Mushroom Chestnut and Apricot Wellington (Vegan Gluten-Free)
This Mushroom Chestnut and Apricot Wellington is a real showstopper main meal served with homemade cranberry sauce, rosemary roasted new potatoes and sprouts plus sticky carrots and parsnips, it is the ultimate vegan main.
Roast dinners are a big thing when it comes to Christmastime, and pretty much any national holiday. Throw in the British Sunday roast tradition and birthdays and you soon realise just how often you’ll eat a roast dinner with your loved ones. I am not the biggest fan of traditional roast dinners (vegan, of course) but this wellington with all the trimmings is a firm favourite. It has a really flavoursome and rich filling packed with dried fruits, chestnuts and lentils all warped in gorgeously golden puff pastry.
Why will I love this wellington?
This pastry main meal is delicious, it is:
- Rich, wholesome and hearty
- Packed with protein and fibred
- Filled with a lentil, mushroom and dried apricot filling
- Also filled with chestnuts, herbs and tamari
- Wrapped in a flaky puff pastry case
- Great to serve to vegans, vegetarians and meat-eaters
- A fantastic main course to make ahead of time
- A real showstopper main course
- Such a crowd pleaser, everyone will go back for seconds
If you already love this Mushroom Chestnut and Apricot Wellington then skip ahead to the recipe card below. Or, first, let’s discuss the recipe in more detail.
What do I serve this with?
As well as the recipe for the wellington, I have also included the recipes for my favourite accompaniments:
- Homemade cranberry sauce: zingy, fresh, fruity and delicious (plus it’s lower sugar).
- Roasted new potatoes and sprouts: golden, crispy and tender roasted with rosemary and thyme.
- Sticky roasted carrots and parsnips: sweet, sticky and tender roasted with maple syrup.
- The best mushroom gravy: I mean it, this is the best mushroom gravy and it’s so easy to make. It’s creamy, rich, packed with mushrooms, rosemary and thyme.
What ingredients do I need?
The ingredients for the wellington are:
- Ground chia or flaxseed: this helps to bind the mix together. When mixed with water, it forms a gel which is mixed into the filling at the end.
- Olive oil: to fry off the filling.
- Onion: use red or white onion here to start making the filling.
- Garlic: for flavour.
- Mushrooms: these are great for a “meaty” textured filling.
- Parsnip: chop this small and fry off to turn really soft and delicious with the veggie filling.
- Herbs: for the classic Christmas dinner taste, we need dried thyme, sage, rosemary and ground nutmeg.
- Ready cooked roasted chestnuts: for a delicious nutty taste and classic Christmas aroma. If making this nut-free, leave these out or swap for pumpkin seeds.
- Dried apricots: I love adding dried fruits to roasts and vegetables and these are delicious. You can also use dried cranberries or chopped up figs.
- Green lentils: these are great for adding bulk, protein and fibre to the filling. I prefer green or brown lentils and use the ones that come in a tin of water. I do not recommend using red split lentils or similar.
- Tamari soy sauce: for an umami depth of flavour.
- Tomato puree: for richness and flavour. This also adds moisture which keeps the filling tender.
- Puff pastry: I used pre-rolled puff pastry and make sure this is vegan and gluten-free, where needed.
- Plant-based milk: instead of an “egg” wash, milk and mustard work perfectly.
- Dijon mustard: for the milk-wash on top. It adds colour and slight flavour.
- Salt and pepper: for flavour and seasoning.
How do I make this?
This wellington has a few steps and does require some forward thinking, but it really easy.
- Make the filling so that it can cool down: fry off the vegetables and the herbs before adding in the lentils and stirring in the wet ingredients and chia gel.
- Fetch the pastry from the fridge: and allow to rest for 10 minutes.
- Unroll the pastry and place the filling in the centre: making it into a log shape (with the shortest edge or pastry closest to you). Make sure this is compact and leave a wide border around the edge.
- Use a knife to cut from each corner of pastry to the corn of the filling: and fold the tops and bottoms up and over the filling.
