Vegan Wellington

Ingredient Notes

• Mushrooms: We are using both chanterelle and cremini mushrooms in this vegan wellington. You can really use any variety of mushroom you'd like, as long as they are chopped finely. We often make this with just cremini mushrooms since they're less expensive than other varieties. But if you're making for a special occasion, it can't hurt to add in some more flavorful wild mushrooms! Learn about the different varieties here.
• Vegetable broth: Feel free to use low sodium if preferred. (You can also make your own with vegetable scrap leftovers!)
• All purpose flour: This helps thicken up the filling so it's not too runny. If you're gluten free, feel free to sub with your favorite gluten free AP flour. In a pinch, cornstarch will work too.
• Lentils: We use brown lentils for this vegan wellington filling. They're our favorite choice for a recipe like this as they don't turn to mush! As you can see in the photos, they retain their shape perfectly and add a bit of texture to the filling. French green lentils would also be a great option.
  • Make sure NOT to use yellow or red lentils – they will not retain their shape and will turn into mush.
• Shallot: You can substitute with an equal amount of yellow onion.
• Butter: We used vegan butter, but of course if you're not vegan, regular butter is fine. You can also sub with olive oil if preferred.
• Puff pastry: We definitely do not recommend making this from scratch unless you're a pastry whiz! We typically use Pepperidge Farm puff pastry, which is naturally vegan and is available in most grocery stores across the US.
• Breadcrumbs: We prefer using panko breadcrumbs in this recipe, but feel free to substitute with regular breadcrumbs if that's what you have on hand.
• Sherry: This is an essential ingredient for depth of flavor in both the filling and the gravy. If you don't have any on hand, you can try subbing with dry vermouth or dry marsala wine.

Instructions

PREP: Remove puff pastry sheets from the freezer and let them sit out at room temperature for about 40 minutes to thaw while you make the filling. Cook lentils according to package directions. Drain well and set aside.

(1) While the lentils are cooking, add butter to a large skillet over medium heat. Once melted, add the shallots and sauté for 4-5 minutes. Add in the garlic and continue cooking for 2-3 minutes.

Add in mushrooms, celery, carrots, parsley, thyme, salt, and pepper. Cook for 7-8 minutes until the vegetables begin to soften. Increase the heat to medium high and cook for additional 4-5 minutes.

(2) Reduce heat to medium. Make a well in the middle of the mixture and pour in the sherry. Stir and let it boil for 15-20 seconds. 

Add in the dijon mustard, cooked lentils, and the breadcrumbs. Stir well and cook for 7-8 more minutes, stirring several times. Remove from heat and let cool. (For best results, refrigerate the mixture for ~1 hour.)

Preheat oven to 400˚F/ 205˚C.

While your vegan wellington is baking, add butter to a small saucepan over medium heat. Add shallots and sauté for 3-4 minutes, then stir in the mushrooms, thyme, salt and pepper. 

In a small bowl, whisk together the flour and broth until no lumps remain. Add to the mushroom mixture with sherry and bring to a boil, stirring often. Reduce heat to medium low and cook for 5 minutes, until it starts to thicken. Reduce to low and cook for additional 10 minutes. Serve warm over the wellington.

Pro Tips and Notes

• This recipe makes two vegan wellingtons. This is simply because of the size of store-bought puff pastry. The sheets are too small to fit the entire filling, but if you cut the recipe in half, it only serves around 4 people. Since this recipe is often made for the holidays, we decided to use both puff pastry sheets and simply divide the filling between both. If you're using a larger sheet of puff pastry (or a homemade version), you may be able to fit all of the filling on one sheet.
• Trim any excess puff pastry! The first time we tested this recipe, we didn't trim the excess and the bottom ended up not cooking through because it was too thick. Nobody wants gloopy, undercooked pastry, so be sure to trim as much as you can!
• Shape the filling as tightly as possible. If it's loosely shaped, your vegan wellington may fall apart slightly when you slice it. The tighter you pack it together, the better it will cut.
• Check throughout the cooking process: To ensure that the puff pastry gets that signature golden brown color, make sure to check the wellington throughout the baking process. We typically find the perfect time is around 55 minutes for the exterior and interior to be fully cooked. It may look like it's done around 45 minutes, but the extra 10 minutes allows the bottom to finish cooking.
• Serving: For a stunning main dish, we like to serve our vegan wellington on a platter surrounded by fresh seasonal produce and herbs. It's completely optional, but makes for a gorgeous centerpiece for your holiday table! Serve the gravy warm on the side so each guest can decide how much they want.
• Serve this vegan wellington with other holiday classics like mashed potatoes, green beans, cranberry sauce, Waldorf salad and more.