Savoury and flavourful - this mushroom walnut pate makes a delicious plant-based appetizer or snack!
If you’re entertaining, serve it up with some sliced baguette or crackers. But don’t let not having a party hold you back from making this recipe, it’s also delicious as a snack, spread on a sandwich, or even a slice of toast.
It all starts with some chopped red onion, cremini mushrooms, and olive oil. Cook those over medium heat until the onions and mushrooms begin to brown. Then add in minced garlic, herbs, and balsamic vinegar to deglaze the pan. Cook for a few minutes longer.
Now it’s time to add that mixture to a food processor with toasted walnuts, miso, dijon, fresh parsley, and spices. Blend it up until until the pate is smooth and spreadable. Serve it fresh or let it cool in the fridge and serve cold.
Mushroom Walnut Pate
Serve up this flavourful vegan appetizer with some sliced baguette for a delicious party dish!
Ingredients
- 1 cup red onion (chopped)
- 2.5 cup cremini mushrooms (chopped)
- 2 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
- 3 clove garlic (minced)
- 1 tablespoon fresh rosemary* (minced)
- 1 teaspoon fresh thyme* (chopped)
- 1 cup walnuts (toasted and unsalted)
- 2 tablespoon fresh parsley (chopped)
- 2 tablespoon white miso paste
- 1 tablespoon dijon mustard
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- salt (to taste)
Instructions
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Add onion, mushrooms and olive oil to a pan and sauté over medium heat until the onions and mushrooms soften and start to caramelize.
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Deglaze the pan with balsamic vinegar and add in chopped rosemary, thyme, and garlic. Sauté for another 3-5 minutes.
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Let the mushroom and onion mixture cool slightly before adding it to a food processor with the rest of the ingredients. Blend until the pate becomes smooth and spreadable. Once blended, test the flavour and add salt (or any other ingredients) to taste.
*You may need to scrape down the sides of your food processor when blending.
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Serve immediately or store pate in the fridge. Pate is traditionally served between cold and room temperature.
Recipe Notes
- You can substitute dried rosemary and thyme. If using dried, use a scant tablespoon of rosemary and a scant teaspoon of thyme.
- Some have commented that they find this recipe sweet. With the ingredients where I live, I don't find this at all. I suspect it might be from the balsamic vinegar—if you have a sweeter balsamic vinegar, consider using less and substituting in some of a less sweet vinegar. Start small and adjust to your taste.
Want to serve up more delicious plant-based appies? Check out my pea pesto and dairy-free tzatziki recipes!
If you make this mushroom walnut pate, be sure to tag me on Instagram! I’d love to see.
Elisa
I made this twice over the holidays! My family is french and my mom always makes her famous pate (with chicken liver). I recently moved to a more plant-based diet and was looking for good alternatives. I made this for the whole family and it was gone before the other apero items! Sooooo good.
Plantily
Ah amazing! I'm so glad you and your family enjoyed it 🙂
Uric
This came out so well! I’ve shared the recipe. Thank you for posting it. Just a heads up we are oil free in our house and it is completely doable. 🙂
Uric
Also, I substituted the whole cup of walnuts for half cup walnut, half cup pecan. I did this in order to give it a little varied depth in flavor. I highly recommend doing the same sometime. 🙂
Plantily
I'm so glad you enjoyed it! Thanks for the review and sharing your modifications 🙂
Jan
Just made this with Shitake mushrooms as needed using. Absolutely delicious, rich and full of flavour. Thank you for this recipe, will definitely be passing onto the rest of my vegan family.
Claudia
I made it today for the first time and it is delicious.
Véronique
Hi! This recipe looks delicious. Are the rosemary and thyme fresh?
Plantily
I use fresh, but you should be able to sub dried. Just use a bit less as dried will have a more concentrated flavour.
Marlene
Is there something that I can use in place of miso? I won’t be able to get it in my small town…what about a little vegemite? Thank you!
Plantily
Yes, I think you could probably use vegemite. I'd start with less at first and then adjust to your taste. You could also omit the miso and just adjust the salt to taste. But vegemite would probably add a more complex flavour than salt alone.
Cindy Green
I made this for a New Years Eve gathering with vegan-gluten free friends. It was outstanding. The only thing I think I would do differently would be to purée it a bit longer, it was more like a rustic pate but delicious.
Marisol Riddell
Delicious!!!! Tasted amazing just as the recipe was written, but I wanted a little more funk flavor in mine so I added some Nooch, about 2 tablespoons, a quarter cup of white wine,, and a dash of Worcestershire
Plantily
Yum, love how you made it your own!
La
Is there a substitute for white miso?
Plantily
You can leave it out and add a little more salt, to taste. Or add a dash of soy sauce, that would add salt and help with a more complex flavour.
Suzanne Allen
Thank you so much for this recipe. My friends go crazy for it and always demand I make it if they are coming over. Truth is I love it as well. It is perfect to spread on a fresh baguette and is an absolute taste sensation. I have made a lot of mediocre mushrooms pate's looking for the perfect recipe and you have nailed it
Plantily
Thanks for the sweet comment! I'm so glad you and your friends enjoy the pate 🙂
Claire
Absolutely delicious! My only switch away from your original was to swap one tbsp of Balsamic for Worcestershire sauce (I’m a Brit and we can’t resist, but it does of course contain anchovies, so not for vegans). I only had dried herbs so used 1/2 the recipe measures and that worked beautifully.
Soooo yummy, we’ll be making this one regularly.
Thank you!
Jo
You can get Henderson’s Relish in the UK which is just as good as Worcestershire sauce but without anchovies so vegan ????????????
Plantily
Oh interesting! I haven't heard of Henderson’s Relish in Canada. If it tastes and acts similar, that should work too.
Deanna
Can this be made raw?
Plantily
No, this recipe cannot be made raw. The flavour and texture would be significantly different.
Marlene
Just finished making this and I can't stop licking the spoon! I'm not gonna have any left for my party because it's too delicious 😀
Dawn
do you know if this freezes well? thinking of making ahead. thx
Plantily
I haven't tested, but I don't foresee any issues with freezing it.
Lisa
This was absolutely amazing! It was a little on the sweet side, but I added a bit more salt and it was fine. We made it for Christmas, and I plan on making it for New Year's Eve.
Plantily
Thanks for the feedback, I'm so glad you enjoyed it! I've had that feedback a couple times but don't find it to be sweet at all when I make it. Do you think the sweetness came from your balsamic vinegar? Happy holidays!