Easy Beet and Walnut Vegetarian Roast Recipe
If you’re after a hearty, healthy meal, then this delicious beet and walnut vegetarian roast recipe is pretty tough to beat! It blends the earthy sweetness of grated beets with the rich nuttiness of walnuts, creating a roast that will make your taste buds sing. This makes a fantastic vegetarian roast dinner for Thanksgiving, Christmas, or anytime!
I’m a huge fan of beets — they’re so versatile! From salads to soups and even desserts, they never disappoint. That’s why I’m pretty excited to share my favorite nut roast recipe with you! Not only does it have the unique flavor of beets, but it also comes with the nutty, satisfying crunch of walnuts. It’s so tasty — and I hope this vegetarian roast will be as big a hit in your home as it is in mine!
Why You’ll Love This Easy Nut Roast Recipe
- It’s delicious and nutritious. Nutrition-wise, beets are packed with vitamins and minerals but low in calories, while walnuts contain omega-3 fats, fiber, and antioxidants that spell great things for your body.
- It looks as good as it tastes! The vibrant color of the beets really shines in this dish. The nut roast is also elegant enough to serve on special occasions like holidays or dinner parties.
- The recipe is so easy to prepare that even novice cooks in the kitchen can nail it.
- Grated beets, rolled oats, walnuts, and other ingredients combine to create a texture-filled dish.
- This recipe is gluten-free, vegetarian, dairy-free, and vegan.
- You can easily reheat the leftovers for lunch or dinner the next day, making it suitable for meal prep.
- With proper storage, it will taste as amazing as the day you made it.
Ingredient Notes
Grated Beets: Act as the foundation of the dish while imparting a sweet, earthy flavor to it.
Raw Walnuts: Adds a rich, nutty flavor that complements the beets’ natural sweetness.
Breadcrumbs: Act as a binder and helps absorb the moisture from the beets and other wet ingredients. Use gluten-free breadcrumbs if preferred (I like to blitz my gluten-free croutons in a food processor!).
Rolled Oats: Also act as a binding agent that holds all the ingredients together. Use certified gluten-free rolled oats if needed.
White or Yellow Onion: Adds a savory flavor and contributes moisture to the dish.
Garlic: Enhances the flavor profile of the vegetarian roast, giving it a robust, savory taste.
Balsamic Vinegar: Brightens the flavor of the dish with its tangy-sweet taste.
Olive Oil: Helps keep the roast moist, not dry or crumbly. Alternatively, you can use any cooking oil you prefer.
Honey or Maple Syrup: Adds more sweetness to the dish, and helps turn the roast golden brown.
Ground Flaxseed: Acts as an egg substitute that helps hold the roast together while also adding a slight nuttiness to the dish. This ingredient isn’t absolutely necessary, as the loaf will still hold together rather well without it, but I do find it helps with slicing the loaf into intact pieces.
Fresh Rosemary: Imparts a fragrant, herbal aroma to the nut roast. If you do not have fresh, use 1/2 teaspoon of dried.
Dried Thyme: Adds a slightly minty and earthy flavor to the dish.
Salt and Black Pepper: Enhances the flavors of the other ingredients.
How to Make This Vibrant Vegetarian Roast
- Preheat your oven to 350°F and line a standard loaf pan with parchment paper. Set it aside.
- In a large bowl, combine the grated beets, walnuts, breadcrumbs, oats, onion, garlic, vinegar, oil, sweetener, flaxseeds, rosemary, thyme, salt, and pepper. Mix thoroughly until the ingredients are fully blended and the mixture holds together when pressed with your hands.
- Transfer the mixture to the prepared loaf pan, pressing it down firmly to pack it evenly.
- Cover the pan with foil and bake for 40 minutes.
- Remove the foil and bake for another 40 minutes, or until the loaf is firm and the top is lightly crisped.
- Let the loaf cool for at least 15 minutes before slicing.
- Serve and enjoy!
Serving Suggestions
- Served with vegan cashew gravy or Tzatziki sauce on the side.
- Paired with focaccia or crusty French bread.
- Served with mashed potatoes, mashed sweet potatoes, or roasted potatoes.
- Paired with various vegetable side dishes like steamed greens, roasted okra, or cabbage apple slaw.
- Paired with salads like my Mediterranean cucumber salad, roasted potato salad, or southwest salad.
Expert Tips
- Let the roast cool for about 15 minutes before serving. This will help make slicing it easier and cleaner.
- Lightly toast the walnuts before using them. Toasted walnuts give off a deeper, nuttier flavor profile.
- When making the roast, aim for perfection — a mixture that isn’t too wet, dry, or sticky. If the batter seems to be too wet, add more breadcrumbs a little at a time. Too dry? Add a touch more oil and vinegar.
- To fully deepen the flavors, you may want to saute the garlic and herbs first before incorporating them with the other ingredients.
- You can add other delicious ingredients, such as smoked paprika or Dijon mustard as flavor enhancers. It is versatile loaf that can handle a little creativity!
- Lightly oiling the parchment paper before transferring the roast mixture will help make it easier to remove.
Storing and Reheating
Store any leftover vegetarian roast in an airtight container, or wrap it in foil or plastic wrap before keeping it in the refrigerator. When stored properly, it should be good to reheat for up to five days.
Make sure the roast has cooled completely before placing it in a container, as any condensation it accumulates may make it soggy.
You can freeze a big batch by wrapping slices of the beet and walnut roast in foil or plastic wrap and then placing them in a freezer-safe container. They’ll be good for up to 3 months.
You can reheat the nut roast in the oven, on the stove, or in the microwave. To moisten the roast, you may want to add a bit of olive oil or water.
More Delicious Vegetarian Recipes for the Holidays
Vegan Meatloaf with Cashew Gravy
Serve with this Potato Casserole and you have a meal!
Vegetarian Beet and Walnut Roast
Ingredients
- 1 3/4 cups grated beets approximately 4 medium-sized beets, packed
- 1 cup raw walnuts chopped
- 1/2 cup breadcrumbs gluten-free if preferred
- 1/2 cup rolled oats gluten-free if preferred
- 1 white or yellow onion chopped
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 tablespoon honey or maple syrup
- 1 tablespoon ground flaxseed
- 1 sprig fresh rosemary de-stemmed and chopped
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line a standard loaf pan with parchment paper, then set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the grated beets, walnuts, breadcrumbs, oats, onion, garlic, vinegar, oil, sweetener, flaxseeds, rosemary, thyme, salt, and pepper. Mix until everything is well incorporated, and when you scrunch the mixture with your hands, it holds together.
- Transfer the mixture into the parchment-lined loaf pan, pressing down firmly to pack it in.
- Cover the pan with foil and bake for 40 minutes.
- Remove the foil and then bake for an additional 40 minutes, or until the loaf is firm and the top is slightly crispy.
- Allow the loaf to cool for at least 15 minutes before slicing.
- Enjoy!