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Crafted from a base of mushrooms, cashews, and dried herbs, this vegan pâté is incredibly meaty, buttery, and so rustic! Enjoy it as a spread on French bread, toast, or as an addition to your sandwiches!
⭐️ Why You Will Love This Recipe
- Rich and meaty. This vegan pâté mimics the meaty texture and flavor of traditional pâté. It’s rich and buttery and has a firm yet spreadable consistency.
- Packed with bold flavors. Say goodbye to bland vegan pâté! Combining sautéed mushrooms, soy sauce, black pepper, and dried herbs like thyme and rosemary yields a superbly seasoned pâté. You will want to use it everywhere!
- Versatile. Spread pâté on toast and crackers, or use it as a base to prepare banh mi and sandwiches!
- Simple ingredients. This hearty and rustic pâté can be made with just 10 easy-to-find ingredients and a few spices.
📘 What is Pâté
Pâté is a savory spread prepared from finely ground meat and seasonings. It is usually seasoned with herbs, spices, and sometimes alcohol, such as cognac, to enhance the flavor. While its exact origins are unclear, many references point to the fact that pâté originated in France during the Middle Ages.
This plant-based version swaps the meat for mushrooms and cashews for a delicious plant-based alternative!
🍄 Ingredient Notes
Preparing this pâté is easy and requires basic ingredients you probably already have. Here is what you will need:
- Mushrooms – All kinds of mushrooms work. I usually go with cremini mushrooms, but you can use oysters, king oysters, or portobello. Mushrooms are responsible for the main flavor here, so I do not recommend any substitution.
- Onions and garlic – For a natural sweetness and a deeper flavor. If you are not a fan of onions, feel free to use shallots.
- Soy sauce – For saltiness and umami. Use coconut aminos for a gluten-free version.
- Cashews – Cashews help create a richer texture and improve the overall texture. Use raw cashews, not the roasted ones. You can replace the cashews with other raw nuts, such as almonds, walnuts, macadamia nuts, or pine nuts.
- Vegan butter – For richness and to help the pâté set once chilled. You can use homemade vegan butter or store-bought.
- Cacao powder – Optional. Cacao powder gives the pâté a slightly darker and more appealing color. Don’t worry. You cannot taste it!
- Sandwich bread – It helps thicken the pâté a little bit and improves the mouthfeel. Again, if you want to make this pâté gluten-free, use gluten-free sandwich bread.
- Dried herbs – Rosemary, thyme, ground black pepper, and nutmeg. To season.
- Cognac or brandy – Optional, although recommended. A couple of tablespoons of cognac enhances the overall flavor of the pâté, giving it a more authentic aroma.
🥣 How to Make It
Prepare the pâté
- Soak the bread. Cut the sandwich bread into slices or cubes and place it in a bowl. Pour in the almond milk. Let the bread soak while you cook the mushrooms.
- Sauté the aromatics. Heat the oil in a skillet and cook the onions until they are caramelized. This step will bring a ton of flavor, so make sure to cook the onions until they really start to brown.
- Cook the mushrooms. Once done, add the garlic and the mushrooms and sauté for a few minutes.
- Deglaze. Next, deglaze the pan with soy sauce and season with ground black pepper. At this point, you can add the alcohol of your choice and cook for another 2-3 minutes to allow it to evaporate.
- Process the cashews. Add the cashews to a high-speed blender and blend them until you get cashew flour. It’s okay if some larger pieces remain. It will only add to the texture of the pâté.
- Transfer the mushrooms to the blender. Next, transfer the mushrooms, soaked bread, melted vegan butter, rosemary, thyme, nutmeg, sugar, and salt to the blender.
- Blend. Blend, scraping down the sides from time to time until you get a very slightly chunky texture. If you want your pâté to be smoother, blend longer. That is up to you.
Bake
Once you have blended everything into a slightly chunky texture, it’s time to bake the pâté. To do so:
- Transfer to jars. Transfer the pâté mixture to two 7-ounce jars or one larger one.
- Bake. Bake the pâté in a 350°F (175°C) preheated oven for about 20 minutes.
- Let cool and refrigerate. Remove the jars from the oven and let them cool completely at room temperature before transferring them to the refrigerator. Enjoy chilled!
📔 Tips
- Do not over-process. For a rustic pâté, do not blend the mixture too long. Otherwise, it will lose its texture and won’t be as meaty.
- Taste and adjust the seasonings. After blending the mixture, taste it and adjust the saltiness to your liking. You can also add more herbs or spices if you want.
