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The Perfect Vegetarian Vegetable Wellington Recipe

We came up with this vegetable wellington because we wanted to have a delicious vegetarian main dish available for a special occasion like Christmas!

Festive meals tend to be meat dominated, so it’s easy to feel hard done by if you aren’t eating meat! However, this does not need to be case.

You can still enjoy an indulgent Christmas dinner without waiving your commitment to vegetarianism! Let me show you how!

Vegetable Wellington is served on the white rectangular plate, which is on the red tablecloth | Hurry The Food Up

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There are many options for a vegetarian Christmas dinner centre piece. The classic is a nut roast, which I absolutely love. However, you might want to switch it up a bit if you’re used to eating nut roasts every year.

That’s where a vegetable wellington comes in. Crispy, golden flaky pastry decorated with festive star shapes, wrapping a hearty vegetable mixture with feta – what’s not to love?

Plus, it’s a healthier option than some of the heavily processed fake ‘meats’ that you can find on the shelves near Christmas time. I don’t want to even think about all the weird ingredients that go into making that ‘meaty’ flavor!

Not to mention that, in my opinion anyway, they are usually quite bland tasting…I’d pick a flavorful vegetable wellington over fake turkey any day!

Ingredients

Leek

I love leeks for their sweet, rich, oniony flavor, and soft texture. They complement the sweet potatoes beautifully.

Sweet potato

These add bulk and a pop of color to the wellington stuffing, aside from the obvious – their delicious flavor! Feel free to substitute for butternut squash if that is all you have access to! The effect is much the same.

Chestnuts

A festive favorite! Sweet, soft, buttery chestnuts are the perfect addition to this veggie wellington. If you want to up the festive flavors even more, why not throw in a handful of dried cranberries too? If you need a replacement, tried chopped portobello mushrooms, walnuts or smoked tofu!

Spinach

Spinach is a great healthy addition to any dish and I love it in this wellington. If you don’t have spinach, some finely chopped kale will also work!

Thyme

Fresh thyme adds a gorgeous herbaceous flavor to this dish. You are welcome to use dried thyme if you can’t get hold of the fresh stuff, or to switch it out for rosemary or sage. Or whack them all in and see what happens!

Salad cheese

Salad cheese is a soft cow’s milk cheese, a little like feta. If you can’t get hold of any, then feta will also do the job. The sharpness of the cheese balances the earthy, mild flavors of the nuts, veggies and thyme.

Puff pastry

Flaky puff pastry is what makes this dish so irresistible and indulgent. It is easiest to buy ready made pastry (though you are of course welcome to try to make it yourself!). What’s more, if you buy vegan puff pastry and cut out the cheese, then you have yourself a vegan Christmas dinner!

Vegetable Wellington ingredients like chestnuts, leek, onion, sweet potato, garlic, spinach | Hurry The Food Up

How many calories are in this vegetable wellington?

This vegetable wellington contains 776 calories per serving, and it contains 13g protein per serving.

Here’s a quick overview of 1 serving:

kcal 776kcal

Carbs 75g

Fat 48g

Protein 13g

Health benefits

I’m not too worried about the health benefits for holiday meal! It’s Christmas after all – if there is any time to put aside those concerns and indulge yourself, it’s the festive season!

So this isn’t one of our super lean, protein packed, calorie controlled dishes. However, you can rest assured that it is made of healthy whole food ingredients and is considerably healthier than a classic beef wellington.

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How to make the best vegetable wellington?

  • Chop the leeks and onions and fry in butter in a large skillet over a medium heat. To lower the saturated fat, fry in olive oil instead.
  • Dice the sweet potato and add to the frying pan with garlic and thyme. Cook for 5 minutes.
  • Crush the chestnuts with a fork and add to pan. Cook for a couple of minutes.
  • Add the spinach and turn off the heat. Keep stirring. Let it cool.
  • Crumble the cheese into the mix.
  • Pour onto a sheet of cling film spread out on your work surface.
  • Shape the mixture into a ‘log’.
  • Wrap the clingfilm tightly around the ‘log’ and store in the fridge for an hour.
  • Lay the sheet of puff pastry out and slide the log of filling into the center of the puff pastry.
  • Wrap the pastry around the filling, dabbing a little water at the edges and pressing down with a fork to help them stick together.
  • Cut any leftover pastry into fun festive shapes and decorate the top of the wellington. If you want, use a pastry brush to apply an egg wash now.
  • Bake for 35 minutes on a sheet of parchment paper, with your oven temperature at a medium-high heat! Serve in thick slices.
Vegetable Wellington''s ingredients being cooked in a frying pan | Hurry The Food Up
Vegetable Wellington's ingredients rolling into puff pastrys | Hurry The Food Up

