With a texture like mushroom pate and all the savory flavors of Thanksgiving, these mushroom timbales will be the perfect vegan main dish on your holiday table.
My Thanksgiving menu planning will always be an exercise in fantasy because we celebrate the holiday at my in-laws’, but if I were serving Thanksgiving dinner at my house this year, my menu would include Green Bean Casserole, mashed potatoes and mushroom gravy, cornbread dressing, Cranberry Relish, Sweet Potato Casserole, Double-Layer Pumpkin Cheesecake, and these Mushroom, Lentil, and Wild Rice Timbales.
Since I don’t get to cook much for the actual holiday (and only those items that will travel well) I spend the weeks before the big day doing Fantasy Holiday Meals—not the whole meal, mind you (you know how lazy I am), but a dessert here, a side dish there, as part of a regular meal. It keeps me in practice for holiday cooking and, let’s face it, gives me something relevant to post here for anyone looking for holiday meal ideas.
So last night I attempted my fantasy main course. I wanted something savory and elegant, something special enough to be the focal point of a meal but still light enough to allow room for all the other dishes. These timbales, if I say so myself, achieved all of those goals and more.
They’re ridiculously delicious, if not ridiculously easy. The texture is like mushroom pate, with wild rice providing just a touch of chewiness. All the savory flavors that I associate with Thanksgiving are here: the earthiness of mushrooms and lentils, the warm herbal flavors of sage and thyme, a hint of pungency from the rosemary.
The idea for this recipe came from Crescent Dragonwagon’s Passionate Vegetarian, though I changed her recipe so much that she might not want to claim it. First I veganized it (the original contained eggs), and then I completely changed the seasonings. Finally, I tried to simplify it a little, but let’s face it, unless you happen to have cooked lentils and wild rice on-hand (who does?), this recipe will probably take you a couple of hours and leave your kitchen in as bad a shape as it did mine. But let me tell you, it’s worth it!
Mushroom, Lentil, and Wild Rice Timbales
Ingredients
- 1 large onion finely chopped
- 2 large slices bread may be gluten-free
- 2 cups mushrooms quartered (about 10 large)
- 1/2 cup silken tofu light, firm or extra-firm (Mori-Nu preferred)
- 3 cloves garlic quartered
- 1 tablespoon sherry
- 2 tablespoons water
- 1 cup cooked lentils
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- 1/4 teaspoon minced fresh rosemary
- 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1/2 teaspoon rubbed sage
- 3 tablespoons cornstarch or arrowroot
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup cooked wild rice
- salt and freshly ground black pepper
- sliced mushrooms for garnish optional
Instructions
- Make ahead: 1 cup cooked lentils (from about 1/2 cup dried) and 1 cup wild rice (about 1/2 cup before cooking).
- Preheat oven to 350F. Spray 6 ramekins with canola oil or cooking spray and have ready a large baking pan that will hold them (9×13-inch should work). Place one nice-looking mushroom slice in the bottom of each ramekin, if desired.
- Saute the onion in a non-stick pan until it begins to brown. Set aside.
- Place the bread in a food processor and pulse until it turns to crumbs. Add the mushrooms, tofu, garlic, sherry, and water and blend until fairly smooth. Add the lentils and process again until smooth. Add the tomato paste, herbs, cornstarch, and salt and process until well-blended. Add the onions to the processor and pulse to include them but do not over-process (you want them to retain some texture.)
- Scrape the contents of the food processor into a bowl and add the cooked wild rice. Season with salt and black pepper to taste.
- Divide the mixture among the oiled ramekins and smooth the tops with a spoon. Set the ramekins in the large baking dish and add hot water to the dish, taking care not to splash it into the ramekins.
- Bake, uncovered, until tops are brown and crusty and middles seem moderately firm when pressed with a finger–about 45-50 minutes. Remove from the oven and allow to cool for 10 minutes. Run a thin knife around the edges and invert the ramekins onto serving plates. Serve with your favorite mushroom gravy (or see mine below).
Nutritional info is approximate.
This is my standard mushroom gravy. If you’re not a mushroom lover or need a gluten-free gravy, be sure to try my 911 Vegan Gravy.
