I hope you are having a lovely holiday season!  Hubs and I are so enjoying being with all the kids.  There is truly nothing better. Once the kids leave, you relish any time you spend with them!  We had the best visit with my family on Long Island and now we are in Utah with Hubs’s family.  I will pray for good snow but mild temps!  I’m such a wimp.  If you want a super impressive and delicious main dish for a night in or for a New Year’s dinner, I have you covered.  I served this Mushroom Wellington at a dinner party last year, and I couldn’t believe how everyone went crazy for it – even the carnivores!

Why you’ll love this recipe

• it’s a showstopper main dish; 
• it will please vegetarians and omnivores alike;
• you can do all the prep in advance;
• if you find vegan puff pastry, you can make this 100% vegan.

Ingredients

• Mushrooms – I like to use a mix of portobello and other mushrooms, such as cremini and/or shiitake. The mushrooms provide a nice meaty texture and savoriness. 
• Shallot – are milder than regular onions. Feel free to use a regular onion if you can’t find them in your local market. 
• Garlic – is so delicious when sautéed with mushrooms. I keep a jar of peeled garlic (I peel myself) in the fridge to use throughout the week. Total game changer!
• Rosemary – pairs nicely with beef which is what is traditionally used in Wellington, hence why I’m using it here. If you don’t have fresh rosemary, you can use 1/3 of the amount dried. In this case that would be 1 teaspoon. 
• Thyme – is another favorite herb to use in meat-based recipes. You can also use dried thyme if you don’t have fresh.  
• Soy Sauce – is delicious with mushrooms and provides a nice umami flavor. Shoyu is a high quality soy sauce. Use tamari for a gluten-free option or coconut aminos if you can’t have soy products. 
• Tomato paste – my favorite is the one from Bionaturae that comes in a glass jar. 
• Lentils – are hearty and a great source of plant-based protein. I often use them as a meat substitute sub. Look for pre-cooked lentils if it helps you.  I don’t recommend using split lentils because they fall apart when cooked and become mushy. 
• Flour – you’ll need this for dusting your countertop when rolling out the pastry dough. I usually use all-purpose flour. 
• Puff pastry – No one should make puff pastry from scratch! I find this in the freezer section near the ice cream and other frozen desserts. They usually come in round sheets, but I prefer a rectangular shape if you can find that. Puff pastry needs to be thawed before using using it.  There are gluten-free and vegan options out there. Check your local grocery stores!
• Egg – I use this to brush on the pastry for a nice golden color. Refer to the notes at the bottom of the recipe for a vegan egg wash alternative. 

How to make it? 

