A vegan Wellington is a surprisingly simple recipe that will make a holiday meal special.  Make your Wellington easy with puff pastry and fill it with vegan beef, tofu, lentils, mushrooms, caramelized onions, or any combination of them. A Wellington is beautiful, flaky, satisfying, delicious, and sure to be a crowd-pleaser!

A top view of a vegan wellington with a braded top with 2 slices cut off of it.

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Why make a vegan Wellington

Wellingtons make holiday meals feel fancy and special!  This will be my 21st holiday season as a vegan.  I’ve created numerous versions of Wellingtons over the years, and they never fail to disappoint. They are a must-have for every vegan Thanksgiving and Christmas dinner.

Wellington is one of my favorite dishes to make for a holiday meal, as it’s relatively easy to prepare, considering its decorative appearance.  It’s also a great alternative to a vegan turkey or vegan ham as your main dish, as it can easily be made gluten-free by simply using a gluten-free puff pastry.  Best of all, you can fill it with layers of whatever you like to suit your taste or dietary needs. Serve it along with vegan gravy, vegan mashed potatoes, vegan baked stuffing, and jellied cranberry sauce for the perfect holiday meal!

Ingredients and substitutions

  • Vegan Puff Pastry – The Pepperidge Farm brand is vegan. This can be found in the frozen section of most major grocery stores near the pie crusts.  Schar’s also makes a gluten-free puff pastry that is amazingly close to the gluten type!  If you are feeling ambitious, you can also make your own puff pastry.  This is a great tutorial on how to make it yourself.  You can simply swap out butter for vegan butter.  You can also make a gluten-free puff pastry with this recipe from GF Jules.
  • Onions – about 2 large sweet onions for making a layer of caramelized onions. You can also add a few cloves of minced garlic to the onions.
  • Portobello Mushrooms – for making mushroom bacon.  You can use any type of mushrooms that you like, but I prefer portabella since they are large enough to use like strips of bacon.  You can also use tempeh bacon, rice paper vegan bacon, or store-bought vegan bacon alternatives.
  • Olive Oil – to saute the onions and mushrooms.  You can use any neutral-flavored oil that you want.
  • Protein filling of your choice – you can choose between extra-firm tofu mixed with seasonings like soy sauce, nutritional yeast, and thyme, vegan ground beef like Beyond Meat, or Impossible burgers.  You can also fill it with other vegan protein mixtures, such as the filling for my lentil loaf or vegan meatballs.
  • Aquafaba – to use as a vegan egg wash. (optional)
A knife cutting off a slice of tofu wellington.

How to make tofu Wellington

Make the parts of the Wellington

Step 1 – Remove your puff pastry from the freezer and let it thaw for approximately 45 minutes.

Step 2 – While the pastry is warming up, peel and slice 2 onions into long, thin pieces and toss them into a frying pan with 2 tablespoons of olive oil and 1/4 teaspoon of salt.  Cook the onions on low, stirring occasionally, for 30-40 minutes until they turn a light brown color and get sweet.

Step 3 – Slice a large portabella mushroom into thin slices and fry in 1 tbsp of neutral-flavored oil.  Sprinkle with salt and liquid smoke and cook for about 7-8 minutes on each side until thoroughly cooked.

Make the filling

Step 4 – Crumble the drained, pressed, extra-firm, or high-protein tofu into a food processor. Add vegan broth, poultry seasoning, soy sauce, nutritional yeast, salt, and pepper to the food processor and blend until combined.

Step 5 – If not using the tofu method, use 12 oz. of vegan ground beef, or see further instructions in the variation section of this post.

Assemble the Wellington

Step 6 – Once you have prepped all your ingredients, be sure to preheat your oven to 400°F. (You need it to go into a preheated hot oven to achieve a great puffy rise.)

Step 7 – Place 1 rectangle of puff pastry on a baking sheet with edges.

A layer of caramelized onions on a sheet of pastry puff on a cookie sheet.
Place a layer of sautéed onions in the center of the puff pastry.
A layer of vegan mushroom bacon on top of carnalized onions and pastry puff.
Add a layer of sauteed portobella mushrooms.

Step 8 – Add a layer of caramelized onions down the center of the pastry puff, leaving about three inches on both sides and about 1/2 inch on the top and bottom.

Step 9 – Layer the portobello mushroom bacon (or other vegan bacon) on top of the onions, overlapping the slices of mushrooms a little.

Step 10 – Top with a layer of seasoned tofu (or vegan beef, lentil loaf mixture, or vegan meatball mixture) about 3 inches wide, covering the onions and mushrooms, and about 1 1/2 inches high.

