Our Best Veggie Wellington

If you’re after a veggie alternative to the Christmas classics or simply looking for a totally delicious plant-based dish to cook anytime over the summer holidays, this is it!

Stop the scroll, you've met your festive feast showstopper!

Ingredients

1½ cups finely diced butternut
1½ cups finely diced portobello mushrooms, plus 3 whole mushrooms
1 medium onion, diced
½ tsp dried thyme
2 Tbsp olive oil
½ jar Pesto Princess Red Pesto
½ cup cooked brown rice
½ cup chopped, toasted and salted pecans, or other nuts on hand
¼ cup all-purpose flour
1 sheet frozen puff pastry, thawed
1 egg, beaten for egg wash (or use 50ml vegan mylk + ½ tsp dried turmeric)

How to

Preheat the oven to 180°C. In a roasting tray, toss the butternut, mushrooms and onion with herbs and olive oil. Cook until the veggies are tender– about 20 minutes – and set aside.

In a large bowl, combine the Pesto Princess Red Pesto (or any of our other flavours), cooked rice, veggies and pecans. Season with salt and pepper (we love Oryx). Sprinkle the flour over and stir to incorporate.
Line a baking sheet with baking paper. Roll the pastry out on a lightly floured work surface until you have a 30cm rectangle. Cut a 5cm strip off and keep aside. Transfer the large piece to the baking sheet and, using a star cutter, cut a few stars from the 5cm piece to place on top of the Wellington a little later.
Pile the filling on the puff pastry, forming a long rectangle down the centre. Shape the filling with your hands and pack it in. It should feel like a lot, but you can remove some if it’s way too much. Push whole mushrooms, stem side up, into the centre of the filling.
Fold the top and bottom ends of the puff pastry over the filling, using water to seal the seams, then wrap the sides over the top to form a log shape, pinching tightly at the seams to form a seal.
Flip the Wellington over and brush the top & sides with egg wash. Place the stars on top and brush again.
Bake the Wellington until golden and puffy (between 30 and 35 minutes). Allow it to cool for a couple of minutes, then slice and serve with mash, gravy & greens.