I developed this mushroom pâté because Mr TS and I have been missing the vegetarian version of it which I have been making for Christmas for a very, very long time!
It is made with earthy chestnut mushrooms, richly flavoured dried porcini, toasted walnuts, tamari, thyme and sherry.
Just like the veggie version, this vegan pâté is fabulous with crackers and crusty bread, makes an excellent dip for tortilla chips or breadsticks and is wonderful as stuffing for munchkin pumpkins, butternut squash and marrows. I think it would be delicious atop a baked potato and I have eaten it slathered on toast with a good grinding of black pepper on top for brunch on a Sunday – yum!
How to Make Creamy Vegan Mushroom Pâté
This mushroom and walnut pâté is super simple to make:
- Gently fry the shallot and mushrooms before adding the soaking liquid and sherry.
- Reduce it all down until you have hardly any liquid left then add the toasted walnuts, thyme and tamari.
- Whizz it all together in a food processor until you have your desired consistency, add salt and black pepper to taste and then spoon it into a serving dish.
- Pop it into the fridge for an hour or two before serving and you’re done!
Serving Suggestions
Top with extra toasted walnuts and pretty pink peppercorns for a festive touch.
It is also lovely presented in a ramekin, decorated with chopped chives, or plated up with crunchy, peppery watercress and thick doorstops of crusty bread.
Make Ahead Vegan Recipes for Christmas
I’m feeling quite festive already – I love the planning and preparation, the slow build up and the flavours!
I’m particularly keen to fill my freezer with goodies so I can just enjoy spending time with family and friends when December arrives and this vegan mushroom pâté freezes particularly well.
Make it in advance then whip it out, defrost it and present it, effortlessly, for your Christmas drinks parties or as a starter on the Big Day!
Other make ahead and freeze for Christmas recipes here on Thinly Spread include:
Soups also freeze really well as do stews and casseroles. The fancy food is all well and good but it is a life saver to be able to stick a vegan sausage casserole in the oven when things are a bit hectic over the festive season!
Check out my Vegan Christmas category where you will find all my Vegan Christmas Recipes!
I bought the bread which is featured in this recipe from The Rye Bakery which is just a short meander down the hill from home and which makes the most delicious sourdough loaves! If you’re in Frome do pop in and grab one or stop for a bite to eat. Their vegan pizza is delicious and I find their vegan pastries far too tempting!
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Vegan Mushroom Pâté with Walnuts, Sherry and Thyme
Ingredients
- 6 dried porcini mushrooms
- 50 ml boiling water
- 1 banana shallot, finely chopped
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 200 g chestnut mushrooms, roughly chopped
- 1-2 cloves garlic, finely chopped or to taste
- ½ tbsp chopped fresh thyme
- 1 tbsp vegan sweet sherry
- 100 g walnut pieces
- ½ tbsp tamari sauce/ light soy sauce
- salt and black pepper to taste
- walnuts and pink peppercorns to decorate (optional)
Instructions
- Soak the porcini in the boiling water for 20 minutes until soft and rehydrated.
- Toast the walnuts in a dry frying pan until just beginning to brown and they give off a lovely toasted smell.
- Fry the shallot very gently in the olive oil until soft, add the chestnut mushrooms and fry for 5 minutes or until they have released their juices.
- Add the porcini and garlic and fry for a minute before adding the porcini soaking liquid, tamari/soy and the sherry.
- Turn the heat up to high and cook off the liquid until only about a teaspoonful remains.
- Transfer the mushroom mixture to a food processor. Add the walnut pieces, chopped thyme and a good grinding of black pepper.
- Whizz together, stopping to scrape down the sides, until you get a smooth pâté. I like to keep a bit of texture so I pulse until I'm happy with it!
- Taste and add salt and more pepper if needed.
- Transfer to a serving dish and chill for an hour or two.
- Top with extra walnuts and pink peppercorns and serve.
Notes
Nutrition
Pin this Vegan Mushroom Pâté for Later!
Just made it and eating it with some crusty French bread. Delicious! I haven’t eaten pate since turning vegan and this just hits the spot. Thankyou for the recipe, super easy to make.
That is so lovely to hear, thank you!
I made this for Christmas but it wasn’t very flavourful at all. Does most of the flavour come from the porcini mushrooms? The dehydrated porcini mushrooms I bought were sliced so it’s difficult to see if I had added in enough. May I suggest you include the actual weight of the porcini in the recipe?
I’m sorry you didn’t find it flavourful Anni. The mushrooms, sherry and tamari along with the herbs, garlic, salt and pepper add the flavour here. I like a mushroom pate that tastes of lovely earthy mushrooms but that can be a gentle, subtle flavour and you may need to add a little more oomph to satisfy your palate. I do recommend tasting and seasoning as you go along as we all have different taste buds. I will add the weight of the porcini as you suggest, thank you.