Beef Wellington
About Beef Wellington
Beef Wellington has been one of my favorite special-occasion meals for as long as I can remember. When I was younger, I was obsessed with the flaky puff pastry, but as I got older, I fell in love with the entire experience — the perfectly seared beef tenderloin, the rich pâté, the savory mushroom duxelles, and the luxurious red wine sauce.
This version is made as individual Beef Wellingtons, which means more puff pastry per bite and a beautifully golden, evenly crisp finish. It’s a little more involved than your everyday dinner, but it’s absolutely worth it — especially for holidays, anniversaries, birthdays, or any celebration where you want to impress.
To make things easier, you can prep most of this recipe the day before. Brown the beef, cook the mushrooms, wrap everything with prosciutto, pâté, and puff pastry, and refrigerate overnight. The next day, all that’s left is brushing with egg and baking to perfection.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
A restaurant-worthy dish perfect for Christmas, New Year’s Eve, or elegant dinner parties
Flaky, buttery puff pastry wrapped around perfectly cooked tenderloin
Individual portions make serving easier and ensure crisp pastry
Make-ahead friendly — most of the work can be done the day before
Paired with a rich, silky red wine reduction that ties everything together
Ingredients You’ll Need
Beef tenderloin (portion-sized pieces)
Grapeseed or avocado oil
Salt & freshly cracked pepper
Finely chopped mushrooms (duxelles)
Butter
Heavy cream
Cognac (for deglazing and flavor)
Beef concentrate
Pâté
Frozen puff pastry (plus extra if you want decorative cutouts)
Prosciutto
Egg wash
Red Wine Reduction: red wine, beef stock, butter, shallots, salt & pepper
How to Make It
Start by searing the tenderloin until deeply browned, then chill it completely so it stays rare inside the pastry. Cook the mushrooms down with butter, thyme, cognac, and cream until dry and flavorful — this becomes the classic duxelles. Lay overlapping prosciutto on plastic wrap, spread the mushroom mixture and pâté on top, and wrap it tightly around the chilled beef. Once firm, wrap each portion in puff pastry, brush with egg, and chill again before baking until golden brown. Serve with a luscious red wine reduction.
Tips for Success
Chill at every stage. Cold beef and cold pastry help prevent soggy bottoms.
Cook the mushrooms until completely dry. Any moisture left will steam inside the pastry.
Use high-quality puff pastry (Dufour if you can find it).
Make individual Wellingtons for easier portioning and crispier pastry.
Score the pastry lightly for decoration, but avoid cutting too deep.
Use an instant-read thermometer for perfect doneness (125–130°F for medium-rare).
Let it rest before slicing so the juices redistribute.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I make Beef Wellington ahead of time?
Yes — you can assemble the entire Wellington (minus the egg wash) and refrigerate it overnight.
Can I freeze Beef Wellington?
Yes, wrap tightly and freeze up to 2 months.
What cut of beef is best?
Beef tenderloin is traditional because it cooks quickly and stays incredibly tender.
Do I have to use pâté?
It’s classic and adds richness, but you can omit it or replace with a mushroom-only filling if preferred.
What temperature should Beef Wellington be cooked to?
Aim for 125–130°F internal temp for medium-rare (the ideal for tenderloin).
What to Serve With Beef Wellington
Creamy mashed potatoes or parsnip purée
Roasted asparagus or green beans
Garlic sautéed spinach
Buttery dinner rolls
Simple arugula salad
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Beef Wellington Recipe
Ingredients
4 servings
2 lbs beef tenderloin-4 pieces (about 8 oz per piece)
2+ tablespoons grapeseed or avocado oil
Salt & freshly ground pepper to taste
1 lb button mushrooms, chopped very fine (other varieties work too)- you can use a food processor to achieve right size
4 tablespoons butter (I prefer salted, you can use unsalted)
1/2 cup heavy cream
1/2 cup cognac
1/2 tsp beef concentrate
7-8 oz Pate
1 lb frozen puff pastry (2 lbs if you want to do a lattice or cutouts)
1 large egg, beaten
1/4 lb Prosciutto
Red Wine Reduction (recipe at bottom of page)
1 cup rich red wine
2 cups beef stock
4 tablespoons butter, I prefer salted
4 large shallots, peeled and sliced thinly
salt & pepper to taste
Instructions
Season tenderloin liberally with salt and pepper
Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a large pan over high heat until almost smoking. Add tenderloin and brown each side- do not move the tenderloin until well browned, about 2 minutes per side. Transfer to a plate, let cool, and then stick in refrigerator until cooled completely.
Add butter to the pan on medium-high heat to melt. Add mushrooms and cook until all of the liquid has evaporated and they are dry and are sticking to the pan, stirring occasionally. This should take about 15-25 minutes.
Add thyme and cook for about 2 minutes.
Add Cognac and use a wooden spoon to scrape up any brown bits. Continue to cook until brandy has evaporated. Add heavy cream and 1/2 teaspoon beef concentrate and cook, stirring frequently until cream thickens. Season with salt and pepper and then transfer to a bowl to cool and then put in the refrigerator.
Once the mushrooms and beef are chilled, Lay 2 layers of plastic wrap (about 10x10 depending on the size of your steak) on a work surface and lay two-three pieces of prosciutto side by side slightly overlapping. Cover the prosciutto evenly with 1/4 of the mushrooms. Take 1/4 of the pate and apply to the top of the mushrooms and spread evenly. Place tenderloin on the middle of the mushroom/pate mixture.
Fold the sides of the prosciutto up towards the steak, and then roll the steak forward as tightly as possible. Once the steak is rolled up, re-wrap with more plastic wrap and twist ends to tighten. Continue with the rest of the tenderloins and then refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.
Lightly dust a work surface with flour and unfold the puff pastry and cut into 4 equal pieces. Then roll each piece into a 10x10 inch square and set on top of a piece of parchment paper.
Unwrap the steak one at a time and gently place one steak in the middle of a piece of puff pastry. Brush the edges of the puff pastry with egg to seal the pastry together. Fold the pastry like a present. Repeat with the 3 other steaks. Chill in freezer for 30 minutes to 1 hour.
Preheat the oven to 425°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Take the beef tenderloin out of the refrigerator and unwrap and place on the baking sheet. Generously brush the egg wash over the puff pastry on all of the individual wellingtons and then finish with a sprinkle of Maldon salt or sea salt.
*If you would like a lattice on top of the Wellington, roll out the rest of the puff pastry (you should only need 1/2 the previous amount since you’re covering less area) and then use your lattice roller. Brush the egg wash on top of the Wellington and then lay the lattice puff pastry on top. Cut off excess pastry and brush again with egg wash. Then top with Maldon salt.
**You could also use the extra puff pastry to cut out designs and use the above method for the puff pastry add-ons instead of the lattice design.
Depending on the size of the beef tenderloin, cook for 20-35+ minutes. Internal temperatures for:
Rare: 120°F
Med Rare: 130°F
Medium: 140°F
Med Well: 150°F
Well Done: 160°F
Let rest for 5-10 minutes before serving. The internal temp will increase while it’s resting.
Red Wine Reduction Sauce
Melt butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Add shallots with a pinch of salt and cook until caramelized and jammy. About 25-35 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Add the wine and cook until wine has evaporated. Then add beef stock and cook until sauce is reduced by half and thickened enough to coat the back of a spoon.
Pour the sauce through a fine-mesh sieve & use a spoon or spatula to squeeze out every last drop of this liquid gold. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Serve with truffled mashed potatoes!
