Follow Nigel Barden's recipe for how to make a delicious Nut Roast with a Spiced Tomato Sauce

Nigel Barden shares his favourite recipes

Author: Hazel ScottPublished 11th Mar 2022
Last updated 11th Mar 2022

Chef Nigel Barden has a new Kitchen Greatest Hit every week on Simon Mayo's Drivetime Show. This week he has shared a recipe for a delicious Nut Roast with Squash, Quinoa, Chestnuts and Spiced Tomato Sauce.

How to make Nut Roast with Squash, Quinoa, Chestnuts & Spiced Tomato Sauce

This recipe comes from Jamie Oliver's Christmas Cookbook (Penguin Books), although Nut Roasts don't have to just for the festive period! Nigel has chosen this recipe as the Spicy Tomato Sauce gives the dish a nice kick.

Serves: 8

Prep and cooking time: 1hr 45 min

Ingredients for Nut Roast with Squash, Quinoa, Chestnuts & Spiced Tomato Sauce

olive oil

100g quinoa

500g butternut squash

2 onions

2 sticks of celery

200g vac-packed chestnuts

2 sprigs of fresh rosemary

1 teaspoon sweet smoked paprika

1 teaspoon dried oregano

2 large field mushrooms

1 lemon

60g fresh breadcrumbs

120g dried apricots

150g mixed unsalted nuts

4 large eggs

40g mature Cheddar cheese

For the Spiced Tomato Sauce

3 fresh red chillies

1 stick of cinnamon

2 cloves of garlic

½ a bunch of fresh thyme (15g)

2 large peeled roasted red peppers

2 x 400g tins of plum tomatoes

1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar

How to cook Nut Roast with Squash, Quinoa, Chestnuts & Spiced Tomato Sauce

Preheat the oven to 180oC/350oF/gas 4. Scrunch up a wet sheet of greaseproof paper, then use it to line all sides of an oiled 1.5 litre loaf tin, leaving a bit of overhang at the ends to help you lift out your nut roast later.

Cook the quinoa according to the packet instructions, drain, tip into a mixing bowl and leave to cool. Meanwhile, wash and deseed the squash, peel the onions, trim the celery and chop it all into 2cm chunks. Place in a large roasting tray, crumble in the chestnuts, strip in the rosemary, add the paprika, oregano, a pinch of sea salt and black pepper, and 2 tablespoons of oil, then toss well. Roast for 40 minutes, roughly chopping the mushrooms and adding for the last 10 minutes.

Remove the tray from the oven and tip everything into the quinoa bowl. Finely grate in half the lemon zest, add the breadcrumbs, then chop and add the apricots and nuts. Crack in the eggs and mix well, then transfer to the lined loaf tin, piling it up high. Roast for 45 minutes, or until golden and gnarly.

With 30 minutes to go, make the sauce. On the hob, heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a roasting tray on a medium heat. Leaving them joined at the stalk, halve the chillies lengthways, then add to the tray with the cinnamon for 5 minutes, stirring regularly. Meanwhile, peel and slice the garlic. Scoop the chillies and cinnamon out of the tray and put aside, then add the garlic, strip in most of the thyme leaves and cook for 5 minutes. Drain, chop and add the peppers, pour in the tinned tomatoes and 1 tin’s worth of water, breaking up the tomatoes with a wooden spoon, then add the balsamic and a pinch of salt. Bring to the boil, then simmer for 20 minutes, or until thickened and reduced, stirring occasionally.

Lift the nut roast out of its tin and sit it in the sauce, discarding the paper. Grate over the cheese, pop a chilli on top with the remaining thyme sprigs and drizzle with a little oil. Return the other chillies and cinnamon to the sauce. Roast for a final 15 minutes, then leave to sit for 5 minutes. Finely chop and stir as much of the chilli as you like into the sauce, slice up the nut roast and tuck in.

This delicious recipe is sure to go down a treat! Let us know how you get on - you can share your photos with us on social media on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram and tag us @greatesthitsuk in your photos!

Nigel is back every week with a new recipe for you to try! Find out more about Kitchen Greatest Hits here or take a look through all the amazing recipes below.

