• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar

ZardyPlants

  • Home
  • Vegan & Oil-free Recipes
    • Cheezes
    • Breakfasts
    • Soups
    • Salads
    • Snacks & Apps
    • Entrees
    • Dips & Sauces
    • Ingredients
    • Desserts
    • Gluten Free
  • Shop
    • Recipe Books
    • Products I Use
  • About
  • Contact
  • Navigation Menu: Social Icons

    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
menu icon
go to homepage
subscribe
search icon
Homepage link
  • Vegan and Oil-free Recipes
  • Free Cookbook with Signup!
  • Plant-Based Jewish Recipes
  • Shop
  • Contact
  • About
×

Home » Vegan and Oil-free Recipes

Vegan Mushroom Lentil Pâté

Published: Jan 1, 2020 · Modified: Mar 29, 2021 by 💚 Liz

Share with friends!

Jump to Recipe

Smoky and packed with umami flavor, this easy vegan Mushroom Lentil Pâté is the perfect appetizer or snack (it’s gluten-free too!). It keeps well in the fridge and is a great feels-fancy dish but is simple and quick to make.

Vegan Pate on a plate with text promoting recipe ebook
Skip to the Recipe!

This post may contain affiliate links. See our disclosure policy for details.

Hey Internet, ever need a really delicious snack that’s healthy but doesn’t taste like it? This delicious mushroom Pâté is packed with protein and veggies, but it’s so delicious.

Pâté is a fancy word that refers to a paste or loaf. Traditionally it contains liver or some other ground meat, but obviously this recipe does not.

My real obsession with Pâté began though when my mom started making a Pâté out of our leftover turkey from Thanksgiving. My mom was pretty inventive in the kitchen; a trait I'm pleased to have received.

Mushrooms are actually the perfect addition to lentils to make this Pâté taste meaty and flavorful.

If you’ve ever had chopped liver, it does taste like it, but if you haven’t and that idea grosses you out, don’t worry. It doesn’t taste weird or anything. It’s kind of like a smoky hummus.

Anyway this vegan Pâté (or vegan chopped liver, if you will) is delicious and easy and it’s also one of the recipes in my new e-book: Plant Based Jewish Recipes. This e-book is packed full of 36 Jewish comfort food recipes (over 20 of them exclusive) including appetizers, entrees, and desserts--even a few condiments.

This recipe is just a “taste” of what’s in the book, and it’s a great way to sample the recipes since this one is quick and tasty.

I’ll be explaining in the next few sections what you need, tips for success, and a few other recipes you might like.

Ingredients for the vegan liver pate in bowls

What You’ll Need

So, we know we need mushrooms. Any mushrooms will work. I like white button mushrooms or baby Bella (crimini) mushrooms for this recipe, but I think portobello would also be delicious.

If you’re not a fan of the texture of mushrooms, they’re getting cooked and blended up so I wouldn’t worry too much about it.

I’ve used canned lentils as a shortcut, but you could definitely cook some green or brown lentils up from scratch for this. Red lentils may work but they tend to get mushy really quickly and might not hold together as well.

If you're cooking your lentils from scratch, try cooking them in vegetable broth instead of water (2:1 ratio — 2 cups broth to 1 cup lentils) for extra flavor. I like to make extra lentils to have on hand for salads and such (you can freeze cooked lentils if you won’t use them within 5 days).

For flavor, I’ve added garlic (which gets cooked with the mushrooms), reduced sodium soy sauce (use gluten-free tamari if gluten-free or No Soy if soy-free), fresh parsley, apple cider vinegar, and spices like dried thyme, smoked paprika, black pepper, and sea salt.

Any vinegar (or lemon) can be used in place of the apple cider vinegar, but I find that the slight sweetness from this really makes it taste like vegan chopped liver. Want to make it taste more like mock chopped liver? Try adding a splash of agave, maple syrup, or a pinch of sugar to the food processor / blender.

Finally, for richness, I’ve used raw sunflower seeds which are delicious in this. I’ve seen vegan mushroom Pâté recipes all over the place with walnuts or cashews, but I thought that sunflower seeds were a more neutral flavor and were good for people who can’t eat nuts.

The sunflower seeds are for texture, not necessarily flavor. You could replace them with another seed or nut like walnuts.

