Here’s a recipe for a vegetarian wellington that belongs slap-bang in the center of your Christmas table.
This veggie wellington is the vegetarian cousin of the classic wellington. By the sounds of it, you’d think this recipe is tricky to make but it’s actually simpler than you’d think.
Packed with flavor and healthy veggies, It’s an impressive and totally delicious addition to your festive spread, and I highly recommend that you add it to your recipe planning list for the holidays.
This vegetarian beef wellington is full of nutty and earthy vegetable flavors. Those flavors are seasoned and made even more delicious with the inclusion of fresh herbs, nuts, and feta cheese.
All of these tasty ingredients are wrapped up in buttery pastry and baked until golden brown. It’s a filling and hearty dish for sure; no one will leave the dinner table feeling unsatisfied. There’s nothing better than a puff pastry recipe; whether its sweet or savory, it’s going to be a crowd-pleaser.
What is a vegetarian wellington?
A vegetarian or vegetable wellington is essentially a stuffing that is made up of ground nuts, vegetables, herbs and cheese that is then encased in pastry and baked.
It's a great vegetarian alternative to the traditional beef wellington and pairs well with a number of side dishes such as Roasted Frozen Green Beans, Roasted Frozen Cauliflower or Mashed Potatoes.
Why you'll love this recipe
- It’s a scrumptious addition to your Christmas dinner or any special occasion, really.
- Considering how impressive it looks and tastes, it’s relatively simple to make.
- It's packed with veggies and herbs.
- It can be served with so many different side dishes. It’s quite a versatile addition to your menu or spread.
Ingredients & substitution notes
- Green Onion: could be replaced with with spring onion.
- Pine Nuts: could be replaced with crushed cashews or crushed hazelnuts.
- Mushrooms: I love using brown mushrooms because of their texture. You could also use shiitake or oyster mushrooms. I don't recommend regular white button mushrooms.
- Butternut Squash: balances out the savory flavors. Could be replaced with regular pumpkin or sweet potatoes.
- Soy Sauce: Use tamari for a gluten-free version.
- Feta: if you want this recipe to be daiy-free, choose vegan feta.
- Egg: to glaze, highly recommend free-range.
- Puff Pastry: You can use a regular or low-fat puff pastry that you get at most grocery stores.
See recipe card for quantities.
How to make a vegetarian wellington
STEP 1: Butternut squash. Preheat your oven to 355°F/180°C. Lay out the squash cubes on a baking tray lined with a sheet of parchment paper. Drizzle them with olive oil and season with salt and black pepper. Roast the butternut for roughly 35 minutes.
STEP 2: Pine nuts. Toast the pine nuts over medium-high heat in a dry frying pan.
STEP 3: Chop mushrooms. Add half the mushrooms into a food processor.
Pulse the mushrooms until they are crumbly in texture. Chop the other half roughly.
STEP 5: Onion & garlic. Saute the green onion and garlic in olive oil. Stir continuously to prevent burning.
STEP 6: Add mushrooms. Add all the mushrooms to the pan with the spring onion. Season with salt and add in the soy sauce. Allow the contents to simmer for about 15 minutes or until most of the liquid has evaporated. Add in the thyme, rosemary, and marjoram and allow cook for 2 more minutes.
STEP 7: Add the rest. Add the roasted butternut squash, feta cheese, pine nuts, and chestnuts to the dish.
Stir the rich mushroom filling together vigorously so that it mashes and becomes lovely and soft.
STEP 8: Compress the filling. Lay the mushroom filling into the center of piece of parchment paper.
Roll the filling inside the paper like a sausage and twist the ends of the parchment paper.
STEP 9: Puff pastry. Roll out a puff pastry sheet. Place the filling into the center of the pastry. There should be a gap of pastry running all the way around the mushroom filling.
Fold the sides of the pastry, running along the length, over. Trim the ends of the pastry.
STEP 10: Egg wash + bake. Make up an egg wash by whisking together an egg and 1 tablespoon of water in a small bowl.
Brush the pastry with egg wash and bake it in the oven until it’s golden brown.
Top Tips
- Save Time: buy pre-cut butternut squash and mushrooms.
- Cooking the Butternut: spread the butternut out in an even layer on the baking sheet. This will ensure they cook evenly.
- Type of Mushrooms: choose mushrooms with texture such as brown, shiitake, or oysters.
- Cook mushrooms until all of the water has evaporated
- To serve: Let the vegetarian wellington cool for 10 minutes before cutting it into slices. I also recommend using a serrated knife.
Variations
- Vegan: use vegan feta, omit the egg (or use oat milk to coat the pastry) and use a vegan puff pastry.
- Gluten-free: use tamari or a different type of gluten-free soy sauce and gluten-free puff pastry.
- Other types of mushrooms: shiitake or oyster are great for a veggie wellington.
- Other types of cheeses: you could add parmesan, mozzarella, or a cheddar to your mixture.
Optional add-ins
- Leafy greens: Add in a handful of baby spinach, kale or swiss chard.