Impromptu Vegan Mushroom Gravy
Ingredients
- 1/2 onion minced
- 10 mushrooms sliced
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 2 cups vegetable broth
- 1/2 teaspoon thyme
- 1/4 teaspoon rubbed sage
- 1 tablespoon nutritional yeast
- 1 teaspoon sherry optional
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
- 2 tablespoons unbleached flour (substitute with arrowroot for gluten-free)
- 1/4 cup plain soymilk
- salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
Instructions
- In a medium-sized non-stick saucepan, saute the onion until light brown, about 10 minutes. Add the mushrooms and 1 tablespoon of water, and cook for another 3 minutes. Add the garlic, and cook, stirring, for another minute.
- Add the vegetable broth, herbs, nutritional yeast, sherry, and soy sauce. In a bowl, whisk or blend (with a hand blender) the soymilk and flour together until smooth. Add it to the saucepan and stir well. Simmer, stirring occasionally, for 15 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste and serve.
Nutritional info is approximate.
You can find all of my Thanksgiving recipes right here. Enjoy!
Please pin and share!
SusanV
When the site was updated, all of the comments before August 2009 were lost. Here’s a cut-and-paste of those comments:
KathyF said…
Green or brown lentils? I wonder if it makes a difference? Brown are more starchy, and you might need that for it to stick together.
However, I do have cooked green lentils on hand. They sell them in cans here–I just brought home a can from France (where they are cheaper!) and was wondering what to do with it. I may just make this for a Thanksgiving dinner I’m supposed to bring the veggie main to on Saturday.
1:27 PM, November 23, 2008
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Blogger SusanV said…
I used brown lentils, but I think green would work, too. (By green you mean French lentils or Puy, right?) The tofu and cornstarch are good binders (used instead of egg) and I think they can hold it together with green lentils.
If you make it, please let me know how it comes out.
1:31 PM, November 23, 2008
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Blogger Rachel said…
This looks yummy! A good trick for making wild rice is to make a big bunch in the slow cooker-totally hands off and it keeps well refrigerated.
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Blogger shelby said…
This looks great! I think I will make it soon…can I use brown rice instead of the wild?
1:38 PM, November 23, 2008
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Blogger neimanmarxist said…
this looks *beyond* delicious. we don’t have those little individual ramekins, though . do you think it would work if i made it in one big one ? thanks for sharing!
1:54 PM, November 23, 2008
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Blogger SusanV said…
Shelby, you could, but I don’t think it will taste quite as good. I almost did use brown rice, because I already had some cooked, but decided that they would benefit from the taste and texture of the wild rice. It’s your call, though.
Neimanmarxist, according to the original recipe, you can make it in a 10-inch ovenproof skillet or cake pan and bake for around 60 minutes. I didn’t try that with my version, so I can’t say for sure that it works (tofu reacting differently than eggs). I’d love to hear about it if you try.
2:03 PM, November 23, 2008
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Blogger ChocolateCoveredVegan said…
This sounds terrific! How much gravy does the recipe yield?
2:07 PM, November 23, 2008
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Blogger SusanV said…
I would guess that it makes about 2-3 cups of gravy–enough to serve with 6 timbales and still have some left over for mashed potatoes (which is what I served them with).
2:18 PM, November 23, 2008
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Blogger Sanja said…
O, these look so great and festive!
2:20 PM, November 23, 2008
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Blogger myrtle said…
Wow, that looks and sounds delicious! Canadian Thanksgiving has already passed, but I’m having Christmas brunch this year…
3:16 PM, November 23, 2008
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Blogger Joanna said…
these look soo delicious!!! i love your holiday menu. it sounds great to me, too.
one question: which of your pumpkin pies do you like better? the impossible pumpkin pie or the double layer pumpkin cheesecake. i planned on making the first one, but if you think the cheesecake is better, i’ll go with that.
3:20 PM, November 23, 2008
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Anonymous Marie said…
Thanks Susan, I’m definitely putting this on my T-giving menu.
3:20 PM, November 23, 2008
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OpenID dessertobsessed said…
i’ve never heard of timbales before! but they sound delicious!
