This plant-based Wellington features a flavorful filling of braised lentils, finely chopped walnuts, and a stunning core of tender, oven-roasted carrots. It serves as an impressive focal point for holiday dinners, festive gatherings, and memorable events, all while delivering exceptional nutritional value.
The vegan Wellington presented here is designed to be the standout star on your celebratory dining table.
While many of us already enjoy plant-based festive sides or can easily adapt them to be so, and though some consider side dishes the true stars of holiday spreads, I beg to differ.
I adore generous portions of mashed potatoes, servings of creamed spinach, or bowls of fresh salad alongside a special meal.
However, I also appreciate offering a main course that clearly commands the spotlight as the highlight of the dinner.
This Vegan Wellington fits that role perfectly. Not only is it delectable, but it’s packed with nutrient-dense components and offers an enjoyable preparation process.
How this recipe originated
Some years back, during a visit to a New York City restaurant, I encountered a non-vegan carrot Wellington on their menu. It struck me as an excellent concept for an elegant plant-based main dish, so I jotted down a reminder to experiment with a homemade rendition eventually.
Time passed, and I successfully tackled numerous intricate recipes, including bread, pie, and even puff pastry creations.
Nevertheless, the Wellington idea lingered as somewhat daunting until I decided to attempt it this autumn. I quickly discovered that my hesitation had been unnecessary!
Firstly, there’s no need to prepare homemade puff pastry for a home version of Wellington. Options like frozen puff pastry from brands such as Pepperidge Farm, Pillsbury, Sweet Loren’s, and Dufour Plant-Based are all vegan-friendly and ideal for the exterior casing.
Assembling the Wellington requires some care, as the steps will reveal. Yet, with patience and viewing it as an enjoyable endeavor, the results are highly gratifying.
One key insight from my trials with homemade vegan Wellington: allowing it to chill overnight is crucial.
Filling puff pastry with warm roasted vegetables and hot lentils causes it to become soggy or melt immediately. The pastry must remain chilled when entering the oven.
Therefore, incorporate this overnight refrigeration into your meal planning schedule.
A nutritious and visually appealing interior
The carrot Wellington isn’t solely carrot-filled. It also incorporates braised lentils and walnuts.
These elements provide the necessary structure and form, while contributing plant-based protein and beneficial fats. They enhance the dish’s nutritional profile, making it a more satiating vegan entree.
To prepare the lentils, braise or simmer them in liquid until cooked. Then, process them in a food processor alongside toasted walnuts.
This results in a mix where some lentils stay intact and others break down, effectively securing the central carrots within the Wellington.
For the carrots themselves, employ a two-phase roasting technique. Initially, cover them with foil or parchment to steam and soften. Subsequently, roast uncovered to achieve browning and a glossy finish.
This dual roasting method prevents burning before full tenderness is reached.
Now, let’s walk through the process step by step.
Guide to preparing vegan Wellington
Prior to diving into cooking the components or assembly, take a brief pause for planning.
The lentil filling and roasted carrots require overnight chilling to ensure they’re thoroughly cold during construction. Additionally, thaw the puff pastry sheet approximately one hour ahead, adhering to the manufacturer’s guidelines.
In practice, I typically ready the carrots and lentil mixture one day, then assemble and bake the next. Dividing the tasks this way renders the entire project manageable.
Step 1: Preheat oven and toast walnuts
Start by heating your oven and toasting the walnuts destined for the filling directly on the oven rack. This method intensifies their nutty taste.
Step 2: Roast the carrots
After toasting and setting aside the walnuts, focus on roasting the whole carrots.
Roasting smaller whole carrots is straightforward. Larger ones, however, often char externally before softening internally.
To circumvent this, apply a two-stage roasting approach tailored for the Wellington.
Begin by tightly enclosing the carrots in foil or parchment, forming a sealed packet—similar to my method for oven-roasted beets, which par-cooks them.
Unlike beets, midway through, unwrap the carrots, season them, and complete roasting uncovered. They should emerge extremely tender with a glazed sheen.
The fully roasted carrots will be exceptionally soft. Enhanced by seasonings and maple syrup, they’ll boast a subtle glaze.