See more of Nigel Barden's delicious recipes from Greatest Kitchen Hits:

Turkey Curry Pie

Try this Turkey Curry Pie to make the most of your Christmas dinner leftovers. The recipe includes instructions for how to make your own curry paste, shortcrust pastry and chicken stock. The recipe comes from the cookbook River Cottage Love your Leftovers (Bloomsbury) by Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall.

Click more to read the full Turkey Curry Pie Recipe.


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Nigel Barden chose this fantastic Coronation Chicken recipe from The Hairy Bikers' Complete Mums Know Best, as he loves the combination of flavours which really sets this dish apart.

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Nigel Barden has made a delicious Scallop, 'Nduja & Sweetcorn Salad from Salads Are More Than Leaves (Hamlyn Books) by chef and food writer Elena Silcock.


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Nigel Barden shares a brilliant recipe for Golden Lamb Cutlets paired with a Lemon Courgette Salad. The amazing dish comes from The Spanish Home Kitchen (Hardie Grant) by José Pizarro.


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Stuffed Peppers with Breadcrumbs, Anchovies, Olives and Capers

Nigel Barden has shared a quick and easy recipe for Stuffed Peppers with Breadcrumbs, Anchovies, Olives and Capers. This tasty dish comes from Med: A Cookbook (Ebury) by Claudia Roden.
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Beef Satay with Peanut Dipping Sauce

Nigel Barden has shared a great Beef Satay with Peanut Dipping Sauce recipe from MEAT London (Cloake Press) by chef and butcher Paul Grout.
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Nigel Barden has shared a great Roasted Spiced Cauliflower recipe from No Fuss Suppers by Caroline Marson of Wild Ivy Retreats.
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Rhubarb & Lemon Thyme Custard Trifle

This tasty dessert is perfect for warm summer evenings, and uses fresh custard, rhubarb jelly, and Swiss roll sponge. Nigel has shared this Rhubarb & Lemon Thyme Custard Trifle from Happy Cooking (Ebury Press) by Great British Bake Off winner Candice Brown.
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Lasagne all’Emiliana

Nigel Barden has shared a great recipe for a hearty Lasagne all'Emiliana dish. This simple yet tasty meal comes from 'My Italian Family Cookbook: Recipes from three generations' (Simon & Schuster) by Lawrence Dallaglio.


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Goan Pork Vindaloo with Potatoes

Nigel Barden has shared a brilliant recipe for Goan Pork Vindaloo with Potatoes. This spicy curry comes from Madhur Jaffrey's Curry Nation (Ebury/Random House) by Madhur Jaffrey.


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Pollo Alla Cacciatora

Nigel chose this tasty Pollo Alla Cacciatora dish from chef Gennaro Contaldo's book Slow Cook Italian (Pavilion/Harper Collins) as it is simple yet full of flavour.


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Chocolate Mousse

Nigel thinks this tasty Chocolate Mousse is a real winner! This great recipe comes from The Go-To Cookbook (Austin Macauley) by Helen Hume.


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Nut Roast with Squash, Quinoa, Chestnuts & Spiced Tomato Sauce

Nigel Barden has shared his favourite Nut Roast recipe. This recipe comes from Jamie Oliver's Christmas Cookbook (Penguin Books), and comes with a Spicy Tomato Sauce for a bit of a kick.


Click more to read the full Nut Roast with Squash, Quinoa, Chestnuts & Spiced Tomato Sauce

Ricotta Meatballs with Polenta

Nigel Barden has shared a brilliant recipe for Ricotta Meatballs with Polenta. This traditional Sicilian recipe comes from Clodagh's Weeknight Kitchen (Kyle Books) by chef Clodagh McKenna.
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Turmeric ‘Mamak Style’ Fried Chicken

Nigel shares his favourite recipe for tasty Mamak Style Chicken by Ping Coombes from 'Malaysia' (Seven Dials).
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Fishcakes with Parsley Sauce

Nigel shares his favourite fishcakes recipe! This fantastic Fishcakes with Parsley Sauce dish comes from The Hairy Bikers: British Classics (Weidenfeld & Nicolson).


