Veggie Meatloaf (Vegetarian Nut Roast)
This is a totally old-school and totally delicious nut loaf recipe adapted from Deborah Madison. Thinking about it reminds me of 1960s hippie culture in the best possible way, but the result is more like the best of the 1950s — a classic loaf to serve with mashed potatoes, gravy, and a vegetable on the side. It 's always a big hit at our Christmases, even among carnivores — and even when I make a stuffed pork loin, too.
Calories: 157kcal
Ingredients
- 1 yellow onion diced small
- 2 tablespoons (30 ml) olive oil
- 1 ½ teaspoons fine sea salt divided
- 1 pound (454 grams) cremini mushrooms, minced (see note)
- 4 garlic cloves minced
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon dried basil
- 1 teaspoon dried tarragon
- 1 teaspoon dried sage
- ¼ cup (60 ml) dry red wine
- 2 cups cooked brown rice
- 2 cups (240 grams) walnuts, minced
- 1 cup (120 grams) cashews, minced
- 5 large free-range eggs
- 1 cup (235 grams) cottage cheese
- 6 ounces (170 grams) smoked gouda, shredded
- 4 ounces (113 grams) fontina, shredded
- 2 ounces (57 grams) parmesan, grated (generous ½ cup)
- ¼ cup minced flat-leaf parsley
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F with a rack in the center.
- Spray a large (1 ½ pound, 10" x 5" x 3") loaf pan with cooking spray and line with parchment that overhangs slightly on two sides.
- Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.
- Add the onion and a sprinkle of the salt and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 5 minutes.
- Add the minced mushrooms and another sprinkle of the salt, raise heat to high, and cook until they have released their juices and reabsorbed them, about 7 minutes.
- Add garlic, thyme, oregano, basil, tarragon, and sage and cook 2 minutes more.
- Deglaze the pan with the wine, scraping up any browned bits, and cook until liquid is absorbed, about 1 minute.
- In a medium mixing bowl, beat together the eggs and cottage cheese.
- In a large mixing bowl, toss together the brown rice, walnuts and cashews.
- Stir in the egg mixture, then add the mushroom mixture, cheeses, parsley, remaining salt, and pepper. Mix well.
- Spoon mixture into prepared loaf pan and smooth top. If desired, decorate with a few mushroom slices or walnut halves. Place loaf pan on a rimmed baking sheet.
- Bake until firm, about 60 minutes. Let cool in the pan for 10 minutes before removing to a platter to serve.
Notes
- If you have a food processor, make quick work of the ingredient prep. Use the blade to chop the mushrooms, the walnuts, and the cashews, and to grate the parmesan. Use the shredding disk to shred the gouda and the fontina. If you don't have a food processor, no problem. Mince the mushrooms as finely as you can with a chef's knife. Grate the parmesan and shred the fontina and gouda on a box grater. Place the nuts into a gallon-size zip-top bag and crush them into very small pieces with a rolling pin.
- To make ahead: You can prep the whole thing in advance and place into the pan, then cover tightly and refrigerate for up to 24 hours. This is my favorite option for holidays. Bake straight from the fridge. Or you can bake the veggie meatloaf up to a week in advance. Pull it out of the fridge an hour ahead of time to let it come to room temperature and then and reheat in the oven, covered with foil, just before serving. If you've got other dishes in the oven, you can tuck this in too at any temperature between 300° and 400°F.
- Leftovers keep well in an airtight container in the fridge for a week and are delicious warm or cold. Try them in sandwich on good toast with mayo, ketchup, shredded crunchy lettuce, and pickles.
Nutrition
Serving: 1 | Calories: 157kcal | Carbohydrates: 10g | Protein: 8g | Fat: 9g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 5g | Cholesterol: 96mg | Sodium: 429mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g