Name: Mushroom Strudel
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 50 min
Ingredients: 1 tbsp olive oil; 1 onion (diced); 1 garlic clove; 500 g mushrooms (diced); Pinch salt; Pinch black pepper; 120 g cream cheese; 50 g butter; 120 g filo pastry; breadcrumbs

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This vegetarian mushroom strudel is a brilliant recipe to make for a dinner party or just a special dinner at home. With a mushroom and cream cheese filling wrapped in crispy filo pastry it makes a delicious and impressive main course.

I have a weakness for pastry. Any type of pastry. I grew up eating pies and quiches a few times a week and so I can't resist making things like this filo strudel every now and again. I admit that I wasn't eating filo pastry as a child but this vegetarian pastry still reminds me of the type of food I used to love.

What I love about this particular mushroom strudel is that the pastry is so gorgeously crispy, the mushroom and cream cheese strudel filling is deliciously creamy and it's also pretty easy to make too!

The breadcrumbs sprinkled between each layer add a bit of extra crunch too. It keeps well in the fridge and is just as tasty reheated in the oven the next day.

It's pretty big and so can be an ideal dinner party main dish. If you are catering for both vegetarians and non-vegetarians it's the kind of dish that pleases everyone and most people won't even miss the meat!

So, what ingredients do you need for mushroom strudel?

To make this vegetarian mushroom strudel you'll need:

Olive oil - This is for cooking the filling in first. Feel free to use an alternative oil if you want.
Onion - I usually use a plain old brown onion for this. You could add extra spring onion as well for a bit of colour though.
Garlic - You can use fresh garlic, a paste or a puree.
Mushrooms - I often use just plain ordinary supermarket mushrooms but you can use a mixture of different kinds of wild mushrooms for extra taste and texture.
Seasoning - Just a pinch of salt and black pepper
Cream cheese
Butter - This is for melting and brushing on the filo pastry. It helps the filo to crisp up in the oven.
Filo pastry
Breadcrumbs - These are scattered over the top of the strudel and between each layer. They add a little extra texture but are not essential if you are just making this for a simple dinner at home.

How to make savoury mushroom strudel

There is a full recipe card further down the post but this vegetarian mushroom strudel is not difficult to make.

First you need to prepare the filling by cooking the diced mushrooms, garlic and onion in a frying pan. As they cook, they will release some liquid and you need to keep cooking until this liquid has all evaporated. This is because you don't want the filling to be too wet.

Once the mushroom mixture has cook, set aside and leave it till it has completely cooled. Then mix in the cream cheese and seasoning.

Prepare the strudel by melting the butter in the microwave or in a small saucepan.

Lay a clean tea towel on the work surface. Lay a sheet of filo on top. Brush with the melted butter and then scatter on a thin layer of breadcrumbs. Top with another layer of filo and breadcrumbs. Repeat until you have used all the sheets of filo. Or a minimum of 4 filo sheets.

Put the cream cheese mushroom mixture in a line lengthwise down the centre of the filo, stopping about 4-5cm from the ends. Fold the ends over and then roll the strudel up. Brush the top with more butter and scatter on a few more breadcrumbs.

Bake in the oven at about 200C for about 20 minutes. The top should be golden brown when it is ready.

Can you adapt the strudel recipe?

Yes you can. I have made a few similar versions of this strudel over the years and one way I love to adapt it is by adding fresh herbs to the filling. Thyme goes really well.

Sometimes I add the breadcrumbs and sometimes I don't.

I have tried brushing the pastry with oil instead of butter but it doesn't work quite as well.

You can make a more cheesy strudel by adding grated mature cheddar to the filling.

What can you serve with it?

As this strudel can be quite a filling dish, I love to serve it with vegetables or salad. Roasted brocoli works really nicely, green beans or peas are also lovely with it.

When can you serve this mushroom strudel?

This mushroom strudel can be a really great recipe for a dinner party or celebration. It's perfect for a crowd of people and I know I'd love to nibble on slices of it at a party.

Because you can prepare it in advance and then just bake it for dinner, that means you've got more time to spend with your guests too.

But, it's almost too good to share with anyone and I have just made it for me and my husband. The mushroom and cream cheese filling is deliciously creamy and a great contrast to the crisp pastry.

What can you do with the leftovers?

Any leftovers can be stored in the fridge for up to three days. It's then best to reheat in the oven in a greased dish as the filling can leak out.

Don't try to reheat in the microwave as it will go soggy.

Can you make it in advance?

Yes, the filling can be made in advance and stored in the fridge for a couple of days. You can even make the whole strudel earlier in the day and store in the fridge until you are ready to bake it.

The inspiration for this recipe

When I first made this recipe I was part of a group of bloggers called the Secret Recipe Club. I was paired with another blogger and tasked to make one of their recipes. This gorgoeus vegetarian strudel was from the blog, Learning Patience.

More recipes you might like

If you like filo pastry then why not try my potato and pea samosas? Or these individual filo Wellingtons?

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