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Coq au Vin

Nigel Barden shares the Coq au Vin recipe he always comes back to! This recipe comes from Tamasin's Kitchen Bible (Weidenfeld & Nicolson) by Tamasin Day-Lewis.
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Beer/Stout Fondue

Nigel Barden made an indulgent Beer/Stout Fondue - the perfect dish for dipping chopped vegetables and crusty bread! This recipe comes from Guilty Pleasures: Your Favourite Sweet and Savoury Indulgences in 130 Easy Recipes by chef Matt Tebbutt (Quercus).
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Sharrow Bay Sticky Toffee Pudding

Nigel Barden made a mouth-watering Sharrow Bay Sticky Toffee Pudding from Bilton Basics (RMC Books) by chef Tim Bilton. This dessert is easy to make and gives great results!


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Nigel shares his favourite recipe for Butternut Squash & Coconut Curry! Click more to read the recipe.

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Nigel shares his favourite recipe for Slow-Roasted Lamb Shoulder from Raymond Blanc's Simply Raymond: Recipes from Home (Headline Home).
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Nigel shares his favourite recipe for Caesar Salad from Raymond Blanc from Simply Raymond: Recipes from Home.
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This week, Nigel prepares tasty Cajun Chicken and Fries! This brilliant recipe is by Sunil Vijayakar via BBC Food.
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Nigel's recipe for the greatest Thai Green Curry! This warming curry is by Jean-Pierre Gabriel from his book Thailand: The Cookbook (Phaidon).
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Nigel shares his recipe for the greatest Steak and Ale Pie! This tasty pie is from Jon Finch's book Beer Craft (Sphere Books).
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Nigel shares his recipe for Tiramisu by Rachel Roddy from Five Quarters: Recipes and Notes from a Kitchen in Rome!
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Nigel shares his favourite recipe for Cauliflower Cheese from Clarissa's Comfort Food (Kyle Books) by Clarissa Dickson Wright. The recipe is simple to follow and the final dish is tasty and comforting.
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Nigel shares this wonderful recipe for Giant Yorkshire Pudding with Onion Gravy, adapted by Elaine Lemm from The Great Book of Yorkshire Pudding (Great Northern Books).
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Nigel Barden shares his favourite recipe for Aubergines Baked with Tomatoes & Cheese (also known as Parmigiana di Melanzane). The delicious recipe comes from The Food of Italy (Square Peg) by Claudia Roden.
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Nigel shares a festive recipe for Glazed Ham with Clementines, Cloves and Parsley Sauce from Sea & Shore: Recipes and stories from a kitchen in Cornwall published by Hardie Grant book, with photography by Kim Lightbody and written by chef Emily Scott.


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Stuffed Squash with Vegan Gravy

Nigel Barden makes a deliciously festive Stuffed Squash with Vegan Gravy. This great dish is suitable for everyone, and comes from Christmas at River Cottage written by Lucy Brazier, with notes and recipes from Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall (Bloomsbury).
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Nigel Barden got in the Christmas spirit with this delicious New Year's Eve Turkey Curry from Christmas at River Cottage by Lucy Brazier, with notes and recipes from Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall (Bloomsbury).
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Nigel Barden makes a festive Roast Rib of Beef with Yorkshire Pudding with Red Wine Gravy, served with Brussel Sprouts in Nut Brown Butter. The delicious recipe comes from Lidgate's 'The Meat Cookbook', written by butcher, Danny Lidgate and food writer Hattie Ellis (Mitchell Beazley).
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To celebrate Chinese New Year on 1st February, Nigel made a tasty Five-spiced Pork Belly with Spring Onions & Sweet Soy from The Dumpling Sisters Cookbook: 100 Favourite Recipes from a Chinese Family Kitchen. The cookbook is written by sisters Amy and Julie Zhang, and published by Weidenfeld & Nicolson.
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Read more:

Kitchen Greatest Hits: All the recipes the Simon Mayo Drivetime Show

Simon Mayo returns to Drivetime with Greatest Hits Radio

Do you have a confession to make? 👀

Get to know Matt Williams from the Simon Mayo Drivetime Show

Get to know Nigel Barden from the Simon Mayo Drivetime Show

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