Beef and Broccoli Wellington

This recipe is a family favorite! It’s incredibly mild in taste – some might even say bland, but how can you go wrong with ground beef, cheese, and broccoli all wrapped up in crescent dough?

During my last trip to the market I noticed that Pillsbury is selling flat crescent roll dough they call Seamless Dough Roll – in other words, without the perforations. Now you no longer have to roll out the dough and seal the perforations. If you can’t find this dough at your local market – the crescent rolls work great, just remember to flatten out the dough with a rolling pin.

After making this recipe so many hundreds of times, I’ve managed to find an even easier way to prepare this meal and avoid having the dough become soggy under the weight of the beef and broccoli.

First, I love to prepare as many of my meals ahead of time as possible. When I get home from work, I want to be able to just pop something into the oven. I’ve discovered that I can prepare the filling for the wellington ahead of time, freeze it in the proper portions, and then thaw it during the day while I’m at work. This is great if I want to make more than one batch at a time. Typically, I’ll quadruple the recipe and then divide the mixture into four parts. I’ll put each part in a Tupperware and freeze for up to a few months. If you do this, make sure that you thoroughly drain the mixture of too much moisture that has developed during the freezing process. Many times I will actually that the mixture in a colander over the sink. With your hands, press the mixture against the colander to be sure you removed any extra liquid. Simply roll out your dough and place the mixture on top!

Secondly, as mentioned before, the mixture contains a lot of moisture so be sure to drain as much liquid from it as possible. This will ensure that your dough stays dry.

*This recipe can always be prepared ahead of time and baked later.  See the last photos!

Beef and Broccoli Wellington

l lb. lean ground beef

1/2 cup chopped onion

1 (9 oz.) package of frozen cut broccoli, thawed, drained

1/2 cup sour cream

1/4 tsp salt

1/4 tsp pepper

4 oz (1 cup) shredded mozzarella cheese

2 cans (8 oz each) Crescent roll dough or seamless dough sheet

1 egg beaten

Poppy seeds, if desired

Heat oven to 375°F. Spray baking sheet with nonstick spray.

In skillet, brown ground beef and onion over medium heat. Drain well.

Add broccoli, sour cream, salt and pepper; mix well. Reduce heat and simmer for 10 minutes. Add cheese; mix well.

 

Unroll 1 can of dough to form 1 large rectangle. Press seams together. Spoon the beef mixture down center of dough to 1/4" of each end. Unroll the second can of dough and place this over the mixture. Pinch and seal edges. Brush rectangle with beaten egg and sprinkle with poppy seed if desired.

Bake at 375°F* for 18 to 22 minutes or until golden brown (usually longer).

 

Serves 4-6 people.