Everybody Eats: Holiday Wellington Two Ways

The holidays can be a hard (and hungry) time for folks — and if you’re trying to get more plants on your plate, scavenging for sustenance from salads and sides can be a drag. I don’t know about you, but I don’t want to eat a salad while everyone else has a warm, filling plate!

Luckily, with more and more people interested in plant-based eating, adventurous and inclusive cooks of all backgrounds are looking for ways to take care of all of their guests. That’s why I’m happy to share a Veggie Wellington I cooked up in my kitchen — two ways! You can try one version of this dish with uber-meaty seitan, or one with satisfying butternut squash. Combining sweet and savory flavors, buttery goodness and flaky and crunchy textures, these veg-friendly Wellingtons are sure to leave your loved ones begging for more.

Puff pastry is one of those accidentally plant-based products. Some brands use milk or eggs, but many don’t! Pepperidge Farm is my go-to for making Wellingtons and stuffed pastries, no animal products required. Gluten-free puff pastry is much harder to find, but it does exist. Schär has a gluten-free, veg-friendly puff pastry.

If making scratch seitan or rolling up a roulade seems like a big ask, we’ve got you covered with simplified versions too. Don’t forget, you can always use premade seitan or a whole butternut squash for ease. These are just some fun options for the curious cook who wants a fun holiday meal challenge.

Ingredients:

1-2 sheets of puff pastry

Squash “Sponge”

• 2 lbs butternut squash
• 1 cup + 2 tbsp of aquafaba*, whipped
• ¼ tsp cream of tartar
• 2 tbsp maple syrup
• 1 tsp nutmeg or mace
• Generous pinch of smoked paprika
• 2 tbsp flax or chia seed
• 1 tsp baking soda
• ¾ cup flour (gluten-free will work as well)
• Pinch of salt, to taste

Filling:

• 1 container of Kite Hill cream cheese, or other spreadable veg-friendly cheese
• 5-10 oz fresh spinach leaves
• 2 lbs mushrooms, sliced
• ½ onion, diced
• 6 cloves garlic, roughly chopped
• Kosher salt
• Freshly ground black pepper
• ½ cup pine nuts, plus more for grating
• 1 tsp fennel seeds

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 400F, and place your puff pastry sheets in the refrigerator for later.

2. Spread the mushrooms, onions and garlic on a parchment paper-lined sheet pan. Place on pan, toss with a bit of oil and season liberally with kosher salt and pepper, then roast for 20 minutes.

3. Carefully remove the pan from the oven and tilt it into a measuring cup to pour off as much liquid as possible. (Save it for gravy, it’s delicious!) Roast for another 10-15 minutes, then set aside to cool.

4. While the vegetables are roasting, prepare the butternut squash by slicing it in half, scooping out the seeds and rubbing all exposed sides with vegetable oil. Generously season with kosher salt and pepper. Place on a sheet pan lined with parchment paper cut side down, and bake for 40-50 mins, until fork tender. Let cool before moving to next step.

Simplified version:
You can stop right here and use the whole roasted squash and skip the roulade entirely. Simply peel the butternut squash, season all sides with the nutmeg/mace and smoked paprika. Omit the aquafaba, flax/chia seed, cream of tartar and maple syrup. You may need to cut the squash to size in order to fit everything inside. Try cutting it in half and making two smaller Wellingtons rather than one large one.

If you’re going for the roulade:

A. Scoop the cooled squash out of the rind and put it in a food processor or blender, processing until the squash is a creamy, smooth puree. Add nutmeg/mace, flax/chia seed and maple syrup. If you need a bit more liquid to blend, add no more than 1 tbsp of aquafaba or veggie stock. Too much liquid will affect the integrity of the squash sponge, so be mindful! After blending, put into a bowl and set aside.

B. Beat your aquafaba to an airy whip. In a stand mixer or large bowl with a hand mixer, combine aquafaba, white vinegar and cream of tartar. Start on the slowest speed, mixing until the aquafaba is bubbly and foamy. Increase the speed by increments until maxed out, and beat just until stiff peaks form. Don’t overbeat.

C. Sift flour and baking soda into the bowl with the squash mixture, and stir until combined. Gently fold in whipped aquafaba.

D. Line another sheet pan with more parchment paper than you need so that there are no gaps. Pour the squash mixture into the pan, ensuring that all sides are contained by the paper. Bake at 375F for 30-45 minutes, or until set and a toothpick comes out clean. Check every 15 minutes for texture, and let cool completely (!) before touching it.

6. In a small skillet on low heat, toast your pine nuts and fennel seeds with a pinch of oil (optional) until lightly browned. Set aside. Increase temperature of the oven to 400F.

7. Assemble your Wellington

Going the simplified route?
Roll out your puff pastry sheet. Spread some spreadable plant-based cream cheese in the middle of the sheet to the size of the squash. Layer toasted pine nuts and fennel, then spinach leaves, then mushroom mixture and place the squash on top. Spread the remaining cream cheese to the edges of the puff pastry that will touch the squash, making sure to cover all sides. Seal seams with a bit of water on your fingertips, and fold and tuck any excess pieces. If you have a lot of dough left over, use it to add some decorative accents to your Wellington, if you like.

