walnuts, almonds, and sunflower seeds
    • 9 oz cremini mushrooms or portobello
    • 2 tablespoons chia seeds
    • 4 spring onions or onion/red onion finely chopped
    • 5 clove garlic finely chopped
    • 2 sorigs rosemary
    • 3 leaves sage
    • 2 tablespoons tamari sauce or soy sauce (if don't mind ot not to be gluten-free)
    • 3 teaspoons nutritional yeast
    • 6 tablespoons almond milk or water
    • Salt and pepper
    • ⅓ cup vegetable stock

    Optional:

    • ¼ cup cranberries dried
    • 1 stalk celery
    • 1 tablespoon tomato paste
    Prevent your screen from going dark

    Directions
     

    • Make the chia eggs. Add 3 tablespoons of warm almond milk for every tablespoon of chia seed and let it soak for 10 minutes.
    • Soak the nuts in water.
    • Preheat the oven to 400ºF (200ºC).
    • Chop the onions and garlic. In small dices. Also, celery if you decide to use it.
    • Prepare the porcini mushrooms. Cut the dried porcini mushrooms into small pieces and soak them in hot water or vegetable stock.
    • Blend the nuts. Strain the nuts and blend them in a food processor. Continue adding the chia eggs - Preheat the oven to 400 ºF (200ºC).
    • Stir fry. Add the chopped spring onions and garlic to the pan (add chopped herbs, celery, and tomato paste (if using). Stir-fry until translucent and add roughly chopped mushrooms and finely chopped sage and rosemary. Sauté for a couple of minutes and turn the heat off.
    • Mix. Add the ground nuts, chia eggs, tamari sauce, nutritional yeast, dried porcini mushrooms stock and mix, and combine until a dough is formed and adjust it with salt and black pepper. Add dried cranberries if using.
    • Bake. Line a parchment paper or baking sheet into a baking dish (9” (23 cm) loaf pan).
      Spoon evenly onto parchment already in the baking dish. Slightly oil it if unsure about the quality of the parchment paper to ensure a smooth demolding.  
      Bake for about 30-40 minutes or until the top looks golden brown.

    Video

    Notes

    Ensure to let the roast sit for 15 minutes before cutting. This is to ensure it holds together.

    Nutrition Facts

    Calories: 358kcalCarbohydrates: 26gProtein: 12gFat: 26gSaturated Fat: 3gPolyunsaturated Fat: 6gMonounsaturated Fat: 15gTrans Fat: 1gSodium: 440mgPotassium: 657mgFiber: 7gSugar: 5gVitamin A: 162IUVitamin C: 3mgCalcium: 98mgIron: 3mg
    Did you make this recipe?Tag @ourplantbasedworld on Instagram and Hashtag it #ourplantbasedworld so we can see what's cooking!!
    Nutrition Facts
    Perfect Holiday Vegetarian Roast | Gluten-Free
    Amount per Serving
    Calories
    358
    % Daily Value*
    Fat
     
    26
    g
    40
    %
    Saturated Fat
     
    3
    g
    19
    %
    Trans Fat
     
    1
    g
    Polyunsaturated Fat
     
    6
    g
    Monounsaturated Fat
     
    15
    g
    Sodium
     
    440
    mg
    19
    %
    Potassium
     
    657
    mg
    19
    %
    Carbohydrates
     
    26
    g
    9
    %
    Fiber
     
    7
    g
    29
    %
    Sugar
     
    5
    g
    6
    %
    Protein
     
    12
    g
    24
    %
    Vitamin A
     
    162
    IU
    3
    %
    Vitamin C
     
    3
    mg
    4
    %
    Calcium
     
    98
    mg
    10
    %
    Iron
     
    3
    mg
    17
    %
    * Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
     
    FREE RECIPE EBOOK
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    🌡️ Food safety

    • Cook to a minimum temperature of 165 °F (74 °C)
    • Do not use the same utensils on cooked food that previously touched raw meat
    • Wash hands after touching raw meat
    • Don't leave food sitting out at room temperature for extended periods
    • Never leave cooking food unattended
    • Use oils with high smoking points to avoid harmful compounds
    • Always have good ventilation when using a gas stove

    See more guidelines at USDA.gov.

    The information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist's advice. See our full Nutritional Disclosure here.

    Please note that some of the links here are affiliate links, and I will earn a commission if you purchase through those links. I recommend all of the products listed because they are companies I have found helpful and trustworthy.

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      Recipe Rating




    1. Jacqui says

      December 21, 2022 at 7:00 pm

      5 stars
      Such a delicious recipe; I was surprised by how easy this nut roast was! I remembered I used a mix of nuts and porcini mushrooms last year and made the suggested mushroom gravy. We are making it again tomorrow; it was such as success on our holiday table. Merry Christmas guys!

      Reply
      • Gus says

        December 23, 2022 at 3:35 am

        Hi Jacqui, we are glad you guys enjoyed the nut roast last year and plan to make it again this year! That's such an honor! Happy Christmas!

        Reply
    2. Gina says

      December 20, 2021 at 6:29 pm

      There's definitely no lack of flavor in this roast! Love all the hearty ingredients, this would convert any meat lover!

      Reply
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