Vegan BBQ Beef Wellington

We all know the fancy main-course where puff pastry wraps around savory beef, but what about a vegan option? My Vegan BBQ Beef Wellington is a family-style main-course perfect for the holiday season! Tender beans, veggies, and seasonings are wrapped in homemade dough and baked until perfection. Puff pastry option.

Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links via Amazon for products that I wholeheartedly love.

Move aside, beef! A new wellington filling is in town! Who does love flaky dough stuffed with an incredible filling? That's exactly what you'll get with my Vegan BBQ Beef Wellington! A BBQ-inspired filling of beans, carrots, onion, and spices is blanketed in my homemade dough, which is basically a very special pie crust.

The best part is that this main course is 100% vegan! It is perfect for your holiday table this year, whether it's Thanksgiving, Christmas, or the New Year. Even meat-eaters will love this dish. It is hearty and filling with delightful BBQ flavors. Summertime is not the only time you can use BBQ sauce in your cooking! 

Read on to see what makes this vegan main course so delicious!

How to Make Vegan BBQ Beef Wellington

This recipe took a few tries to get just right because honestly----especially when it came to the "rolling" process once the filling has been added----at least that's my opinion. I wanted to make sure the wellington tasted as delicious as it's traditional counterparts, although it doesn't include any meat. 

You start by making the crust (or using puff pastry if you choose---see further down), let it chill, food process your filling ingredients until the texture becomes "thick-like" and meaty, and roll out the dough and create a log-like shape, assemble, and bake until golden to perfection!

What Is a Beef Wellington?

Wellington is a beef dish that originated in England. Traditionally, it is beef topped with a mushroom compote, then wrapped in puff pastry. You will find this dish in upscale restaurants across America and England!

For a vegan twist, I use my own bean filling and make a homemade crust without any use of animal products. It is the perfect main course to serve to family and friends during any holiday!

What is a Substitute for Beef in Beef Wellington?

If you're thinking about making a traditional beef wellington, then the typical type of meat used is beef filet or filet mignon. But you can also use venison loin, pork tenderloin, or lamb cannon. 

What is Vegan Wellington Made Of?

When it comes to this Vegan BBQ Beef Wellington, it's made from chickpeas, black beans, flax eggs, and a host of other simple ingredients. In general, however, vegan wellingtons can include mushrooms, chickpeas, etc. for a nice meaty texture. Of course, once you've created the right texture (I love using a food processor), you'll season everything, add sautéed veggies (if desired), and wallah.

What is Puff Pastry?

Puff pastries are made of enriched wheat flour made into dough and shortening (most brands use butter instead, however) is added inside and folded to create a specific shape. In addition, puff pastry has water and salt. The main benefit of using puff pastry in your dishes, whether sweet or savory is the existence of a super light, flaky crust of some sort.

Is Puff Pastry Vegan?

Yes, it is! Believe it or not, a ton of store-bought puff pastry products are actually vegan and can be used for this Vegan BBQ Beef Wellington if you don't want to make your own crust. Just ensure that you check the ingredients well since some brands can have non-vegan ingredients without you knowing. Here are a few brands that actually have vegan puff pastry:

• Pepperidge Farm
• Pillsbury
• Schar
• Dufour 

The Best Substitutes for Puff Pastry

Incase you aren't a fan of puff pastry or don't have it on hand, no worries! There are great substitutes that work just as great as puff pastry and using one of these even for this vegan wellington works just fine:

Phyllo dough: This is a type of pastry dough often used in Greek and Middle Eastern cuisine. It's made from flour, water, oil, and is rolled into a thin layer/sheet.

Pizza dough: Believe it or not, you can totally sub puff pastry with pizza dough, whether thin crust dough or thick crust dough. 

Biscuit dough: Using biscuit dough will create a light, flaky texture and would make for a great crust for this vegan wellington.

Pie crust: This type of dough is rather similar to puff pastry and if you enjoy making your own pie crust, then I suggest you making my recipe here!

Crescent roll dough: This is another dough that makes a great substitute and it's made from flour, water, shortening, slat, and yeast, which creates light, fluffy texture that would work well for this recipe!

Tips for Making Homemade Vegan BBQ Beef Wellington

• When rolling out your dough, do not roll it too thin. If the pastry is too thin, it will fall apart when cooking!
• Do not over-stuff your crust! Make sure the filling is log-shaped before rolling up the crust.
• Allow your cooked filling to cool! A hot filling will change the texture of the dough, so make sure your filling is at least room temperature.
• You can freeze the dough if you make it in advance! Don't freeze solid, just freeze for 10-15 minutes to firm up before rolling out.
• Make a beautiful pattern on the outside! I find that cutting the dough prior to baking makes for a prettier presentation, so do it before the wellington goes in the oven.
• Eat like a hand pie! I like to eat this with my hands, especially if I make these into individual pies.
• Pair with a salad, veggies, or mashed potatoes on the side.

SHOP MY FAVORITE TOOLS FOR COOKING, ESPECIALLY FOR THIS WELLINGTON!

Here, I’ve curated a list of cooking + baking essentials that I use to achieve my favorite baked goods or cooked meals, especially with this Vegan BBQ Beef Wellington. Everything from my fave baking sheet, liners, pie weights, hand-mixers, mixing bowls, and more. SEE THEM HERE!

Is Beef Wellington the Hardest Dish to Make?

