Let me just say that I never expected pâté to be my thing. I never liked meat, and the idea of blended up meat that goes on a cracker just doesn’t appeal to me at all. So when I first got a request for a vegan pâté recipe I figured it would never happen. But then I started planning my holiday calendar and brainstorming for appetizer recipes, and it dawned on me: mushroom pâté. Ohhhh…this could be good! Indeed, this turned out to be one of my favorite things ever. Who knew pâté could be so good?!
What is Pâté?
Traditional pâté is made from meat, usually liver. It’s blended into a paste and sometimes shaped into a loaf. To be honest, I have no idea what it tastes like (though people tell me it’s delicious).
What Does Vegan Pâté Taste Like?
I’m pretty confident that this stuff does not taste like meat-based pâté. But it is incredibly delicious! This mushroom pâté tastes like (surprise!) mushrooms. But super intense, super delicious, very savory mushrooms, thanks to the inclusion of two types of mushrooms (cremini and oyster) as well as truffle oil. I’ve added walnuts to give this vegan pâté some texture and a hint of nutty flavor. If you’re a fan of mushrooms and nuts you’ll need to exercise some real self-restraint!
Ingredients You’ll Need
Vegan butter. You find this near the regular butter at most supermarkets. Look for brands like Earth Balance and Miyoko’s.Fresh mushrooms. We’re using a mix of cremini mushrooms and oyster mushrooms. I really like the balance of flavors and textures in this particular mix, but you can substitute other varieties of fresh mushrooms if they’re not available. Button mushrooms, portobellos, oyster mushrooms, and maitake would all work well!Shallots.Garlic.Dry sherry. White wine works as a substitute if this isn’t something you normally buy. You can also leave it out for an alcohol-free version of the dish. Make sure to check with Barnivore if and when you do buy your sherry, to ensure it’s vegan.Fresh thyme. I don’t recommend substituting dried thyme for this particular recipe.Walnuts. Other types of nuts that would work well include hazelnuts, pecans, and pine nuts.White truffle oil. This ingredient really packs the flavor into the recipe. Please don’t skip it!Salt & pepper.
How to Make Vegan Mushroom Pâté
The following is a detailed photo tutorial on how to make this dish. Scroll all the way down if you’d like to skip right to the recipe! This mushroom pâté is pretty easy to make!
Start by heating up some vegan butter in a large skillet. Don’t skimp on the butter here! Browning the mushrooms in butter will bring out their flavor. Now add sliced cremini mushrooms. They should fit nicely in a single layer in the skillet. If they don’t, you’ll want to cook them in two batches. Let the mushrooms cook for about 5 minutes on each side. By now they should be tender and lightly browned on both sides. Take them out of the skillet.Now add some more butter to the skillet and repeat that process using the oyster mushrooms. Because they’re oddly shaped, it can be tough to flip each and every individual mushroom. Instead, I let them cook for a few minutes, give them a toss with a spatula, cook a few minutes more, and then give them one more toss. This usually gets them relatively evenly browned. Take the oyster mushrooms out of the skillet and add them to the plate with the cremini mushrooms.Add a bit more butter to the skillet, let it heat up, and add some shallots. Let the shallots cook for about 5 minutes, until they soften up, and then add some garlic. The garlic only needs about a minute to cook. Watch it carefully to avoid burning!Add some dry sherry and thyme to the skillet, and then return the mushrooms to the skillet. Bring the liquid up to a simmer and let it cook until most of the liquid has evaporated.
The cooking is done! Time to blend the pâté. Transfer everything from the skillet to a food processor bowl and add some walnuts, truffle oil, and salt. Blend it up until it’s as smooth or chunky as you like.
You can serve your pâté immediately, or chill it for later. Pair it up with some bread slices or crackers.
Leftovers & Storage
Leftover vegetarian pâté will keep in a sealed container in the fridge for about 3 days, or in the freezer for about 3 months.
More Vegan Dips & Spreads
MuhammaraVegan French Onion DipVegan Cheese BallRoasted Garlic HummusVegan Spinach Dip
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