🌰 Variations
This pâté recipe is versatile, so feel free to play with the seasonings and add-ins! Here are a few ideas:
- Make it spicy. Give a chorizo-like flavor by adding 2 tablespoons of chorizo seasoning.
- Give it more texture. Stir in chopped sun-dried tomatoes, chestnuts, or even raisins for a hint of sweetness.
- Play with the herbs. Substitute your favorite Italian seasoning for the dried herbs, or add a couple of tablespoons of nutritional yeast for a cheesy flavor.
🥖 Where to Use Vegan Pâté
- Sandwiches: For a quick, fresh, and flavorful sandwich, spread a generous spoonful (or two) of pâté on sandwich bread, top with fresh tomato slices, green salad, a few slices of your favorite vegan cheese, and you’re ready to go!
- Toasts or crackers: Spread this pâté on toasted bread or small crackers for a delicious appetizer.
- Tarts: Use the pâté as a base for the bottom of a tart. Spread a thick layer of pâté on a pie crust and top with vegetables before baking.
- Bánh mì: If you love bánh mì, pâté is mandatory!
This pâté is best eaten chilled, although you can let it sit at room temperature for 20 minutes if you want it to soften a bit.
❄️ Storing and Freezing
- To store: Store in the refrigerator for up to 7 days.
- To freeze: Transfer the pâté to a freezer-safe container and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight.
💬 FAQ
Yes, you can omit the cashews. The pâté won’t taste as rich but will still be delicious.
Before baking, the mixture should look like a very thick bolognese. It will firm up after baking and even more as it cools.
You can steam the pâté in a steamer for 20-25 minutes instead of baking.
The jars should be open during baking.
You actually should make it ahead of time, as it tastes best after chilling overnight in the refrigerator.
I hope you are going to love this vegan pâté! It’s super meaty, creamy, and so flavorful! It has become a staple here, and I use it everywhere!
🥖 More Meat Alternatives
Note: This recipe was first released in March 2020 and was updated in October 2023 with new photos and process shots.
Vegan Pâté
Ingredients
- 2 slices of sandwich bread
- 1/4 cup almond milk
- 1 tbsp oil
- 2 medium onions thinly sliced
- 3 cloves of garlic minced
- 4 cups chopped mushrooms of your choice
- 2 tbsp soy sauce
- 2 tbsp cognac optional
- 3/4 tsp ground black pepper
- 3/4 cup raw cashews or almonds
- 1/4 cup melted vegan butter
- 1 and 1/2 tsp cacao powder optional, for color
- 1 tsp sugar
- 1/2 tsp each: rosemary, thyme
- 1/8 tsp nutmeg
- 1/4 tsp salt
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to
350 °F (175°C). - Soak the bread. Cut the sandwich bread into slices or cubes and place it in a bowl. Pour in the almond milk. Let the bread soak while you cook the mushrooms.
- Sauté the aromatics. Heat the oil in a skillet and cook the onions until they are caramelized. This step will bring a ton of flavor, so make sure to cook the onions until they really start to brown.
- Cook the mushrooms. Once done, add the garlic and the mushrooms and sauté for a 3-5 minutes.
- Deglaze. Next, deglaze the pan with the soy sauce and season with ground black pepper. At this point, you can add the alcohol of your choice and cook for another 2-3 minutes to allow it to evaporate. Remove from heat and set aside.
- Process the cashews. Add the cashews to a high-speed blender and blend them until you get cashew flour. It’s okay if some larger pieces remain. It will only add to the texture of the pâté.
- Transfer the mushrooms to the blender. Next, transfer the mushrooms, soaked bread, melted vegan butter, cacao powder, sugar, rosemary, thyme, nutmeg, and salt to the blender.
- Blend. Blend, scraping down the sides from time to time until you get a very slightly chunky texture. If you want your pâté to be smoother, blend longer. That is up to you.
- Transfer to jars. Transfer the pâté mixture to two 7-ounce jars or one larger one.
- Bake. Bake the pâté in the preheated oven for about 20 minutes.
- Let cool and refrigerate. Remove the jars from the oven and let them cool completely at room temperature before transferring them to the refrigerator. Enjoy chilled!
- This pâté can be eaten chilled with toasted bread, or spread on bagels, sandwiches, etc! Pâté will keep for up to 7 days in the refrigerator.
Notes
-
- Do not over-process. For a rustic pâté, do not blend the mixture too long. Otherwise, it will lose its texture and won’t be as meaty.
