My gorgeous vegan wellington with mushrooms and lentils features flaky, golden puff pastry wrapped around a hearty filling of lentils, mushrooms, onions, carrots and celery. Fresh herbs add irresistible flavor. Serve this soy-free and nut-free recipe at your holiday table to make a big impression!
Table of Contents
What is a wellington?
Wellington is an English-origin dish made by wrapping a loaf of meat, often beef, inside puff pastry. The loaf is then baked in the oven until the puff pastry is crispy and golden brown on the outside and the meat inside has cooked.
For my vegan wellington I replace the beef with an aromatic and nutritious filling of lentils, celery, carrots, onions and mushrooms. I caramelize the veggies with a dash of wine to build up flavor and finish with a medley of herbs before wrapping all this goodness in puff pastry that's baked until it's golden, crispy and delicious.
This vegan wellington makes a delicious and hearty dinner any time of year but it is particularly wonderful around the holidays. That's when I usually make it but no one would fault you if you wanted to eat it all year round!
Why you will love this recipe
- So much flavor and texture. That crisp puff pastry crust is both beautiful and appetizing, and its crunchy mouth feel pairs very nicely with the savory, tender lentils.
- Foolproof recipe. All the steps for making this vegan wellington are simple and straightforward and if you follow instructions you simply can't go wrong.
- Everyone will love it. You don't have to be plant-based to enjoy this wellington and it's kid-friendly recipe as well despite the mushrooms, which disappear into the savory lentil filling.
- Makes two loaves. You'll have enough to feed a large gathering or store leftovers for a delicious meal later!
Ingredients
- Dried brown lentils. Brown lentils have a wonderfully meaty and nutty flavor that works nicely in this wellington. You can also use green lentils or French puy lentils. If using canned lentils, use two 15-oz cans and drain out all liquid.
- Puff pastry sheets. Use store-bought puff pastry sheets. Many brands sold in grocery stores, including Pepperidge Farm which I used, are accidentally vegan.
- Avocado oil. Or use any neutral oil, including olive oil.
- Aromatics: garlic, onion and dried herbs, including sage, rosemary and thyme.
- Vegetables: carrots, celery, and mushrooms (crimini or button mushrooms). The veggies add flavor and umami to the vegan wellington, as well as freshness and nutrition.
- Red wine. The wine will help build up the flavor of the lentils, so try and use it if you can. The alcohol will cook out.
- Soy sauce or tamari. This will add a nice hit of umami. Leave it out if soy-free or use a soy-free soy sauce. Other substitutes are two teaspoons of vegan Worcestershire sauce (not soy-free) or a tablespoon of tomato paste.
- Dijon mustard or wholegrain mustard. The mustard adds more depth and umami to the filling.
- Unbleached all purpose flour. The flour will help soak up the moisture from the filling so the puff pastry remains crispy.
Variations
- To make a healthier vegan wellington recipe use whole wheat puff pastry. My recipe is not just wholegrain, it has half the fat you'd find in store bought puff pastry.
- You can use whole wheat flour instead of all purpose flour for the filling.
- You can make this a vegan "beef" wellington by replacing half the lentils with 14 oz of vegan beef.
- Use leeks instead of onions for even more flavor. You can also sub the mushrooms for a seasonal squash.
- Use fresh herbs instead of dried. You can use two tablespoons of fresh herbs.
- Use a mix of wild or dry mushrooms. Make sure you reconstitute them first, then cook with the rest of the filling.
How to make vegan wellington
1. Place the lentils in a saucepan, cover with an inch of water, bring to a boil, cover, and continue cooking 20-25 minutes or until lentils are tender but not mushy. Drain and set aside.
2. Heat the oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add the finely chopped carrots, celery, onions and garlic along with a dash of salt and ground black pepper. Saute, stirring frequently, until the veggies start to caramelize.
3. Add the mushrooms, saute for a minute, then add the wine. Continue to cook, stirring often, until the wine has evaporated and the mushrooms are browned.
4. Add the herbs, soy sauce or tamari, dijon mustard, salt and ground black pepper to taste.
5. Add the lentils and continue cooking until there is no visible liquid in the skillet.
6. Add the flour and mix well until the flour is absorbed by the mixture. Turn off the heat
7. Place the filling in a spot where it can cool quickly. I put it in a bowl and place it in the fridge.
8. Use a rolling pin to roll out one of the puff pastry sheets to 11 X 13 inches on a lightly floured surface.
9. Divide the lentil mixture in two and form each into a loaf. Place one loaf in the center of the rolled out puff pastry sheet.
10. Fold the puff pastry over the loaf and press in the seam. Use a little water to moisten the edges, to help the seams stick.
11. With the seam side down tuck in the ends and seal them so you have a neat-looking, fully wrapped log. Repeat with the second sheet of puff pastry and the remaining lentil-veggie mixture.
12. Using a very sharp knife, score the top of the log in a decorative pattern-- I did a crosshatch. You can coat the top with an optional wash of a teaspoon of oil or melted vegan butter mixed with a teaspoon of non-dairy milk for better color.