Step 3: Cook the lentils
Braise the lentils by simmering them in broth infused with diced carrots, onion, celery, and herbs. This infuses deep flavor.
I prefer French lentils here, a staple in my repertoire for dishes like hearty vegan French lentil soup or French lentil Niçoise salad.
That said, black lentils, pardina lentils, or standard brown or green lentils work well too. Brown or green varieties cook faster, in 20-25 minutes versus 35 for French lentils.
Step 4: Overnight chill
Post-cooking, store the lentils and carrots in sealed containers and refrigerate overnight.
For a same-day preparation, commence early and chill for at least four hours until fully cooled.
Step 5: Pulse lentils and walnuts
The next day (or after four hours), retrieve the lentils from refrigeration. Process them in a food processor with the S blade alongside the toasted walnuts.
The outcome is a textured, crumbly blend where lentils partially disintegrate, and walnuts aid cohesion.
Step 6: Assemble the vegan Wellington
Assembly time arrives!
Defrost puff pastry one hour prior and preheat oven to 400°F / 200°C.
Store-bought puff pastry comes as a single 14-15 ounce (400-425g) sheet or two 8.5 ounce (240g) sheets.
Recipe details accommodate both: for two sheets, roll them to fuse into one larger sheet.
Roll out the pastry and position a layer of lentil-walnut mix along one long edge.
Layer carrots atop, stacking in two tiers with alternating orientations for evenness.
Encase with remaining lentil mix, patting to fully surround the carrots.
Fold one puff pastry side over the filling, then roll sideways to encase completely.
Seal the long edge, trim and tuck short ends, score vents on top, and brush with aquafaba.
Step 7: Bake
Bake the Wellington for 40-45 minutes until deeply golden and puffed.
Midway, re-brush with aquafaba for glaze.
Post-baking, rest 20 minutes before slicing. Refrigerate leftovers up to five days or freeze up to six weeks.
Suggested pairings for vegan Wellington
This dish complements numerous vegetable sides. Its robust, earthy profile pairs beautifully with crisp green salads like butter lettuce, Brussels sprout kale, or cauliflower pomegranate varieties, or your go-to daily salad for contrast.
Consider shaved or roasted Brussels sprouts, steamed broccolini, or green beans with Dijon vinaigrette.
For greens without salad, serve slices atop steamed kale or sautéed spinach for an elegant touch.
Regardless of accompaniments, it’s bound to captivate!
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Prep Time: 1 hour 20 minutes
Cook Time: 45 minutes
Chilling time: 8 hours
Yields: 6 servings
Oven-glazed carrots:
- 1 pound carrots, trimmed and peeled (455g)
- 1 tablespoon avocado oil
- 1 tablespoon maple syrup
- Salt
- Freshly ground black pepper
Braised lentil and walnut crumble:
- 3/4 cup walnut halves and pieces (85g)
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 white or yellow onion, diced
- 2 medium carrots, trimmed, peeled, and diced
- 2 medium stalks celery, trimmed and diced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 3/4 cup French lentils (150g)
- 1 bay leaf
- 2 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves (substitute 1 teaspoon dried thyme)
- 2 teaspoons chopped fresh rosemary leaves (substitute 1 teaspoon dried rosemary)
- 2 1/4 cups vegan chicken-style or vegetable broth (530ml)
Wellington assembly:
- 1 14- or 15-ounce sheet vegan puff pastry, or two 8.5-ounce sheets, thawed for 40-60 minutes prior to assembly (according to package instructions) (One 400-425g sheet or two 240g sheets)
- 3 tablespoons aquafaba (drained liquid from a can of chickpeas)
Toast the walnuts and roast the carrots:
- Preheat the oven to 400°F/200°C.
- Line a baking sheet with parchment. Place the walnuts onto the sheet and transfer them to the oven for 5 minutes, to toast them. Immediately remove the walnuts from the sheet and set them aside to cool; allow the baking sheet to cool enough to be touched again.
- Line the baking sheet with foil. Place the carrots onto the sheet and place another sheet of foil on top of them. Wrap the carrots up with the foil, creating a tight envelope for them. Transfer them to the oven and roast for 20 minutes (for thinner carrots) or 25 minutes (for thicker carrots). Remove the top layer of foil. The carrots will be tender already.