- Cooked lentils: gives a lovely structure and some additional fiber.
- Something sweet: such as cranberries or raisins would also pair very well with the nutty, savory taste of the filling.
What to serve with vegetarian wellington
- Potatoes: Mashed Potatoes and Baked Potatoes go really well with this dish.
- Veggies: Try one of our veggie side dishes such as these Roasted Frozen Green Beans or Roasted Frozen Brussels Sprouts. Alternatively, you could try a veggie mix such as these delicious Winter Roasted Vegetables. For a more indulging side dish try this creamy Vegan Cauliflower Cheese.
- Sauce: My favorite sauces to combine with this wellington would be a Cranberry Sauce or this Vegetarian Gravy. For a low-fat, vegan option try this Vegan Mushroom Gravy.
- Salad: a lovely earthy and wintery salad with more toasted nuts, seeds and cheese.
- Drinks: We love serving this veggie wellington alongside our Non Alcoholic Holiday Punch or Cranberry Mocktail.
Make ahead options
This dish is great for meal prep as the whole stuffing can be prepared the evening before. Store in the fridge.
Storage
- To store: If you’re lucky enough to have any leftovers, store them in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. Ensure the wellington is completely cool before storing it.
- To freeze: You can freeze it in an airtight container for around 3 -4 months.
- To reheat: Reheat on low heat in the oven or in the microwave.
FAQs
Yes, simply choose vegan feta and omit the egg.
More holiday dishes
📖 Recipe
Vegetarian Wellington
Ingredients
Squash
- 2½ cups butternut squash cubes (~ ½ butternut squash)
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- pinch of salt
Pine Nuts
- ½ cup pine nuts
Mushoom Mix
- 2 green onions *chopped
- 3 garlic cloves *minced
- 16 oz brown mushrooms (~6 large portobello mushrooms) *cleaned and dry
- 2 tablespoon soy sauce
- pinch of salt
- 1 teaspoon thyme
- 1 teaspoon majoram
- 1 teaspoon rosmary
- 1 cup cooked chestnuts
- ¾ cup coarsley crumbled feta
- 1 egg
- puff pastry
Instructions
Squash
- Preheat oven to 355°F (180°C)
- Add the butternut squash cubes on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.2½ cups butternut squash cubes
- Season with 1 tablespoon of olive oil and a pinch of salt and roast for about 35 minutes
Pine Nuts
- In the meantime, heat a large pan over medium-low heat. Add the pine nuts and toast until they are slightly brown and begin to release their flavors (2-3 minutes). Stir constantly to avoid burning.½ cup pine nuts
Mushoom Mix
- Add half of the mushrooms to a food processor and pulse until you end up with a small, crumble like texture (see step-by-step photos). Chop the other half into small pieces.
- Heat 2 tablespoon of olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat.
- Add spring onion and garlic and cook until onion is soft. Stir once or twice to avoid burning.2 green onions, 3 garlic cloves
- Add both minced and chopped mushrooms. Season with a pinch of salt and soy sauce and let simmer over medium-low heat until all of the water has evaporated from the mushrooms (~10 minutes).2 tablespoon soy sauce
- Season with thyme, majaram and rosemary. Let simmer for 2 more minutes.1 teaspoon thyme, 1 teaspoon majoram, 1 teaspoon rosmary
- Add cooked butternut squash cubes, crumbled feta, crumbled chestnuts and pine nuts to the cooked mushroom mixture. Mash together all of the ingredients by stirring vigorously so that a sticky mass forms.¾ cup coarsley crumbled feta, 1 cup cooked chestnuts
- Spoon the mushroom filling into the center of piece of parchment paper. Roll the filling inside the paper like a sausage and twist the ends of the parchment paper to compress the filling and create a sausage shape (see step-by-step photos or video).
- Roll out a puff pastry and place the filling into the center of the pastry. Leave some space on every side.
- Fold the sides of the pastry, running along the length, over. The pastry should overlap in the middle. Trim the ends of the pastry.
- Make up an egg wash by whisking together an egg and 1 tablespoon of water in a small bowl. Use a pastry brush to lightly brush the egg wash over the pastry. Bake it in the oven for 30-35 minutes or until it’s golden brown.1 egg
Video
Notes
- Serving Size: the recipe yields 8 if everyone is served 1 slice of wellington.
- Save time: buy pre-cut butternut squash and mushrooms and meal prep. The whole stuffing can be prepared the evening before. Store in the fridge.
- Type of mushrooms: choose mushrooms with texture such as brown, shiitake, or oysters.
- Vegan: to turn this into a vegan mushroom wellington choose vegan feta, omit the egg (or replace it with oat milk), and use a vegan puff pastry.
- Gluten-free: use tamari or a different type of gluten-free soy sauce and gluten-free puff pastry.
- To store: in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. Reheat on low heat in the oven or in the microwave.
Anonymous says
This was absolutely delicious! Easy to follow instructions as well. Thanks so much!
Katie says
Thanks so much for the feedback, glad you liked it 🙂