Savory Vegetarian Nut Roast Recipe for Holiday Dinners

A delicious, meat-free centrepiece for your roast dinner. This nut roast slices well and pairs perfectly with roast potatoes, seasonal vegetables and a rich gravy. It’s easy to prepare ahead and freezes beautifully, so you can thaw single portions when needed.

“This nut roast is straightforward to make and ABSOLUTELY delicious! Definitely one to make again, thank you!”

– Sally-Anne

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Three slices of nut roast with roast vegetables and gravy

Nicky’s Notes

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If you’re reducing meat or hosting vegetarian guests, this nut roast makes a satisfying centrepiece for Sunday lunch. It’s packed with flavour and texture, and most often the meat-eaters at the table will help themselves to a slice too.

The recipe is family-friendly and straightforward, so it’s great to make ahead when you want to free up time on the day.

Table of Contents

  • Nicky’s Notes
  • 📋 Ingredients
  • Abbreviated Recipe
  • Pro Tip
  • 🍽️ What to serve it with
  • 📺 Watch how to make it
  • Vegetarian Nut Roast Recipe
  • 🍲 More Vegetarian Recipes

📋 Ingredients

Labelled ingredients for a vegetarian nut roast on a wooden board

Abbreviated Recipe

Full ingredient list and step-by-step instructions are in the recipe card below.

  1. Boil or steam the sweet potato until tender.
  2. Sauté onion, garlic and celery with the seasonings, then add the drained sweet potato.
  3. Stir in the cannellini beans, cooked rice, chopped nuts, grated cheese, panko and eggs until combined.
  4. Press into a greased loaf tin, cover with foil and bake. Cool slightly, slice and serve.

Pro Tip

Press the mixture firmly into the loaf tin before baking. Compacting the mix well helps the roast hold together when you slice it.

Nut roast topped with fresh thyme surrounded by roast vegetables

Finish with a few sprigs of fresh thyme and a light sprinkle of flaky salt before serving for extra flavour and presentation.

🍽️ What to serve it with

  • Crispy roast potatoes
  • Steamed or roasted seasonal vegetables
  • Yorkshire puddings for a classic roast feel
Three slices of nut roast served with roast vegetables and gravy

📺 Watch how to make it

Three slices of vegetarian nut roast on a dark blue plate
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4.67 from 3 votes

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Vegetarian Nut Roast Recipe

By Nicky Corbishley
A flavourful meat-free alternative for a roast dinner. This nut roast is easy to prepare, slices well and is popular with vegetarians and meat-eaters alike.
Prep Time:15 mins
Cook Time:1 hr 5 mins
Total Time:1 hr 20 mins
Servings: 8 People
Course: Dinner
Cuisine: British

Ingredients

  • 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 tin cannellini beans, drained
  • 300 g cooked long grain white rice (approx. 100 g uncooked)
  • 120 g chopped mixed nuts (pecans, cashews and hazelnuts suggested)
  • 150 g vegetarian cheddar, grated
  • 75 g panko breadcrumbs
  • 2 tbsp milk
  • 2 medium eggs
  • Sprigs of fresh thyme, to serve

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 190C/375F (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 red onion and cook for 3 minutes, stirring, until it starts to soften.
  • Stir in the garlic, then add the celery, cooked sweet potato, salt, pepper, celery salt and Italian herb mix. Cook, stirring often, for about 5 minutes.
  • Remove from the heat. Add the cannellini beans, cooked rice, chopped nuts, grated cheese, panko breadcrumbs, milk and eggs. Stir until well combined.
  • Transfer the mixture to the prepared loaf tin and press down firmly with the back of a spoon.
  • Cover the top of the tin with a piece of greased foil and bake for 45 minutes.
  • Remove from the oven and leave to cool for 5 minutes. Run a knife around the edge and turn the loaf out onto a plate or board.
  • Slice and serve topped with sprigs of fresh thyme.

Notes

Can I make ahead?

Yes. Make the nut roast, then cool completely, cover and refrigerate for up to two days.

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

Reheat in the oven: Preheat to 160C/325F (fan). Reheat slices in a single layer on a baking tray, sprinkle a little water to prevent drying and cover with foil; heat for 12–15 minutes or until hot through. To reheat an unsliced whole loaf in its tin, sprinkle with a little water, cover with foil and heat for 40–50 minutes, checking it’s hot in the centre.

Freezing: Slice the cooked nut roast and freeze individual slices wrapped well. Defrost overnight in the fridge and reheat as above.

Nutritional information: Provided as an approximation per serving based on eight portions.

Nutrition

Calories: 380 kcal | Carbohydrates: 37 g | Protein: 13 g | Fat: 21 g | Saturated Fat: 7 g | Fiber: 5 g | Sugar: 3 g

Nutrition information is automatically calculated and should be used only as an approximation.

Like this recipe? Leave a comment below!

This vegetarian nut roast recipe first appeared in Oct 2023 and has been updated with improvements and housekeeping edits.

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