Air-fryer cranberry nut roast recipe

Name: Air-fryer cranberry nut roast
Yield: Serves 6-8
Ingredients: 50g walnut pieces, roughly chopped; 50g pecan halves, roughly chopped; 1 tbsp olive oil, plus extra for greasing; 1 onion, finely chopped; 2 large garlic cloves, finely crushed; 1 medium carrot, coarsely grated; 2 sprigs rosemary, leaves picked and finely chopped; 2 sprigs thyme, leaves picked, plus extra to garnish; 2 tbsp tomato purée; 2 tsp yeast extract; 390g tin green lentils, drained and rinsed; 80g gluten-free white bread (roughly 2 slices), blended to a rough crumb; 20g flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped; 3 tbsp cranberry sauce

Created by The Tesco Recipes team

Use chopped walnuts and pecans to make this simple nut roast - perfect for a Christmas dinner main! Cook in the air-fryer to get it nice and crispy and top with cranberry sauce and thyme for big festive flavours.

See method

Serves 6-8
Takes 45 mins
203 calories / serving

Dairy-free
Vegan
Gluten-free
Vegetarian

Shop your ingredients

Tesco Organic Walnut Pieces 100G
50g walnut pieces, roughly chopped
£3.10
£31.00/kg
Tesco Pecan Halves 200G
Any 4 for 3 Clubcard Price - Cheapest Product Free - Selected Dried Fruit Nuts And Seeds
Offer valid for delivery from 30/09/2026 until 26/10/2026
50g pecan halves, roughly chopped
£3.50
£17.50/kg
Tesco Olive Oil 250Ml
1 tbsp olive oil, plus extra for greasing
£3.10
£12.40/litre
Tesco Brown Onions Loose
1 onion, finely chopped
£0.11
£0.95/kg
Tesco Garlic 4 Pack
Aldi Price Match
2 large garlic cloves, finely crushed
£0.87
£0.22/each
Tesco Grated Carrots 200g
1 medium carrot, coarsely grated
£0.59
£2.95/kg
Tesco Fresh Cut Rosemary 20G
Aldi Price Match
2 sprigs rosemary, leaves picked and finely chopped
£0.50
£25.00/kg
Tesco Fresh Cut Thyme 20G
2 sprigs thyme, leaves picked, plus extra to garnish
£0.50
£25.00/kg
Marmite Yeast Extract Spread 125G
2 tsp yeast extract
£2.50
£20.00/kg
Tesco Green Lentils In Water 390G
390g tin green lentils, drained and rinsed
£0.45
£1.15/kg DR.WT
Schar Gluten-Free Soft White Sliced Bread Loaf
80g gluten-free white bread (roughly 2 slices), blended to a rough crumb
£3.00
£10.00/kg
Tesco Fresh Cut Flat Leaf Parsley 30G
Aldi Price Match
20g flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped
£0.50
£16.67/kg
Tesco Cranberry Sauce 200G
Aldi Price Match
3 tbsp cranberry sauce
£0.49
£2.45/kg
Tesco Tomato Puree 200G
Aldi Price Match
2 tbsp tomato purée
£0.59
£2.95/kg

Method

Grease and line a 1lb loaf tin with olive oil and baking paper.
In a large frying pan, toast the nuts over a medium heat for 2-3 mins until fragrant. Tip into a large bowl and set aside.
Heat the oil in the frying pan over a medium heat. Add the onion and fry for 5 mins until starting to soften. Stir through the garlic and cook for 1 min, then add the carrots, rosemary and thyme. Cook for a further 5 mins. Add the tomato purée and yeast extract and cook for 3-4 mins until caramelised. Add to the bowl with the nuts and mix through the lentils, breadcrumbs and parsley. Beat vigorously with a wooden spoon for 2-3 mins until the lentils start to break down and the mix holds together.
Tip into the prepared loaf tin and compress with the back of a spoon to tightly pack.
Cook in the air-fryer at 160°C for 20 mins until a crust has formed on the top of the nut loaf. Leave to cool in the tin for 10 mins before carefully turning out onto a plate. Remove the baking paper and top with the cranberry sauce, spreading down the length of the roast. Top with thyme leaves to garnish and cut with a sharp, serrated knife to serve.