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Tempeh Walnut Roast

V GF NF SF OF
Holy toledo - friends, family, countrymen - you have GOT to make this superstar of a recipe this week. THE centrepiece of your Xmas table - I guarantee! Step aside meat-roast, ham hock, lamb rump - this stellar roast is going to ROCK YOUR WORLD
by Buffy Ellen Gill · updated 10/09/23 · 15 comments
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 40 minutes
Total Time 55 minutes
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It’s that time of year, that people have been asking me – what should I make for Xmas that’s plant-based, but everyone will still love? This Tempeh Walnut Roast is without doubt, an absolute must make, and will be the plant-based pièce de résistance of your Christmas table. And I’m sharing it with you from my brand new book Be Good!

Whilst everyone else is munching on chicken roasts, ham hocks, turkey bastings, and lamb rumps (then taking a food-coma’d siesta afterwards), you’re going to be treating your taste-buds, body, and our planet, with this outstanding loaf of heaven.

How to make this Tempeh Walnut Roast

Yes, this Tempeh Walnut Roast is…

  • Sensationally succulent – with a crispy outer and tender inside
  • Done in one bowl (even if you don’t have a food processor)
  • Packed with protein, iron, calcium, magnesium, B vitamins, and fibre
  • Affordable (made with lots of pantry staples), and
  • The perfect plant-based centrepiece for your Christmas feast.

Once you’ve got this roast cooking, here are some other ideas I have for your spread:

I’ll be adding a few more recipes over the coming weeks, but with the above selection, you’ll be well on your way to begin your preparations on point.

I’ve also collated an even more extensive list of all my Christmas favourites from across the blog, my book, and Cooking School, in case one of the above doesn’t tickle your fancy, or the ingredients aren’t in season near you. From my Perfect Potato Salad to luscious Chocolate Hazelnut Tart, whatever your palate, I have your festive feast sorted.

A Merry Xmas Feast

Wondering what to make on Christmas day? Or maybe you’ve got a bunch of social events coming up this month where you need to take a plate. Go wild, and bring something along for your guests (and self), that’s healthy and plant-based! Not only will you be serving your own health and wellness, you’ll also be encouraging your loved ones to take up the plant-based health mantle too.

All of these recipes I’ve tried and tested multiple times, so know they’ll be a hit with your loved ones.

Nibbles

Salads

Mains

Desserts / Sweet Treats

Drinks

Pick one from the list (or two if you’re game), and join me in making this Christmas a plant-based affair! I’d love to hear what you end up planning.

If you make this Tempeh Walnut Roaat, I’d love to hear from you. Leave me a comment and rating below (it helps others find this incredible plant-based roast too), and if you want to go the extra mile, tag me in your version @begoodorganics on Instagram, TikTok, or Facebook. You can grab a copy of my new book Be Good here.

Merry Christmas!

V GF NF SF OF

Tempeh Walnut Roast

Holy toledo – friends, family, countrymen – you have got to make this superstar of a recipe this week. THE center piece of your Xmas table – I guarantee! Step aside meat-roast, ham hock, lamb rump – this stellar roast is going to rock your world.
4.86 from 7 votes
AuthorBuffy Ellen Gill
Servings 12 slices
Pin Recipe Print Recipe
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 40 minutes
Total Time 55 minutes

Ingredients

  • 1 tbsp coconut oil
  • 1 onion , diced
  • 2 cloves garlic , crushed
  • 3 c brown mushrooms , chopped
  • 250g tempeh , grated
  • 2 c brown rice , cooked
  • 1/2 c walnuts , chopped
  • 1/4 c chickpea flour
  • 3 tbsp miso
  • 1 tbsp wholegrain mustard
  • 1 tbsp nutritional yeast
  • 4 tbsp chopped fresh rosemary (OR 4 tsp dried rosemary / 2 drops rosemary oil)
  • 1 tsp sea salt

Toppings

  • sliced mushrooms, fresh thyme, gravy

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 180°C (355 °F) fan bake, and grease the sides and base of a small rectangle tin with coconut oil.
  • In a frying pan over medium heat, melt the coconut oil. Add the onions and sauté until translucent, then add the garlic and mushrooms. Cook until the mushrooms have just softened.
  • Meanwhile, put the walnuts in a food processor and pulse until roughly chopped. Then add the remaining ingredients including the cooked mushroom onion mix, and pulse again until combined. Don't puree, you still want some texture in there.
  • Transfer the mix to your baking tray and place a line of sliced mushrooms on top. Bake for 40 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean and the top is brown and crispy.
  • Cool and remove from the tray. Cut into slices and serve drizzled with the Mushroom Gravy from my book Be Good, topped with fresh thyme.

