Perfect Vegan Wellington Recipe with Mushroom and Beets (2024)

FAQs

What's in a vegan Wellington? ›

Don't panic if you can't find chestnuts, you could try walnuts or hazelnuts instead – and these Wellingtons use ready-made puff pastry, so they really couldn't be easier.

Phyllo provides a moisture barrier, preventing the puff pastry from getting soggy. A double layer of plastic wrap makes it easier to wrap up the tenderloin.

Honey. Honey is a controversial food for many vegans. Bees do produce it, and it is also a food source in the hive. Because bees produce it, and bees have died to make it, honey is not considered vegan.

While you're probably familiar with soy, almond, and coconut milk, other options may shock you—pea milk, anyone? (FYI, it's delicious).

Simply called Japanese sweet potatoes, they have a creamy, mellow taste reminiscent of chestnuts.

Nigella mentions in the introduction to the recipe that walnuts are a good alternative to the chestnuts and it is a good way to use up any walnuts left over from Christmas. But you could also use pecans or hazelnuts as an alternative as their slight sweetness will contrast well with the other ingredients.

Sweet chestnuts are edible, but horse chestnuts are poisonous. If eaten, they can cause digestive problems such as abdominal pain, nausea, vomiting and throat irritation. More than one in 10 cases of poisonous plants being mistaken for edible plants involve horse and sweet chestnuts.

It is usually the pastry base of a beef wellington that turns out to be soggy, as the juices from the beef and the mushroom filling tend to drip down onto the pastry as the wellington cooks. The first step to a crisper pastry is to make sure that the mushroom filling is cooked until all of the liquid has evaporated.

Can I prep Beef Wellington the night before? ›

You can prepare the Wellington up to 24 hours in advance at this point, but make sure you remove it from the fridge 30-40 minutes before the final bake. Carefully transfer the Beef Wellington to a lightly greased baking sheet and bake in a pre-heated oven at 425°F/220°C for 20 minutes, until the pastry is golden brown.

Beef wellington is not an easy dish to prepare with perfection. For starters, getting the tenderloin steak right is a challenge in itself. It has to be tender on the inside but decently firm on the outside, so it doesn't get mushed inside. The pâté and the duxelles are like preparing two individual dishes themselves.

Bake in 425°F oven 35 to 50 minutes or until golden brown and instant-read thermometer inserted into center of roast registers 135°F for medium rare; 150°F for medium.

Unfold the pastry sheet on the work surface. Roll the pastry sheet into a rectangle 4 inches longer and 6 inches wider than the beef. Brush the pastry sheet with the egg mixture. Spoon the mushroom mixture onto the pastry sheet to within 1-inch of the edge.

A vegan diet is another form of vegetarianism where only plant foods are eaten and all foods from animal sources are avoided (meat, seafood, dairy, eggs and sometimes honey and gelatine).

Seitan is a plant-based meat substitute made from wheat gluten that mimics the flavor and texture of chicken. You can buy it in many health food supermarkets, or you can make it yourself. It's typically made out of vital wheat gluten, an ingredient that has a similar texture to flour but is mostly, well, gluten.

Is puff pastry vegan? Not all store-bought puff pastry is vegan, but you're safe with brands like Pepperidge Farm and Wewalka. When you pick up a packet in store, make sure to scan the back for ingredients like eggs and butter, as, of course, these are not vegan.