Mushroom Wellington
A festive, vegan spin on a classic beef wellington, this mushroom wellington is made for special occasions! With two types of mushrooms, lentils, walnuts, and butternut squash, this showstopping mushroom wellington is perfect for Thanksgiving and Christmas. With step-by-step photos.
Are you ready for the most incredible main dish for the holiday season? This mushroom Wellington is a crowd-pleasing, show-stopping main dish! With layers of mushrooms, lentils, butternut squash, and plenty of fresh herbs, this Wellington is worth the effort.
As a plant-based dietitian, I’m always on the hunt for main dishes that celebrate the beauty of plants and this mushroom wellington is it!
It does have a lot of steps, but none of them are difficult. To ensure the perfect vegan Wellington, I’ve got step-by-step directions with photos below, or scroll all the way down to the recipe card to see the exact amounts.
Everything You Need to Make this Mushroom Wellington
Ingredients
- Portabello mushrooms
- Mixed mushrooms
- Shallots
- Garlic cloves
- Fresh rosemary and thyme leaves
- Soy sauce
- Tomato paste
- Cooked lentils
- Walnuts
- Butternut squash
- Puff pastry
Ingredients for the Onion Filling
- Onions
- Brown sugar
- Apple juice or apple cider
- Balsamic vinegar
- Coconut milk or melted butter for the “egg wash”
You need an egg wash to get a nice brown crust on this Wellington. You can use full-fat coconut milk, melted vegan butter, or even an egg alternative, like just egg. If you don’t need this to be vegan, then you can use a whisked egg for the egg wash.
Substitution Notes
I know there are a lot of steps for this mushroom Wellington, but all of the layers are needed to create the perfect balance of texture and flavor. I don’t recommend omitting any of them for best results.
Button mushrooms or cremini mushrooms are fine for the mushroom mixture, or you can use wild mushrooms if you want a fancier Wellington. Oyster, shiitake, or even more portobello mushrooms will work.
You can omit the tomato paste if desired; it’s added for an extra hit of plant-based umami. The walnuts also add a nice texture, but it is OK to omit them if you like.
For the lentils, make sure they are cooked! For ease, you can use canned lentils or even the precooked lentils that are in some grocery stores in the refrigerated section, like Trader Joe’s.
Step-by-Step Directions for Making Mushroom Wellington
Make the squash
Finely dice the squash. It will be easier to pack if the cubes are smaller. Toss together the squash with olive oil and salt and roast until tender. Set aside.
Make the portabello mushrooms
Sear the portabello mushrooms in a large skillet until browned on each side. Season with salt and pepper. Set aside.
Finely mince the other mushrooms
Place the mixed mushrooms into a food processor and pulse until chopped but not mushy. Add the shallots and garlic and pulse until minced.
Cook the mushrooms
Saute the mushrooms in olive oil until all the water is removed and they are starting to brown. Add in the soy sauce and tomato paste and cook another 5 minutes. Remove from heat and fold in the lentils and walnuts.
Make the onions
Cook the onions with the remaining olive oil, salt and pepper. Let them cook slowly until just browned, then add in the apple juice and cook until rich and dark in color, which can take 30 minutes. Add in the balsamic vinegar, then remove from heat and set aside to cool.
Assemble the Wellington
Place a piece of parchment paper on your counter and lightly dust it with flour. Unfold your thawed puff pastry onto the parchment paper and roll it out into a 13-inch-by-16-inch rectangle.
Add the mushrooms
Add half of the mushrooms to the center of the puff pastry.
Add the onions
Place the onions over the mushrooms.
Add the butternut squash
Add the butternut squash on top of the mushrooms and onions.
Add the portabello mushrooms
Lay the portabello mushrooms over the onions and chopped mushrooms.
Spoon the remaining mushrooms
Add the remaining mushroom mixture onto the portabello mushroom, then gently pack the mushroom mixture to form an even layer on top, shaping it like a freeform meatloaf.
Lift one side of the puff pastry over the mixture
Stretch one side of the puff pastry over the mixture, then wash with the egg wash alternative of choice. See post for ideas.
Wrap the rest of the puff pastry over
Lift the remaining puff pastry flap over the egg-washed puff pastry, gently stretching it as needed. Then press down to seal. Brush the insides of the puff pastry and press to seal, tucking both sides underneath.
Refrigerate, then bake
Place the log in the fridge for at least an hour. Heat the oven to 400 degrees F, then brush the top of the puff pastry with coconut milk and decorate as you like. Bake until puff pastry is deep golden and flaky, 45-50 minutes. Let cool slightly on the baking sheet, 10 minutes before slicing.
Tips for Success
Make sure to season each layer and taste– you won’t be able to change the seasoning after it’s assembled, so I like to make sure that each layer tastes great. If you do that, then you’re guaranteed the most incredible vegan mushroom Wellington!
You need puff pastry for this; regular pie crust won’t work the same way and shouldn’t be substituted for vegan puff pastry. Yes, most puff pastry on the market is naturally vegan!
Can I make this ahead of time?
