Apricot nut roast (fruity nut loaf)

Apricot nut roast is a vegetarian nut loaf packed with apricots, nuts and quinoa and makes a tasty meat free alternative for a roast dinner.

It is fruity and crumbly, can be prepared in advance and is delicious served either hot or cold. When cold, the nut loaf can be sliced and stored in the fridge or frozen for convenience.

Similar to lentil nut roast, this loaf is ideal for special occasions such as Christmas. If you are looking for other vegetarian Christmas dinner ideas you may like to try these meat free apricot stuffing balls or make a batch of vegetarian sausages.

If you are planning your vegetarian Christmas menu you might like to take a look at some other recipes for such as roast sprouts with pomegranate, hasselback carrots with honey and rosemary and Stilton stuffed mushrooms.

And you could treat your family and friends to some festive treats such as frangipane mince pies or mincemeat pinwheels made using homemade vegetarian mincemeat. Or you could try this easy recipe for a traditional Christmas cake.

Nut roast ingredients

• 1 red onion
• 3 mushrooms
• 100g chopped apricots
• 100g chopped nuts such as almonds, hazelnuts, Brazil nuts, mixed nuts, etc
• 4 tablespoons cooked quinoa
• Zest of 1 lemon
• 1 teaspoon mixed herbs
• 2 tablespoons flax seeds
• 6 tablespoons water
• 2 eggs
• A dash of olive oil
• Salt and pepper to taste

How to make apricot nut roast

Finely chop the onion and mushrooms and then cook in olive oil until soft.

Transfer the onion and mushrooms to a large bowl. Add the chopped apricots, chopped nuts, cooked quinoa, lemon zest and mixed herbs.

Measure the flax seeds into a small bowl, add the boiled water to the seeds and set aside for a few minutes. After a few minutes the flax seed/water mixture will thicken to form a mixture known as flax eggs which will help to bind the mixture together. Add the flax eggs to the other ingredients.

Add the eggs plus salt and pepper to taste. Mix all the ingredients together until they are evenly combined.

Pack the mixture into a lined loaf tin (approximately 22cm by 11 cm or equivalent) and level with the back of a spoon. Cover loosely with foil.

Bake in the centre of the oven at 180^oC, 350^oF, gas mark 4 for around 30 minutes. Remove the foil and return to the oven for about a further 10 minutes until cooked and lightly browned. The loaf will be cooked when it is firm to the touch over the whole surface. If you have an Aga cook the nut roast as above on the the grid shelf on the floor of the roasting oven.

How to serve

The nut roast can be served hot or cold. It can also be wrapped in foil and reheated in the oven.

How to store

The nut roast can be stored in the fridge or the slices frozen individually. Place the individual slices on a board or tray and leave in the freezer overnight. The slices can then be placed in an airtight container or a freezer bag and returned to the freezer until needed. The slices can easily be defrosted and reheated as required.

What to serve with nut roast

• Serve as part of a Sunday dinner alongside roast potatoes, roast vegetables such as hasselback carrots, sprouts and leafy greens such as sautéed Swiss chard.
• Apricot nut roast pairs well with homemade chutneys such as red tomato chutney, mixed fruit chutney and hot and spicy tomato chutney.
• Serve alongside other vegetarian alternatives such as vegetarian stuffing balls or vegetarian sausages.

Other vegetarian Christmas dishes