3:35 PM, November 23, 2008
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Blogger SusanV said…
Joanna, the Impossible pie is great, but when I really want to impress people, I whip out the cheesecake. No one ever suspects it’s vegan. 🙂
4:49 PM, November 23, 2008
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Anonymous moonwatcher said…
Susan,
this looks delicious! I might have to add it to the menu. . .or make it before or after!! (I would use one big pan, too, so will report back it do that) My son and his girfriend and I just shopped to make your tofu with brown rice and mushroom dressing. . Happy Thanksgiving!
5:14 PM, November 23, 2008
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Blogger Kalyn said…
Definitely does look delicious. Lentils and wild rice are two of my favorite foods!
5:45 PM, November 23, 2008
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Blogger MJ (Matt) said…
Wow! All I can say really! This looks delicious and is a rather ideal recipe as I have every ingredient in my kitchen, including mushrooms that need using and half a pack of silken tofu from a previous meal – so this looks like the perfect dish put them to use!
=]
Just one question though – are you able to freeze these? Being the only vegan in the household, you get use to halving/reducing quantities for most recipes and I have perfected my own collection of single serve dishes. However, it would be quite nice if I could freeze these to have something I can just heat up on days when I don’t fancy cooking.
Also I assume red lentils will work just as well?
Thank you – Great recipe!!
6:21 PM, November 23, 2008
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Blogger Johanna said…
This is definitely going onto my to do list! Looks amazing! Oh and I would quite happily come to your fantasy thanksgiving – sounds like a great spread.
While we don’t have thanksgiving in Australia, for years I have had a little pre-Christmas dinner at home with all vegetarian food because we go to my parents for the meal on the day! It is a great excuse to cook some festive food
7:51 PM, November 23, 2008
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Blogger Gina said…
That looks so decadently delicious!! I don’t get to make my own Thanksgiving either (bummer).
By the way, thanks for visiting my blog Susan, I appreciate it 🙂
9:12 PM, November 23, 2008
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Anonymous Mary Frances said…
I want this now!!!! But I guess I’ll settle for it being our Christmas lunch. I think I’ll be doing chickpea cutlets for Thanksgiving.
9:42 PM, November 23, 2008
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Blogger trina said…
Gorgeous! What a great idea.
11:57 PM, November 23, 2008
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OpenID shellyfish said…
Susan your fantasy menu is almost my exact menu! Either we’re both rather cool, or I’ve been reading your blog for too long! 🙂
These timbals might make it onto the dinner table as well – yum!
1:15 AM, November 24, 2008
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Anonymous Elaine said…
Oh my goodness, these look amazing! I know what I’ll be having for Christmas lunch…
One question, is there anything you would suggest to sub in for the tofu for family members who are soy-intolerant?
Another q – do these taste as awesome cold or room temp as they do hot?
1:20 AM, November 24, 2008
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Anonymous Leeds Mortgage said…
Looks delish! I’ll definitely add this to my recipe list.
3:43 AM, November 24, 2008
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Blogger PAPATYA SOFRASI said…
Wowww. its very delicious!!!
süperr….thanks..with my love..
7:41 AM, November 24, 2008
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Blogger Naomi Strange said…
I really can’t stand mushrooms. Is there something else I can subsitute? Any suggestions? Thanks!
10:33 AM, November 24, 2008
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Anonymous Anonymous said…
Thanks for this recipe. I had been looking through Passionate Vegetarian cookbok at this very recipe and wondering if I wanted to try a vegan/gluten free version for Sunday dinner( while I am not technically vegan, I am allergic to eggs, dairy, and wheat). Decided to check my e-mail while pondering dinner and your post was sitting there waiting for me. So I made the timbales with a couple of changes- I used vegan gluten free cornbread (made Saturday) and black lentils,sometimes referred to as beluga lentils. I also baked it in a casserole dish with out using a water bath. It worked great, didn’t fall apart, and was delicious. It did stick a little to the pan and I put mushroom slices on the top then just scooped it out to serve. Thanks again, Karen
11:04 AM, November 24, 2008
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Anonymous Peter said…
Thanks for two great recipes! I wanted to go with mushrooms this year now I have two options (will do both).
