Introducing my Paneer and Cranberry Nut Roast – a vegetarian centrepiece like no other with lentils, nuts and root veg (no eggs). It’s made Indian fusion with creamy crumbled paneer and dried cranberry jewels. I finish it with a festive and colourful 3 potato topping.
Put on your best Christmas jumper, play the tunes and get baking!
Seriously, can it get more festive than this?
This paneer cranberry nut roast is my go-to vegetarian centrepiece when I want something festive, comforting and a little elegant. I make it with crumbled paneer, lentils, chickpeas and nuts to create a rich, hearty base, then fold in dried cranberries for subtle sweetness that balances the savoury. Finished with a crisp, potato topping, this vegetarian nut roast slices beautifully and looks right at home on a Christmas or holiday table.
It’s a satisfying, make-ahead friendly main that proves a meat-free roast can be just as special.
The idea for the 3 potato topping came from Delicious Magazine . I wanted to go down the Indian fusion route so landed on adding paneer. I tested this recipe by adding a little garam masala for a gentle hum of heat but found that it tastes much better without it.
Serving Ideas
Make this paneer nut roast your centrepiece. Add all the trimmings like:
- Instant pot cranberry sauce or Indian style cranberry chutney
- Air Fryer parsnips
- “Bollywood” Brussels Sprouts
- Bread sauce
- Oven roasted potatoes , masala roast potatoes or potato tart
- Air fryer cauliflower cheese – should it be part of a Christmas roast? The jury is out on that!
Start with a French chestnut soup .
Finish with saffron clementine rolls or eggless panettone .
As always if you make this recipe, be sure to leave me a comment, rate this recipe and tag me on Instagram @jcookingodyssey or #jcookingodyssey. I love seeing all your photos of my recipe recreations!
Don’t forget to follow me on social media using the buttons below – I can’t wait to see you all there!
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Paneer & Cranberry Nut Roast
Ingredients
- 1 big carrot
- 150 grams mushrooms
- 2 celery sticks
- 3 tablespoon tomato paste
- 1 medium onion
- 2 cloves garlic
- 1 tin chickpeas water drained
- 100 grams red lentils uncooked
- 200 grams mixed nuts almonds, cashews, walnuts, pistachio, brazil nuts
- 100 gram paneer crumbled
- 2 slices bread
- 3 tablespoon flaxseeds/linseeds
- 4 tablespoon dried cranberries
- 3 tablespoon fresh coriander chopped
- salt and pepper to taste
- 2 tablespoon oil
Topping
- 1 sweet potato
- 1 purple sweet potato optional
- 2 white potatoes
- 1 tablespoon oil
- salt
Instructions
- Line a 9″ spring form cake tin with baking paper and leave it aside.
- Preheat the oven to gas mark 4.
- Cook red lentils in boiling water until soft, drain the water and leave aside.
- Finely chop: onion-garlic, mushrooms, celery, chickpeas, mixed nuts. Also make bread crumbs. Leave these aside.
- Finely grate the carrot. Leave aside.
- Grind the flaxseeds until you achieve a fine powder.
- Heat oil in a large pan, add onion and garlic.
- Saute for 2 minutes then add carrots, mushrooms and celery and cook for a further 5-8 minutes or until mixture becomes semi-dry.
- Add the cooked red lentils, chickpeas and tomato paste, mix well.
- Turn off the heat.
- Add mixed nuts, linseeds, dried cranberries and fresh coriander leaves. Season with salt and pepper, mix to combine.
- Add breadcrumbs bit by bit until the mixture begins to bind but ensure it does not become too dry.
- Now, add crumbled paneer and mix well.
- Spoon the mixture into the lined spring form tin, pressing down tightly as you go.
- Place in the oven and cook for 30 minutes.
- Meanwhile, prepare the topping.
- Using a mandolin, slice the potatoes into 2-3 mm slices.
- Toss with oil and salt.
- After approx 30 minutes, remove the nut roast from the oven. Layer the potatoes on top, overlapping slightly and place in the oven again for 25-30 minutes.
- Allow to cool for 10-15 minutes before removing from the tin as otherwise it may crumble if too hot.
- Slice and serve.
Nutrition
PLEASE NOTE: Nutritional values are estimated by a computer and may vary based on ingredients and portion sizes. For personalised dietary advice, please consult a qualified healthcare professional.
Paneer & Cranberry Nut Roast
Ingredients
- 1 big carrot
- 150 grams mushrooms
- 2 celery sticks
- 3 tablespoon tomato paste
- 1 medium onion
- 2 cloves garlic
- 1 tin chickpeas water drained
- 100 grams red lentils uncooked
- 200 grams mixed nuts almonds, cashews, walnuts, pistachio, brazil nuts
- 100 gram paneer crumbled
- 2 slices bread
- 3 tablespoon flaxseeds/linseeds
- 4 tablespoon dried cranberries
- 3 tablespoon fresh coriander chopped
- salt and pepper to taste
- 2 tablespoon oil
Topping
- 1 sweet potato
- 1 purple sweet potato optional
- 2 white potatoes
- 1 tablespoon oil
- salt
Instructions
- Line a 9" spring form cake tin with baking paper and leave it aside.
