Pate may just be the perfect party food. It can be prepared ahead, it deftly walks that fine line between showy and cozy, and it never fails to please. We love vegetarian pates because you can incorporate so much flavor without a lot of sin. Here we share a knee-weakening mushroom pate, as well as recipes for four other tried and true vegetarian pate faves.

Mushroom Pate
3 tablespoons organic butter
1 tablespoons olive oil
2 1/2 pounds mixed mushrooms
3 leeks, white and light green parts, finely chopped
1 1/2 tablespoons fresh thyme or oregano leaves, minced (plus more for garnish)
1 1/2 teaspoons salt (more or less, to taste)
1 teaspoon black pepper (more or less, to taste)
1/3 cup sherry
1 lemon, juiced
1 cup cashews or walnuts, finely chopped and lightly toasted
1 cup fresh parsley or basil leaves, finely chopped
8 ounces Greek yogurt (or cream cheese)

1. Melt butter and olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add mushrooms and leeks and cook until almost dry, between 15 and 20 minutes.
2. Stir in thyme or oregano, salt, pepper, and sherry, and cook until sherry is absorbed, about another 5 minutes. Stir in lemon juice and remove from heat.
3. When mushroom mixture has cooled, combine it in a large bowl with remaining ingredients. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
4. Line a 6-cup baking pan with aluminum foil, use enough foil so that there is a 4-inch overhang on all sides. Put mushroom mixture in pan, flattening and pressing down so that mixute is even and compact. Cover the pate with the overhanging foil and chill for at least 8 hours or overnight.
5. To serve, invert pan on serving plate and use the foil to help release the pate. Garnish with extra herbs and nuts.

Hearty Walnut Cheese Pate
Here is a delectable vegetarian appetizer, a pate with such satisfying flavor and texture it is sure to please even die-hard meat-eaters—and it’s a lot better for us! The super-easy recipe features walnuts, rich in omega-3 oils so necessary for healthy heart function, as well as flavorful and immune-enhancing garlic and onion, and calcium-rich cheeses.

Harvest Pate
Our chef of the month came up with this festive appetizer, perfect for the holidays. Unlike many high-fat offerings laden with cheese or butter, this one delivers good health from sunflower seeds, lentils, fresh vegetables, garlic, and dried herbs to make a pate rich in enzymes and flavor, designed to spread on crackers or to use as a dip for raw vegetable sticks.

Italian Lentil Pate
This classic Old World appetizer has far fewer calories and much less fat than its animal-based counterpart, but it tastes so hearty and delicious. Lentils cook quickly too, a real plus for the busy holiday season.

White Bean Pate
This creamy and versatile pate does triple duty as a sandwich filling, a delicious spread for crackers or slices of French bread, or as an appetizer for guests.