Vegan Wellington

Step 1

Take your puff pastry out of the freezer and let it warm up for about 45 minutes.

Step 2

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.)

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.

Step 4

Crumble drained, pressed, extra firm, or high protein tofu into a food processor and add vegan broth, poultry seasoning, nutritional yeast, soy sauce, salt, and pepper into a 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.)

Step 6

Once you have prepped all of your ingredients be sure to preheat your oven to 400° F.  (You need it to go into a preheated hot oven to get a great puffy rise!)

Step 7

Place 1 rectangle of pastry puff on a cookie sheet that has edges.

Step 8

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.

Step 9

Layer the portabella mushroom bacon (or other vegan bacon if you choose) 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 (7.5 cm) wide covering the onions and mushrooms, and about 1 1/2 inches (3.75 cm) high.

Step 11

Cut diagonal lines in the puff pasty 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 each side starting at the top and working down to form a woven braided look.

Step 13

Brush your wellington with a little vegan butter or aquafaba (the liquid from a can of chickpeas) to give it a little shine.

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 cooling for about 10 minutes before slicing and serving.