Vegan Mushroom Wellington

Imagine a medley of garlicky, rich, meaty mushrooms sautéed with herbs and butter. Then imagine those mushrooms wrapped in a crisp golden-brown sheet of puff pastry. This is vegan mushroom Wellington — your new festive centrepiece.

As the winter chill fills the air and snowflakes fall outside, the holiday season inches closer. There’s a Christmas tree in the corner of the room, glimmering with shiny baubles, tinsel, and glittery lights; candles burn on the dinner table, casting a warm golden glow around the room, and a delightful aroma fills the air — the earthy, buttery scent of a vegan mushroom wellington baking in the oven.

Whether you’re hosting vegetarians and vegans over the holidays and looking for a meat-free centrepiece or putting on an entirely vegan feast, this is the recipe you need. It’s a dish that effortlessly captures the spirit of the holidays — rich, comforting, flavour-packed, and full of love.

Since I started hosting Christmas dinners, my celebrations aren’t complete without this mushroom Wellington. It’s a real crowd-pleaser, easy to make (no slaving for hours in the kitchen!), and can even be made in advance or frozen. I mean, just look at that golden pastry in the photos. If that doesn’t convince you …

Mushroom Wellington Ingredients

Hold onto your hats — the ingredients for mushroom Wellington make up quite a long list!

However, while it may seem overwhelming, most of these ingredients are pantry staples. Other additions, like garlic, onions, and fresh herbs add a nuance of flavour to the dish, which is essential when creating a vegan Christmas main centrepiece. Likewise, soy sauce and tomato paste build on the meaty flavour of the fresh mushrooms, bringing real depth.

For ingredient quantities and the full method, please scroll down to the recipe card.

• Puff Pastry is my preferred pastry for this mushroom Wellington. I buy readymade puff pastry (and store it frozen) since it’s such a long process to make at home.
• Portobello mushrooms, also called portabella, are kept whole, which adds textural interest and a noticeable meaty bite.
• Mushrooms are the basis of this meat-free Wellington. I like to use chestnut mushrooms, but wild or exotic mushrooms also work. These mushrooms add an earthy, woody, and intensely umami flavour.
• Garlic is a natural pairing with mushrooms.
• Onion provides a layer of subtle sweetness. I recommend using white onion or shallots, although red onions are just as suitable.
• French wholegrain mustard is a flavour-booster, adding spiciness and tang to the mushrooms. I like wholegrain for its rustic nature, which ensures bites of peppery spice in every mouthful, but you can switch it out for the more typical Dijon. 
• Salt and black pepper are our basic seasonings. I grind mine fresh for the best results. 
• Vegan salted butter to sauté the mushrooms compliments the buttery, creamy puff pastry. You can substitute this for oil (or dairy butter if you’re not vegan).
• Fresh Rosemary adds nuance to the dish. The woody, slightly bitter flavour pairs well with mushrooms, while the peppery, balsamic undertones complement the mustard. 
• Fresh Thyme is sweet and spicy, with a fennel-like aroma. It tastes incredible with mushrooms. 
• Dark Soy Sauce isn’t just for Asian food. It adds much-needed depth, richness, and umami to vegetarian mushroom dishes. It’s my secret to the best mushroom Wellington. 
• Tomato Paste is likewise excellent for building the umami profile of this hearty mushroom wellington. 
• Vegan egg wash produces that gorgeous golden and shiny colour essential for any pastry! Because this is a savoury dish, the best vegan egg wash is made by combining vegan butter and soy milk. Alternatively, vegetarians can use a little whisked egg yolk. 

Which Mushrooms for Beef Wellington?

For the flavorful vegetarian beef Wellington, aka mushroom Wellington, I suggest using at least two varieties of mushrooms for maximum flavour.

My first choice is large, flat, and wide portobello mushrooms — I sear them in plenty of vegan butter for the beautiful caramelized flavour. Kept whole and sandwiched between two layers of finely minced and seasoned mushrooms, they offer a substantial and meaty bite.

For the minced mushrooms, I like to use the chestnut variety. They offer subtle nuttiness and a deeper depth of flavour than basic closed-cup white mushrooms but are still budget-friendly. However, please feel free to substitute these for an equal amount of mixed forest mushrooms, just like I use in my vegan mushroom risotto and vegan mushroom wonton recipes.

Which Pastry do you use for Wellington?

Classic beef Wellington always uses buttery puff pastry. Therefore, in keeping with tradition, I also like to use flaky, layered puff pastry in this vegan mushroom wellington. While you can use homemade puff pastry, the process is long and tricky for beginner cooks, so I advise using store-bought puff pastry. To cut down on prep time even further, opt for ready-rolled sheets.

You may be curious about how puff pastry can be vegan despite its distinctive buttery taste. Well, most premade puff pastry is vegan since it uses margarine rather than dairy butter. Of course, I recommend checking the ingredients before you purchase.

I don’t suggest switching out puff pastry for shortcrust pastry or phyllo (filo) pastry. Either option will completely change the texture and flavour of the finished mushroom Wellington. If you don’t have puff pastry, consider an alternative Christmas centrepiece, like buttery and rich Devon homity pie.

How to Make Mushroom Wellington

Despite numerous ingredients, this vegan mushroom wellington is a breeze to make. Using premade puff pastry cuts down the work tremendously — meaning all you have to do is cook the mushrooms, assemble everything, and then pop the Wellington in the oven.

Plus, since there’s no meat involved and the mushrooms are pre-cooked, your only concern is if the pastry cooks through (which it will!). For more detailed instructions about how to make mushroom wellington, please scroll down to the recipe card.

