Vegan Wellington is a show stopping entree perfect for special occasions. Flavorful lentil mushroom filling is wrapped in crisp puff pastry.

Baked vegan wellington on a white serving platter with sage and thyme.

When it comes to the holidays, choosing a vegan entree can be the most intimidating. What can stand in for Thanksgiving turkey or Christmas ham?

Look no further than this vegan wellington. It is show stopingly beautiful and has more flavor than a turkey ever could.

Reasons to love this recipe!

It is a stunning vegan or vegetarian main dish for dinner parties or the holidays.
Make it in advance! Prep and store the wellington in the fridge up to 3 days in advance for a stress free party.
It's vegan, vegetarian, and can even be made gluten free!

A slice of vegan wellington so you can see the mushroom lentil filling.

Ingredients and substitutions:

Lentils - use dry brown or French green lentils. Red lentils are too soft for this recipe. We need lentils with some chew to add texture.
Flaxseed meal - mixed with water, this helps to bing the filling together acting as an egg replacer.
Olive oil - for sautéing the veggies. You can also use grapeseed, avocado oil, etc.
Crimini mushrooms - or white button.
Shiitake mushrooms - or more crimini.
Onion - yellow, white or use a whole shallot.
Celery - helps develop our flavor base and adds texure.
Garlic - freshly minced only!
Salt and pepper - brings out the flavor of the filling.
Tomato paste - adds depth of flavor.
Sage and thyme - fresh herbs add holiday flavor. You can also use 1 teaspoon each dried if you don't have fresh.
Miso - adds complexity, umami, and saltiness. I use Miso Master brand mellow white miso or chickpea miso. Both are vegan and gluten free.
Dijon mustard - another ingredient that helps build umami. You could also use country style or whole grain mustard.
Vegan Worcestershire - adds amazing depth of flavor! I definitely recommend investing in a bottle.
Walnuts - chopped walnuts add texture to the mix. You could substitute chopped pecans.
Vegan puff pastry - store bought or homemade. More on puff pastry below!
Vegan egg wash - 2 tablespoons almond milk mixed with 1 teaspoon agave nectar or maple syrup. Or you can use melted vegan butter.

How to make vegan wellington:

Cook the lentils: Add the lentils to a pot and cover generously with water. Bring to a simmer and cook until tender. Drain and add to a large bowl. Mash with a potato masher until half of the lentils are broken up.

Sauté the veggies: Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add in the mushrooms and cook, stirring occasionally, until browned. Add in the onion, celery, garlic, and cook until softened. Stir in the salt, pepper, sage, thyme, tomato pasta and cook until fragrant.

Mix: To the bowl with the lentils, stir in the miso, mustard, and Worcestershire sauce. Mix in the vegetable mixture and the walnuts.

Wrap: Roll out the puff pastry into a 9x13 inch rectangle. Spoon the filling into the center of the puff pastry, packing it into a tight log with your hands. Fold the long sides over the middle. On the ends, cut out the overlapping puff pastry to prevent it from getting doughy (see photos). Fold the ends up over the log, sealing in the filling. Gently pick up and place the wellington seam side down on your baking sheet.

Bake: Score the top of the wellington with shallow cuts in a hatch pattern. Brush the top and sides with vegan egg wash and bake until golden brown.

Mushrooms, onions, and celery cooking with spices in a cast iron skillet.

Storage:

Store any leftovers in a lidded container in the fridge for 3-5 days. Reheat leftovers in the microwave until warmed through or in a 350 degree oven.

Can vegan wellington be made ahead?

Yes! This vegan wellington can be prepped in advance. Simply prepare the wellington and stop just after applying the puff pastry. Tightly wrap it in plastic wrap, place it on a sheet pan (this provides support) seam side down, and place it in the fridge for up to 3 days.

When you're ready to cook, unwrap the wellington and place it on your sheet pan. Score the top of the dough, brush it with vegan egg wash, and bake according to the recipe instructions.

Vegan Puff Pastry 101

To ensure this recipe is completely vegan, you will need to use vegan puff pastry. Two common grocery store brands, and many store brands too, are fully vegan. Look for Pepperidge Farm and Wewalka brands of puff pastry. I find both of these at my local Kroger chain (for me it's Fred Meyer).

You can also use Scar gluten free puff pastry which is both vegan and gluten free. I find this at a local health food store, but Safeway sometimes has it too.

How to achieve the perfect bake

This vegan wellington takes some time to make, and because of that, you want to ensure the perfect bake. Here are some tips to ensure your vegan wellington comes out golden brown and perfectly cooked every time!

Cut off excess puff pastry: You need enough pastry to overlap by 1-2 inches to seal in the filling, but any excess beyond that will cause the puff pastry to bake up doughy, instead of crisp. Trim off any excess at the center seam and whan folding in the short edges, cut out the overlapping dough created by the center seam. See photos above for a visual.

Score the top: Once your vegan wellington is wrapped with puff pastry, place it seam side down on your baking sheet and score the top with a sharp knife. I like to make a diagonal check or hash pattern. In addition to looking nice, this helps the filling release steam as it cooks and helps the pastry cook crisp instead of waterlogged from the filling.

Brush with egg was equivalent: If you are vegetarian only, brush this wellington with egg wash to help create a golden brown crust. If you're vegan, use a vegan egg wash of 2 tablespoons non-dairy milk and 1 teaspoon agave. It will not be as golden as with traditional egg wash, but it still helps with browning.

Vegan Wellington