- Drizzle the carrots with the avocado oil and maple syrup, then season them well with salt and pepper. Return them to the oven for 10 minutes, or until they’re browning gently and have a glazed appearance. They will be tender all the way through. Remove the carrots from the oven and set them aside.
Cook the lentils
- Heat the olive oil in a large, deep, lidded skillet or heavy-bottomed pot over medium heat. Add the onion, carrots, and celery. Sauté these vegetables for 5-6 minutes, stirring often, until the onion is translucent and the carrots are just tender. Add the lentils, bay leaf, herbs, and broth to the skillet or pot. Bring the mixture to a simmer, then cover and turn the heat to low. Simmer the lentils for 35 minutes, or until all the broth has been absorbed and the lentils are fully tender.
Overnight chill
- Transfer both the carrots and the lentils to airtight storage containers with lids and refrigerate them overnight. Transfer the toasted walnuts to a mason jar (or another small container) and store them at room temperature overnight, or for a minimum of four hours.
Prepare the braised lentil walnut crumble
- On the following day: place the walnuts into a food processor fitted with the S blade. Pulse them a few times to break them down. Then, add the lentil mixture to the processor. Continue pulsing for about 20 seconds. You should have a lentil and walnut mixture that’s a bit crumbly and the lentils should be partially broken down, though many whole lentils should remain. The mixture will hold together relatively well if you apply pressure to it.
Assemble and bake the Wellington
- Preheat the oven to 400°/200°C once again. Be sure to thaw your pastry as directed.
- If using a 14- or 15-ounce / 400-425g sheet of pastry: lay the pastry onto a large sheet of parchment and dust the top with flour. Use a floured rolling pin to roll the pastry sheet out so that it’s about 13-inches by 15-inches / 36cm by 38cm, or as close to this as possible. If using two 8.5-ounce / 240g sheets, place them side-by-side with the long edges joining. Roll the sheet gently, helping to seal the two sheets together and creating one larger rectangle that’s about 18” by 12”; you’ll end up trimming away some extra pastry at the end, which you can freeze for future use or reserve for a homemade dessert.
- Arrange half of the lentil mixture along the long side of the sheet, about 6 inches / 15cm away from the long edge of the sheet. The lentil mixture should be arranged in a layer that’s about 10-inches by 3 ½ inches (25cm by 9cm) and about ¾-inch / 2cm high.
- Arrange the carrots on top of this bed of lentils, alternating the direction that the carrots face, so that they end up in two even (or even-ish) layers. It doesn’t have to be perfect, but you want the carrots to stay in place; you may not use every single carrot. Gently arrange the remaining lentils on top of them, patting the lentil mixture down so that it stays put as a top layer.
- Brush the long edge of the sheet (next to the lentils) with the aquafaba. Tuck this edge up over the top of the lentil mixture. Holding it firmly in place, roll the whole log of lentils and carrots over, to wrap up your Wellington. When you finish rolling, the lentil layer that was on bottom of the carrots will now be on top, and the puff pastry will surround the whole Wellington. Trim away excess pastry on the long side of the Wellington, then be sure to seal the long edge by pinching and pressing it together.
- Next, fold the middle of the short sides into the center of the Wellington. Trim away the bottom flap and tuck the top flap over the side of the Wellington, pinching as you go to help secure it. Repeat on the other side. Brush the entire Wellington with aquafaba. Cut a few diagonal slits along the top, which will allow steam to escape and create a nice visual effect.
- Transfer the Wellington to the oven. Bake for 40-45 minutes, or until it’s a deep golden brown and nicely puffed all over. Midway through baking, brush more aquafaba all over the Wellington.
- Wait 20 minutes before storing the Wellington or slicing and serving. Enjoy! Leftover slices can be stored for up to five days in the fridge or frozen for up to six weeks.
Though extensive, don’t let the recipe’s detail deter you.
We enjoy quick 30-minute meals throughout the year. Special occasions merit distinctive, celebratory fare that matches the occasion’s significance.
May this vegan Wellington elevate your gatherings with joy and festivity!
