A delicious, vegetarian spread full of roasted pumpkin, toasted walnuts and sage. The perfect addition to your next cocktail party or holiday dinner!
I know we’ve somewhat moved on from pumpkin season, but it’s still the holidays and there are still plenty of pumpkins lying around at the grocery store that need to be consumed. After sharing my Travel Diaries: Napa and Sonoma with you yesterday, I had to share my own personal take on one of my favorite little bites we had during our trip – this Pumpkin Walnut Pate!
We got to taste this little wonder that is Pumpkin Walnut Pate during our food and wine pairing at Davis Estates. It was served on a perfectly toasted crostini and topped with a tiny, fresh sage leaf, paired with their 2014 Pinot Noir from Truchard Vineyard in the Carneros appellation (which is between Napa and Sonoma.) I took a bite and then a sip of wine, and then another bite, and I just about died and went to heaven. I immediately knew I had to make a version of my own.
I wasn’t able to snag the actual recipe for that particular Pumpkin Walnut Pate from the Winery Chef, but my palate did pretty good work picking out all of the flavors, and I made sure I took good notes. I tried my hand at my own version as soon as we got home and brought some to both the in-laws’ and my parents’ houses for Thanksgiving. It was a huge hit!
We spread it on all kinds of crackers and breads, and even paired it with a few different cheeses. It’s a great way to serve a fancy “pate” that’s (a) vegetarian and (b) made from ingredients that even the pickiest of eaters will like. The niece and nephews were even loving it!
I used homemade roasted pumpkin for this, but I bet you could also use the canned pumpkin if you’re feeling lazy. You may just want to use less of it because it will have more moisture than freshly roasted pumpkin would. If you want to make your own roasted pumpkin like I did, simply cut a small Sugar Pumpkin in half, scoop out the seeds, and roast in a 400 degree oven for about 30 minutes, or until the flesh can be easily pricked with a fork and it feels like you’d be able to scoop it out easily.
After you have your pumpkin ready to go, this recipe comes together in a flash. Simply saute some shallots and garlic, toast some walnuts, and then throw all of the ingredients together in a food processor. Easy as that!
Another great thing about this Pumpkin Walnut Pate is that it keeps well in the refrigerator and even gets better on the second of third day. My only recommendation would be to let it come to room temperature before serving. If you serve it too cold, it will be a bit chunky and not spread as easily.
I may have served this Pumpkin Walnut Pate for Thanksgiving, but it’s just as perfect for any of your holiday parties, or even your Christmas menu. You could even whip up a batch now and have it on hand at a moment’s notice for any unexpected holiday visitors!
I’m going to sign off now because I have some packing to do before I head off to Quebec tomorrow. It’s going to be quite the change packing for snow and 30-degree weather for once! As always, be sure to comment below or email me with any recommendations you have for me while I’m there!
A delicious, vegetarian spread full of roasted pumpkin, toasted walnuts and sage. The perfect addition to your next cocktail party or holiday dinner!
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 10 fresh sage leaves
- 1 shallot, diced
- 2 cloves garlic, peeled
- 2 cups walnut pieces, toasted
- 3 cups roasted pumpkin
- 1 tablespoon heavy cream
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
Melt butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. Add sage leaves and fry for about 5 minutes. Remove sage leaves to a small plate lined with a paper towel to drain. Reserve melted butter for later use.
In a food processor, combine sage, reserved butter, shallot, garlic, walnuts, pumpkin, cream, lemon juice and spices. Pulse until a smooth pate forms.
Serve immediately or refrigerate for up to five days.
Spread it realllll good…