- Preheat the oven to gas mark 4.
- Cook red lentils in boiling water until soft, drain the water and leave aside.
- Finely chop: onion-garlic, mushrooms, celery, chickpeas, mixed nuts. Also make bread crumbs. Leave these aside.
- Finely grate the carrot. Leave aside.
- Grind the flaxseeds until you achieve a fine powder.
- Heat oil in a large pan, add onion and garlic.
- Saute for 2 minutes then add carrots, mushrooms and celery and cook for a further 5-8 minutes or until mixture becomes semi-dry.
- Add the cooked red lentils, chickpeas and tomato paste, mix well.
- Turn off the heat.
- Add mixed nuts, linseeds, dried cranberries and fresh coriander leaves. Season with salt and pepper, mix to combine.
- Add breadcrumbs bit by bit until the mixture begins to bind but ensure it does not become too dry.
- Now, add crumbled paneer and mix well.
- Spoon the mixture into the lined spring form tin, pressing down tightly as you go.
- Place in the oven and cook for 30 minutes.
- Meanwhile, prepare the topping.
- Using a mandolin, slice the potatoes into 2-3 mm slices.
- Toss with oil and salt.
- After approx 30 minutes, remove the nut roast from the oven. Layer the potatoes on top, overlapping slightly and place in the oven again for 25-30 minutes.
- Allow to cool for 10-15 minutes before removing from the tin as otherwise it may crumble if too hot.
- Slice and serve.
Nutrition
PLEASE NOTE: Nutritional values are estimated by a computer and may vary based on ingredients and portion sizes. For personalised dietary advice, please consult a qualified healthcare professional.
Ringan Tuvar nu Shaak – a homely Gujarati shaak (curry) made with aubergines (eggplant) and fresh pigeon peas. In our family recipe, we also add green garlic and peanut powder. Easy to make and can be ready within 30 minutes.
Ringan tuvar nu shaak is the perfect example of a Gujarati winter dish. When my Mum makes her annual winter trip to Wembley, she comes back with bags of fresh winter vegetables.
Once we’ve prepared surti undhiyu , next on the list is usually this and then papdi nu shaak .
Tuvar ringan is best served with Gujarati sweet kadhi , jowar or bajra na rotla and a little lasan ni chutney on the side. Add some extra vegetables with lasaniya gajar , Indian red cabbage stir fry or gajar marcha nu athanu .
The Recipe Details
Be sure to check out the full recipe and exact ingredient list below in the recipe card.
The shaak starts with aubergines – I use regular aubergines cut into cubes.
This recipe requires fresh tuvar dana also known as lilva – fresh is the best but frozen works too. Dried tuvar is used to make tuvar nu shaak , we usually pair it with Gujarati kadhi.
The bulk of the gravy is tomatoes, coriander, garlic and green garlic. My Mum usually adds peanut powder which thickens the gravy a little and gives a rustic texture. This is optional but well worth a try!
The spice powders are the common spices used in Indian cooking – red chilli powder, turmeric, cumin coriander powder and garam masala.
As always if you make this recipe, be sure to leave me a comment, rate this recipe and tag me on Instagram @jcookingodyssey or #jcookingodyssey. I love seeing all your photos of my recipe recreations!
Don’t forget to follow me on social media using the buttons below – I can’t wait to see you all there!
- YouTube
Ringan Tuvar nu Shaak
Ingredients
- 500 gram aubergine ringan (cut into cubes)
- 300 gram tuvar lilva
- 6 tablespoon oil
- 5-6 cloves garlic
- 3 tablespoon green garlic optional
- 3 tablespoon coriander
- 1 tablespoon mustard seeds
- 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
- 150 gram tomatoes chopped
- 1 tablespoon red chilli powder I’ve used kashmiri
- 1 teaspoon turmeric powder
- 2 tablespoon ground cumin and coriander dhana jeeru
- ½ teaspoon garam masala
- salt to taste
- 3 tablespoon peanuts crushed/powdered
Instructions
- Grind 5-6 cloves garlic , 3 tablespoon green garlic 1 teaspoon cumin seeds and 3 tablespoon coriander using a food processor. Make a coarse paste, do not grind until completely smooth.
- Heat 6 tablespoon oil in a heavy based kadai or pan. Add 1 tablespoon mustard seeds and allow to crackle.
- Add crushed garlic coriander mixture, 300 gram tuvar and little salt. Add a few tablespoons of water, cover the pan with a lid and cook for 5 minutes on low heat.
- Then tip in 150 gram tomatoes , 1 tablespoon red chilli powder , 1 teaspoon turmeric powder , 2 tablespoon ground cumin and coriander , ½ teaspoon garam masala , and 3 tablespoon peanuts powder.
- Mix well and cook the tomatoes and masala until oil is visible on the sides of the pan.
- Now add chopped 500 gram aubergine and salt to taste , mix well. Add approx. ¾ cup water, cover the pan with a lid and cook until aubergine and tuvar are cooked.
- Sprinkle chopped coriander and serve hot.
Nutrition
PLEASE NOTE: Nutritional values are estimated by a computer and may vary based on ingredients and portion sizes. For personalised dietary advice, please consult a qualified healthcare professional.