Seasoned tofu on top of carnalized onions and mushroom bacon to make a tofu wellington.
Top the mushrooms with a layer of seasoned tofu.
Braiding the strips of puff pastry on top of the vegan wellington.
Cut the puff pastry into strips and wrap it around the filling in a criss-cross pattern.

Prepare for baking

Step 11 – Cut diagonal lines in the puff pastry with a sharp knife, starting at the bottom corners at a 45-degree angle.  Cut another line every inch until you reach 1/2 inch from the top.

Step 12 – Fold the top and the bottom triangles of the pastry in and on top of the filling. Then, fold the strips over each other, alternating sides, starting at the top and working down to form a woven, braided look.

Step 13 – Brush your Wellington with a little melted vegan butter or aquafaba (the liquid from a can of chickpeas) to give it a little shine.

Brushing the top of the vegan wellington with aquafaba before baking.
Brush your Wellington with aquafaba.
A vegan wellington on a cookie sheet golden brown after it is baked.
Bake until golden brown.

Step 14 – Bake the wellington at 400°F for 35 minutes, or until the pastry has puffed up and become golden brown.

Step 15 – Allow it to cool for about 10 minutes before slicing and serving.

Pro tips

  • Be sure to let your puff pastry warm up and soften before assembling your wellington.
  • You can layer onions, mushrooms, vegetables, tofu, or a meat substitute of your choice, but don’t fill it more than about 3 inches wide and 2 1/2 inches high.
  • Use a cookie sheet that has edges on the sides. Some of the juices from the Wellington will leak out and drip off the sheet without edges.

Vegan Wellington recipe variations

Vegan “Beef” Wellington – Use 12 oz. of a vegan beef substitute, such as Beyond Beef or Impossible Burger.  The 12-oz packages that come unformed are perfect for this, but you can also use 6 pre-formed hamburgers, let them thaw, and roll them into a cylinder shape.  (Don’t use the frozen crumbles; they will not stick together as well to form your “meat.”) You can also create your own beef wellington filling by making my meaty vegan meatball recipe and rolling the entire batch into a cylindrical shape.

Lentil Wellington – For a soy-free, plant-based wellington, a lentil mixture is a great option.  Simply cut my lentil loaf recipe in half and use it as the meaty layer in your wellington.  The lentils and rice in this dish are seasoned to perfection and will yield a great texture when baked.

Vegan Mushroom Wellington – Double the amount of caramelized onions, cooking a total of 4 onions.  Sauté 3 sliced portobello mushrooms in 2 tbsp of olive oil and sprinkle with salt.  Layer the onions, followed by 3 layers of sliced portobello mushrooms.

A vegan beef wellington with a slice cut off of it on a white plate with parsley and cherry tomatoes on the side.

Decorating the Wellington

Feel free to wrap the pastry puff any way that you want. Braid strips over the top, as I did, or, if you want to keep it really simple, you can wrap the puff pastry around the center ingredients, seal it at one edge, and then use a knife to cut designs into it.  Puff pastry usually comes with 2 pieces of dough, so you can cut shapes in the 2nd extra sheet of pastry with a cookie cutter.  Simply place the decorative pieces onto the top of the Wellington with a bit of water to make them stick.

What to serve with vegan wellington

Vegan tofu Wellington recipe

A vegan wellington filled with onions, mushrooms, and tofu on a white plate with a slice cut out of it.
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5 from 4 rating

Vegan Tofu Wellington

Yield: 6
Prep: 45 minutes
Cook: 35 minutes
Total: 1 hour 20 minutes
Author: Monica Davis
Seasoned tofu, caramelized onions, and vegan bacon wrapped up in a flaky puff pastry.
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Ingredients

  • 1 sheet puff pastry, (use GF if needed)

For the caramelized onions

  • 2 tablespoons light olive oil

For the mushroom bacon

  • 1 portabella mushroom
  • 1 1/2 tablespoons light olive oil
  • 1/2 teaspoon liquid smoke (hickory flavored)
  • 1/8 teaspoon salt

Tofu filling

  • 1 14 oz block extra firm tofu, (or high protein tofu) drained and pressed well
  • 1/3 cup vegan broth, chicken-style or vegetable broth
  • 1 tablespoon poultry seasoning
  • 1 tablespoon nutritional yeast, (optional)
  • 1 teaspoon soy sauce, (or tamari or liquid aminos for gluten-free)
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 tsp pepper

For brushing the top of your wellington

  • 1 tablespoon aquafaba , (aka liquid from a can of chickpea or other beans) You can also use vegan butter. (optional)

Instructions
 

  • Remove your puff pastry from the freezer and let it thaw for about 45 minutes.

