Carrot and Cashew Nut Roast – Comfort and Joy

The celebration of  National Cashew Day nudged me to retrieve a favorite recipe featuring cashews, Carrot and Cashew Nut  roast. I first made this recipe in the late 1990’s when I was a practicing lacto-ovo vegetarian (I consumed eggs and milk, but no animal flesh).  I like the recipe because the ingredients are easy to find and the roast can be frozen before or after cooking. I like the recipe because the ingredients are easy to find and the roast can be frozen before or after cooking.

The ingredients:

• 2 medium onions, chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, chopped
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 4 medium carrots, cooked (retain cooking water)
• 1 1/2 cups cashew nuts
• 2 cups whole wheat bread crumbs  ( I’ve used regular bread crumbs too)
• 1 tablespoon tahini
• 1 1/2 teaspoons caraway seeds
• 1 tablespoon yeast extract (marmite)
• 1/2 lemon, juice of
• 1/3 cup water or stock from cooked carrots
• salt & pepper, to taste

My steps:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
2. Grease 2lb loaf pan. Set aside.
3. Measure out all the dry ingredients and a set aside in bowls. I suggest putting the breadcrumbs in a large bowl because the other ingredients will be mixed with the breadcrumbs.
4. Wash the carrots and cut the ends of the carrots off, discard. I boil the carrots over low to medium heat. I have read that others steam the carrots. It is important that the carrots be soft because the will be mashed.
5. Grind the cashew nuts in a food processor or a coffee bean  grinder. When I first made this recipe I didn’t have a food processor. The coffee bean grinder was a less expensive alternative, but meant that the cashews had to be ground in several batches.
6. Chop onions
7. Chop garlic. My friend Ally gave me this wonderful gadget  a few months ago – it comes in handy!
8. I use the tablespoon of olive oil to cook the onion and garlic on medium -low heat. I want the onion to be translucent in color.
9.  Remove carrots from heat and mash in a separate bowl.
10. Add carrots, onions, cashews, yeast extract, lemon juice, and remaining dry ingredients to breadcrumbs. Add water/stock to mixture so ingredients are well combined.
11. Move mixture to loaf pan. Press mixture into loaf pan
12. Place loaf pan in oven. Bake for 1 hour.
13. After removing loaf pan from oven, let the pan sit for 10 -15 minutes before cutting or unmolding.

The roast is delicious  served warm or cold. I’ve served it with potatoes and  other vegetables as well as with salad.

I hope you enjoy the dish as much as I do. Let me know if you make the carrot and cashew nut roast.

Be well,

Technicolor girl

image created by Ink+ LLC

About Tina Patterson

Follow the adventures of a single female diner as she navigates her way through all things dining related - cooking classes, beverage tasting classes and events, exploring restaurant menus, and more! Trip Advisor Top Contributor. Open Table Top 250 Contributor.

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