There are many versions of this classic Vegan Mushroom & Lentil Pâté around, but this is the one I make over and over, to serve to guests and to snack on over the festive season.
This lovely vegan pate combines rich chestnut mushrooms and puy lentils in a smooth, luxurious tasting (but quite thrifty in reality!) blend that is perfect for winter snacking. Make a batch to take to a friend's house as a fancy get-together gift!
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This delicious vegan pate is perfect for making and serving during the holidays. It would be perfect to make as an option for a vegan charcuterie board or cheese board. Or as part of a lovely Vegan Canape spread for a party. It goes particularly well with these Super Seed Crackers.
If you love all things mushroom for making canapes and snacks, definitely also check out my Mushroom Tapenade recipe!
🍄Key Ingredients
- Chestnut Mushrooms: these are also known as cremini mushrooms. I love the taste of chestnut mushrooms, but you could use portabella, white or field mushrooms.
- Puy Lentils: Puy lentils have a lovely peppery, meaty taste that makes this pate really special. If you can't find puy lentils, substitute for green or beluga lentils. Don't use red lentils, it won't be the same.
- Dried porcini mushrooms: dried mushrooms that are soaked then added to the mixture, add a depth of mushroomy flavour that is just perfect.
- Brandy or Marsala wine: Added when cooking the mushrooms, a splash of brandy or wine adds a flavour that really brings out the mushroomyness of the mushrooms.
- Thyme and Rosemary: Both these herbs pair particularly well with mushrooms and lentils, and add their fragrance to the whole, rounding it out. Fresh is best but dried also will work.
- Optional Vegan Butter: to melt, then cool on top, for a classic effect. You can use a little of the butter when spreading onto your crackers or bread, to make the pate taste extra luxurious.
👩🍳How-To
For the full recipe and how-to instructions for the Vegan Mushroom & Lentil Pâté, please head to the recipe card below. These visual prompts are here to help you with the steps and how the recipe should look as you go along.
FIRST: If you're using uncooked lentils, pre-cook them in some stock until soft.
- Boil a kettle and soak the dried porcini mushrooms in 150ml of water.
2. Chop the fresh mushrooms into slices, along with garlic, and sautee in olive oil in a pan until the mushrooms reduce in size. Once the mushrooms are reduced, splash in the brandy/marsala and cook the alcohol off, to leave behind just the flavour!
3. Chop up the soaked dried mushrooms and add to the other mushrooms. Save the mushroom soaking water for the next step.
4. Let the mushrooms cool a little. Add the mushrooms and lentils to your blender and blend until smooth. If the mixture is a little difficult to blend add some of the water from the soaked dried mushrooms.
5. You want a thick, pate paste, that isn't too liquid as per the above photo. Taste and add more salt or pepper here if needed.
6. Spoon into jars and top with melted butter and a sprig of rosemary if desired. Leave to set in the fridge.
🌶Substitutions and variations
This vegan pate recipe is pretty versatile, so you can use the items you have available to you:
- Canned or pre-packed cooked lentils: I make my own pre-cooked lentils in batches so used those when makeing this recipe, however you can choose to use tinned or pre-cooked lentils from a packet instead.
- Dried Mushrooms- choose a wild mix of dried mushrooms or shitake mushrooms instead of the porcini mushrooms.
- Fresh Mushrooms- it doesn't really matter if you choose white, chestnut or portabella mushrooms. Any basic mushroom you can find at your local market or supermarket is fine.
- Alcohol Free- if you do not want to add wine or brandy to this recipe, you can use a little apple cider vinegar mixed with a teaspoon of sugar. This gives the acid balance and sweetness that the rich mushrooms and lentils need.
❓ FAQ
This recipe will store for up to 7 days in the fridge.
I do not recommend freezing the pate. If you do decide to, it might affect the texture, in which case, you could try whizzing it up in the blender again.
The butter layer is entirely up to you to use or not. It does look pretty to serve, but isn't necessary!
Yes, you can used either dried or fresh herbs.
You can substitute with white wine, or if you don't want to use alcohol, a little water a splash of apple cider vinegar and ½ teaspoon of sugar for sweetness.
I used simple kilner jars as they have a wide neck, but you can use any jar or ramekin you like.
🥨Serving Ideas
Why not try some of these other recipes for snacks and entertaining?
📖 Recipe
Classic Vegan Mushroom & Lentil Pâté
Equipment
- Jars or ramekins to serve.
Ingredients Note:
For accuracy, I measure all ingredients in metric as standard, then convert and test the recipe for American cup measurements etc.
(Heads up Aussie and UK readers- your measurements in cups are sometimes different, so please use metric or check you have the correct cup and spoon type!!)
Ingredients
- 250 g (8 ⅞ oz) chestnut mushrooms
- 250 g (1 ⅓ cups) cooked puy lentils
- 3 cloves garlic
- 6 dried porcini mushrooms (you can also use dried shitake or other dried mushrooms. )
- 1 teaspoon thyme
- 1 teaspoon rosemary
- 50 ml (¼ cups) brandy, wine or marsala
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- salt and pepper to taste.
To serve
- 50 g (4 tablespoon) vegan butter
- 1 sprig fresh rosemary
Instructions
For the Pate
- Soak the dried porcini mushrooms in 100ml water.
- Slice the chestnut mushrooms and garlic
- Sautee the mushrooms and garlic in a pan with the olive oil until they reduce and look a little browned.
- Remove the dried porcini from their water (save the water, you might need it later) and roughly chop.
- Add the soaked, dried porcini to the pan of mushrooms, along with the herbs. Cook a little.
- Add the wine/brandy/marsala and to the mushrooms and let it cook down. Season with a pinch of salt and pepper.
- Let the mushrooms cool a little then add them all to your blender. Also add the cooked lentils here too.
- Blend the pate until smooth. If it's a little difficult to blend, add a little of the soaked mushrooms water.
- The pate should be thick and smooth.
- Spoon the pate into clean, dry jars or ramekins that would be nice to serve in.
Optional extra
- Melt the vegan butter and pour over the pate in the ramekin so it forms a layer.
- Pop on a sprig of rosemary and put the pate in the fridge to chill.
To serve.
- Serve with plenty of crackers or fresh crusty bread.
@umami_umeggi says
Make this recipe! It's absolutely delicious and so simple.
I particularly love that you can make it ahead of time. I made a triple batch of this delicious pate and served it in tiny jars at a friend's wedding to cater for a variety of dietaries, and it was a smash hit!
Vegans and non-vegans alike all snacking away - with the meat eaters who were less inclined to read the label, they were genuinely shocked it was completely plant based.
5/5, 10/10, just brilliant! Thank you for sharing this with the world. <3
Louise-Claire Cayzer says
I'm SO happy you loved this recipe (and the guests at the wedding did too!)
Jessica Formicola says
I can't wait to make this for our NYE party! Definitely spreading it on some crostinis!
Sharon says
So delicious and was a great addition to our holiday charcuterie board. We like to add vegan options so everyone can enjoy the charcuterie and this pate was perfect!
Louise-Claire Cayzer says
Everyone loves this pate, not just the vegans, so it's great to share!
Heather Perine says
Oh love that this is a vegan pate! Would make a great appetizer for the holidays...just got to toast up some extra crostini!!
Tawnie Kroll says
Full of flavor and really easy to make, too! Loved the step by step photos, thank you!
Louise-Claire Cayzer says
Thank you! So happy you liked it!
Lisa says
Perfect to eat on crostini!
Louise-Claire Cayzer says
Absolutely!