Equipment

  • Rectangle loaf tin
  • Food processor

Recipe Notes

  • I’ve used 2 cups of pre-cooked rice for this recipe which is approximately ⅔c of uncooked rice.  I tend to soak my rice overnight, rinse with water and cook on the stove.
  • The pre-made roast mix will keep in the fridge for 4 days before baking, or you can freeze it for up to 3 months. Defrost before using then pour into the tin and bake as per usual.
  • In total, from time of making, the roast mix or finished roast will last for 5 days in the fridge.
  • Once cooked, I love slicing it up, then if you’re not going to eat it all in the next few days, freeze the slices. Then when a quick dinner/lunch is needed, remove, defrost, and pan-fry (even better as all the sides go crispy!).
  • You can use this recipe to create burger patties too if you like. Simply roll the mix into patties, add 1 tbsp of coconut oil to a non-stick pan, and fry each side until crispy. DELICIOUS.
  • If you’re using plant-based essential oils in your cooking, the general rule of thumb is 1 drop of essential oil is equal to 2 tsp of dried herbs or 2 tbsp of fresh herbs. Make sure you’re only using high quality food or therapeutic grade oils in your cooking. If you’d like to learn more, you can watch my online introductory workshop on essential oils here.

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Rating:




  • The tempeh roast looks lovely ... it just might end up on my xmas table i think ... well done buffy for all the lovely recipes you post ... love following you ... have a wonderful christmas with your gorgeous kids and family ... cheers and much love, Hetti
  • Hi Buffy, This looks amazing and will be trying for Christmas. Just wondering, does it have a strong Tempeh taste which is a little bitter as that is not a favourite flavour of ours. I will use the mushroom gravy over the top but would still like the 'meat'loaf to have it's own nice flavour. Thank you, Katrina
  • This recipe sounds awesome. However is there a substitute option for the chickpea flour or can I make this myself? As it is not easily available to me. Thank you so much and happy holidays :)
  • I enjoyed making and having this Tempe recipe very easy and tasty !! My American guest loved this good deep flavour so much, very good nutritional meal, also good for appetizer with a glass of wine! I put a slice of avocado on top marinage to the good salty flavour sooo good !! Thank you for this gourgous recipe for the party and for the catering as a main dish:))
    5 stars
    • Hi Junko, So glad you loved it. It does have a really rich flavour right? All that nutritional yeast, miso, mushrooms combining together to make magic. I love the avo idea - would definitely have balanced out the rich flavour - some crisp salad and tomato alongside too! Thanks for stopping by, and I can't wait to hear what you make next. Kindest Buffy
  • Wow! Just great
    5 stars
    • Hi Slaven, so glad you enjoyed it! Let me know what you make next. Kindest, Buffy
  • This is just the most delicious loaf I've made since going vegan 5 years ago. It's so, so good, and so easy to make. I haven't been able to find tempeh in the supermarkets lately, so have used vegan mince instead. Works just as well. Thank you so much for this recipe Ella! xo
    5 stars
    • Hi Zoe, so glad you loved it! It's pretty amazing right? It's actually from my new book Be Good, if you haven't already got a copy, you would probably love all the recipes in there too. Super delish, and all easy to make. That's fab that the vegan mince worked, i imagine it would as it has that thick meaty texture. So nice to meet you Zoe, and do let me know what you try next! x Buffy
  • I've made this quite a few times now. One time I couldn't get tempeh so used vegan mince instead. It worked just as well, but probably isn't as good nutritionally speaking. Anyway, it's absolutely delicious. We love having slices of it on our sandwiches for lunch the next day, and in wraps too. The denseness of the umami flavour is wonderful.
    5 stars
    • Hi Zoe, love the edit with the vegan mince - that would have given it incredible flavour. I love the umami of this one too, again - meaty and textured. Vegan mince is a wonderful quicky ingredient to have in the freezer, and I'm definitely not against using it (my dad made an amazing Vegan lasagne the other night using vegan mince, canned toms, and canned lentils and it was divine). However with my blog and book recipes, I'm always trying to lean into wholefood ingredients as much as possible as I know they're cheaper, more readily available in all countries, and healthier on the whole too being closer to nature. Love hearing from you and let me know what you make next! x Buffy
  • Love this tempeh roast, easy to make and ingredients all readily available. Made it last weekend and loved it so much again this weekend. Freezes well. This will definitely be my new Christmas dinner roast.
    5 stars
    • Hi Victoria, thanks so much for your comment, and I'm so glad you loved this one! It's a celebration event go-to for me too. For leftovers, did you try slicing them and pan frying individually on each side? They go crispy on the sides and I think it's almost better this way, the flavours develop on day 2 as well. Give it a try let me know what you think! Do you have a copy of my cookbook Be Good yet? This one is from there, but there are also heaps of other recips (100 total) that I think you'd love. Kindest, Buffy
  • Hi Buffy, completely my fault as I was so keen to make this roast that I launched in without checking the Recipe Notes....could you please change the rice to 2 Cups of cooked brown rice. I'm a bit of grammar bore and made 2 cups of brown rice, cooked!! It made a large roast! Still tasted good though, with even more nutrition :)
    4 stars
    • Hello lovely, it already has this in there, I've double checked just now! 2 cups brown rice COOKED. Easy mistake to make though, and it will be even more delicious next time :)