Another Thanksgiving idea today! I’m trying to share a few more of those before the holiday arrives… (now taking votes for kale salad vs. a seasonal cake) 🙂 This vegan beet wellington makes for a stunning presentation and will please vegans and omnivores alike. Though it takes some time to make the various components, it’s actually very easy to prepare.
The idea for beet wellington came from a good friend of mine, who saw a beet wellington presented by a professional chef. Sadly, that version along with all of the others I found online, was not vegan. That vegetarian spin on the French classic is made with tons of butter. Plus, duxelles is chock full of mushrooms, which as you know, are not preferred by me.
Replacing the butter was pretty easy – I used coconut oil and added a few extra seasonings to give the filling a savory flavor. For the mushrooms, I wanted something with a nice bite to it, so I used chopped toasted pecans, slightly softened by cooking them in with the garlic and shallots. The result? A vegan, mushroom-less duxelles that I would happily eat with a spoon, or spread onto a crostini (mmm).
I made a red wine reduction sauce to top off this showstopping vegan entree, and the sauce was good, but honestly, I think it is already a complete dish without the sauce. The beets are super juicy and flavorful so you won’t feel like something is missing if you eat it as-is. I think this would also go well with gravy!
If I was making this vegan beet wellington again, and I had any fancy cashew cheese on hand, I would definitely put it inside. A chevre-style cashew cheese would be especially good here. But again, this is totally optional. =]
For those of you in the US, I hope your Thanksgiving plans are coming along. For everyone in the northern hemisphere, hope you are staying warm! Happy Monday! (And P.S. Yes, that’s a little twig of burnt rosemary sticking out of the filling in the pictures… color me embarrassed.)
Beet Wellington
Ingredients
For the marinated roasted beets:
- 2 medium red beets
- olive oil
- 2 tbsp prepared mustard
- 2 tbsp caper berries
- 2 tsp crushed fennel seeds
- 2 tsp smoked paprika
For the vegan, mushroom-less “duxelles”:
- 1 tbsp coconut oil
- 1 large shallot finely chopped
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1/3 cup chopped toasted pecans
- 1 tbsp roughly chopped fresh sage
- 1 tbsp roughly chopped fresh rosemary
- 2 tbsp fresh thyme leaves
- 1/2 tbsp tamari (or soy sauce or liquid aminos)
- 1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
- a few grinds of black pepper
- salt to taste
For the vegan beet wellington:
- 1 sheet vegan puff pastry thawed (I used Simply Enjoy brand)
- marinated roasted beets (see above)
- vegan duxelles (see above)
- 1 tsp neutral oil
- 1 tsp plain, unsweetened non-dairy milk
- red wine reduction sauce (optional, see below) (or vegan gravy)
For the red wine reduction sauce:
- 1 tsp coconut oil
- 1 clove garlic minced
- 1 cup red wine
- 1 cup low-sodium vegetable broth
- 2 tbsp coconut sugar (or brown sugar)
- 1 tbsp cornstarch whisked together with 2 tbsp cold water
Instructions
To roast the beets:
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Prick the beets a few times with a fork and wrap them in tinfoil. Roast them for 45 minutes to an hour, until just cooked through. Remove the skins once cooled.
To prepare the marinated roasted beets:
- Slice the roasted beets into slices about 1 centimeter thick. Lightly coat with olive oil. Toss together with the mustard, caper berries, fennel seeds, smoked paprika, and a pinch of salt.
- Store in an airtight container to marinate for at least 3 hours.
To prepare the vegan, mushroom-less "duxelles":
- Heat the coconut oil in a skillet. Add the shallot and garlic, and cook over medium to medium-low heat until quite soft, stirring occasionally, about 7-9 minutes.
- Add the rest of the ingredients and cook for about 2 more minutes, or until the pecans have softened slightly. Adjust seasoning to taste.
To prepare the vegan beet wellington:
- If using store-bought puff pastry, thaw according to package directions.