- Slice the pastry down the sides into strips: of equal width, parallel to the top diagonal cut. This will leave you with some spare pastry, cut stars out of these.
- Fold the strips up and over the filling: allowing them to crossover in the middle.
- Brush with the milk and mustard wash: all over.
- Bake for 40 to 45 minutes until golden brown: covering any parts that are cooking too quickly with foil.
- Allow to cool for 20 minutes then slice: and serve with your favourite accompaniments.
How long will this last?
This wellington is great to make ahead of time, as once made and cooled, you can keep it in the fridge in a sealed container for 2-3 days. You can also freeze the wellington or slices of it, for up to 1 month, wrapped well. Allow to defrost thoroughly before warming back up to eat.
Is this meal gluten-free and nut-free?
Yes, this is gluten-free, make sure you use gluten-free pastry and tamari soy sauce as opposed to regular soy sauce. To make this nut-free, check all your ingredients do not contain nuts (like pastry and milk) and omit the chestnuts or swap for pumpkin seeds.
What else can I make?
If you are looking for more roast dinners and savoury ideas, how about my:
- Vegan Pesto Feta Filo Pastry Swirls
- Hassleback Squash with Herby Tahini
- Mini Butternut Squash Nut Roast Cups
- Roasted Chestnut Cranberry Stuffed Squash
- Hassleback Sweet Potato and Chickpea Traybake with Tahini
Mushroom Chestnut and Apricot Wellington
This Mushroom Chestnut and Apricot Wellington is a real showstopper main meal served with homemade cranberry sauce, rosemary roasted new potatoes and sprouts plus sticky carrots and parsnips, it is the ultimate vegan main.
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp ground chia or flax seed with 5 tbsp water
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 red onion, small dice
- 4 garlic cloves, crushed
- 200g mushrooms, chopped very small
- 1 parsnip, peeled and cubed small
- Herbs: 1 tsp dried thyme, 1 tsp dried sage, 1 tsp dried rosemary, ¼ tsp nutmeg
- 100g pre-cooked chestnuts, chopped
- 100g dried apricots, chopped
- 1 tin green lentils (240g drained wight)
- 2 tbsp tamari soy sauce
- 1 tbsp tomato puree
- 1 sheet puff pastry (375g)
- 1 tbsp plant-based milk
- ¼ tsp Dijon mustard
- Salt and pepper
Instructions
- Read through all the instructions before starting.
- For the filling: stir together the ground chia or flaxseed and water and leave for 5 minutes to form a gel.
- For the vegetables: heat the olive oil in a large frying pan and sauté the onion and garlic for 5 minutes. Now add in the mushrooms and cook for 5 minutes to release their juices. Add in the chopped parsnip and cook for another 2-3 minutes. Add in the thyme, sage, rosemary and nutmeg with some salt and pepper for fry for 1 minute until smelling fragrant.
- To finish the filling: to the pan, add the chopped chestnuts, apricots, the drained lentils, tamari soy sauce, tomato puree and the chia/flax gel. Give the mix a very good stir and transfer to a bowl to cool down fully. This can be prepared the day before and leave in a sealed container overnight in the fridge.
- When you are ready to make the wellington, allow the pastry to rest for 10 minutes at room temperature. Preheat the oven to 180Fan/200*C.
- To shape the wellington: unroll the pastry on a piece of parchment paper. The pastry should be approx. 25cm x 40cm. Transfer the cooled filling to the centre of the pastry (with the shorter edge closest to you) and mould it into a log shape, making sure it’s compact. Leave an 8cm border around the edges.
- To cut the pastry: make a diagonal cut from the corner of the pastry to the corner of the filling on all four corners. Fold up the top and bottom pieces of pastry to hug around the filling. Parallel to the diagonal cuts, slice the pastry along the sides into 8 or 9 strips until you reach the top corners (you will have two triangles of pastry left at the tops, make star shapes out of these).
- To create the pattern on top: starting at the top, fold the strips up and over the filling to reach in the middle and continue to fold all the strips. Stir together the milk and mustard and brush over the pastry. Similarly brush the stars.