-
- Taste and adjust the seasonings. After blending the mixture, taste it and adjust the saltiness to your liking. You can also add more herbs or spices if you want.
About the Author
Thomas Pagot is the founder, photographer, and recipe developer behind Full of Plants. He created the blog in 2016 as a personal cookbook for vegan recipes. Through years of recipe development, Thomas has successfully grown Full of Plants into a trusted resource for plant-based recipes.
🧀 25 Mind-Blowing Vegan Cheese Recipes!
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What do you think of steaming this recipe in an Instant Pot? I’d cover the jar with a loose fitting lid.
I think that would work, steam for 15-20 minutes.
If anyone can come up with a delicious pate, it will be you!
During baking: jars open or closed? Thanks Thomas and best regards
Regina
Jars open!
The paté turned out very good! I used some dried yellowfoot mushrooms, which are very strong and quite bitter in taste, but worked well in this paté. I used white wine instead of almond milk and almonds. Didn’t turn out as pretty as yours ;), but the taste was right on spot! Thank you!
Awesome! Glad your paté tasted great! 🙂
So happy I just found your website! Your recipes look fantastic and very creative in different! Any suggestions for how I could sub for the mushrooms? I can’t eat any mold, used, or fermented products. I don’t mind if it changes the flavor of the recipe oh, just not sure what would make sense to sub
Thanks Deborah!
That’s a tough one as mushrooms are the main ingredient here. I guess you could try using a combination of cooked eggplant flesh and chestnuts for more texture.
I have a tree nut allergy. Can I omit the nuts or add something else for more flavor? We are very, very new the plant base diet and still trying to learn. Thank you in advanced.
Yes, you can simply omit the nuts!
Hi Joe
I sub seeds like pumpkin (pepitas) or sunflower in recipes for a similar texture. In my experience pepitas have a better taste but add green colour to the food, while sunflower seed are softer and sometimes a bit flat or towards a bitter taste.
If you think what purpose the nuts have I a recipe, you’ll find it easier to sub them. In this recipe I figured it’s texture and some creaminess. So think along those lines and you might have some idea of what might work for you.
Just found your site. Everything looks so good! I’m wondering about this recipe and the sandwich bread. Do you make your own bread? I eat some gluten free bread, but it is not usually vegan. I’m tryng to learn how to make gluten free vegan bread. Not easy!
Hi Sally,
I don’t consume enough bread to justify making my own, but I made some a few times. It was not gluten-free though.
Most of the vegan gluten-free breads that I tried are usually a bit dense/dry, unfortunately.
Yes, eggs are king in bread, but I don’t tolerate them. So it goes. I did make your miso forbidden rice bowl last night. Very tasty. Especially the miso sauce! I also made your chocolate chunk buckwheat blondies. Very tasty and so easy and quick. I’m afraid they will become my best friend now. Thanks for being so talented! Now, on to the vegan pate.
Thanks Sally! 🙂 I’m so glad you liked these 🙂
Bonjour Thomas,
Merci pour cette recette formidable.
L’alternative pourrait être le pain de maïs qui est sans gluten .
Jean Louis
Just made this today in preparation for tofu bahn mis’ tomorrow. The pâté came out perfect and really brought me back to my decadent meat eating days. This is a great little go to app – I prematurely put some on toast with salt and pickled red onions – so good!!
Awesome! Thanks so much for your feedback Cassidy!
This is the best pate recipe. I have been making some mushrooms pate for several years now and this recipe is far superior to anything else out there: it is refined, subtle, delicious.
Thank you
Thanks so much Rebecca! 🙂
Love the sound of this but am Whole Food Plant Based ….oil free…yes can saute etc no prob, but could I sub the 1/4 cup butter with stock or is it just a matter of experimenting??
Well, oil gives richness to the paté, you could use stock or simply omit but your paté will not have the same creaminess I’m afraid.
I’m WFPB oil free also and am going to make this – I’m thinking I will just up the cashews to 1 cup and omit the 1/4 c melted vegan butter – should work??
Or you could replace the butter with raw cashew butter, it might work as well.
Hi ! I recently chanced upon your site and would like to thank you for sharing these wonderful recipes. I am excited to try one asap. Haha ! All the best to you Thomas !
You’re welcome Cuci! 😉
Well I must say, I was suspicious….but OMG did it deliver…served it to unsuspecting omnivores who said it was the best Pate they had ever had…they asked ‘what was the secret’ to which I replied -‘nothing was killed in the making of this wonderful dish’…thank you Thomas.
