Description
A moist, sliceable plant-based centerpiece made with mashed chickpeas, almonds, chestnuts, and sautéed aromatics—finished with a glossy balsamic-date glaze that caramelizes in the oven. Hearty texture, big umami, zero crumbles.
Ingredients
Units
Scale
Chickpea Loaf Base
- 1 cup cooked chickpeas (165 g; drained & rinsed)
- 1 cup raw almonds (140 g)
- 2 tbsp flaxseeds (20 g; ground or whole)
- 1/2 cup rolled oats (45 g; GF-certified if needed)
- 1 cup cooked chestnuts (140 g; finely chopped)
- 2 tbsp olive oil (30 ml)
- 1 medium red onion (finely chopped)
- 2 ribs celery (finely chopped)
- 1 medium carrot (finely chopped)
- 2 cups portobello mushrooms (150 g; finely chopped)
- 1/3 cup vegetable broth (80 ml)
- 2 cloves garlic (minced)
Seasonings
- 1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
- ground nutmeg, salt, and black pepper (to taste)
Sticky Balsamic Glaze
- 2 tbsp balsamic vinegar (30 ml)
- 1 tbsp cornstarch (8 g)
- 1/2 cup vegetable broth (120 ml)
- 1/4 cup tomato passata (60 ml)
- 2-3 tbsp date syrup or molasses (to taste)
Instructions
- Prepare Base: Mash chickpeas in a large bowl, leaving some chunks. In a food processor, pulse almonds, flaxseeds, and oats to a coarse flour; add to chickpeas with chestnuts, nutmeg, 1 tbsp balsamic, salt, and pepper. Mix gently.
- Sauté Aromatics: Heat olive oil over medium. Cook onion and celery ~3 minutes until translucent. Add carrot, mushrooms, broth, and garlic; cook 6–8 minutes until soft and most liquid evaporates. Fold into chickpea mixture until evenly combined.
- Pan & Shape: Heat oven to 350°F (175°C). Line a 9×5 in (23×13 cm) loaf pan with parchment, overhanging sides. Pack mixture firmly and evenly into pan.
- Make Glaze: In a small saucepan whisk balsamic and cornstarch smooth. Add broth, passata, and date syrup; bring to a gentle boil, then simmer 3–4 minutes until thick and glossy.
- Glaze & Bake: Brush loaf with a generous layer of glaze (reserve extra for serving). Bake 60 minutes until the top is dark, sticky, and caramelized.
- Rest & Serve: Cool in pan 10 minutes to set. Lift out with parchment and slice. Serve with remaining glaze.
Notes
Texture keys: cook down veggie moisture and pack the loaf firmly. For nut-free: swap almonds for sunflower seeds; for gluten-free: use GF oats. Leftovers keep 4 days refrigerated; reheat slices in a skillet to crisp edges.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 1 hour
- Category: Dinner, Main Course
- Cuisine: Vegan
Nutrition
- Calories: 280
- Fat: 14
- Carbohydrates: 32
- Fiber: 8
- Protein: 10
