Vegetarian Holiday Roast
Submitted by jody72
A hearty vegetarian holiday roast made with lentils, brown rice, millet, walnuts, and sage, served with homemade mushroom gravy. The plant-based centerpiece your table needs.
YIELD
12 servingsPREP
30 minCOOK
1 hrsREADY
1 hrsThis is the dish that earns vegetarians a real seat at the holiday table.
Lentils, brown rice, and millet combine with toasted walnuts (or chestnuts if you’re feeling fancy), almond butter, and whole wheat bread crumbs to create a dense, sliceable roast with serious substance.
Sage, rosemary, celery seed, and plenty of garlic give it that unmistakable holiday aroma that fills the whole house.
Add seitan for extra chew if you like, or leave it out for a fully grain-and-legume centerpiece.
The real showstopper, though, is the from-scratch mushroom gravy made with lentil cooking liquid. It’s the kind of gravy that meat-eaters will quietly ladle over their own plates when they think nobody’s watching.
Pro Tips
- Save that lentil cooking liquid! It’s the backbone of the mushroom gravy and adds earthy richness you can’t get from plain water.
- Press the mixture firmly into the baking dish so it holds together when sliced.
- Let the roast rest for 10 minutes after baking before cutting into it.
- This feeds a crowd of 12, so it’s built for Thanksgiving, Christmas, or any gathering where you want to impress.
Ingredients
Directions
Cook the lentils, millet, and brown rice separately; and reserve two cups of the lentil liquor for making mushroom gravy.
If you are using whole chestnuts, preheat the oven to 400℉ (200℃).
Rinse the nuts and cut a cross about ½ inch deep in the small, pointed ends.
Place the nuts on a cookie sheet and bake about 20 minutes, then cool for about 10 minutes.
Remove the shells and cut the nuts in quarters.
Mix the cooked grains and lentils with the nuts, bread crumbs, and almond butter in a large bowl and set aside.
Sauté the onions briefly in olive oil, then add the garlic, sage, celery seed, rosemary, salt, and seitan if used.
Sauté 2 to 3 minutes longer, stirring constantly, then add to the other ingredients, mix thoroughly and put into a large oiled baking dish .
Lightly coat the top of the roast with olive oil, then bake at 350℉ (180℃) F for 1¼ hours.
Serve with Mushroom Gravy (below) and garnish with parsley.
MUSHROOM GRAVY Separate the mushroom caps from the stems, then quarter the caps and halve the stems. Sauté the onion in olive oil on medium heat for 1 minute, then stir in the oregano and add the mushrooms. Cook, stirring constantly, until the mushrooms have softened and the bottom of the pan is covered with liquid. Set aside. Melt the butter in a saucepan over medium heat, then stir in the flour and cook, stirring constantly, for 1 to 2 minutes. Add the lentil liquor and water, and continue stirring until the mixture thickens and barely begins to boil. Add the mushroom mixture, salt, and pepper, and continue stirring until the gravy begins to boil. Remove from heat and serve.
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