If you’re looking for a lower fat option, you could either omit the seeds or use something like tofu in its place.

Ingredients blended together in a food processor

Tips for Making Vegan Mushroom Lentil Pâté

  • Heat a large nonstick skillet (I use this one) over medium high heat. When hot, add mushrooms, garlic, and dried thyme. Let cook, uncovered, for 10 minutes, stirring every 2-3 minutes. 
  • It shouldn’t stick too much since mushrooms release their own liquid, but use the reduced sodium soy sauce / tamari and water mixture to deglaze the pan once while cooking. (Deglaze just means when you pour a little liquid on the pan and stir it around so that all the flavor that’s sticking to the bottom of the pan just goes back onto the food.)
  • When cooked, drain off any remaining liquid and add to a food processor or blender with remaining ingredients.
  • Process or blend until smooth. 
  • Pack into whatever container you'd like your Pâté to take the shape of. Really pack it in there, pushing it down and smoothing it with a spatula. I’ve had best results with ceramic and silicone containers as the mould, but glass has worked for me too (just a little bit more finessing to get it out). I have not tried this with a plastic container but it would probably be fine, maybe just requiring that extra bit of effort to release.
  • Cover and refrigerate for at least 2-3 hours or overnight.
  • To release the mushroom Pâté, run a butter knife around the edges, place a plate upside down on top of the open container and flip like a cake onto a cooling rack. You may have to wiggle it a little or hit the bottom of the container a few times. You should hear it slide out.
  • Clean up the edges if you need to and decorate the top with extra herbs and spices if you wish.
  • Serve chilled with crackers or toasted slices of a baguette. Enjoy!
  • Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container for up to 5 days. Can freeze if needed, thaw overnight in the fridge.

What to Serve with Vegan Chopped Liver / Mushroom Pâté

I love to serve this vegan mushroom Pâté with crackers, especially water crackers or pita chips even. It’s also great spread on a toasted slice of a French baguette, or even on bagels (recipe coming soon!).

It’s great as a spread for a holiday party or New Year’s Eve. My family always did hors d’Oeuvres for NYE and it was really fun.

Similarly, this dip would be perfect as one of the main elements for a vegan charcuterie board or snack board.

It also keeps really well, so it’s great for work or school lunches, picnics, meal prep, and road trip fuel.

Spread the mushroom Pâté on a sandwich layered with veggies and vegan deli meat for a fun substitute for mayo and a lot more protein.

You could even just spread it on toast and eat it for breakfast. It could be the new avocado toast.

Oh I’m sorry, I mean, it could be almost as good as avocado toast.

Want More Jewish Recipes?

I grew up eating a ton of awesome Jewish foods. However, I haven't had many of them since going vegan 3 years ago. So I've set out to veganize my favorites!

My Plant-Based Jewish Recipes e-book is now available for purchase and has 36 vegan Jewish recipes perfect for Chanukah, Passover, Rosh Hashanah and more.

Cover for Plant-Based Jewish Recipes

Purchase and immediately receive your e-book that you can read digitally or print out and make tons of delicious Jewish comfort food recipes such as latkes, kugel, knishes, lox (!), black and white cookies, babka, and more! This book contains over 20 exclusive recipes that will never be released on the blog.

If that wasn’t enough to convince you I’ve got one more thing to tell you about this book. Over the next year or so, I’ll be releasing new versions of the book with new recipes for each major Jewish holiday (think Hamantaschen for Purim and flourless cake for Passover) and if you’ve already purchased my Plant-Based Jewish Recipes e-book, you’ll automatically get an updated version free of charge. Yup.

Click here to purchase or read more about the book.

Other Great Vegan Appetizers

Want more delicious vegan appetizers or snacks? Try a few of my other recipes, below:

  • Vegan Brie
  • Vegan Cheddar
  • Spinach Artichoke Latkes
  • Vegan Garlic Bread
  • Teriyaki Cauliflower Wings
  • Creamy Oil-Free Hummus
  • Kale Artichoke Dip
  • Nacho Fries / Loaded Potato Nachos

Anything Else?

As always, I hope you love this recipe--I know I do, and Mr. Zardyplants does too. 

This Vegan Mushroom Pâté is:

  • Smoky
  • Rich
  • Lush
  • Easy to make
  • Satisfying
  • And PACKED with umami flavor!

