FESTIVE WALNUT PATE

Written By Lentils and Lather

One of the long-time favourites in our deli fridge—now increasingly sharing space with our ever-growing selection of organic fruit and vegetables—has always been our walnut pâté. It’s been a steady hit for years, and the feedback from our food-obsessed customers has been consistently brilliant. In fact, we can hardly make enough of it; every batch seems to disappear almost as quickly as we put it out.

Although it’s a vegan alternative to traditional pâté, it certainly doesn’t compromise on flavour. When you start with sustainably sourced, high-quality ingredients and blend them with care, the result is something truly special. Our customers often tell us they’re surprised by just how rich, comforting and indulgent it tastes—proof that plant-based food can be both environmentally conscious and delicious.

Recently, one of our regular Withington customers—who happens to be a huge fan of our walnut pâté—asked if we would share the recipe so they could make their own this Christmas. And that got us thinking: why not share it on our website so even more of you can get your blenders whirring and create your own festive favourite at home?

Making your own vegan walnut pâté is a brilliant way to enjoy great food while reducing waste. By preparing it yourself and sourcing your ingredients from South Manchester’s number one zero waste shop, you can avoid unnecessary plastic packaging and reuse your jars or containers again and again. Sustainability has always been at the heart of what we do, and encouraging people to cook more at home is a simple, tasty way to cut down on single-use plastics and lower your environmental footprint.

All of the ingredients are available in both of our sustainable, low-waste shops in Withington and Marple. We offer many items loose or in refillable formats, making it easy to shop in a way that’s kinder to the planet. And for our customers who live a little further away, we’ve included links to our online store in the recipe below—so you can still stock up on everything you need while supporting ethical, independent retail.

We hope this recipe brings a little festive joy to your kitchen—and helps you make a delicious dish that’s good for you and good for the planet.

Enjoy!

INGREDIENTS

METHOD

  1. Start by soaking the walnuts in cold water with the sea salt for a few hours minimum. I usually do this overnight to get the full flavour. This step helps to reduce the bitterness that walnuts can sometimes have. After you’ve soaked your walnuts, drain them and then place them in a pre-heated oven at 120°C for about 20-25 minutes until they’re more or less dried out and starting to get crunchy.

  2. In the meantime, heat a large frying pan and fry the chopped onion in the olive oil on a low-medium heat until they start to caramelise. Don’t rush it, this step will bring lots of flavour!

  3. Once your onions have turned golden brown add 500ml of boiling water to the pan along with the bouillon powder. Throw in the oregano, stir and simmer until the mixture has reduced significantly - you don’t want it too watery, we’re looking for a wallpaper paste consistency here.

  4. Turn the heat off and allow everything to cool slightly. Get your blender set up.

  5. Once things are cool enough to handle it’s time to get blitzing. Combine the walnuts with the onions and add the tahini, yeast flakes and soy sauce. Don’t add the cranberries just yet. Medium speed for as long as it takes for everything to start to become smooth. If you find that your pâté is a bit dry add in a dash of water.

  6. Just before you finish, add in the cranberries and chop them a bit too. You want to be able to notice them as you’re eating the pâté, but you also want the flavour throughout.

Most of you will have tried the walnut pâté cold from our fridge, but it’s truly magical if served warm on a bit fat slice of toasted sourdough!

Lentils and Lather
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