This Vegetarian Strudel is a flaky, savory pastry filled with baby bella and shiitake mushrooms, caramelized leeks, and Parmesan cheese, all wrapped in crisp phyllo dough.
It’s rich, packed with umami, and works just as well as a vegetarian appetizer as it does a light main dish. Using frozen phyllo keeps it easy, while the mushroom and leek filling gives it plenty of deep, savory flavor. If you love mushroom-forward recipes, try my Porcini Pasta or Creamy Mushroom Parmesan Farrotto next.
Recipe Summary: Vegetarian Strudel with Mushrooms and Leeks
- ✅ Recipe Name: Vegetarian Strudel with Mushrooms and Leeks
- 🕒 Ready In: 55 minutes
- 👪 Serves: 8 (easy to scale)
- 🍽 Calories: 347 per serving
- 🥣 Main Ingredients: Baby bella mushrooms, shiitake mushrooms, leeks, Parmesan cheese, phyllo dough
- 📖 Dietary Info: Vegetarian, make-ahead friendly
- ⭐ Why You'll Love It: This savory vegetarian strudel is packed with mushrooms, caramelized leeks, and Parmesan, then wrapped in crisp, flaky phyllo for an impressive appetizer or meatless main.
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This Vegetarian Strudel is one of my favorite meatless recipes when I want something that feels a little special without being overly complicated. Baby bella and shiitake mushrooms are cooked with leeks until deeply savory, then mixed with Parmesan, garlic, and parsley before being wrapped in buttery layers of crisp phyllo dough.
It works beautifully as a vegetarian appetizer or light main dish, and the flaky pastry makes it especially good for holidays or entertaining. If you love mushroom-forward recipes, try my Porcini Pasta or Creamy Mushroom Parmesan Farrotto next.
Why you'll love this recipe
- Packed with savory flavor. Baby bella and shiitake mushrooms, caramelized leeks, and Parmesan make the filling rich, earthy, and full of umami.
- Crisp and flaky. Frozen phyllo dough gives the strudel a light, crunchy exterior without the work of making pastry from scratch.
- Versatile. Serve it as a vegetarian appetizer, holiday starter, or meatless main dish with a simple salad.
- Looks impressive without being complicated. The finished strudel feels special enough for entertaining, but the filling and phyllo are straightforward to work with.
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Key Ingredients
- Phyllo dough. Frozen phyllo makes the strudel much easier to assemble while still giving you a crisp, flaky exterior. Thaw it overnight in the refrigerator for the best texture and easier handling.
- Cremini and shiitake mushrooms. Using both gives the filling more depth than a single mushroom variety. Cremini bring a meaty texture, while shiitakes add a deeper, more savory flavor. If you love cooking with mushrooms, try my Porcini Mushroom Pasta next.
- Leek. Leeks add a mild, sweet onion flavor that works especially well with mushrooms. Be sure to clean them thoroughly, since dirt can hide between the layers. If you have extra leeks to use up, try my Creamy Chicken Tortellini Soup next.
- Parmesan cheese. Freshly grated Parmesan adds saltiness, nuttiness, and extra umami to the mushroom filling.
- Butter. Butter is used in the filling and between the layers of phyllo, helping the pastry bake up golden and crisp.
- Egg. A beaten egg helps bind the mushroom filling so the slices hold together more neatly after baking.
See the recipe card at the end for the full list of ingredients with the quantities.