Let me know in the comments below if you make this recipe or tag me @Zardyplants on Instagram so I can see your beautiful recreations! If you tag me on IG, I will share your post in my stories :)  

Also, one quick request: if you love how this recipe looks or tastes, please leave me a 5-star rating and a nice comment–ratings help more people find my recipes which helps me keep providing them! Thank you!

Save this for later on Pinterest!

Pinterest Image for the mushroom pate

Follow me on Social Media!

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
Follow my blog with Bloglovin
Print
clock clock iconcutlery cutlery iconflag flag iconfolder folder iconinstagram instagram iconpinterest pinterest iconfacebook facebook iconprint print iconsquares squares iconheart heart iconheart solid heart solid icon
Vegan Pate on a plate

Vegan Mushroom Lentil Pâté


★★★★★

5 from 1 reviews

  • Author: Liz Madsen
  • Total Time: 15 minutes
  • Yield: 12 oz 1x
  • Diet: Vegan
Print Recipe
Pin Recipe

Description

Smoky and packed with umami flavor, this easy vegan Mushroom Lentil Pâté is the perfect appetizer or snack (it’s gluten-free too!).


Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 cup cooked lentils (see note 1)
  • 16 oz white or baby bella mushrooms, diced
  • 3-4 cloves garlic, minced
  • ⅓ cup raw sunflower seeds (see note 2)
  • 1 tbsp dried thyme
  • 1 tbsp reduced sodium gluten-free tamari (or use soy sauce or No-Soy sauce)
  • 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
  • ½ tsp sea salt
  • ½ tsp black pepper
  • ½ tsp smoked paprika

Instructions

  1. Heat a large nonstick skillet (I use this one) over medium high heat. When hot, add mushrooms, garlic, and dried thyme. Let cook, uncovered, for 10 minutes, stirring every 2-3 minutes. 
  2. It shouldn’t stick too much since mushrooms release their own liquid, but use the reduced sodium soy sauce / tamari and water mixture to deglaze the pan once while cooking. (Deglaze just means when you pour a little liquid on the pan and stir it around so that all the flavor that’s sticking to the bottom of the pan just goes back onto the food.)
  3. When cooked, drain off any remaining liquid and add to a food processor or blender with remaining ingredients.
  4. Process or blend until smooth. 
  5. Pack into whatever container you'd like your Pâté to take the shape of. Really pack it in there, pushing it down and smoothing it with a spatula. I’ve had best results with ceramic and silicone containers as the mould, but glass has worked for me too (just a little bit more finessing to get it out). I have not tried this with a plastic container but it would probably be fine, maybe just requiring that extra bit of effort to release.
  6. Cover and refrigerate for at least 2-3 hours or overnight.
  7. To release the mushroom Pâté, run a butter knife around the edges, place a plate upside down on top of the open container and flip like a cake onto a cooling rack. You may have to wiggle it a little or hit the bottom of the container a few times. You should hear it slide out.
  8. Clean up the edges if you need to and decorate the top with extra herbs and spices if you wish.
  9. Serve chilled with crackers or toasted slices of a baguette. Enjoy!
  10. Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container for up to 5 days. Can freeze if needed, thaw overnight in the fridge.

Notes

  • Note 1: I’ve used canned lentils as a shortcut, but you could definitely cook some green or brown lentils up from scratch for this. Red lentils may work but they tend to get mushy really quickly and might not hold together as well. If you're cooking your lentils from scratch, try cooking them in vegetable broth instead of water (2:1 ratio — 2 cups broth to 1 cup lentils) for extra flavor. I like to make extra lentils to have on hand for salads and such (you can freeze cooked lentils if you won’t use them within 5 days).
  • Note 2: I’ve seen vegan mushroom Pâté recipes all over the place with walnuts or cashews, but I thought that sunflower seeds were a more neutral flavor and were good for people who can’t eat nuts. The sunflower seeds are for texture, not necessarily flavor. You could replace them with another seed or nut like walnuts. If you’re looking for a lower fat option, you could either omit the seeds or use something like tofu in its place.
  • Note 3: Any vinegar (or lemon) can be used in place of the apple cider vinegar, but I find that the slight sweetness from this really makes it taste like vegan chopped liver. Want to make it taste more like mock chopped liver? Try adding a splash of agave, maple syrup, or a pinch of sugar to the food processor / blender.
  • Prep Time: 5 minutes
  • Cook Time: 10 minutes
  • Category: Snack, Appetizer
  • Method: Food Processor, Blender
  • Cuisine: American, Jewish

Keywords: Vegan, Gluten-Free, Oil-Free, Sugar-Free, Can Be Soy-Free

Did you make this recipe?

