Luxury Vegan Wellington

Be picky when choosing your butternut squash, as to get the signature wellington look you want one with a straight, long neck, about 9cm diameter.

By The Good Housekeeping Cookery TeamPublished: 05 November 2024

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Vegans and vegetarians are going to love this option on Christmas Day as an alternative to turkey.

If you're after some side dish inspiration, then look no further.

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Yields:

6 serving(s)

Prep Time:

45 mins

Cook Time:

1 hr 40 mins

Total Time:

2 hrs 25 mins

Cal/Serv:

731

Ingredients

Neck end (1.1kg) of a large butternut squash (1.5kg, about 14cm long and 9cm diameter
1 Tbsp.
olive oil
2
x 320g sheets vegan puff pastry. we used Jus-Rol
Plain flour, to dust
Vegan cream or milk alternative, to glaze

For the 'paté'

30 g
porcini mushroms
800 g
chestnut mushrooms, roughly chopped
1 Tbsp.
olive oil
2
echalion shallots, finely chopped
3
garlic cloves, crushed
1/2
x 25g brandy (check label to make sure it's vegan)
100 g
walnuts, roughly chopped
3 Tbsp.
nutritional yeast flakes

Directions

1. Step 1Preheat oven to 200°C (180°C fan) mark 6 and line a baking sheet with baking parchment. Peel the squash neck and slice evenly in 1/2 lengthways. Lay cut-side down on lined baking sheet and brush with oil. Season and roast for 40-50min, or until just tender (you should be able to push a skewer through with just a slight resistance). Set aside to cool.
2. Step 2Meanwhile, make the ‘pâté’. Put the porcini in a small bowl and cover with just-boiled water from the kettle; leave to soak until needed. Pulse the chestnut mushrooms in a food processor until finely chopped (alternatively finely chop by hand). Heat oil in a large frying pan over lowmedium heat and cook shallots for 5min, until softened. Turn up heat to high and add chestnut mushrooms. Cook for 12-15min, stirring occasionally, until golden brown and any liquid released by the mushrooms has evaporated.
3. Step 3Drain and finely chop the soaked porcini. Add to the mushroom pan with the garlic, thyme and cranberries; cook for 2min. Add brandy and bubble until there’s no visible moisture in the pan. Remove from heat and stir in the walnuts, nutritional yeast and plenty of seasoning. Cool completely.
4. Step 4To assemble, unroll 1 pastry sheet on to fresh baking parchment. Join the 2 butternut halves together again to make a single butternut ‘fillet’. Spread 1/2 the mushroom ‘pâté’ in the centre of the pastry in a rectangle just larger than the squash ‘fillet’, then sit the squash on top. Spread remaining ‘pâté’ evenly over the top and sides of the squash.
5. Step 5Brush edges of pastry with cream/milk alternative. Unroll the second sheet of pastry and lay over the filling, removing any air bubbles. Fold in long edges of pastry to join with the top sheet to create a sealed edge. Trim edges to 2.5cm, reserving trimmings, and crimp to seal. Brush lightly all over with cream/milk alternative. If you wish to decorate the wellington, re-roll pastry trimmings very thinly, stamp or cut out desired shapes and prick them all over with a fork. Stick on to the wellington and brush with cream/milk alternative. Chill for at least 30min (up to 24hr).
6. Step 6Reheat oven to 200°C (180°C fan) mark 6. Heat a sturdy baking tray on a low shelf of the oven for 10min. Brush wellington all over with more cream/milk alternative and carefully slide on to preheated baking sheet (still on its parchment). Cook for 45-50min, or until pastry is golden and crisp. Transfer to a serving board or plate and serve in slices.