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Date Pâté

Sam Muller

BY Erika Houle

PUBLISHED September 16, 2025

For something salty but sweet, rich but not too heavy, and slightly acidic but simultaneously soothing, date pâté covers all the bases. It’s not often I feel compelled or confident enough to tell anyone that they need to try anything, but this is a rare exception in which I’ll do exactly that: I think you and whoever you’re eating with will love it, and therefore I think you and whoever you’re eating with absolutely must try it. Served with toasted baguette, a light spread of hot English mustard (ideally Colman’s), and briny cornichons, these dates will also leave you with lots of leftovers, which will be wonderful for spreading onto easy-to-assemble sandwiches with extra bread, hot mustard, and pickles, plus thinly sliced ham or turkey breast and whatever cheese you might have in your fridge (brie, gruyere, comté, etc). Note that while it might appear similar to chicken liver pâté, this recipe can also be made vegetarian by swapping chicken stock for vegetable stock or water.

 

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Date Pâté

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Makes 8 to 10 servings 1x

Time 45 minutes

Units Scale

Ingredients

For the date pâté:

  • 8 tablespoons unsalted butter, separated, at room temperature
  • 1/2 white or yellow onion, thinly sliced
  • 2 small cloves garlic, thinly sliced
  • 1/2 pound (~225 g) dates (preferably deglet noors), pitted
  • 1/2 cup chicken stock
  • 100 grams walnuts, roughly chopped
  • 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
  • 2 teaspoons salt, plus more to taste

For the accompaniments:

  • 1 large sourdough baguette, sliced
  • 2–3 tablespoons unsalted butter, for grilling/toasting
  • 2 tablespoons hot English mustard (or alternatively, dijon), for serving
  • 10–15 cornichons, for serving

Instructions

  1. In a large pan over low-medium heat, add 2 tablespoons of the butter. Once the butter has melted, add the onion, garlic, and dates and cook slowly (without scorching, and while stirring every now and then), until onions and garlic are fragrant, translucent, and slightly golden in color (about 10 minutes). Add chicken stock, increase heat to medium-high, and use a spatula to scrape up any bits from the bottom of the pan. Cook for another 5-7 minutes, until the liquid has thickened but not fully reduced (it should be about as thick as heavy cream).
  2. Remove from heat and allow a few minutes to slightly cool, then transfer to a blender or food processor with the remaining 6 tablespoons of butter, walnuts, balsamic vinegar, and salt. Blend until smooth, taste, and make any necessary adjustments (add more salt or vinegar, to taste). Transfer to small serving bowls or ramekins and set aside. (Note: the date pâté can also be prepared ahead and stored in the fridge in an airtight container for up to one week.)
  3. Prepare your accompaniments: Add butter to a hot skillet and grill/toast baguette slices until golden brown on both sides and transfer to a serving plate. Transfer hot English mustard and cornichons to small serving bowls. Remind your guests to get a little bit of everything in every bite.

— Recipe by Erika Houle

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