Mushroom and Walnut Pâté Appetizer

If you love mushrooms like I do; this might become your new favorite appetizer. Mushrooms, toasted walnuts, thyme, and sherry are combined with cream cheese in this Mushroom and Walnut Pâté Appetizer for a smooth, delicious starter.

Creamy Mushroom and Walnut Pate Appetizer Served with a Mushroom and Onion Garnish and a Hard Boiled Egg Garnish

I made this appetizer for Easter and it was devoured; you know when guests eat so much they feel a bit full and dinner hasn’t even started? So trust me it’s good even if it suffers from being an ugly duckling.

There is literally nothing harder to photograph than brown food. In person it’s never a problem to eat it but try to get a good photo and brown is brown is brown. I’ve tried to spruce it up a bit for photographic purposes but seriously those garnishes are not really necessary; the flavor is everything!

Years ago I might include two recipes in a post as I did with this one that I originally featured with a Manhattan cocktail for the final season of the Mad Men series. When I do that I’ve found that one or the other will fade to the background and that’s what happened with this dish; one of my favorites too.

I decided to break them into two separate posts and son of a gun…waylaid the recipe somewhere along the way. Oops.

Creamy Mushroom and Walnut Pate Appetizer in a Turquoise Serving Dish

I’m always grateful for Archive.org. It’s saved me before and saved me again…whew!

I first tasted this Mushroom and Walnut Pâté Appetizer at an event with a local Chamber of Commerce I was active in. I had met a great group of other women business owners and we bonded; enjoying not just seeing each other at Chamber events but finding excuses to get together socially as well.

A friend served this Mushroom and Walnut Pâté Appetizer at her home for a cocktail party and I was totally smitten.

Creamy Mushroom and Walnut Pate Appetizer on Appetizer Plates

I sliced a baguette into rounds, brushed them with some olive oil and toasted them as the base for the pâté. True confession? You do not need to hard boil an egg (I had these Decorated Easter Eggs I had colored)) or make a mixture of mushrooms and sauteéd onions for garnish…unless you’re taking photos too. I love the additions and a little bit of parsley is nice to add a touch of color.

Don’t let this ugly duckling fool you; one bite and you’ll discover you’ve happened upon a swan!

PIN IT! Mushroom and Walnut Pâté Appetizer

Mushroom and Walnut Pâté Appetizer Served on White Plate Topped with Chopped Egg on One and Grilled Onions on Another.

Mushroom and Walnut Pâté Appetizer Served on White Plate Topped with Chopped Egg on One and Grilled Onions on Another.

Mushroom and Walnut Pâté Appetizer

Creative Culinary
This Mushroom and Walnut Pâté Appetizer is so good I think even a liver pâté lover would be smitten too!
No ratings yet
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 35 minutes
Course Appetizers
Servings 6 -8 Servings
Calories 291 kcal

Ingredients
  

For the Pâté

  • ½ cup walnuts toasted and chopped (about 6-7 min in 350 degree oven; let cool)
  • 4 Tbsp butter divided
  • 4 Tbsp Olive Oil
  • 1 ½ pounds mushrooms cleaned and chopped into medium pieces, reserve 3-4 button mushrooms for garnish
  • 6 green onions sliced in 1/4" slices
  • 1 ½ tsp fresh thyme leaves plus more for garnish
  • 1 tsp coarse salt
  • ½ tsp freshly ground black pepper
  • ¼ cup dry sherry or white wine
  • ½ cup finely chopped flat-leaf parsley
  • Juice of 1/2 lemon
  • Dash Tabasco sauce
  • 4 ounces cream cheese room temperature

Garnish

  • Hard boiled Eggs chopped (optional)
  • Sauteed Mushrooms optional
  • Parsley Chopped

Instructions
 

  • In a large heavy skillet over medium heat, add three tablespoons of butter to the olive oil and heat until melted.
  • Add the mushrooms, green onions, and thyme, and cook, stirring occasionally, until liquid has been released and skillet becomes almost dry, 5 to 8 minutes. Stir in salt, pepper, and sherry and cook until skillet is almost dry, about 10 minutes more. Remove from heat, and let cool.
  • Combine mushroom mixture with reserved walnuts, parsley, lemon juice, Tabasco, and cream cheese in a blender and pulse until the mixture is smooth.
  • Season with salt and pepper to taste.
  • Spread mixture into a shallow plate or bowl and refrigerate for at least 4 hours or overnight.
  • Just before serving, melt remaining 1 tablespoon of butter in a medium skillet and cook halved mushrooms just until tender, about 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.
  • Remove the pate from the refrigerator and top with the sauteed mushrooms and chopped parsley. Offer chopped hard boiled egg as an alternative.
  • Serve cool or at room temperature with toasted baguette slices, or any plain cracker.

Nutrition

Nutrition Facts
Mushroom and Walnut Pâté Appetizer
Serving Size
 
1 grams
Amount per Serving
Calories
291
% Daily Value*
Fat
 
24
g
37
%
Cholesterol
 
54
mg
18
%
Sodium
 
478
mg
21
%
Carbohydrates
 
14
g
5
%
Protein
 
5
g
10
%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
Calories
291
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

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