If you have any questions about preparing/storing/reheating this vegetable wellington, we have answers for you here!

FAQs

Can I make this ahead?

Yes! You can make the filling ahead and store it in the fridge in an airtight container / plastic wrap for a few days. However, I would not recommend assembling the wellington in the pastry until the day you intend to cook it, as it will get soggy and not become golden brown and crispy.

How to store and reheat?

Store leftovers in the fridge or freezer and reheat in the oven! You can store this in the fridge for up to 3/4 days, or in the freezer for a month. You can also microwave your leftovers, but this will make the pastry go soggy.

What to serve with vegetable wellington?

Roast potatoes or roast vegetables are nice to serve with vegetable wellington. And all your usual Christmas side dishes work too! Roast potatoes, roast vegetables, gravy, brussel sprouts, cranberry sauce etc. You don’t even need to serve it with anything, as it works well by itself.

What does Wellington mean in food?

Wellington refers to a dish where meat or vegetables are wrapped in pastry in a long cylindrical shape and baked. It can either be made in individual portions or as a large pastry to be sliced into individual portions.

The classic wellington is a beef wellington, but there are many a vegetarian-friendly version of beef wellington.

What is vegan wellington made of?

Any vegan filling of your choice and vegan pastry (easy to buy in shops – vegan pastry simply uses a plant-based source of fat instead of butter). You can get creative with fillings and try different mixes of vegetables, legumes, maybe tofu even!

Can you freeze a vegetable wellington?

Yes! I recommend slicing it into individual portions first before freezing as this makes it easier to reheat when you need it.

Vegetable Wellington is served on a white plate, which is on the red tablecloth. Around it there are some Christmas decorations | Hurry The Food Up

Vegetable wellington variations and alternatives

To make a vegan vegetable wellington, cut the cheese and either replace with smoked tofu, a vegan feta alternative, or just leave it out completely. Choose flaky pastry that is made without butter (easily accessible in most big supermarkets!). Fry your vegetables in olive oil instead of butter.

To make this gluten-free, choose a gluten free pastry alternative, of which there are quite a few!

You can also experiment with fillings – a mushroom mixture can be a delicious option, or you can try various other vegetables such as diced bell peppers, red onions, butternut squash, carrots etc.

Why not experiment with cheese as well? Goat cheese makes an awesome alternative to feta. And instead of chestnuts, you could use walnuts or pecans.

Vegetable Wellington is on a silver tray close up | Hurry The Food Up

More festive vegetarian and vegan recipes

If you enjoyed this vegetarian wellington recipe, why not try some of my other festive favorites, such as this incredible nut roast, this banging brussel sprouts with balsamic vinegar recipe or these awesome vegetarian pigs in blankets.

Pastry cut open to show fillings | Hurry The Food Up

I’ve even got a whole list of vegan Christmas recipes for all courses, complete with suggested set menus!

The Perfect Vegetarian Vegetable Wellington Recipe
4.82 from 27 votes
Looking for a show-stopping vegetarian Christmas main? Try our delicious vegetable wellington – your new festive fave!
Cuisine:British
Diet: egg-free
Prep Time:25 minutes
Cook Time:35 minutes
Total Time:1 hour
Servings:6 people
Calories:776kcal

Ingredients

  • 1 leek
  • 1 onion
  • 1 sweet potato
  • 1 ½ cups chestnuts (cooked and peeled)
  • 2 cups spinach
  • 2 tbsp butter
  • 2 tbsp thyme, fresh (1 tbsp dried)
  • 2 clove garlic (diced)
  • 5.3 oz salad cheese (a soft cow’s milk cheese, a little like feta. If you can’t find it, use feta instead)
  • 21 oz puff pastry (1 large sheet per 3 people)

