Description
These vibrant Beetroot & Squash Wellingtons with kale pesto combine roasted root vegetables and earthy lentils encased in flaky puff pastry, paired with a zesty and herbaceous kale pesto. Perfect as a hearty vegetarian main, they offer a stunning visual and satisfying flavor profile that’s great for special occasions or a comforting meal.
Ingredients
Scale
Roasted Vegetables & Filling
- 1 red onion, cut into 8 wedges
- 250g raw beetroot, peeled and cut into small chunks
- ½ butternut squash, peeled and cut into small chunks
- 4 fat garlic cloves, unpeeled
- 6 tbsp olive oil (divided: 2 tbsp for roasting, remaining for pesto)
- 1 tbsp picked thyme leaves, plus extra for sprinkling
- 1 tbsp sumac, plus extra for sprinkling
- Coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper, to season
- 250g pouch ready-to-eat Puy lentils
- 180g pack whole cooked chestnuts, roughly chopped
Kale Pesto
- 100g kale
- ½ lemon, juiced
- Olive oil (approx. 2 tbsp, may be adjusted during blitzing)
- Reserved 2 garlic cloves from roasting
- Half the chopped chestnuts
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Pastry & Finishing
- 2 x 320g packs ready-rolled puff pastry suitable for vegans (such as Jus-Rol)
- 2 tbsp almond milk (for brushing)
Instructions
- Preheat and prepare vegetables: Heat your oven to 190°C (170°C fan)/gas mark 5. In a roasting tin, toss the red onion wedges, beetroot chunks, butternut squash chunks, and unpeeled garlic cloves with 2 tablespoons of olive oil, the thyme leaves, sumac, salt, and pepper.
- Roast the vegetable mixture: Roast the vegetables in the oven for 45 minutes until they are tender but still hold their shape. After roasting, stir in the ready-to-eat Puy lentils and half of the chopped chestnuts to the warm vegetables.
- Prepare garlic and cool filling: Squeeze the roasted garlic cloves out of their skins; reserve two whole cloves for the pesto and mash the other two into the lentil and vegetable mixture. Allow this filling to cool completely.
- Make the kale pesto: Bring a large pan of salted water to a boil and blanch the kale for 1 minute until wilted. Drain and rinse immediately under cold water to stop cooking, then squeeze out excess water. In a food processor, combine the kale, reserved garlic cloves, the other half of the chestnuts, lemon juice, olive oil, salt, and pepper. Blitz to form a thick, textured pesto. Adjust seasoning as needed.
- Assemble the Wellingtons: Lightly flour a surface and unroll the puff pastry sheets. Cut each sheet into three equal rectangles widthways. Spread one-third of the kale pesto over one half of each rectangle. Divide the cooled vegetable and lentil filling evenly on top of the pesto, leaving the other half of the pastry free.
- Roll and seal pastry: Brush all the edges of the pastry with almond milk. Fold in the short ends over the filling, then carefully roll the pastry lengthwise to enclose the filling completely, creating a Wellington roll. Place the rolls seam-side down on a baking tray lined with parchment paper.
- Chill the Wellingtons: Chill the assembled Wellingtons in the fridge for at least 1 hour, or cover with cling film and refrigerate overnight. For freezing, place covered Wellingtons on a lined tray and freeze for up to 3 months.
- Bake the Wellingtons: To bake from chilled, preheat the oven to 190°C (170°C fan)/gas mark 3 and line a baking tray with parchment. Brush the top of each Wellington with almond milk and sprinkle a little sumac. Bake for 30 minutes (from chilled) or 45 minutes (from frozen) until the pastry is crisp and golden.
- Serve: Once baked, scatter extra thyme leaves and flaky sea salt on top. Serve warm as a delicious vegetarian main dish.
Notes
- Make sure the roasted vegetables are cooled completely before assembling to prevent the pastry from getting soggy.
- The garlic cloves roasted with the vegetables add a sweeter, mellow flavor; reserving some for the pesto balances the garlic intensity.
- Chilling the Wellingtons before baking helps maintain their shape and ensures an evenly cooked, flaky pastry.
- You can freeze the assembled Wellingtons before baking; just increase baking time if baking from frozen.
- This recipe is vegan, but ensure the puff pastry used is also vegan-friendly.
- Sumac adds a tangy, lemony flavor; adjust quantity to taste or substitute with a small amount of lemon zest if unavailable.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 75 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Vegetarian British
Keywords: Beetroot Wellington, Squash Wellington, Kale pesto, Vegetarian recipe, Vegan main dish, Puff pastry, Roasted vegetables, Healthy winter meal