Share a photo and tag us @zardyplants — we can't wait to see what you've made!


Click Here to Sign Up for my Newsletter and Never Miss a Recipe!

« Vegan Beef and Broccoli Recipe (Chinese Takeout Inspired)
Vegan Kale Artichoke Dip »

Share with friends!

Filed Under: Dips & Sauces, Gluten Free, Snacks & Apps, Vegan and Oil-free Recipes

Follow us on Social Media

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest

You May Also Like:

Vegan Gnocchi Soup

Vegan Garlic Butter

Air Fryer Gnocchi

See More

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. carol howell Apt. G-2

    January 31, 2020 at 2:08 pm

    Chopped liver that's as delectable as what my mother used to make! And without the schmaltz! (Chicken fat for those who don't speak Yiddish)

    ★★★★★

    Reply
  2. Amelia

    February 19, 2022 at 9:42 pm

    Thank you for the recipe! What kind of tofu would you suggest to replace the seed? Also, would it also be 1/3 cup of tofu?

    Reply
    • 💚 Liz

      February 20, 2022 at 8:29 pm

      I would use firm or extra firm tofu, and yes I’d say about 1/3 cup crumbled.

      Reply
      • Amelia

        July 05, 2022 at 4:48 pm

        I have made this 3x, twice with tofu; the first time, I used about 78 gram of tofu (approximately 1/3 cup) and the second time I used 100g. Both times this was fabulous! I have another question, though: do you think shitake mushrooms would work here? I have a whole lot of them I need to use up so I figured it was worth it to ask :)

        Reply
        • 💚 Liz

          July 06, 2022 at 2:31 pm

          Yes they should! You still need to cook them down.

          Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe rating ★☆ ★☆ ★☆ ★☆ ★☆

Primary Sidebar

About Liz

Paul and Liz holding a small black dog standing in front of Lake Michigan
Plant-based Nutrition Certificate Badge

Hi, I'm Liz!

I develop plant-based comfort food recipes that are delicious, easy, and budget-friendly. My husband Paul and I created Zardyplants to share our fun, delicious food with the world. But what does the name Zardyplants even mean?

Read More

Get our Free e-book and Never Miss a Recipe!

Cover for a free vegan ebook

Our Most Popular Recipes

Bowl of vegan dumpling soup

Vegan Stew with Dumplings

Vegan Garlic Noodles in a bowl

Vegan Garlic Noodles

A cracker cutting into soft vegan brie

Vegan Brie

Hand holding a vegan philly cheesesteak

Vegan Philly Cheesesteak

Vegan Gluten-free Teriyaki Cauliflower Wings piled in a bowl

Vegan Gluten-free Teriyaki Cauliflower Wings

Categories

  • Breakfasts
  • Cheezes
  • Compilations
  • Desserts
  • Dips & Sauces
  • Drink
  • Entrees
  • Gluten Free
  • Holiday
  • Ingredients
  • Lifestyle
  • Meat Alternatives
  • Quick Meals
  • Salads
  • Sides
  • Snacks & Apps
  • Soups
  • Uncategorized
  • Vegan 101
  • Vegan and Oil-free Recipes
  • Vegan Baking

Legal

  • Disclaimer
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms and Conditions

Copyright © 2023 ZardyPlants on the Foodie Pro Theme

We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits. By clicking “Accept All”, you consent to the use of ALL the cookies. However, you may visit "Cookie Settings" to provide a controlled consent.
Cookie SettingsAccept All
Manage consent

Privacy Overview

This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these cookies, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may have an effect on your browsing experience.
Necessary
Always Enabled
Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. These cookies do not store any personal information.
Non-necessary
Any cookies that may not be particularly necessary for the website to function and is used specifically to collect user personal data via analytics, ads, other embedded contents are termed as non-necessary cookies. It is mandatory to procure user consent prior to running these cookies on your website.
SAVE & ACCEPT

Disclaimer - Terms and Conditions - Privacy Policy