Gordon Ramsay’s vegetarian wellington uses a filling of mixed mushrooms cooked until completely dry with garlic, thyme, and chestnuts, then wrapped in wilted spinach and puff pastry and baked at 200°C (400°F) for 25 to 30 minutes. A mushroom wellington is the classic meat-free alternative to his signature beef wellington, and this one uses his technique of chilling twice before baking.
Gordon does not have an official vegetarian wellington recipe, so I built this using his wellington method with the best mushroom filling I could find. The chestnuts give it a meaty bite that plain mushrooms alone do not have, and I have served this at christmas dinner next to the beef wellington without anyone feeling like they got the lesser version.
Try More Wellington Recipes:
- Gordon Ramsay Beef Wellington Recipe
- Gordon Ramsay Salmon Wellington
- Beef Wellington: The Complete Guide
Why Mushrooms Work As The Filling
Mushrooms have a meaty texture and release a lot of umami flavour when cooked down, which is why every good vegetarian wellington starts with them. The trick is cooking them until bone dry so the pastry does not go soggy, exactly the same principle as the duxelles in a beef wellington.
I use a mix of chestnut mushrooms and portobello for depth. The chestnuts add crunch and a sweet, nutty bite that makes this feel like a proper main course and not just vegetables in pastry.
Vegetarian Wellington Ingredients
- 400g (14 oz) chestnut mushrooms (cremini), cleaned
- 2 large portobello mushrooms, gills removed, sliced
- 200g (7 oz) fresh spinach
- 100g (3.5 oz) cooked chestnuts, roughly chopped
- 2 shallots, finely diced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 2 tsp fresh thyme leaves
- 1 tbsp soy sauce
- 500g puff pastry, all-butter
- 1 egg, beaten for egg wash
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
- Plain flour (all-purpose flour) for dusting
How To Make Vegetarian Wellington
- Cook the mushrooms: Pulse the chestnut mushrooms in a food processor until finely chopped, then cook in a dry pan with the shallots, garlic, and thyme for 10 to 12 minutes until all moisture has gone. Add soy sauce and season.
- Wilt the spinach: Heat a splash of olive oil, add the spinach, and cook until fully wilted. Squeeze out every drop of liquid through a clean tea towel.
- Combine: Mix the cooled mushroom filling with the chopped chestnuts. Shape into a tight log on cling film (plastic wrap) and roll tightly, twisting the ends. Chill for 30 minutes.
- Wrap in pastry: Roll the puff pastry out on a floured surface, lay a bed of spinach down the centre, place the mushroom log on top, brush the edges with egg wash, and fold to seal.
- Chill again: Place seam-side down on a lined tray, score the top lightly, brush with egg wash, and refrigerate for at least 20 minutes.
- Bake: Bake at 200°C (400°F) for 25 to 30 minutes until deep golden and puffed. Rest for 10 minutes before slicing.
What To Serve With Vegetarian Wellington
A mushroom gravy or red wine jus poured onto the plate works perfectly. For sides, keep it simple: creamy mashed potatoes or roasted new potatoes with roasted asparagus or glazed carrots.
At christmas, I serve this next to the beef wellington so everyone gets to choose. The vegetarian version always disappears first, which tells you something.
Can You Make This In Advance?
Yes. You can prep the filling up to 2 days ahead and store it in the fridge, then assemble and bake when ready. The fully assembled wellington also keeps in the fridge for up to 24 hours before baking.
You can freeze the assembled wellington before baking for up to 1 month, then bake from frozen at 200°C (400°F) with 10 to 15 extra minutes. Leftover slices reheat at 180°C (350°F) for 10 minutes on a wire rack.
FAQs
- What is a vegetarian wellington? It is a wellington made without meat, sometimes called a vegetarian beef wellington because it uses mushrooms as the main filling instead of beef or fish. The wrapping technique and pastry are exactly the same as a traditional beef wellington.
- Can I buy a ready-made vegetarian wellington? Yes. Most UK supermarkets including Tesco, Sainsbury’s, and M&S sell pre-made mushroom wellingtons, especially around christmas. They are decent for a quick option but the filling is smaller than homemade.
- Can I make this vegan? Yes. Use vegan puff pastry, skip the egg wash and brush with plant milk instead. The filling is already vegan as written.
- What about a beet wellington? Beet wellington uses whole roasted beetroot as the centre instead of mushrooms. It is more dramatic to look at when sliced, but mushroom is the more popular version because the flavour is closer to the original beef wellington.
More Recipes:
- Gordon Ramsay Chicken Wellington Recipe
- Gordon Ramsay Turkey Wellington Recipe
- Gordon Ramsay Wellington Bites Recipe
Nutrition Facts
- Calories: 380 kcal
- Total Fat: 22g
- Saturated Fat: 10g
- Protein: 10g
- Total Carbohydrate: 35g
- Fibre: 4g
Gordon Ramsay Vegetarian Wellington Recipe
6
servings30
minutes30
minutes1
hour50
minutesGordon Ramsay’s vegetarian wellington uses a filling of mixed mushrooms cooked until completely dry with garlic, thyme, and chestnuts, then wrapped in wilted spinach and puff pastry and baked at 200°C (400°F) for 25 to 30 minutes. A mushroom wellington is the classic meat-free alternative to his signature beef wellington, and this one uses his technique of chilling twice before baking.
Gordon does not have an official vegetarian wellington recipe, so I built this using his wellington method with the best mushroom filling I could find. The chestnuts give it a meaty bite that plain mushrooms alone do not have, and I have served this at christmas dinner without anyone feeling like they got the lesser version.
Ingredients
400g (14 oz) chestnut mushrooms (cremini), cleaned
2 large portobello mushrooms, gills removed, sliced
200g (7 oz) fresh spinach
100g (3.5 oz) cooked chestnuts, roughly chopped
2 shallots, finely diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 tbsp olive oil
2 tsp fresh thyme leaves
1 tbsp soy sauce
500g puff pastry, all-butter
1 egg, beaten for egg wash
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Plain flour (all-purpose flour) for dusting
Directions
- Cook the mushrooms: Pulse the chestnut mushrooms in a food processor until finely chopped, then cook in a dry pan with the shallots, garlic, and thyme for 10 to 12 minutes until all moisture has gone. Add soy sauce and season.
- Wilt the spinach: Heat a splash of olive oil, add the spinach, and cook until fully wilted. Squeeze out every drop of liquid through a clean tea towel.
- Combine: Mix the cooled mushroom filling with the chopped chestnuts. Shape into a tight log on cling film and roll tightly, twisting the ends. Chill for 30 minutes.
- Wrap in pastry: Roll the puff pastry out on a floured surface, lay a bed of spinach down the centre, place the mushroom log on top, brush the edges with egg wash, and fold to seal.
- Chill again: Place seam-side down on a lined tray, score the top lightly, brush with egg wash, and refrigerate for at least 20 minutes.
- Bake: Bake at 200°C (400°F) for 25 to 30 minutes until deep golden and puffed. Rest for 10 minutes before slicing.