1:03 PM, November 24, 2008
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Anonymous Alyssa said…
I’m not a mushroom fan either, Naomi. Maybe we could use something like roasted eggplant? Or maybe Susan has a better idea 😉
1:31 PM, November 24, 2008
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Blogger Bianca said…
Yum yum! Those are so beautiful! I think it’d be almost too pretty to eat. Then again, I doubt that would stop me.
4:52 PM, November 24, 2008
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Anonymous gail said…
I love spreading the holidays out over several weeks – it may not be great for our waistlines, by why contain all of that goodness to one day? These look delicious!
11:02 PM, November 24, 2008
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Blogger shannie cakes said…
i just threw my thanksgiving menu out the window
thanks a lot 😛
these look better then good!
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Blogger SusanV said…
Matt, I don’t think there would be a problem freezing these. Let me know if you try!
Elaine, instead of tofu, I might try using mashed potatoes. They won’t be as light, but they should hold together well.
Naomi and Alyssa, any substitute won’t have to same flavor, so I’m hesitant to suggest anything. Eggplant would be really different, but you could try. Sweet potatoes (cooked, mashed, about a cup) might be an interesting flavor. I also think tempeh would be interesting. I would love to hear the results of any of these experiments.
2:42 PM, November 25, 2008
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Anonymous in2insight said…
Looks divine.
I don’t have any ramekins.
Would a muffin pan work?
Cheers, and THANK YOU for this awesome site.
4:07 PM, November 26, 2008
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Anonymous hannah said…
GOD BLESS YOU for this recipe!!! I substituted yellow split peas for lentils and just cooked in a muffin tin, since I don’t have ramekins. Then I ate half of them while waiting for them to cool. I really cannot believe that I cooked this! It is exquisitely good, like something you would get at a very fancy restaurant. Thank you so much for your wonderful blog! You’ve made my first Thanksgiving with my vegan husband memorable and yummy. I LOVE your blog!!!
7:01 PM, November 26, 2008
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Blogger Jackie said…
Wishing you and your family a wonderful Thanksgiving.
I prefer green lentils due to having IBS and find that they adapt easily in brown lentil recipes. Can’t wait to try your recipe as it sounds soooo delicious.
4:28 AM, November 27, 2008
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Blogger Virginie Péan said…
Hi Susan,
A beautiful recipe as usual. Thanks for your veg blog searcher. I added it to my blog.
11:04 AM, November 27, 2008
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Anonymous marie said…
Susan,
I did make these for T-giving. Though my timbales weren’t nearly as photogenic as your, they tasted fantastic. In fact, I had a leftover one for breakfast this morning:)
The only change I made in your recipe was to add several cloves of garlic to the onions when I sauteed them. Additionally, I through in a handful of cooked lentils in with the wild rice at the very end, to give a bit more ‘chew.’
I did use one of the timbales as a test pate served on bible crackers and everyone love ’em.
These were so good and healthy, I’m going to make it again and again.
2:55 PM, November 28, 2008
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Anonymous Anonymous said…
i don’t often comment here, but i made this for t-day and it was delicious, but i especially wanted to compliment your gravy! i never ate gravy growing up and i don’t much like the stuff, but i thought gravy would go well w/ the timbales, and it was fantastic. i even made extra so i could drown my leftover with that mushroom-y goodness. i will definitely be making mushroom gravy next time i mash potatoes.
-dryxi
8:30 PM, November 28, 2008
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Blogger Holler said…
These sound great! I bet the mushroom flavour was pretty intense. As a mushroom lover, I am all for that.
8:02 AM, November 29, 2008
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Anonymous Matin said…
Looks great and healthy too. Thanks for sharing:-)
X M
9:35 AM, November 29, 2008
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Blogger nr said…
This was sooo delish! I made it in a casserole dish and when it was done I topped it with the vegan “cheese” sauce from the polenta lasagna recipe. I’m thinking of making it again with kale, walnuts and raisins.
Thanks for all of your delicious and healthy recipes.
11:36 AM, December 04, 2008
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Anonymous Emily said…
Does the tofu have to be silken? I believe I have soft tofu. Would this mess the timbales up?