As this is an involved recipe, you may want to know if you can make this ahead of time. Especially if you want to serve for the holidays.
To prep ahead of time, you have a few different options. The first is to prep each of the ingredients ahead of time– cooking the portabello mushrooms, making the mushroom and lentil mixture, roasting the butternut squash, and cooking the onions. This can be done the day before.
To cook this for the holidays, assemble the Wellington in the morning and then place it in the fridge before placing it in the oven to bake.
How to Serve
Serve this one with your favorite holiday side dishes! I love this alongside my slow cooker potatoes or vegan mashed potatoes, mushroom gravy, vegan stuffing, and fresh green bean casserole.
This mushroom wellington is a showstopping main dish, and the effort to prepare it makes it a special dinner or holiday main.
More Vegan Holiday Recipes
- Pumpkin Pie with Graham Cracker Crust
- French Toast Casserole
- Orange Cranberry Bread
- Vegan Pecan Pie Cheesecake Bars
- The Best Vegan Stuffing
More Mushroom Recipes
- Best Vegan Mushroom Gravy
- Mushroom Fettuccine Alfredo
- Vegan Potato Tacos with Mushrooms
- Mushroom Fajitas with Cashew Queso Blanco
- Mushroom Galette
If you make this mushroom wellington, make sure to come back to leave a rating and a comment. Seeing you make my recipe makes my day, and your feedback helps other readers!
Mushroom Wellington
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 cup finely diced butternut squash
- 3 tablespoons olive oil, divided
- Salt and pepper
- 2 small onions, peeled and sliced
- 1 teaspoon brown sugar
- 1 cup apple juice, or apple cider
- 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
- 3 large portabello mushrooms
- 1 pound mixed mushrooms, I used baby bella and white button
- 4 large shallots
- 6 cloves garlic
- 1 tablespoon rosemary leaves, or 1 teaspoon dried
- 1 tablespoon thyme leaves, or 1 teaspoon dried
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1 cup cooked lentils*
- 1/2 cup walnuts, chopped and toasted
- 1 puff pastry, thawed
- Coconut milk, melted vegan butter, egg substitute, or whisked egg for egg wash
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Toss the butternut squash with 1 tablespoon olive oil and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Place in a single layer on a baking sheet and roast for 20-25 minutes, until tender, stirring halfway through. Remove and set aside.
- Clean portabellos with a damp cloth. Remove the stem and gills and trim the curled edge. Brush both sides with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Add the portabello mushrooms and sear until caramelized, about 5 minutes on each side. Remove from pan and allow to cool.
- While the portabellos are cooking, clean the mushrooms with a damp cloth. Place in a food processor and pulse until they are chopped but not mushy. Depending on the size of your food processor, you may need to do this in batches. Remove and add in the shallots and garlic. Pulse until minced.
- Heat a tablespoon of olive oil over medium heat in the same skillet you just cooked your portabello mushrooms in. Add the chopped mushrooms, shallots, garlic, rosemary and thyme. Cook until all the water is removed from the mushrooms and they start to brown about 8 minutes.
- Add in the soy sauce and tomato paste, and cook another 5 minutes. Remove from heat and fold in the lentils and walnuts. Taste, adding more salt/pepper as desired. This is the bulk of your Wellington filling, so make sure it's seasoned the way you like!
- Remove the mushroom filling and set aside. In the same skillet, heat the remaining tablespoon of olive oil over medium-low heat and add the onions, sugar, and a generous pinch of salt and pepper. Cook, stirring often, until they start to brown, about 5-10 minutes. Stir in the apple juice and continue to cook until they have a rich dark brown color, about 20-30 minutes. Add in the balsamic vinegar, remove from heat, and set aside to cool.
- Now that you have all of your parts, it’s time to assemble!
- Place a piece of parchment paper on your counter and lightly dust it with flour. Unfold your thawed puff pastry on the parchment paper. Using a lightly floured rolling pin, roll the pastry out into a 13-inch by 16-inch rectangle.
- Arrange half of the cooked mushroom mixture in a 4-by-10-inch strip in the center of the puff pastry. Top with caramelized onions, then butternut squash, then portobello mushrooms.
- Spoon the remaining mushroom mixture on top, covering the portobello mushrooms, then gently pack the mushroom mixture to form an even layer on top, shaping it like a freeform meatloaf.
- Lift one side of the puff pastry over the filling to almost completely cover it. Brush the surface of the puff pastry, covering the mushrooms with coconut milk or egg wash of choice. Lift the remaining puff pastry flap over the “egg washed” puff pastry, gently stretching it if need be, to create a second layer of puff pastry on top. Gently press the top layer of the pastry onto the lower layer to seal. Brush the insides of the short ends of the puff pastry and press to seal, tucking both sides underneath.
- Refrigerate the log for at least an hour.
- Heat oven to 400 degrees. Brush the top of the Wellington with more coconut milk or egg wash, then decorate the puff pastry as you like: cross-hatch pattern or slice in decorative vents. Bake until deep golden and flaky, about 45-50 minutes. Let the Wellington cool slightly on the baking sheet for about 10 minutes before slicing.