- Unfold the puff pastry and stretch it gently into a rectangle shape. Spread half of the vegan duxelles mixture onto the pastry in an even layer, leaving a couple inches of space around the edges.
- Remove the sliced beets from the marinade, brushing off excess marinade if needed. Place the beets on top of the duxelles in 1 to 2 layers. Top with the other half of the duxelles mixture.
- Fold the long sides of the puff pastry over the center mixture, and then fold the short sides over that. Use moistened fingers to seal. Try to overlap as little as possible. As you can see in the pictures, I messed up the folding a little bit with this batch. It was still flaky and cooked all the way through, but tighter folding will result in an even better texture and more even cooking.
- Gently transfer the folded beet wellington onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Whisk together the oil and nondairy milk until emulsified, and use a pastry brush to brush the top and sides of the beet wellington with the mixture.
- Refrigerate the folded beet wellington for at least 30 minutes and up to 2 hours.
- Heat the oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. Bake the beet wellington for 45 to 60 minutes, until the pastry is golden on the outside and firm all the way through when gently pressed.
- Serve with sauce or gravy if desired. See notes for how to store leftovers.
To prepare the red wine reduction sauce:
- Warm the coconut oil in a small saucepan. Add the minced garlic and cook until slightly softened, about 3 minutes.
- Add the red wine and vegetable broth, and bring the mixture to a boil. Reduce to a fast simmer and cook for 10-15 minutes, or until reduced by almost half.
- Stir in the sugar and the cornstarch/water mixture. Reduce to a gentle simmer and cook for about 5 minutes, or until thickened and shiny. Add salt and pepper to taste, if desired.
Notes
Nutrition
Source consulted: Beet Wellington by Fine Cooking
I'm Shannon, the writer and photographer of Yup, it's Vegan! I'm a morning person based in Baltimore, USA. My mission is to create healthy plant-based recipes that anyone would enjoy, using seasonal produce with inspiration from global flavors.
natmariscorner says
Looks delicious! I never had beef Wellington anyway. Is there something I can use instead of mushrooms?
Shannon @ Yup, it's Vegan says
This recipe doesn’t have mushrooms in it.
anthony smith says
thank you. i had this prepared for me in nashville . the chef at “Miel” needed a new vegetarian dish, and made beet wellington. this is the closest recipe i’ve found, and hope to spin off. theirs had some fresh oj in the beet marinade and it was amazing. reminded me of thanksgiving, and the homemade cranberry sauce i’d put on my leftover sandwichs (before vegan-living). total oral flashback. but thanks again for the recipe
Krista says
Looks delicious! About how many does your recipe make?
Shannon @ Yup, it's Vegan says
Thanks! This recipe is for just one of the pictured beet wellingtons. I would say it comfortably serves 4 people with sides. It should be pretty easy to double if need be 🙂
janet @ the taste space says
Great idea, Shannon. What a creation. Lentils seem like a good fit in there, too. 🙂
Mihl says
That is such a fantastic idea. Thank you for veganising this recipe. I cam imagine how well the beets and the puff pastry go together. Although I’d probably use those mushrooms, too:)
Shannon @ Yup, it's Vegan says
Thanks, Mihl! I completely acknowledge that mushrooms would be good in this, haha! 🙂
Caralyn @ glutenfreehappytummy says
mmm now this looks like an amazing thanksgiving main dish!
Shannon @ Yup, it's Vegan says
Thanks so much, Caralyn!
Cheryl says
This is so incredibly beautiful! What an elegant way to celebrate Thanksgiving & Christmas, plant-based style. Leave it to you!
Shannon @ Yup, it's Vegan says
Aw shucks, thank you! 🙂
Baby June says
Wow that looks amazing! Can hardly believe it is vegan. Love the color too! 😀
Shannon @ Yup, it's Vegan says
Thank you!! I’m partial to the color as well 🙂 vegan puff pastry is surprisingly awesome!