1. Sear the portobello mushrooms in butter until they’re golden brown. 
2. Cook down the chopped mushrooms with garlic, onions, wholegrain mustard, salt, pepper, fresh rosemary, thyme, and dark soy sauce. 
3. Assemble the mushroom wellington by spreading a layer of the chopped mushrooms, adding the portobello mushrooms, and then another layer of chopped mushrooms atop. Fold over the pastry on all sides. 
4. Score the mushroom Wellington with whatever pattern you like! I opted for a simple and achievable diagonal design. You can even use any additional pastry and festive cookie cutters to add stars (or another shape) to the Wellington. 
5. Make your vegan egg wash with soy milk and vegan butter. Use a pastry brush to cover the wellington. 
6. Bake! The vegan mushroom Wellington should take around 45 minutes to look irresistibly golden-brown and buttery. 

Mushroom Wellington Variations

• Mushroom Wellington with cheese is a mouthwatering option for a festive centrepiece. Cheese pairs particularly well with mushrooms, and cutting into an oozing, gooey mushroom wellington is enough to make your mouth water. Gruyère or Stilton are my top choices. For vegan people, use whatever’s accessible; in the U.K., we have plenty of vegan smokey cheddar options, which would be gorgeous, or you can consider ordering from a specialist vegan cheese shop. 
• Mushroom Wellington with phyllo will result in a completely different texture. While this recipe is hearty, comforting, and buttery, mushroom wellington with phyllo/filo pastry would be much lighter and flakier. I would consider making individual portions, as slicing into a larger Wellington will be messy.
• Mushroom Wellington with spinach is a fantastic way to bulk up the Wellington and add extra flavour and nutrients. I suggest sautéing or gently wilting your spinach, seasoning it with sea salt, and layering it underneath the large portobello mushrooms. 
• Mushroom Wellington with pecans or other nuts will emphasize the gorgeous earthy and nutty flavour of the mushrooms while introducing more buttery notes. I left them out of this nut-free mushroom Wellington recipe to accommodate people with allergies, but it would be a tempting addition.  
• Individual Mushroom Wellington is ideal for large parties. While this mushroom Wellington recipe is the perfect celebratory centrepiece, individual pies provide freedom to customize and make different varieties, such as adding extra cheese or spinach to some but not all. 

How to Serve Mushroom Wellington

Mushroom Wellington is the ultimate festive centrepiece, but it’s also incredibly versatile. The woodsy, earthy flavours of mushrooms pair well with root vegetables, although you can play on the savoury notes by serving them alongside something fruity or sweet. I’ve assembled a list of sides and sauces you could consider cooking up with the Wellington, but if you’ve got any favourite suggestions we didn’t mention, please leave a comment!

What to Serve with a Mushroom Wellington

• British roast dinner complete with roast potatoes, Yorkshire puddings, onion gravy, brussels sprouts, caramelized leeks, sweetcorn, broccoli, cabbage, plus carrots (and more) is the traditional Christmas dinner in the U.K. It also happens to be my all-time favourite thing to serve with this vegan mushroom Wellington, which takes centre stage. 
• Mashed potato, gravy, and green beans are another classic pairing reminiscent of a paired-down full roast dinner. 
• Warm winter salad is a much lighter option. I’d choose a salad with plenty of kale, nuts, and autumnal flavours to best complement the mushrooms.
• Grilled broccoli is a perfect side dish, but really, any vegetable would be equally delicious next to this easy mushroom wellington.

What Sauce Goes with Mushroom Wellington?

• Port wine sauce pairs beautifully with the original beef Wellington. The silky, fruity, sweet, and rich sauce is worth trying if you love classic French flavours. Traditional port wine sauce usually contains beef stock, so it requires adapting to make it vegetarian — but that’s no issue when we effortlessly created a vegan Wellington! 
• Onion gravy is an essential component of a British-style roast dinner. The sweet, caramelized onions taste fantastic, and the buttery pastry and umami-rich mushrooms make it my favourite choice. 
• Cranberry sauce is the most festive of the bunch. Made from cranberries simmered with sugar, orange juice, and warming spices, this pairing plays on the contrast between intensely savoury flavours and the tart sweetness of cranberries. 

Can Mushroom Wellington Be Frozen?

Yes! This vegan mushroom wellington is freezable. For the best results, I recommend assembling the Wellington and then placing the unbaked Wellington in the freezer. When you’re ready, the Wellington cooks straight from frozen (no defrosting necessary), although it may take slightly longer.

Alternatively, you can freeze the cooked Wellington. Although it works fine, I don’t recommend this method as you’ll need to cover the dish in foil once you reheat it to prevent it from becoming too browned or overcooked.

How to Reheat Mushroom Wellington

This vegan mushroom Wellington tastes best eaten fresh. But if you have leftovers, how can you reheat them?

Place the mushroom wellington in an oven-safe dish, cover with foil, and reheat at 200 C (400 F) for 15-20 minutes or until piping hot. The key is to avoid re-cooking the Wellington — we only want to heat it through. Otherwise, you’ll risk soggy pastry or dry mushrooms.

You can also reheat mushroom Wellington in the microwave. Cut into slices, then heat each slice for a few minutes.

Can Mushroom Wellington Be Made in Advance?

Absolutely. We all know the feeling of having too much to do in the kitchen, especially during the festive season. At times, it’s more feasible to divide the tasks across multiple days.

To start, you can make the mushroom stuffing ahead of time. Cook it, cool it, store it in an air-tight container, and refrigerate. The filling is best made one or two days in advance.

As mentioned, you can also pre-assemble the Wellington and then freeze it until you’re ready to cook. It cooks straight from frozen.