Variations
| Change up the mushrooms | White button, oyster, maitake, or a mix of wild mushrooms can all work well here. Use whatever combination you like, but keep the total amount about the same so the filling doesn’t get too wet. |
| Use onion or shallot instead of leek | Thinly sliced onion or shallot works well if you don’t have leeks, and will give the filling a slightly sharper flavor. |
| Try puff pastry instead of phyllo | For a richer, more buttery strudel, use puff pastry in place of the layered phyllo. The texture will be different, more substantial and flaky rather than crisp and delicate. |
| Reduce the butter | Cook the leeks and mushrooms in olive oil instead of butter if you want to cut back a bit. You’ll still want enough butter or oil between the phyllo layers to help them bake up crisp. |
How to make Vegetarian Strudel with Mushrooms and Leeks
- Step 1: Make the filling. Melt the butter in a large skillet, then cook the leeks until softened and lightly caramelized. Add the mushrooms, season with salt and pepper, and cook until most of the liquid has cooked off. Stir in the garlic, Parmesan, and parsley, then let the filling cool slightly.
- Step 2: Assemble the strudel. Layer 4 sheets of phyllo dough, brushing each sheet with melted butter as you go. Brush the edges with beaten egg, then spoon the mushroom filling onto one end of the pastry, leaving a small border around the edges.
- Step 3: Roll and seal. Use the parchment paper to help roll the pastry over the filling into a sealed strudel, tucking in the sides as you go. Repeat with the remaining phyllo and filling, then place the strudels seam-side down on the baking sheet.
- Step 4: Brush and bake. Brush the tops with melted butter and bake at 400°F until golden brown and crisp, about 15 minutes. Let cool slightly, then slice and serve warm.
Expert Tips
- Keep the phyllo covered. Phyllo dries out quickly and can crack, so keep the sheets you aren’t working with covered with a slightly damp kitchen towel.
- Let the filling cool before assembling. Warm mushroom filling can soften the phyllo and make it harder to roll. Let it cool until just warm or room temperature first.
- Cook off excess moisture. Mushrooms release a lot of liquid as they cook. Let that moisture evaporate before assembling the strudel so the pastry stays crisp instead of soggy.
- Butter the phyllo evenly. A silicone pastry brush makes it easy to spread a thin layer of melted butter over each sheet without tearing the delicate dough.
- Use parchment paper to help you roll. Assemble the strudel on parchment, then use the paper to help guide and tighten the roll before transferring it to the baking sheet.
- Don’t overfill the strudel. Too much filling makes it difficult to roll and increases the chance of the phyllo tearing or splitting while baking.
- Bake seam-side down. Position the finished strudel with the seam underneath to help it stay closed as it bakes.
- Let it rest before slicing. Give the baked strudel about 5–10 minutes to set before cutting so the filling stays together and the slices come out cleaner.
Vegetarian Strudel FAQs
Strudel is a filled pastry that’s rolled or layered so the filling is enclosed in thin sheets of dough. This vegetarian version uses layers of phyllo wrapped around a savory mushroom, leek, and Parmesan filling.
Traditional strudel is made with very thin stretched dough, but this recipe uses phyllo dough as an easy shortcut. The thin layers bake up crisp and flaky around the mushroom filling.
Strudel is a filled pastry made with thin dough, while streusel is a crumbly topping usually made from flour, butter, and sugar. Despite the similar names, they’re completely different.
Storing and Reheating
Once cooled, store leftover mushroom strudel in an airtight container or wrap it tightly in foil and refrigerate for up to 4 days.
For the best texture, reheat it in a 350°F oven until warmed through, or in the air fryer at 350°F for 3–4 minutes. I’d avoid the microwave if possible, since it can make the phyllo soft instead of crisp.
More Vegetarian Recipes
If you tried this Vegetarian Strudel with Mushrooms and Leeks or any other recipe on my website, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it went in the comments below. Thanks for visiting today!
Vegetarian Strudel with Mushrooms and Leeks Recipe
Equipment
- silicone brush
- parchment paper
- baking sheets
- nonstick skillet
Ingredients
Pastry:
- 12 sheets phyllo pastry, thawed
- 12 tablespoon butter, melted
- 1 large egg, beaten
Filling:
- 4 tablespoon butter
- 16 oz cremini or baby Bella mushrooms, cleaned and thinly sliced
- 6 oz shiitake mushrooms, cleaned, roughly chopped, tough stems removed
- 1 leek, thinly sliced and well cleaned (light green and white parts only)
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- ½ cup grated parmesan cheese
- 2 tablespoon chopped parsley
- salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Instructions
Make the filling:
- Preheat the oven to 400°F. Melt butter in a large nonstick frying pan over medium heat.