13. Place the wellington loaves on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
14. Place the baking sheet in the preheated 425-degree oven and bake the wellington logs for 45 minutes or until golden-brown. Remove, let the wellingtons stand for about 10 minutes, then slice and serve.
More vegan recipes featuring puff pastry
Recipe card
Vegan Wellington
Ingredients
- ¾ cup dried brown lentils (or green lentils. If using canned lentils, use two 15-oz cans. Drain out all the liquid).
- 1 teaspoon avocado oil or any neutral oil (or any vegetable oil)
- 4 cloves garlic (finely minced or crushed)
- 1 medium onion (finely chopped)
- 1 large carrot (finely chopped)
- 2 stalks celery (finely chopped)
- ½ cup red wine
- 12 oz cremini mushrooms or button mushrooms (finely chopped)
- 2 teaspoons herbs (I used a mix of thyme, sage and rosemary. If using fresh herbs, use two tablespoons and mince them).
- 2 tablespoon soy sauce (or tamari)
- 2 tablespoon dijon mustard (or wholegrain mustard)
- ¼ cup unbleached all purpose flour
- Salt and ground black pepper to taste
- 2 sheets puff pastry (thaw the frozen puff pastry sheets in refrigerator. It's easier to work with chilled puff pastry sheets rather than having them at room temperature).
For optional wash:
- 1 teaspoon nondairy milk
- 1 teaspoon avocado oil or any neutral oil (or other vegetable oil)
Instructions
- Place the lentils in a saucepan, cover with an inch of water, bring to a boil, cover, and continue cooking 10-15 minutes or until lentils are tender but not mushy. Drain and set aside.
- Preheat the oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit/220 degree Celsius.
- Heat the oil in a skillet. Add the carrots, celery, onions and garlic along with a dash of salt and ground black pepper. Saute, stirring frequently, until the veggies start to caramelize.
- Add the mushrooms, saute for a minute, then add the wine. Continue to cook, stirring often, until the wine has evaporated and the mushrooms are browned.
- Add the herbs, soy sauce or tamari, dijon mustard and salt and ground black pepper to taste.
- Add the lentils and continue cooking until there is no visible liquid in the skillet. Add the flour and mix well until the flour is absorbed by the mixture. Turn off heat and place the filling in a spot where it can cool quickly. I put it in a bowl and place it in the fridge.
- Preheat oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit/220 degrees Celsius.
- Roll out one of the puff pastry sheets to 11 X 13 inches on a lightly floured surface.Â
- Divide the lentil mixture in two and form each into a loaf. Place one loaf in the center of the rolled out puff pastry sheet.
- Fold the puff pastry over the loaf and press in the seam. Use a little water to moisten the edges, to help the seams stick.Â
- With the seam side down tuck in the ends and seal them so you have a neat-looking, fully wrapped log. Repeat with the second sheet of puff pastry and the remaining lentil-veggie mixture.
- Using a sharp knife, score the top of the log in a decorative pattern-- I did a crosshatch. You can coat the top with an optional wash of a teaspoon of oil mixed with a teaspoon of non-dairy milk for better color.
- Place the wellington loaves on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
- Place the baking sheet in the preheated oven and bake the wellington logs for 45 minutes. Remove, let the wellingtons stand for about 10 minutes, then slice and serve.
Nutrition Information
To print recipe card without images, uncheck "instruction images" after clicking the "print recipe" button.
Recipe FAQs
Most puff pastry sold in stores here in the United States is accidentally vegan, including Pepperidge Farm, the brand that's most easily available. Read labels before you purchase other brands to double-check! If you would like to make your vegan puff pastry, I have a whole wheat vegan puff pastry recipe that's also lower in fat.
Yes! Wrap the wellington after making it and before baking in freezer-safe wrap and freeze for up to three months. Bake before serving.
You can also just make the filling up to two days in advance. Refrigerate until ready to use. Then roll out the puff pastry and stuff and bake the day you want to serve the vegan wellington.
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Creamy vegan mashed potatoes and mushroom gravy are perfect with the wellington. You can also serve with a side of garlicky green beans for the perfect vegan Christmas dinner.
Reheat: Thaw and reheat the wellington in a preheated 350-degree Fahrenheit/180-degree Celsius oven until warmed through and crispy.
Refrigerate: Store the whole wellington or slices in an airtight container for up to four days.
Freeze: Wrap the wellington tightly in freezer safe wrap and place in a freezer-safe container. Freeze for up to three months.
Chris Ann says
Is it ok to make a few days ahead of time, including wrapping in pastry, and storing in refrigerator for a few days before baking?
Elayne Gardner says
Im thinking of making individual serving sizes of the Wellington instead of 1 big one… do you think that’s possible?
Vaishali Honawar says
Yes absolutely. Just cut the pastry dough into smaller sections and fill accordingly. Great idea to make individual portions.
Rose says
Love this recipe so much. I made this for Christmas for our vegan family and now it’s requested for holidays. Thank you!