1. Remove the stems from the portobello mushrooms, wipe clean and set aside with the mushroom mix you will be using in the next step. Scrape out the gills with a spoon and discard. Slice off the excess mushroom rim that curls over the gills and set aside with the mushroom stems. (You are making sure the stem side has a flat surface so it will sear properly.) Heat 2 Tablespoons olive oil in a large (12-inch) skillet over medium-high and cook the mushrooms, gill-side down, until caramelized, about 4 to 5 minutes, then flip and cook until softened, about 4 more minutes. Transfer to a wire rack, gill-side down, to cool.
2. Prepare the mushroom filling: Roughly chop the mixed mushrooms, reserved portobello stems and rim ends. I do this in the food processor in batches. You want them chopped, not minced. You can also chop the shallots and garlic in the food processor after you’re done with the mushrooms. You can use the same skillet you used earlier, just give it a quick wipe clean. Working in two batches, warm a few Tablespoons of olive oil over medium-high heat. Add about half the mushrooms, shallots and garlic, and season lightly with salt and generously with pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until caramelized and tender, about 10 minutes. Transfer to a medium bowl and repeat with the remaining mushrooms, shallots, and garlic. When the second batch is tender, add the herbs and cook until fragrant, about 2 minutes.
3. Add the soy sauce and tomato paste to the skillet with the mushrooms and cook over medium-high, scraping the bottom of the pan to deglaze, until the liquid evaporates, 3 to 5 minutes. Transfer the mushroom mixture back to the medium bowl and stir in the cooked lentils. At this point, you want to allow the mixture to cool to room temperature before proceeding to the next step. If you’re in a pinch, you can spread the mushroom mixture evenly on a half sheet pan and refrigerate until cool.
4. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Line a half sheet pan with unbleached parchment paper. Place the piece of parchment paper on the counter and lightly dust it with flour. Unfold your thawed puff pastry and set it on the parchment. Using a lightly floured rolling pin, roll the pastry out into a 13 x 16-inch rectangle (about the size of a half sheet pan, which measures 13 x 18 inches). Transfer the parchment paper and puff pastry to the sheet pan. Position the sheet pan so that one of the 16-inch sides is closest to you. Arrange half the cooked mushroom mixture in a crosswise strip going down the center of the puff pastry (it should be about 4 x 10 inches), leaving a 1½-inch border at the ends. Lay the portobello mushrooms on top of the mixed mushroom mixture, stem-side down. (If the portobellos are too large to all fit in a row, square off the edges so the cut sides lay snugly without overlapping). Spoon the remaining mushroom mixture on top of the filling, covering the portobello mushrooms, then gently pack the mushroom mixture to form an even layer on top. (You can shape this the same way you might shape a freeform meatloaf).
5. To assemble, lift one side of the puff pastry over the mushroom filling to almost completely cover it. Brush the surface of the puff pastry covering the mushrooms with the beaten egg. 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, then gently press the top layer of pastry onto the lower layer using your fingertips to seal. Brush the insides of the short ends of the puff pastry and press to seal.
6. Brush the exposed puff pastry on top with the remaining beaten egg. Decorate the top of the puff pastry as you like: Create a cross-hatch pattern by gently slicing through only the top layer of puff pastry in parallel lines, then cutting parallel lines in another direction. (Apply very little pressure, as you only want to cut through the top layer of puff pastry, not the second layer.) You can also slice small decorative vents in the puff pastry (be sure to slice all the way through both layers of puff pastry), or top with additional strips or shapes made from egg-washed puff pastry.
7. Transfer to the middle rack in the oven and bake until puff pastry is deep golden and flaky, 45 to 50 minutes. Let cool slightly on the baking sheet, about 10 minutes.
8. To serve the mushroom Wellington, cut it crosswise into 8 even slabs. (Each slab will include a pretty cross-section showcasing the halved portobello mushroom in the center; this is considered the presentation side.) Serve each piece presentation-side up.

Tips

• You want to prepare the portobellos and the mushroom filling in advance, so you are using it at room temp or cold so that the puff pastry doesn’t get too soft. I like to make the filling the day before or morning of. 
• Lentils increase in size by 2 1/2 times when cooked. If you’re cooking lentils from scratch, you can start with 1/2 to 3/4 cup dry lentils. Cook until tender and drain before using in this recipe. 
• Puff pastry should be used cold and baked cold.  Roll it out, fill it with room temp or cold filling and bake.

Substitutions

• To make the entire dish vegan, use vegan puff pastry and vegan egg wash (see notes at the bottom of the recipe) for brushing pastry. 
• Soy sauce – tamari or coconut aminos
• Schar has a gluten-free puff pastry.  Dufour and Pepperidge Farm have vegan puff pastry.

Other recipes you may like

*Vegan Lentil Shepherd’s Pie

*Lasagna-Style Stuffed Mushrooms

*Butternut Squash Lasagne with with Mushrooms, Sage, Kale, and Cashew-Cauliflower Bechamel

*Vegetarian Eggplant Meatballs

*Deconstructed Stuffed Cabbage Casserole

*The Best Turkey Meatloaf

*Onion Braised Grass-Fed Brisket

If you give this recipe a try, snap a pic and tag @pamelasalzman so I can see your beautiful creations. I also really appreciate readers taking the time to leave a rating and review! Subscribe for free to my site for the latest recipes,  updates and things I’m loving lately.  If you enjoy this recipe, I taught it last year in my online class!  Give me an hour a month, and I’ll make you a better, healthier cook!

Vegetarian Mushroom Wellington

Pamela

5 from 1 vote

Print Recipe

Servings 8

Ingredients

  

1x2x3x

• For the mushroom filling:
• 4 large Portobello mushrooms each about 3 inches wide (8 to 10 ounces total), wiped clean with a damp paper towel
• Unrefined cold-pressed extra-virgin olive oil divided
• Sea salt and black pepper
• 1 ½ pounds whatever mushrooms you like wiped clean with a damp paper towel (or to save time you can buy pre-cleaned and sliced mushrooms)
• 4 large shallots finely chopped
• 6 garlic cloves finely chopped
• 1 Tablespoon fresh rosemary leaves finely chopped or 1 teaspoon dried rosemary
• 1 Tablespoon fresh thyme leaves chopped or 1 teaspoon dried thyme
• 2 Tablespoons shoyu tamari or coconut aminos
• 2 Tablespoons tomato paste
• 9 ounces pre-cooked lentils about 2 cups
• For assembling:
• All-purpose flour for dusting
• 1 14-ounce package puff pastry, preferably a rectangular piece (vegan or gluten-free, if necessary)
• 1 large egg beaten (see notes for vegan egg wash)