- To bake: transfer the wellington on the parchment to a baking tray. Bake the wellington for 30 minutes, then cover any darker bits and bake for another 10-15 minutes until cooked through. The cut-out stars will bake for 5-10 minutes until golden.
- To serve: Allow to cool for 20 minutes and then slice. Serve with the roasted vegetables, some homemade cranberry sauce and gravy.
- To store: Once cool, store leftover wellington wrapped tightly in the fridge for 2-3 days or in the freezer for up to 1 month.
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Homemade Cranberry Sauce, Vegetable Sides and the Best Mushroom Gravy
All the trimmings you need for a perfect roast dinner with juicy cranberry sauce, rosemary roasted new potatoes and sprouts and sticky roasted parsnips and carrots. Top it all off with the best mushroom gravy.
Ingredients
For the Cranberry Sauce:
- 300g fresh or frozen cranberries
- 1 large orange, zested and juiced
- 60ml maple syrup
For the Vegetable Sides:
- 800g new potatoes, in ½ or 1/4
- 400g sprouts (trimmed weight), in ½
- 600g parsnips (about 4-5 large parsnips), peeled and in batons
- 600g carrots (about 4-5 large carrots), peeled and in batons
- 5 tbsp olive oil
- 2 sprigs fresh rosemary, chopped
- 2 sprigs fresh thyme, chopped
- 3 tbsp maple syrup
For the Best Mushroom Gravy:
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- ½ white onion, small dice
- 3 large garlic cloves, crushed
- 150g mushrooms, small dice
- Herbs: ½ tsp dried thyme, ½ tsp dried rosemary
- 2 tbsp cornstarch or arrowroot powder
- 400ml vegetable broth or stock
- 1 tbsp tamari soy sauce
Instructions
- For the Cranberry Sauce: add all the ingredients to a small saucepan, stir well and bring to the boil. Simmer over a medium heat with a half covering the pan for 15-20 minutes. While the cranberry sauce cooks, use the spoon to break down the cranberries. The sauce will thicken as it cools. Once cool, store in a sealed container in the fridge for up to 1 week. This can be served warm or cold.
- For the vegetables: Preheat the oven to 160Fan/180*C and line 2 large trays with parchment paper. In separate saucepans, par-boil the potatoes, carrots and parsnips for 4-5 minutes until just tender. Drain the vegetables.
- To roast the vegetables: to one tray, add the potatoes and sprouts with the rosemary and thyme, half the olive oil, salt and pepper. Toss well and roast for 30-40 minutes until cooked through and crisping. To the second tray, add the carrots and parsnips with the other half of oil, the maple syrup, salt and pepper. Toss well and roast for 30-40 minutes or until tender and crisping.
- For the Mushroom Gravy: heat the olive oil in a frying pan and sauté the onion, garlic and mushrooms for 10 minutes until really soft and the mushrooms have released their juices. Now add in the thyme, rosemary, some salt and pepper and fry for 1 minute. Using a balloon whisk, add the cornstarch and whisk well. While continually whisking, gradually pour in the vegetable stock until the sauce is smooth. Over a medium-high heat, allow the gravy to bubble and simmer, while whisking for 2-3 minutes until thickened.
- To blend the gravy: pour the gravy into a blender or use a stick blender and add the tamari soy sauce. Blend until really smooth and no lumps remain. Leftover gravy will keep, once cool, in the fridge for 2-3 days. Warm back up in a saucepan.
Notes
The vegetable sides will keep for 2-3 days in the fridge in a sealed container, warm back up as needed.
I look forward to hearing what you think of this Mushroom Chestnut and Apricot Wellington with all the trimmings so please let me know in the comments below and leave a star review above. If you do make this, I’d love to see so please tag me, I’m @nourishing.amy on Instagram and use the hashtag #nourishingamy. I’m also on Twitter, Facebook and Pinterest – please say hello!
With wellington love x
p.s. this recipe first appeared on The Vegan Kind website but this blog post is not sponsored.
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This is super delicious. I highly recommend!!!
thank you so much, I am SO happy you enjoyed the wellington! Happy Holidays 🙂