1:23 PM, December 06, 2008
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Anonymous Anonymous said…
What and how much of…do you saute the onion in for the mushroom gravy?
11:28 AM, December 12, 2008
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Blogger SusanV said…
Nothing. I use a good non-stick pan and find that I don’t need any liquid to brown onions. If you find you do need some liquid, a tablespoon of water or broth works to keep it fat-free, or a 1/2 teaspoon of canola oil if you want to use fat.
11:49 AM, December 12, 2008
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Blogger Leni said…
Hello from Sweden! I love youre blog and the food is so good! Do you think it’s okej to do the mixture ahead and keep in the fridge over night and bake the next day? I was wondering the same thing about the “Mini Crustless Tofu Quiches”
Merry Christmas!
5:56 AM, December 22, 2008
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Blogger SusanV said…
Hi Leni–both this recipe and the quiches should do fine being made ahead. That’s a great idea!
9:24 AM, December 22, 2008
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Blogger mmemagpie said…
The timbales aren’t just for Thanksgiving! The guests at our table on Christmas–vegan and omnivore alike–loved them. Thank you, Susan, for the effort you put into adapting the recipe. We also praise the fabulous mushroom gravy, with one comment. Because I forgot to read to the end of the recipe and had made the gravy only to the point where the arrowroot gets added, the timbales were out of their ramekins and ready to be served when I realized that the gravy had to be simmered for 15 minutes. Eek! So I pushed the timing a bit and can testify that the gravy is delicious with only 5 minutes of cooking at the end.
4:50 PM, December 26, 2008
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Tripe
Absolutely Spectacular.
I've made these a few times already and I'm making them again today.
Just a quick question; how is Timbales pronounced?
SusanV
Tripe, it's pronounced "TIM-bulz" in English. In French, it sounds different, but I have trouble writing those sounds. If you're interested, check out dictionary.com or a French-English dictionary online.
Laina
Susan, this looks really delicious. I'm wondering what the texture is like. I've never had pate.
Is this like a thick meat patty; a sub for a steak? It sounds like it's the main course and you add sides, right?
Again, thanks for your website and recipes. I so appreciate that you share them with any and everyone. You are a blessing and I thank God for you. 🙂
Kristina
HI susan,
I made your beautiful Timbales for thanskgiving and mine were too soft- not crisp all around only on top. could you tell me the size of your ramekins? I have different size ramekins and am wondering if I made them too big. I doubled the recipe.
Thanks Kristina
ps. they tasted great!
SusanV
Kristina, I used different sizes of ramekins, but the best size was 6-ounces, filled up about 2/3 of the way. I'm sorry yours were too soft but am happy that at least they tasted good.
lovemyfamily
I made this using a dozen silicone baking cups and filled them to the rim and cooked on 350 for 40 minutes. They turned out perfect, but feel like they could use an additional spice of some sort, may just have to add more back pepper. The gravy was great though no additional spices needed.
Christina Dunlap
This looks delicious!
You said the original recipe was made with eggs? Do you think it’d be possible to make a vegan version with an egg-replacer instead of tofu? I’m allergic to soy.
Let me know if you think it’d be possible. Thank you!
SusanV
Christina, I think I’d substitute blended white beans for the tofu. Egg replacer just wouldn’t taste right here.
Maureen
Back when I was a good, good vegan, I had a recipe similar to this. I loved it, but I never wrote it down and have wanted to make it when I had veg friends over for dinner. Thank you for posting this!
Beth Flood
Sorry, it may be delicious, but it looks like a can of cat food dumped out on a plate with a mushroom on top. Not very appealing to the eyes.
sdterp
Ha! Cat food. That comment had to sting a bit, but maybe Beth hasn’t seen much pâté. Most of it looks much more like cat food than yours does. lol
Just take a look at what comes up when you do an image search for pâté:
http://gourl.gr/d6j
I haven’t tried this recipe yet, but I will for sure in the next week or so, and if all goes will it will be on my Thanksgiving menu. 🙂
SusanV
Nah, it didn’t really sting. I just thought it was old: I said the exact same thing on Twitter when I posted the recipe!
