Vegan Wellington
Firstly, I would like to wish you all a wonderful festive season, full of happiness, laughter, and good health.
The recipe I am sharing today is a great one for saving time! Why? This base recipe can be made for a delicious vegetarian or vegan base, then made into different dishes. Originally I was making a plant based wellington as a centrepiece, then decided to make mini bite size wellingtons. I then decided that I could add this mix to my normal sausage rolls, to elevate them to a new level! As I developed the recipe, I realised that with a few additions, the base mix could easily be turned into a nut roast, or indeed individual stuffing balls.
The Wellington Recipe
The main ingredients in this dish are mushrooms, nuts, chickpeas and butternut squash. Onion and garlic are added for extra flavour, then a few herbs and flavourings. You can of course add your own extras (ask me if you are unsure) and personalise this to your own tastes. Have a look at the recipe – it is easier than you think!
A plant based filling for wellingtons, rolls or even to create into a loaf.
- 100 g mixed nuts (I used mostly hazelnuts & brazil nuts)
- oil of choice
- 300 g butternut squash (approx half a small one)
- 100 g onion diced (approx 2 small, any colour)
- 4 cloves of garlic chopped
- 250 g chestnut mushrooms finey chopped
- 1 x 400g tin chickpeas
- 2 tablespoons tomato puree
- 2 tablespoons soya sauce
- 2-4 tablespoons milk
- 2 tablespoons nutritional yeast
- 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
- *salt to taste if required
- 1 teaspoon mixed/Italian herbs
- 1 pack of puff pastry (if making the wellington)
- 500g of above mix plus
- 150 g oats
- 100 ml natural yogurt
- 2 tablespoons sesame seeds
Chop the nuts leaving a few chunkier pieces, then dry fry in a pan for 2-3 minutes until just starting to change colour and smell fragrant. Remove from heat and set aside.
Cube the butternut squash, toss in a bit of oil, then either air fry or bake until browned and soft. This will take anything from 10-30 minutes. When cooked, you will mash it (you can use a fork).
Melt (or spray) a bit of oil in a large frying pan, then add the onion and cook until browned. Add the garlic, then the mushrooms and cook until starting to turn darker in colour.
Mash the chickpeas (you can use a fork again), then add to the mushroom mixture. Stir the tomato puree and soy sauce in, then add the mashed butternut squash, and the cooked nuts and mix to combine.
Add a splash of milk to slightly loosen the mixture if needed, and mix in. Sprinkle over the nutritional yeast, herbs and black pepper (and salt if using) and give a final mix to combine everything.
Do a taste test to make sure the seasoning is okay and adjust as necessary (the mix is fine to eat like this, but the flavours will develop once cooked).
Unroll your pastry and place your mix on it to the size you require (you can sprinkle sesame seeds on the inside of the pastry too if you wish). You can make one large wellington, or mini wellingtons, or use as a sausage roll filling. Seal the pastry, then score if you wish. Brush with milk and sprinkle with seeds if you wish. Cook at Gas Mark 6 (400f / 200c) for 10-15 minutes for small pastries, slightly longer for larger (check every 5-10 minutes until the pastry is cooked to your liking).
If making the nut roast, weigh 500g of the mix out, then add the remaining ingredients (oats, yogurt and sesame seeds – you can cook and add extra nuts or seeds if you wish too). Place in a loaf tin, level the top, sprinkle with a few more seeds if wished. Bake at Gas Mark 4 for 30-45 minutes. It is cooked when it is pulling away from the sides.
Alternatively use either mix to make individual stuffing balls either freeform or baked in silicon muffin cases (bake at gas mark 4 for 10-15 minutes depending on size).
Have fun!
Enjoy!
I’ve added a few photos of some of the stages here so you can see how it should look.
What do I need?
You can (as with most of my recipes), make this as easy or complicated as you wish! I have created this recipe to be as versatile as possible! You can play around with additions, make it spicy, add seeds, nuts, even cheese. You can roll it in pastry, on its own or with extras (try wrapping the wellington mix around whole cooked beetrot before rolling up).
If you are new to cooking or your kitchen needs a refresh, here are a few useful things for this recipe. I receive a small commission if you click and purchase through these links (this is at no additional cost to you)!
Serving
You can serve these any way you like! On their own as snacks, with a salad, as part of a roast, even slice the loaf and add to a sandwich! With gravy, without gravy. With roast vegetables or roast potatoes. If you are adventurous in your pastry shapes, why not try making a magnificent centrepiece like this tree!
Storage
These do store quite well, either in the fridge for up to five days or in the freezer for up to three months. If freezing, portion or separate with greaseproof paper, label and freeze. To reheat if there is pastry involved, it’s best to use the oven (or an airfryer) to make sure you get the crispness back.
Sharing
I hope you try this wellington recipe and see how great (& versatile) it is! I love seeing your adaptions and interpretations of my recipes and I’d love to see your photos of these! Will you make mini wellingtons, or one giant one? Will you keep the recipe as it is or will you add something? Let me know in the comments below!
Please share and tag me @LifeDietHealth or using #LifeDietHealth on Instagram, Pinterest, Facebook or Twitter.
Leave me a comment below… I love to chat!
If you are celebrating over the Festive Season I hope you have a fantastic time. Eat well (& sensibly), have fun and stay safe.
I hope to speak with you soon
Laurena x
These mini Wellingtons look nice, I like the addition of sesame seeds😋 I made a version of that Christmas pastry tree a few years ago with Nuttela…too good lol. Have a lovely festive week🎄
Thank you Eva. I love adding sesame seeds, sometimes I toast them first to get a different flavour. Ooo to a chocolate pastry tree- I think that would be hard to resist! Are you cooking on Saturday?🎄
I’m just doing the usual roast. I’ve still got a Christmas pudding from last year (it’s a Waitrose one, yay) xx
Ooo yummy, how many veg will you have on it? … I was going to make Christmas puddings but I’ve still not got around to it this year!😂
I had an embarrassing argument with hubby about sprouts in the supermarket, he took them out the trolley🤪 Instead, we’re having cabbage with chestnuts (not his favourite but tough), more red cabbage with dried cranberries haha, carrots, parsnips, sweet potatoes and regular spuds☺️
Christmas puds are supposed to be bought these days- well, that’s my excuse😄I’ve made my pastry for the mince pies, I plan to make them tomorrow. I’m hoping it works out well!🎄💚
Oh gosh… I’ve got loads of sprouts in the fridge as we rescued 6.5kg!!! Cabbage with chestnuts sounds better than just cabbage! Oh wow, well done on the pastry, send me pics please!😊