Savory Vegetarian Nut Roast Recipe for Holiday Dinner

• 300 g sweet potato peeled and chopped into 1 cm cubes
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 2 tbsp unsalted butter
• 1 red onion peeled and finely chopped
• 2 cloves garlic peeled and minced
• 2 sticks celery finely diced
• ¾ tsp salt
• ¾ tsp black pepper
• ¼ tsp celery salt
• 1 tsp Italian herb mix
• 300 g cannellini beans drained
• 300 g cooked long grain white rice (approx. 100 g uncooked)
• 120 g chopped mixed nuts (pecans, cashews and hazelnuts work well)
• 150 g vegetarian cheddar cheese grated
• 75 g panko breadcrumbs
• 2 tbsp milk
• 2 medium eggs
• sprigs of fresh thyme to serve

• Preheat the oven to 190°C/375°F (fan) and grease a 4 lb loaf tin.
• Boil or steam the sweet potato for about 10 minutes until tender, then drain.
• Heat the olive oil and butter in a large frying pan over medium-high heat until the butter melts.
• Add the onion and cook for 3 minutes until it begins to soften. Stir in the garlic, then add the celery, cooked sweet potato, salt, pepper, celery salt and Italian herb mix. Cook, stirring, for about 5 minutes.
• Turn off the heat. Add the drained cannellini beans, cooked rice, chopped nuts, grated cheese, panko breadcrumbs, milk and eggs. Mix until everything is evenly combined.
• Transfer the mixture to the prepared loaf tin and press down firmly with the back of a spoon.
• Cover the top with greased foil and bake for 45 minutes.
• Remove from the oven and let cool for 5 minutes. Run a knife around the edge of the tin and turn the roast out onto a board.
• Slice and serve topped with fresh thyme.

Yes. Make the nut loaf, cool it, cover and refrigerate for up to two days.

Reheat in the microwave:

Reheat slices in the microwave until piping hot—about 45–60 seconds per slice.

Reheat in the oven:

• Heat the oven to 160°C/325°F (fan).
• To reheat slices: place them in a single layer on a baking tray, sprinkle a little water to prevent drying, cover with foil and heat for 12–15 minutes or until piping hot.
• To reheat the whole loaf in the tin: sprinkle with a little water, cover with foil and heat for 40–50 minutes or until hot in the centre.

Can I freeze it?

Yes. Slice the cooked nut roast into individual portions so they defrost faster, then wrap and freeze. Defrost overnight in the fridge and reheat as above.

Nutritional information is approximate, per serving, based on 8 servings.

Nutrition