This Vegan Chestnut and Mushroom Pâté is perfect for spreading on toast or serving alongside charcuterie platters and cheeseboards or as a starter at your next dinner party. Find out how to make it below.
Making pâté from scratch
When I still ate meat I never attempted to make my own pâté. The thought of having to process livers grossed me out a little even then! But I have always loved the soft, spreadable, umami flavour or pâté.
Since becoming veggie (and now vegan) I have been making more and more of my favourite foods from scratch and finding ways to make them plant based. This year I perfected vegan pâté.
There are lots of perks to making your own, homemade pâté. The first is that you can decide just how smooth you want it. Somepeople like a super smooth pâté, other people prefer it with a little texture. Either is fine. It's up to you!
You can also season it just the way you like. I've tried pâtés in the past that are super salty and others which are really bland. There's no risk of either of these issues when you follow my recipe at home.
Top tips for making Vegan Chestnut and Mushroom Pâté
Choosing mushrooms
Although this recipe uses dried wild mushrooms for a real hit of mushroom flavour, don't be tempted to use your average white, closed cup mushroom as they don't have a lot of flavour. I use chestnut mushrooms but portobello mushrooms also work well. Of course, if you can get fresh wild mushrooms that's even better!
Choosing chestnuts
If you have the time and inclination to roast and peel your own chestnuts then do feel free. That being said, I think you get a smoother texture if you use pre-cooked chestnuts and their sweet, nutty flavour still comes through.
Use fresh herbs
It might be tempting to use dried herbs but I recommend using fresh rosemary and thyme if you can. The same goes for the garlic. Don't be tempted to swap it out for "lazy" garlic or garlic granules as they won't have the same kick!
Use a high powered blender
If you want a silky smooth pâté you will need to have a high powered blender. Start the blender on slow and slowly build up the speed as it blends. This will ensure that you get a super fine, really smooth blend. If you're after a slightly chunky texture then you can use any old blender or food processor and blitz it until your desired texture has been achieved.
How to serve Vegan Chestnut and Mushroom Pâté
This vegan pâté is incredibly versatile and can be enjoyed in a range of different ways:
- Spread on toast for a decadent breakfast, light lunch or snack.
- Add to a charcuterie board or cheese board (check out my post on how to build a vegan cheeseboard here).
- Spread a layer between the pastry and filling in a Wellington.
- Serve with crackers or crispbreads as a dinner party starter or on Christmas Day!
The recipe
Chestnut and Mushroom Pâté
Equipment
- High powered blender
Ingredients
- 20 grams dried wild mushrooms
- 0.5 white onion
- 1 pinch salt
- 500 grams chestnut mushrooms
- 4 garlic cloves
- 180 grams pre-cooked chestnuts
- 2 sprigs rosemary
- 2 sprigs thyme
- 2 tablespoon red wine vinegar
- 4 tablespoon non-dairy butter
Instructions
- Begin by re-hydrating the dried mushrooms in hot water. This will take roughly 10-15 minutes.
- In the meantime, dice the onion and add to a hot pan with a splash of olive oil and a large pinch of salt.
- Saute the onions until they are just translucent.
- Roughly chop the mushrooms and add to the pan. Cook for 5 minutes or until softened.
- Next, add the garlic (crushed) and the pre-cooked chestnuts (also roughly chopped). Cook these with the onion and mushrooms for a further 2-3 minutes.
- Remove the leaves from the sprigs of rosemary and thyme and add to the pan for a few brief minutes until they are releasing their aroma.
- Take the pan off the heat and let it cool for a few moments before adding to the blender along with the dried mushrooms that have now been re-hydrated. Do not add the liquid to the blender at this stage.
- Turn the blender on to its lowest setting and let it run for a few minutes until a paste begins to form. Add the red wine vinegar and a little bit of the re-hydration liquid if it is struggling to blend. Avoid adding too much or your pâté will be too wet.
- Gradually increase the speed on your blender until the desired texture has been achieved.
- While the pâté is still hot, spoon it into your sterilised jar(s) or ramekins.
- Melt the non-dairy butter and then pour a thin layer over the pâté.
- Seal the jar(s) or cover the ramekins and leave them to cool completely before storing in the fridge until ready to serve.
How to sterilise a jar
There are a couple of different methods you can use to sterilise a jar (or jars).
The best method is to simply wash the jar(s) with hot, soapy water and rinse (but don’t dry) the jar(s). Then, simply place the jar(s) into your oven for 10 minutes on a low temperature (160C/320F/gas mark 3) or until they are dry.
If you are running out of time, you can use a food safe steriliser (though these often need to be left for 15 minutes so it's just as quick to do some washing up!)
Storing pâté
Due to the "butter" top, the pate will last up to 5 days in the fridge. Once you've cracked the top and begun eating it, consume within 2 days.
More Christmas recipes
For the full range of Christmas recipes on the blog, check out the Christmas Recipe Archive.
Did you know you can search the blog by holiday? Whether you’re looking for Halloween, Christmas or Easter recipes I’ve got you covered. For the full holiday recipe archive click here.
Helen says
So tasty on hot toast,
One of my go to recipes
Emma says
So pleased to hear you like it Helen!
Sheila says
Very nice, have made it for a vegan guest at Christmas. I added some ground pepper and a little port at the end when blending, to make it more festive.
Emma says
So pleased you liked it Sheila! Great idea adding the port. I will have to try this myself.
Anna Brewer says
Nice base recipe - next time I'll add more seasonings to jazz it up a bit
Emma says
Glad you liked it Anna!
Jeanette Holder says
Enjoyed and will make again!
Emma says
So pleased to hear that Jeanette!!
Fran says
Added port, chopped cranberries and soya cream to make it a bit more decadent for Christmas - it’s gorgeous!