Suzan says
FYI - When printed, the recipe doesn't include adding the flour to the filling. That's the last step before turning off the heat. Really glad I could go back to the article to find it --- I almost missed it!
Vaishali says
Sorry about that - glad you looked at the step-by-step instructions above the recipe card. I've added the flour back to the recipe card as well now.
Adelina says
Hi... I plan on freezing these unbaked and enjoy them later. At that time, is it best to defrost in fridge or bake from frozen? Thanks
Vaishali says
You can do either. I'd prefer freezing unbaked and then baking it from frozen the day of. Increase baking time by 10-15 minutes.
Deb says
2 questions…If I want to freeze, should I freeze a loaf baked or unbaked? 2 loaves are too much for me. Can I halve the recipe and make only 1 loaf?
Vaishali says
You can freeze the wellingtons baked or unbaked. And yes,fine to halve the recipe!
Kay says
This recipie is amazing! It's a regular meal in my home now.
Laurie says
Excellent flavor and texture! We tried this as one of our alternative to meat meals and it has become part of our regular planned meals. Easy to make and freezes great! So glad I found this recipe! Thank you!
Bren says
OMG that was awesome! I made this tonight and even my meat-eating hubby really really enjoyed it and had seconds. I didn't change a thing. It was so yummy! this is definitely a keeper!! I will make it again, especially on the holidays!! Thank you so much for this recipe!!! I served it with salad and mushroom gravy for the Mushroom/Lentil Wellington... I cannot wait to eat more but I am sooo full haha. Hoping it will taste just as good after warming up the other one in the oven tomorrow... I was going to freeze it but decided nope.... I am going to indulge... yum!!
Vaishali says
😀 So happy you and your hubby loved it. Great serving suggestions, thanks for sharing those. 🙂
Cyvarn says
Yummy!! I made this for our dinner tonight and it was delicious!! My husband wasn't looking forward to it because he is a big meat eater but he enjoyed it and was keen to take some left overs for lunch Thank you for such a yummy recipe!!
Vaishali says
So happy you and your husband loved the wellington!
Sarah says
Looks great! Can I cook from frozen? If so, what temperature in the oven and for how long? Thanks
Vaishali says
Same temp, you might need to add up to 10-15 minutes more.
Lindsey says
This is delicious, I am making it for the second time, this time to freeze for Christmas. Should I bake it before freezing, or bake first then re-heat on the day?
Vaishali says
Hi Lindsey, I'd say freeze first and bake before serving, for the crispiest puff pastry.
Shona Papillon says
Easy to make and delicious. We all loved it this Christmas.
Vanessa says
Made them last night. They came out delicious. Thank you for the recipe.
Vaishali says
So happy you loved it Vanessa! 💕
Emily says
Can one log be frozen and cooked at a later date?
Vaishali says
Yes!
Charity says
I made this recently as a special birthday dinner for myself. The filling for this recipe is absolutely delicious! Unfortunately, I had a little trouble with the pastry. I used store-bought, and I suspect it's just that I'm a complete baking novice, but I had a lot of leftover pastry crust on the ends that I had to trim off. Also, I found that the wellingtons got very dark on top after only 20-25 minutes of the baking time. Next time, should I not roll out the pastry so thin? Should I cover with foil for the first half of the baking time to prevent too much browning? I used olive oil instead of avocado oil, in case that matters. Thanks for any troubleshooting help - we really want to try this again!
Vaishali says
Hi Charity, you can cover the logs with foil if they start to brown too fast. And no need to trim excess pastry--just wrap it around because all that extra pastry equals lots of deliciousness! 🙂
Lora says
This is so good! It was the perfect meal for.my first vegetarian Christmas! My daughter and I both loved it and she said it looked so good she thought I bought it.
Vaishali says
So happy to hear! These wellingtons do look stunning, I totally agree.
Julie says
I made this for my Christmas Eve dinner and it was wonderful! Definitely a new tradition! Thank you! I took your recommendation above and added some reconstituted dried porcini mushrooms to the filling. It gave it a depth of flavor that my family loved. Again, thank you!
Vaishali says
Awesome, so happy you tried it with the dried mushrooms!
Jessica says
Could this be made 1-2 days ahead of time, then baked before serving?
Vaishali says
You can make the filling in advance, but wrap it in the puff pastry before baking.
Elena says
Could I leave/ substitute the wine without making it taste too different?
Vaishali says
Leave it out, that's fine!
Christie says
Wow. This was incredible. Thank you for a great recipe we will make over and over.
Vaishali says
Thanks for letting me know, Christie-- so happy you tried! Happy Thanksgiving.
Ida Moser says
Absolutely phenomenal!! Early Thanksgiving dinner for me and carnivore husband was incredibly excited over flavor and presentation. I have no changes nor substitutions to suggest. I will definitely prepare again. Off the grid:)
Vaishali says
Ida, so happy you tried and loved it! Thanks for letting me know. A very happy Thanksgiving to you.