Instructions

 

• Remove the stems from the portobello mushrooms, wipe clean and set aside with the mushroom mix you will be using in the next step. Scrape out the gills with a spoon and discard. Slice off the excess mushroom rim that curls over the gills and set aside with the mushroom stems. (You are making sure the stem side has a flat surface so it will sear properly.) Heat 2 Tablespoons olive oil in a large (12-inch) skillet over medium-high and cook the mushrooms, gill-side down, until caramelized, about 4 to 5 minutes, then flip and cook until softened, about 4 more minutes. Transfer to a wire rack, gill-side down, to cool.
• Prepare the mushroom filling: Roughly chop the mixed mushrooms, reserved portobello stems and rim ends. I do this in the food processor in batches. You want them chopped, not minced. You can also chop the shallots and garlic in the food processor after you’re done with the mushrooms. You can use the same skillet you used earlier, just give it a quick wipe clean. Working in two batches, warm a few Tablespoons of olive oil over medium-high heat. Add about half the mushrooms, shallots and garlic, and season lightly with salt and generously with pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until caramelized and tender, about 10 minutes. Transfer to a medium bowl and repeat with the remaining mushrooms, shallots, and garlic. When the second batch is tender, add the herbs and cook until fragrant, about 2 minutes.
• Add the soy sauce and tomato paste to the skillet with the mushrooms and cook over medium-high, scraping the bottom of the pan to deglaze, until the liquid evaporates, 3 to 5 minutes. Transfer the mushroom mixture back to the medium bowl and stir in the cooked lentils. At this point, you want to allow the mixture to cool to room temperature before proceeding to the next step. If you’re in a pinch, you can spread the mushroom mixture evenly on a half sheet pan and refrigerate until cool.
• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Line a half sheet pan with unbleached parchment paper. Place the piece of parchment paper on the counter and lightly dust it with flour. Unfold your thawed puff pastry and set it on the parchment. Using a lightly floured rolling pin, roll the pastry out into a 13 x 16-inch rectangle (about the size of a half sheet pan, which measures 13 x 18 inches). Transfer the parchment paper and puff pastry to the sheet pan. Position the sheet pan so that one of the 16-inch sides is closest to you. Arrange half the cooked mushroom mixture in a crosswise strip going down the center of the puff pastry (it should be about 4 x 10 inches), leaving a 1½-inch border at the ends. Lay the portobello mushrooms on top of the mixed mushroom mixture, stem-side down. (If the portobellos are too large to all fit in a row, square off the edges so the cut sides lay snugly without overlapping). Spoon the remaining mushroom mixture on top of the filling, covering the portobello mushrooms, then gently pack the mushroom mixture to form an even layer on top. (You can shape this the same way you might shape a freeform meatloaf.)
• To assemble, lift one side of the puff pastry over the mushroom filling to almost completely cover it. Brush the surface of the puff pastry covering the mushrooms with the beaten egg. 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, then gently press the top layer of pastry onto the lower layer using your fingertips to seal. Brush the insides of the short ends of the puff pastry and press to seal.
• Brush the exposed puff pastry on top with the remaining beaten egg. Decorate the top of the puff pastry as you like: Create a cross-hatch pattern by gently slicing through only the top layer of puff pastry in parallel lines, then cutting parallel lines in another direction. (Apply very little pressure, as you only want to cut through the top layer of puff pastry, not the second layer.) You can also slice small decorative vents in the puff pastry (be sure to slice all the way through both layers of puff pastry), or top with additional strips or shapes made from egg-washed puff pastry.
• Transfer to the middle rack in the oven and bake until puff pastry is deep golden and flaky, 45 to 50 minutes. Let cool slightly on the baking sheet, about 10 minutes.
• To serve the mushroom Wellington, cut it crosswise into 8 even slabs. (Each slab will include a pretty cross-section showcasing the halved portobello mushroom in the center; this is considered the presentation side.) Serve each piece presentation-side up.

Notes

Vegan egg wash: whisk all ingredients together in a bowl.
1 Tablespoon aquafaba (liquid in a can of chickpeas)
1 Tablespoon plain, unsweetened almond or cashew milk
1 Tablespoon neutral flavored oil such as olive oil or avocado oil
½ teaspoon pure maple syrup or brown rice syrup

Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!