Chickpea Loaf with Balsamic Glaze
This hearty loaf of chickpeas, nuts and vegetables is pure deliciousness! Speckled with colorful bits of carrot and celery and brushed with a tangy balsamic glaze, it’s as savory as it is satisfying.
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Serve this chickpea loaf with a side of salad, mashed potatoes, roasted cauliflower or these maple-glazed Brussels sprouts and you have the perfect dish for any occasion.
Reprinted with permission from Vegan Holiday Cooking by Kirsten Kaminski, Page Street Publishing Co. 2019.
Ingredients
Chickpea loaf
- 1 cup (165 g) cooked chickpeas, drained and rinsed
- 1 cup (140 g) raw almonds
- 2 tbsp (20 g) flaxseeds
- 1⁄2 cup (45 g) rolled oats (gluten free, if needed)
- 1 cup (140 g) cooked chestnuts, finely chopped
- Pinch of ground nutmeg
- 1 tbsp (15 ml) balsamic vinegar
- Salt, to taste
- Black pepper, to taste
- 2 tbsp (30 ml) olive oil
- 1 medium red onion, finely chopped
- 2 medium ribs celery, finely chopped
- 1 medium carrot, finely chopped
- 2 cups (150 g) finely chopped portobello mushrooms
- 1⁄3 cup (80 ml) vegetable broth
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
Balsamic glaze
- 2 tbsp (30 ml) balsamic vinegar
- 1 tbsp (8 g) cornstarch
- 1⁄2 cup (120 ml) vegetable broth
- 1⁄4 cup (60 ml) tomato passata
- 2 to 3 tbsp (30 to 45 ml) date syrup or molasses
Preparation
1. To make the chickpea loaf, place the chickpeas in a large bowl and mash them with a potato masher, leaving only a few chunks. Combine the almonds, flaxseeds and oats in a food processor and pulse a few times until the ingredients achieve a flour-like consistency. Add the almond mixture to the chickpeas. Add the chestnuts, thyme, nutmeg, vinegar, salt and black pepper and combine.
2. Heat the olive oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion and celery and sauté for 3 minutes, until they are translucent. Add the carrot, mushrooms, broth and garlic and cook for 6 to 8 minutes, until the vegetables are soft. Add the vegetables to the chickpeas and combine.
3. Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C) and line a 9 x 5–inch (23 x 13–cm) loaf pan with parchment paper. Spoon the chickpea mixture into the loaf pan and press down evenly with a spoon. Set the chickpea loaf aside.
4. To make the balsamic glaze, combine the vinegar and cornstarch in a small saucepan and mix well. Add the broth, tomato passata and syrup and bring the mixture to a boil over medium heat. Let the glaze simmer for 3 to 4 minutes, until it has thickened, then take the saucepan off the heat. Brush the top of the chickpea loaf with the glaze (reserving the rest of the glaze for serving) and bake the loaf for 60 minutes. Let the loaf rest for 10 minutes before slicing.