Recipe: Vegan Roast
Vegan Leek, Mushroom & Cashew Roast with Gravy
A nourishing holiday centerpiece that warms the body and honors the heart.
Ingredients:
For the roast:
3 tbsp olive oil
1 onion, finely chopped
3 leeks, split lengthways and finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
3 cups mushrooms, finely chopped
2 tbsp soy sauce or tamari
2 tsp dried rosemary
2 tsp dried thyme
2 tbsp wholewheat or spelt flour
½ cup unsweetened plant-based milk
1 cup wholewheat bread crumbs
2 cups cashews, finely chopped
Generous pinch of salt and pepper
For the gravy:
2 tbsp olive oil or vegan butter
2 tbsp flour
2 cups vegetable broth
1 tbsp soy sauce or tamari
1 tsp Dijon mustard (optional)
Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions:
Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C). Line a 9x5-inch loaf pan with parchment paper.
Sauté the aromatics: Heat olive oil in a large pan over medium heat. Add onions and cook until softened, about 5 minutes.
Add the leeks and garlic and cook for another 2–3 minutes until fragrant.
Add mushrooms, soy sauce, rosemary, thyme, salt, and pepper. Cook on low for 5–7 minutes, allowing the mushrooms to release their juices.
Stir in the flour to absorb the liquid, then slowly add the milk while stirring to create a thick, creamy mixture. Remove from heat.
Pulse cashews in a food processor until finely chopped (but not paste-like).
Combine the cashews and breadcrumbs with the mushroom-leek mixture and stir well.
Press mixture firmly into the prepared loaf tin. Cover with foil and bake for 30 minutes. Remove foil and bake another 30 minutes, until golden and set.
Allow to rest for 10 minutes before slicing.
FOR THE GRAVY:
Sauté: Warm olive oil or butter in a skillet over medium heat. Add onions (if using) and sauté until translucent, about 3–4 minutes.
Add mushrooms and cook for 6–8 minutes, stirring occasionally, until softened and golde
Sprinkle in the flour and stir well to coat the mushrooms, forming a roux.
Slowly whisk in the vegetable broth a little at a time, until smooth and thickened.
Stir in soy sauce (or tamari), Dijon mustard, and any optional add-ins.
Season with salt and pepper to taste. Simmer gently for 5–7 minutes until rich and glossy.
For a silky finish, blend with an immersion blender—or leave chunky for rustic texture.
Food has always been more than sustenance—it’s a way of remembering.
The meals we prepare and share become rituals, marking time and holding memories of laughter, conversation, and connection.
A simple roast like this one can become part of a new tradition—something nourishing to bring to the table as we gather, even when the faces or circumstances around us have changed.
The holidays can stir deep emotions. For some, they bring joy and reunion; for others, they carry the ache of absence—through divorce, illness, loss, or the quiet transitions of life. There’s a kind of grief that lives beneath the surface of celebration. But in time, it softens. We begin to see what remains—the love that still connects us, the gratitude for what was, and the beauty of what we are creating anew.
May this roast feed not only your body but your spirit. May it remind you that nourishment—like healing—comes in many forms: through flavor, memory, and the simple act of sitting down to share what we have with those who are here now.
Love + Gratitude,
