Root Vegetable Wellington Recipe

Prepare vegetables

Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C). Peel and dice carrots, parsnips, sweet potato into roughly 1/2-inch cubes. If beets are raw, roast them wrapped in foil at 400°F for 45–60 minutes until tender, then peel and dice; if using cooked beets, cube them now.

Roast the roots

Toss diced carrots, parsnips, sweet potato with 1 tbs olive oil, 1/2 tsp salt and 1/2 tsp black pepper on a rimmed baking sheet. Roast in preheated oven 20–25 minutes until fork-tender and lightly caramelized, turning once. Remove and let cool slightly.

Sauté aromatics

While roots roast, finely mince shallots and smash garlic. In a large skillet over medium heat, warm 1 tbs olive oil. Add shallots and garlic and cook 2–3 minutes until translucent and fragrant; do not brown. Add thyme, cumin and smoked paprika and cook 30 seconds to bloom spices.

Combine filling

Add roasted root vegetables and diced beets to the skillet. Stir to combine; cook 2 minutes to marry flavors. Remove from heat and stir in lemon juice, chopped toasted walnuts and chopped parsley. Adjust seasoning with remaining 1/2 tsp salt and 1/2 tsp pepper. Let mixture cool to room temperature (important so pastry does not get soggy).

Make duxelles

Finely chop mushrooms (or pulse in food processor to a coarse mince). In a wide skillet, heat butter and 1 tsp olive oil over medium-high. Add minced shallot and cook 1–2 minutes until soft. Add mushrooms and cook, stirring frequently, until their moisture evaporates and they begin to brown, about 8–10 minutes.

Deglaze & season

Add minced garlic and cook 30 seconds. Deglaze skillet with 2 tbs white wine or stock, scrape up brown bits, then add 1 tsp soy sauce, 1 tsp thyme, 1/2 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp pepper. Continue to cook until mixture is fairly dry. Remove from heat and let cool slightly.

Bind duxelles

Stir in 1/2 cup breadcrumbs to absorb remaining moisture and help bind the filling. Taste and adjust seasoning. Allow duxelles to cool completely before assembly.

Prepare pastry

Lightly flour work surface and roll pastry sheet into a rectangle about 12 x 10 inches (if needed) to even thickness. Keep chilled until ready to assemble. Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C) if not already heated; place a baking sheet on middle rack.

Layer filling

On the center of the pastry, spread the mushroom duxelles into a log roughly 8 inches long and 3 inches wide, leaving a 1.5-inch border all around. Mound the cooled root vegetable mixture on top of the duxelles in an even layer, pressing gently to form a compact log shape.

Wrap Wellington

Brush the pastry border with a little beaten egg or aquafaba wash. Fold the long sides of the pastry over the filling to encase it, then fold the short ends to seal, tucking under to create a neat seam. Place seam side down on the prepared baking sheet. Trim excess pastry if necessary and use trimmings to decorate the top if desired. Brush entire pastry with egg/aquafaba wash thinned with 1 tsp milk for sheen. Make 2–4 small steam slits in the top.

Bake

Bake in preheated 400°F (200°C) oven 30–35 minutes until pastry is deep golden brown and filling is heated through. If pastry browns too quickly, loosely tent with foil.

Rest

Remove from oven and let rest 10–15 minutes before slicing to allow filling to set. Garnish with a rosemary sprig if using.

Make pan sauce

While Wellington rests, make a quick red wine sauce. In a small saucepan over medium heat, melt butter and add chopped shallot; cook 2–3 minutes until soft. Add red wine and reduce by half. Add vegetable stock and simmer until sauce reduces and slightly thickens, about 6–8 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste and strain if desired. Serve alongside sliced Wellington.