- Once butter is melted, add sliced leeks. Cook 8-10 minutes until softened and slightly caramelized. Remove to a large mixing bowl.
- Add all the mushrooms to the pan, and season with salt and pepper.
- Cook the mushrooms, stirring occasionally for 12-15 minutes, until most liquid is removed.
- Add the cooked mushrooms to the bowl with the leeks, and stir in parmesan, garlic and chopped parsley.
Assembly/Baking:
- Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper, and brush lightly with melted butter so the phyllo pastry doesn’t stick.
- Lay out one sheet of phyllo, brush with melted butter, top with another sheet of phyllo and brush again with butter. Repeat (using in total four sheet of dough).
- Brush edges of dough with beaten egg.
- Lay out ¼ of the mushroom mixture over one end of Phyllo dough, leaving about ¼” margin around. Use the parchment paper to push up the margin edge for the full length of the pastry, to create a seal around the mushrooms.
- Carefully roll into a strudel toward the empty end of the phyllo pastry, tucking in the end to form a sealed strudel. (Use parchment to roll and tuck the the phyllo pastry and make it easier to work with). Repeat steps 2-5 until you have 4 strudel. To make the phyllo dough easier to work with, cover with a damp towel.
- Brush the top of each sealed strudel with melted butter.
- Bake seam side down until golden brown and crisp- about 15 minutes.
- Allow to cool about 15 minutes, then slice into 3 or 4 pieces each and serve warm.
Notes
- Thaw the phyllo properly. Thaw frozen phyllo overnight in the refrigerator for the easiest handling.
- Keep phyllo covered. Phyllo dries out quickly, so keep unused sheets covered with a slightly damp kitchen towel while you work.
- Cook off the mushroom liquid. Let most of the moisture evaporate before assembling the strudel so the pastry stays crisp instead of soggy.
- Cool the filling slightly. Warm or room-temperature filling is easier on the delicate phyllo than piping-hot mushrooms.
- Don’t overfill. Too much filling makes the strudel harder to roll and more likely to split.
- Bake seam-side down. This helps the strudel stay closed as it bakes.
- Let it rest before slicing. Cool for about 10–15 minutes so the filling sets and the slices hold together better.
- Storage: Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container for up to 4 days.
- Reheating: Reheat at 350°F in the oven until warmed through, or in the air fryer for about 3–4 minutes to help restore the crisp phyllo.
Sharon says
Made this again and forgot how much I love the mushroom and leek filling. The shiitakes add so much savory flavor, and the phyllo gets really crisp and flaky. Definitely worth letting the mushroom mixture cook down well so the strudel doesn’t get soggy.
Donna Carter says
Very tasty! I added some chopped bacon as well.
Sharon says
Sounds great, Donna! So happy you enjoyed the recipe!
Angela T says
Any suggestions on side dishes, if I want to serve this as a main dish?
Sharon Farnell says
Hey Angela! I think some mashed potatoes and a side salad would be great sides!
Angela T says
I ended up roasting butternut squash & making a salad. A delicious meal. I think I could add tons of different veggies to that filling, use up whatever I have around. It's very versatile!
Sharon Farnell says
Sounds great!
E.S says
Can this be frozen for later? How long will it keep frozen?
Sharon Farnell says
I have not tried freezing them, but I think it could work! I wouldn't freeze for more than 2 months.
Susan Newton says
My daughter and I really enjoyed this. I only made 3 strudel as the recipe calls for 12 sheets of phyllo total and 4 sheets per strudel. You do the math!
I can’t seem to leave a photo.
Sharon Farnell says
So happy you enjoyed the recipe Susan!