Vegan roasts are perfect for holiday dinners, or to make any other occasion special. These mouthwatering meat-free main dishes are just as much a culinary highlight as the real thing. We’ll share a tasty recipe that is sure to impress your guests and leave no one hungry.
Nothing makes a celebration dinner like a roast, but that doesn’t mean that vegans and vegetarians have to go without. Nowhere is the diversity and creativity of meat-free cuisine better exemplified than in the wide range of meat-free vegan roast recipes that are available on the internet and in cookbooks. In this article, we’ll share one of our favorites, to help you make your next holiday dinner a success.
Vegan Lentil-Walnut Roast: The Recipe
This vegan roast made of lentils has a meaty texture and is packed with loads of flavor thanks to the vegetables, walnuts, and dried fruit it contains. It can be prepared ahead of time and cuts nicely into slices after it cools down. If there are leftovers, they will keep well in the freezer.
Ingredients:
- 1¼ green or brown lentils
- 700 ml (about 3 cups) homemade vegetable broth
- 3 tbsps. ground flaxseed with 120 ml water
- ½ cup chopped walnuts
- 2 tbsps. olive oil
- 1½ cup chopped onion
- 2 cloves of garlic, chopped
- ½ cup chopped celery
- 1 large carrot, shredded
- ¼ cup shredded apple
- ¼ cup raisins
- ¼ cup oats
- ⅔ cup breadcrumbs
- ½ cup roasted sunflower seeds
- 2 tsp fresh thyme (or 1 tsp dried)
- Salt and pepper to taste
For the glaze:
- ½ cup tomato paste
- 2 tbsp apple cider vinegar
- 1 tbsp maple syrup
Instructions:
- Rinse the lentils in a sieve under cold running water.
- Cook the lentils in the vegetable broth. Bring to a boil and then allow to simmer for 30-40 minutes. The lentils should be very soft; almost a paste. This way, your vegan roast will hold together better.
- Combine the flaxseed with the water in a small bowl and allow to soak for ten minutes. This will serve as your vegan egg substitute.
- Toast the walnuts in a pan without oil. You’ll know they’re finished when they become aromatic.
- Heat the olive oil in a pan. Sautée the onions until they become translucent. Then add garlic, celery, carrots, apples, and raisins. Sautée together for about five minutes.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the cooked lentils, the cooked vegetables, oats, breadcrumbs, walnuts, sunflower seeds, and thyme. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Transfer the mixture to a non-stick loaf pan (if your loaf pan isn’t non-stick, line with baking paper). Use a rubber spatula or icing spreading to smooth out the top.
- Make the glaze: mix all ingredients and use half of the paste to coat the top of the vegan roast. Save the rest to use as sauce.
- Bake the vegan roast at 350° F for 40-50 minutes, or until the top is golden brown.
- Let the lentil-walnut loaf cool for at least ten minutes before cutting into slices.
Meat-Free Dinner Party: More Recipes
Looking for savory side dishes or decadent dessert ideas that go well with your vegan roast? Check out these tried-and-true recipes from our archive:
Side Dishes:
- Tired of Soup? 3 Easy Outside-the-Box Pumpkin Recipes
- Vegan Spreads: DIY Veggie Spreads with Only 2 Ingredients
Dessert:
- Vegan Chocolate Mousse: Two Easy Recipes
- Easy Homemade Oatmeal Cookies – Three Recipes
- Nice Cream Recipes: Vegan Banana Ice Cream in Five Minutes
- Vegan Apple Pie Recipe: A Seasonal Favorite
This article has been translated from German to English by Christie Sacco. You can read the original version here: Veganer Braten: 3 einfache Rezepte „Braten“- Alternativen
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