That’s awesome non-vegans loved this paté 😉 It’s also one of my favorite savory spread!
Thanks for your feedback Paul.
This was fantastic! In addition to eating it on crackers, I used it to line a beet Wellington for Christmas. I still had lots leftover, so I put it in ravioli to have with green onion pesto. So incredible and versatile, thank you!
Thanks for your feedback Christa! 🙂
Ravioli ay? Now THAT sounds awesome!
Hi Thomas,
I can’t eat gluten so am wondering what the purpose of the bread is in this recipe so I can come up with a substitute ☺️ suggestions are also welcomed.
Hi,
The purpose of bread in this recipe is to help thicken a bit the paté, and give it a better and slightly meaty texture. You could simply leave it out.
Use gluten-free bread.
I’ve never baked anything in jars before… do you use a water bath?
Can’t wait to try this!
Thanks!
No water bath! Just like you would bake a gratin in a dish.
Hello, what a wonderful recipe, I can’t wait to try it! I would love some clarification over what you consider ‘sandwich bread’ as it varies so much from culture to culture. A picture would be so helpful!! Additionally, would carob work in place of cacao or would it be entirely different?
Best,
Lily
Hi Lily,
When I mean a piece of sandwich bread, I mean a slice of the already-cut bread you find in all supermarkets. It’s sold in a transparent plastic bag and mostly used to make sandwiches and grilled cheeses.
Hi Thomas,
Huge appreciation for all the work you do and share so we can eat fabulous food.
I have three of your cheeses in my little wine refrigerator set at 12 degrees ripening for Christmas.
My question is how long can this pate be stored? Frozen?
Thanks
Hi Doris,
Thanks for your kind words 😉
The paté will keep for 4-5 days in the refrigerator. It can probably be frozen, but I have never tried.
Delicious, just out of the oven as I had to try it. Looking forward to trying it cold. I baked the Patè in 3 small pie dishes and will experiment with freezing 2 of them. I will thaw after a week and let you know the results.
Great! Thanks for your rating Jackie!
I took the patè out of the freezer and let it thaw in the fridge and it was equally as good as the one that wasn’t frozen. Could make preparation for Christmas easier knowing it can freeze.
This was easy to make and really good, made a small change to reduce fat (replaced butter with silken tofu) and it was perfect. Btw it did not need baking /steaming – we had half as it was and half baked. We love you recipes btw :), thank you and all the best in 2022!
Great! Thank you so much for your great feedback Bela 😉
Hmmmmm! Absolutely delicious. Love the texture and the “meaty” mushroom taste. I will try the Rillette next. It was my absolute favourite when traveling to France in my omnivore days, but I wanted to try your Pâté first.
Thank you Thomas!
Thank you Feli! 😉
Hi Thomas! I am about to make this for guest, but the only sandwich bread that I have has grains and seeds in it. Will this affect the texture and taste do you think? It is soft though.
Hi Marna,
It will definitely work! I doubt it will really affect the texture.
…..and will any plant based mild do or should it be almond milk?
Any plant-based milk will work!
Hello Thomas! Another brilliant recipe, as usual! If I choose to add brandy (or other alcohol) to this paté, when to add it – before or after baking? Thanks!
Hello Andrea,
I would add 2-3 tbsp of brandy when blending the paté, so before baking.
Thanks very much – can’t wait to try it! 🙂
I’m making this right now and am a little confused about “2 and 1 teaspoon cacao powder optional, for color.” Is that supposed to be 2 tablespoons and 1 teaspoon? 3 teaspoons?
I’m not sure where you see “2 and 1 teaspoon cacao powder”, unless you are doubling the recipe. If doubling, it means 1 tablespoon of cacao powder. If making just one batch, it is 1 and 1/2 tsp.
Looks appetissant. I must try it. Pate is my favorite.
Thomas,
This is such a great recipe, something that can also easily become a stuffing for a wonderful vegetable dish…which vegetable I don’t quite know yet but I will work on it for sure. Such a lovely, tasty pâté, first class!
Thank you again, such a pleasure to find you!
You are welcome Michelle 😉
This pate was excellent. I let the mushrooms brown in the pan after caramelizing the onions to enhance the deep mushroom flavours. No cacao required either as it was very dark. I also baked in 2 separate ramekins as I don’t know that you can bake in glass mason jars. It turned out beautifully!
Thanks for your feedback Tina! I’m glad you liked this vegan pâté 🙂