Honestly, I've read that beef wellington is on the list of "Top 10 Hardest Dishes to Make" and i totally understand! Haha. It literally took me creating this vegan wellington several times before actually being able to perfect it to this revamped version. In the traditional beef Wellington, the hardest part is usually in getting the meat perfectly cooked, which should be medium rare. However, for many people, getting the right texture for the vegan "meat" filling is another challenge, which is why I love using beans for a nice 'meaty' texture without the use of mushrooms or tofu, etc.

How to Make Homemade Breadcrumbs

To make your own breadcrumbs, simply grind 1-2 cups of cubed bread into a food processor until finely chopped. Place crumbs onto a parchment lined baking sheet and spread out evenly.

Bake for 5-6 minutes in the oven set at 350 degrees Fahrenheit, stirring occasionally. Once brown + crisp, remove from oven and let cool. Continue recipe steps and store remaining breadcrumbs in a tightly sealed container.

What to Eat/Serve with Vegan Wellington?

Wellingtons in general are a great holiday dish, which means that other holiday dishes and sides would work perfectly! For this Vegan BBQ Beef Wellington, I enjoy the following vegan dishes as a delicious completion for my tastebuds: 

• Maple Herb Roasted Butternut Squash
• Vegan Sweet Cornbread
• Homemade Vegan Stuffing
• Ultimate Vegan Mac + Cheese
• Easy Vegan Roasted Potato Salad
• Blood Orange Kale Salad (or ANY salad)
• Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Grapes
• Maple Herb Glazed Carrots
• Vegan Skillet Sweet Potato Casserole

Ingredients in Vegan BBQ Beef Wellington

For the Crust:

2 cups organic all-purpose flour
1 cup artisan bread flour
½ teaspoon sea salt
1 teaspoon dried parsley
½ teaspoon garlic powder
¾ cup vegan butter, cold
1 cup almond milk, cold
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar

For the Filling:

1 (15 oz.) can chickpeas, drained + rinsed
1 (15 oz.) can black beans, drained + rinsed
2 flax 'eggs' (2 tablespoons flaxseed meals + 6 tablespoons warm water)
2 garlic cloves, minced
½ medium onion, chopped
1 carrot, peeled + grated
1 cup BBQ sauce, homemade or store-bought
a teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 teaspoon sea salt + black pepper
a teaspoon smoked paprika
1 teaspoon garlic powder
½ teaspoon ground cumin
½ teaspoon hot sauce, optional
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce (Vegan-approved!)
1 cup breadcrumbs, homemade or store-bought

Toppings:

1 tablespoon vegan butter, melted
1 tablespoon sesame seeds
dried parsley, for garnish

Tips For Making the Flakiest Vegan Pie Crust/Dough

• The butter is SUPER important. When it comes to the vegan buttery sticks, ensuring that they are COLD and of course from a great brand is key! For Vegan pastry crusts, I generally go for Earth’s Best Buttery Sticks, which taste like real unsalted butter.
• Adding Shortening works too! Although I tend to use buttery sticks alone, adding shortening or lard adds great wonders as well. All you need is half shortening and half butter.
• Fridge time is an important time! Chilling your dough for an hour at a minimum is so imperative to a flaky crust. Even slightly longer makes for a great advantage.
• Your flours matter, big time! While different brands of flour hydrate differently (causing a slightly different result), ensuring that you mix in all-purpose flour with pastry flour is also just as important. Believe it or not, pastry flour makes a difference and serves a greater purpose!
• SLOWLY pour in water (or milk), don’t dump it! Gently pouring in the water-ACV mixture is so imperative. I pour ¼ cup at a time and work the dough with my hands to eyeball how wet or dry everything is. • The dough can be made in advance, too. If making your crust ahead, you can always store it in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. No longer! 
• Not too Thick or Thin. Ensuring that you roll out a good enough crust or dough is of course a must. Most go by the rule of thumb being ⅛ of an inch thickness or even slightly thicker. This helps your crust to the perfect thickness to carry the weight of your filling without compromising flakiness.

What Greens Can I Add to this Vegan Wellington?

Although, kale is the most common veggie that I like to add to this Vegan BBQ Wellington, you can definitely use other greens such as spinach, collard greens, bokchoy, etc. for a nice twist! When it comes to vegetables, there are so many benefits as we all know. While some veggies pack a greater punch when it comes to nutrients, we’ve curated a special list of our Our Top 12 Favorite Healthy Green Leafy Vegetables! Most of these are super popular while others are under utilized in many dishes. Lettuce Eat, Shall We?

How to Store Leftover Vegan BBQ Beef Wellington

Leftovers can be stored in an air-tight container in the refrigerator for 3-4 days and reheated (preferably in the oven) when ready to serve.

Other Recipes You'll Love

If you love my Vegan BBQ Beef Wellington, try these other dishes!

• Vegan Pot Pie
• Fall Harvest Apple Kale Salad
• Vegan Hawaiian Buffalo Chicken Pizza
• Lemon Pepper Cauliflower Bites
• Vegan Bolognese Pasta
• Southern-Style Cajun Pasta with Pecan Breadcrumbs
• Nashville Hot Cauliflower + Kale Grits

MADE OUR RECIPE(S)?

If you make this Vegan BBQ Beef Wellington, be sure to Tag @orchidsnsweettea_ on Instagram and hashtag it #orchidsandsweettea!

 

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