Making the roulade?
Spread out plant-based cream cheese onto the cooled  squash sponge. Layer on the spinach leaves, then the mushroom-onion mixture, and sprinkle the pine nut-fennel mixture on top. Use parchment paper like a sushi mat to roll everything up together. Put in freezer for 10 minutes to chill, then wrap in puff pastry, folding and tucking any excess dough.

8. Increase oven temperature to 400F. Place the Wellington on a lightly greased sheet pan (you can also use parchment paper), and bake for 15-20 minutes, until golden brown. You can use the broiler setting for extra color, but move it to the lowest rack before you do. (I burned a whole Wellington like this. Don’t be me!)

9. Serve hot out of the oven in large slices.

Ingredients:

Seitan

• 2 cups of vital wheat gluten
• ¼ tsp baking powder
• 14 oz of soft tofu
• 1 tbsp red miso paste
• 1-2 tsp Better Than Bouillon
• ¼ cup nutritional yeast
• 1 tbsp browning sauce
• 1 tbsp vinegar (white or apple cider)
• 2 or 3 Tbsp of Holiday Seasoning Blend, as follows:

Holiday Seasoning Blend**

• 1 tbsp fennel seed
• 1 tsp onion powder
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1 ½ tsp thyme, dried
• 1 ½ tsp rubbed sage, dried
• 1 ½ tsp rosemary, dried
• 1 tsp marjoram
• 1 tsp coriander seed
• ½ tsp celery seed
• 1 tsp white pepper
• ¼ tsp cayenne pepper
• ½ tsp allspice
• ½ tsp nutmeg or mace
• 2 tsp sea salt

Filling

• 5-10 oz fresh spinach leaves
• 2 lbs baby bella mushrooms, sliced
• ½ onion, diced
• 6 cloves garlic, roughly chopped
• Kosher salt
• Freshly ground black pepper
• Generous pinch of Holiday Seasoning Blend

Broth

• 1 tbsp veggie Better Than Bouillon
• 1 tbsp organic sugar
• 2 tsp browning sauce
• 3 cups of water
• 2 bay leaves
• Generous pinch of Holiday Seasoning Blend

Instructions:

1. Combine herbs and spices for the Holiday Seasoning Blend, and set aside. This is more than you need for the recipe, but is great for seasoning other side dishes like roasted potatoes or stuffing!

2. Meanwhile, roast your mushrooms, onions, and garlic in a 400F oven. Toss with a bit of oil, and season liberally with kosher salt and pepper before baking for 20 minutes. Carefully remove the sheet from the oven and tilt the tray into a measuring cup to pour off as much liquid as possible. (Save it for gravy, it’s delicious!) Roast for another 10-15 minutes, then set aside to cool.

3. In a blender, combine tofu, red miso, Better Than Bouillon, nutritional yeast, browning sauce and vinegar.

4. In a large bowl, sift vital wheat gluten, Holiday Seasoning Blend, and baking powder. Pour tofu mixture into the bowl and stir until combined into a cohesive dough. If you still have dry bits, add 1 tbsp of water or veggie stock at a time until everything comes together. You’ll know that the seitan is hydrated enough when the dough pulls away cleanly with no powdery or sticky bits left over — the bowl will seem to clean itself.

5. Knead the seitan for five minutes. You can do this by hand, or with a stand mixer and dough hook attachment. Once you see stringy, meat-like gluten strands develop, place in a large bowl and cover with water to rest. Don’t worry, it won’t disintegrate! Rather, the gluten will absorb as much water as it needs and relax.

6. Knead again for ten minutes, and roll out into a vaguely rectangular shape of consistent thickness throughout. Layer the spinach leaves, then the  mushroom-onion-garlic mixture onto the seitan rectangle. Roll carefully and seal up any edges by pinching the seitan closed.

7. Wrap the seitan loaf in a double-layered piece of cheesecloth. This will keep the shape of the seitan loaf while allowing the broth to penetrate.

8. In a large pot with a top, combine the Better Than Bouillon, sugar, browning sauce, bay leaves and Holiday Seasoning Blend. (The broth will not cover the seitan.) Place the cheesecloth-covered loaf in the pot, and set the heat medium high. Boil/steam for 30 minutes, then flip the loaf over to the other side and boil/steam for another 30 minutes. If the water gets significantly low, add more as needed.

9. Remove the seitan loaf and let cool before wrapping with chilled puff pastry. You may need to cut to size to fit, so feel free to make two small wellingtons instead of one large wellington. Bake at 400F for 15-20 minutes on a sheet pan, or until golden brown. Serve hot and fresh from the oven in slices.

*Aquafaba, meaning bean water, is the protein-rich liquid that cooked beans are soaked in. The liquid can be used as an egg white substitute in a number of applications. A regular can of chickpeas has roughly one cup of aquafaba.

**William-Sonoma has an organic Turkey Herbs blend and Maple & Sage rub. Poultry seasoning should work fine, just add some salt if there isn’t any in the ingredient list.