Amy
These were AMAZING!!!!!!! Great recipe! We used olive oil rosemary sourdough bread for the sliced bread and served it in the ramekins with sliced mushrooms on top, it was excellent! I will be making this again. Thanks so much!
Nadia
My first time making gravy and it looks beautiful and tastes fabulous. I’m serving it with a lentil loaf and mashed turnips. Thank you for this and all your recipes!
Nita Ruggiero
I made this for dinner last night. I was looking for something I had the ingredients on hand for and this is what I decided to make. Wow!!! My husband asked me to save this recipe and make it for Thanksgiving – I still can’t believe how good it was! I made it exactly as written except I grabbed the herbs fresh from my herb garden. This one will definitely be in my permanent recipes! Thanks for another wonderful recipe Susan!
Marina
Hi susan!
Can I substitute the wild rice for brown rice?
Thanks
SusanV
Yes, I believe that will be fine. Enjoy!
Cyndie
These timbales look wonderful! I am going to make it for Thanksgiving. I just wondered if you think they will freeze well?
Susan Voisin
I’ve never frozen them, so I’m not sure. They may be okay, but things with tofu can change texture in the freezer.
Leah
I really liked the flavor of these but wanted more texture, I ended up adding whole cooked lentils, sliced caramelized onions, and sautéed mushrooms to the puree in addition to the rice and preferred the result. Of course, I’ve never had a timbale and my result was closer to a lentil loaf, but hey, that’s what I did. Still, the flavors were great!
Mark Insko
Susan, THANK YOU for this delicious recipe! These timbales are equal parts hearty and elegant and the flavors are complex but comforting. We just loved them and I can’t wait to make them for guests. P.S. Not to diminish the star attraction here, but that mushroom gravy recipe is absolutely amazing and I’m serving it for Thanksgiving. The timbales might be labor intensive–worth every second of work!–but that gravy was easy as can be and incredibly delicious.
Jennifer
I made this mushroom gravy tonight, and it is hand’s down the BEST gravy I have ever made. My family was loving it too. Thank you for this recipe!
El
Thanks for the recipe – I made these and they were delicious! Very savory with a flavor perfect for Fall/harvest meals. I did substitute a few things – I used leftover homemade GF bread, which was pretty moist and it worked out perfect. Don’t beat me guys, but I used an egg instead of the tofu, next time I’ll try the white bean suggestion. I used dried herbs, probably doubled (or more) and I used seven 5 oz ramekins and went the whole cooking time, they popped right out. And, for the bulk of the recipe I used crimini mushrooms, but for the tops I added a little handful of sliced fresh shiitake in each ramekin, they were a nice additional burst of flavor.
Sandra Lee Childs
I made the Mushroom, Lentil and Wild Rice Timbales & mushroom gravy for our Giving Thanks feast yesterday and it was delicious ! Many thanks for the recipes!
Julia
I followed the recipe to the letter and the result was fantastic! I even garnished the tray with rosemary as shown on the picture! ALL the ladies (guests) were delighted and wanted the recipe. I referred them to your site.
Thank you so much for sharing your recipies and “adventures” with us!
Julia
Stephanie
Hi Susan! Will this recipe work if all the prep stages are done the day before? Then “oil” the ramekins and cook the day they are served? I am a most insecure cook at times 🙂
Susan Voisin
No worries! I think it should work fine if made ahead like that.
Esther J
Made the gravy (so very good; I normally don’t make gravy, either) with Dreena’s Nofu Love Loaf with mashed both cauliflower and potatoes and steamed cauliflower. My (omnivore) family cleaned their plates.
Thanks, once again, Mrs. V!
deb
Tried your meatless Thanksgiving loaf last night and it was wonderful. The house even smelled the same as it used to when I made turkey meatloaf! Just wondering if the mushroom gravy could be made the day before (thinking how busy it gets at the last minute on Thanksgiving especially when cooking a turkey for the omnivores and all the traditional fixings while adding vegan dishes as well) and reheated just before serving….Have you tried that? What do you think? Thanks so much! Deb
Susan Voisin
The gravy reheats just fine, so feel free to make it ahead. I’m so glad you liked the loaf!