Make caramelized onions

  • While the pastry is warming, peel and slice 2 onions into long, thin pieces and toss them into a frying pan with 2 tbsp of olive oil and a 1/4 tsp. salt.  Cook the onions uncovered on low, stirring occasionally for 30-40 minutes until they turn a light brown color and get sweet. (Add a sprinkle of water to the onions as they are cooking if they start to look dry.)

Make mushroom "bacon"

  • Slice a large portabella mushroom into thin slices and fry in 1 tbsp of neutral-flavored oil.  Sprinkle with salt and liquid smoke, and cook for about 7-8 minutes on each side until thoroughly cooked.

Make the tofu filling (or other fillings of choice)

  • Crumble drained, pressed, extra-firm, or high-protein tofu into a food processor. Add vegan broth, poultry seasoning, nutritional yeast, soy sauce, salt, and pepper to the food processor and blend until combined.
  • (If not using the tofu method, use 12 oz. of vegan ground beef, or see further instructions in the variation section of this post.)

Assemble your wellington

  • Once you have prepped all your ingredients, be sure to preheat your oven to 400°F. (You need it to go into a preheated hot oven to achieve a great puffy rise.)
  • Place 1 rectangle of pastry puff on a cookie sheet that has edges.
  • Add a layer of caramelized onions down the center of the pastry puff, leaving about 3 inches (7.5 cm) on both sides and about 1/2 inch (1.25 cm) on the top and bottom.
  • Layer the portobello mushroom bacon (or other vegan bacon, if you choose) on top of the onions, overlapping the slices of mushrooms slightly.
  • Top with a layer of seasoned tofu (or vegan beef, lentil loaf mixture, or vegan meatball mixture) that is about 3 inches (7.5 cm) wide, covering the onions and mushrooms, and about 1 1/2 inches (3.75 cm) high.
  • Cut diagonal lines in the puff pastry, starting at the bottom corners, at a 45-degree angle.  Cut another line every inch until you reach 1/2 inch from the top.
  • Fold the top and the bottom triangles of the pastry in and on top of the filling. Then fold the strips over each other alternating each side starting at the top and working down to form a woven braided look.
  • Brush your Wellington with a little melted vegan butter or aquafaba (the liquid from a can of chickpeas) to give it a little shine.
  • Bake the wellington at 400° F for 35 minutes or until the pastry has puffed up and become golden brown.
  • Allow it to cool for about 10 minutes before slicing and serving.

Notes

  • Be sure to let your puff pastry warm up and soften before assembling your wellington.
  • You can layer onions, mushrooms, vegetables, tofu, or a meat substitute of your choice, but don’t fill it more than about 3 inches wide and 2 1/2 inches high.
  • Use a cookie sheet that has edges on the sides. Some of the juices from the Wellington will leak out and drip off the sheet without edges.

Variations

Vegan “Beef” Wellington – Use 12 oz. of a vegan beef substitute, such as Beyond Beef or Impossible Burger.  The 12-oz packages that come unformed are perfect for this, but you can also use 6 pre-formed hamburgers, let them thaw, and roll them into a cylinder shape.  (Don’t use the frozen crumbles; they will not stick together as well to form your “meat.”) You can also create your own beef wellington filling by making my meaty vegan meatball recipe and rolling the entire batch into a cylindrical shape.
Lentil Wellington – For a soy-free, plant-based wellington, a lentil mixture is a great option.  Simply cut my lentil loaf recipe in half and use it as the meaty layer in your wellington.  The lentils and rice in this dish are seasoned to perfection and will yield a great texture when baked.
Mushroom Wellington – Simply double the amount of caramelized onions, cooking a total of 4 onions.  Sauté 3 sliced portabella mushrooms in 2 tablespoons of olive oil and sprinkle with salt.  Layer the onions, followed by 3 layers of sliced portabella mushrooms.
Serving: 6oz, Calories: 340kcal, Carbohydrates: 21g, Protein: 8g, Fat: 25g, Saturated Fat: 5g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 4g, Monounsaturated Fat: 15g, Sodium: 492mg, Potassium: 154mg, Fiber: 1g, Sugar: 1g, Vitamin A: 46IU, Vitamin C: 0.1mg, Calcium: 31mg, Iron: 2mg
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