This mushroom and walnut pâté is one of those recipes you’ll want to keep on hand. It is rich, flavorful, and packed with the deep, roasty flavor of browned mushrooms, caramelized onions, walnuts, garlic, and savory seasonings.
The key to the recipe is giving the mushrooms time to brown properly before adding the garlic and onion. The mushrooms release most of their water first, allowing them to develop that lovely roasted flavor. After that, the onions and garlic are cooked until caramelized, followed by soy sauce, walnuts, miso, and herbs.
Once everything has cooked and cooled, the mixture is pulverized into a pâté that is perfect for spreading on sandwiches.
Ingredients
- Plenty of oil
- 1 lb mushrooms
- 5 cloves garlic
- 1 sliced onion
- Soy sauce
- 1 cup walnuts
- Miso
- A couple of sage leaves
- A spoon of marjoram
- 1/2 teaspoon thyme
- 1/2 to 1 teaspoon Marmite, optional
- Black chickpeas, as an alternative to walnuts
Brown the Mushrooms
Start by adding plenty of oil to a pan.
Add about 1 lb of mushrooms and let them cook without stirring.
This is an important part of the recipe. Allow the mushrooms to sit in the pan and brown. As they cook, they will release most of their water and begin developing a nice roasty, toasty flavor.
You will be able to see the mushrooms turning brown, and you’ll start to smell that delicious roasted aroma.
Do not rush this step.
Add the Garlic and Onion
Once the mushrooms have started to brown and have released most of their water, add about 5 cloves of garlic and 1 sliced onion.
The onion does not need to be sliced too finely because everything will eventually be pulverized.
At this point, the pan should have a mixture of mushrooms, onions, and garlic.
Turn the heat down a little and allow everything to cook until the onions and garlic become nicely caramelized.
Add Soy Sauce and Walnuts
Once everything is getting browned and caramelized, add some soy sauce.
The soy sauce helps deglaze the pan and adds a little salt.
Next, add about 1 cup of walnuts.
The walnuts can be crushed pieces or halves. There is no need for a specific size because everything will be pulverized later.
Let the walnuts toast a little with the mushroom mixture.
Add Miso and Spices
Add some miso and allow it to cook slightly with the mixture.
Let everything cook gently so the oils can release.
Keep the heat low and allow the mixture to become toasty and fragrant.
Next, add a couple of sage leaves, a spoon of marjoram, and 1/2 teaspoon of thyme.
If you wish, add 1/2 to 1 teaspoon of Marmite.
Continue cooking over low heat while everything becomes fragrant.
The combination of mushrooms, walnuts, miso, soy sauce, herbs, and Marmite creates a rich, umami flavor.
Using Black Chickpeas Instead of Walnuts
If you are allergic to nuts, black chickpeas can be used instead of walnuts.
The recipe uses either walnuts or cooked black garbanzo beans, depending on what is available.
The black chickpeas provide a fatty, umami flavor and help boost the flavor of the pâté.
The walnuts and black chickpeas are interchangeable in this recipe, so you can use whichever one you have in the kitchen.
Cool and Pulverize
Once everything has finished cooking, allow the mixture to cool.
When it has cooled down, pulverize everything together.
The cooked mushrooms, onions, garlic, walnuts or black chickpeas, miso, soy sauce, and herbs will turn into a rich mushroom pâté.
How to Use Mushroom Pâté
This mushroom and walnut pâté is made for spreading.
Spread it onto sandwiches and enjoy the rich, umami flavor with every bite.
It has a fatty, luscious, delicious quality that makes it especially good for sandwiches.
The browned mushrooms provide the base, while the walnuts, miso, soy sauce, and herbs add layers of flavor.
Mushroom and Walnut Pâté
The most important part of this recipe is allowing the mushrooms to brown before adding the onion and garlic.
Once the mushrooms have released most of their water, the browning gives them that roasty, toasty flavor that makes the pâté so delicious.
The walnuts add richness, while miso, soy sauce, Marmite, sage, marjoram, and thyme bring the savory flavors together.
After everything cools, simply pulverize the mixture and you have a fabulous mushroom pâté ready to spread on sandwiches.
Watch the Full Recipe Video
Want to see every step of this recipe in action? Watch the complete video tutorial on our YouTube channel, where you’ll see exactly how to brown the mushrooms, caramelize the onions and garlic, toast the walnuts, add the spices, and turn everything into this delicious mushroom pâté.
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