Instructions

  • Chop the leek and onion finely and fry softly in butter. While they’re cooking, dice the sweet potato into small pieces and then add to the pan after five minutes, along with the garlic and thyme. Cook gently for another five minutes to ten minutes. Crush the chestnuts with a fork or masher and also add to the pan. Cook for another two minutes. Finally, add the spinach and turn off the heat, stirring often.
    1 leek, 1 onion, 1 sweet potato, 1 ½ cups chestnuts, 2 cups spinach, 2 tbsp thyme, fresh, 2 clove garlic, 2 tbsp butter
    Vegetable Wellington - Feast on this! - vegetable wellington stuffing #vegan #leek | hurrythefoodup.com
  • After it’s cooled a little, crumble the soft cheese into the mixture.
    5.3 oz salad cheese
  • Pour the cooled mixture into cling-wrap into a ‘log’ shape (one for each sheet of pastry).
  • Wrap tightly and let cool in the fridge for an hour.
    Vegetable Wellington - Feast on this! - preparing the vegetable wellington #sweet potato #chestnuts | hurrythefoodup.com
  • Lay out your puff pastry and roll the filling into the middle.
    21 oz puff pastry
  • Use a brush with a little water to brush the edges of the pasty as you fold it together, then use a fork to squish the edges together.
  • Cut off any leftover pastry into festive shapes and add to the wellingtons.
  • Bake for 35 mins on 180°C/360°F 🙂
    Vegetable wellington ready to eat | Hurry The Food Up

NOTES

If you enjoyed this, make sure you check out the rest of our Christmas collection. With everything from mulled wine to THE perfect potatoes, you’re in good hands.
NOTE: the nutritional information supplied uses all ingredients and feta cheese 🙂

Nutrition

Nutrition Facts
The Perfect Vegetarian Vegetable Wellington Recipe
Amount per Serving
Calories
776
% Daily Value*
Fat
 
48
g
74
%
Saturated Fat
 
16
g
100
%
Cholesterol
 
32
mg
11
%
Sodium
 
595
mg
26
%
Potassium
 
500
mg
14
%
Carbohydrates
 
75
g
25
%
Fiber
 
4
g
17
%
Sugar
 
5
g
6
%
Protein
 
13
g
26
%
Vitamin A
 
6873
IU
137
%
Vitamin C
 
25
mg
30
%
Calcium
 
185
mg
19
%
Iron
 
4
mg
22
%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
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I hope you enjoyed this vegetable wellington recipe – it’s one of my favorite main courses ever! Let me know what you thought in the comments.

Comments
4.82 from 27 votes (20 ratings without comment)

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Recipe Rating




45 comments
  1. 5 stars
    Enjoyed by all, my meat eating husband went back for more!
    I wrapped and froze the second filling. Planning to thaw prior to baking with fresh pastry, hope it works!
    Thanks for the recipe.

    1. Really good to hear, Rosemary!! Glad your family liked the Wellington 🙂

  2. 5 stars
    However salad cheese isn’t vegan!

    1. Hi Marion! Yep this Wellington is veggie not vegan :). For a vegan version I’d swap the salad cheese for tofu (smoked tofu would be nice too).

  3. Looking forward to making this recipe for Christmas Day- can i just checked the spinach, is it meant to be 2 cups of cooked spinach or in its raw form?

    1. Sorry I meant- “Can I just check …”

    2. No problem Jaimini! It’s meant to be 2 cups of fresh spinach (about 60g). Looking forward to your feedback on this recipe!

  4. 5 stars
    This was really good. I used onion, sweet potato, spinach, walnuts, and lentils.
    I cooked the filling two days in advance, made the logs and left them in the fridge wrapped in film. The day we ate, I wrapped them in puff pastry about four hours earlier and left them in the fridge again. Then I brushed them with an egg and baked for 40 minutes. Thanks!

    1. Hooray! Really glad to hear it worked out. I LOVE this recipe and am already looking forward to eating it in December, like every year :D. Thanks for the comments and feedback method, that will be very helpful for other readers!