Beef Wellington Puff Pastry (Printable Version)

Tender beef fillet with mushroom duxelles wrapped in golden puff pastry. Perfect for special celebrations.

# What You Need:

→ Beef

01 - 2 lb beef tenderloin, trimmed
02 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
03 - 2 tbsp vegetable oil

→ Mushroom Duxelles

04 - 1 lb cremini or button mushrooms, finely chopped
05 - 2 shallots, minced
06 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
07 - 2 tbsp unsalted butter
08 - 2 tbsp fresh thyme leaves, chopped
09 - Salt and pepper to taste

→ Assembly

10 - 10 slices prosciutto
11 - 2 tbsp Dijon mustard
12 - 1 sheet puff pastry (14 oz), thawed if frozen
13 - 1 large egg, beaten for egg wash
14 - Flour for dusting

# Step-by-Step Guide:

01 - Preheat oven to 425°F.
02 - Season beef tenderloin with salt and pepper. Heat vegetable oil in a heavy skillet over high heat. Sear beef on all sides for approximately 2 minutes per side until browned. Remove from heat and let cool completely.
03 - In the same skillet, melt butter over medium heat. Add shallots and garlic, sauté for 1 minute. Add mushrooms and thyme, season with salt and pepper, and cook until all moisture evaporates and mixture achieves a paste-like consistency, approximately 10 minutes. Allow to cool.
04 - Lay a large sheet of plastic wrap on a work surface. Arrange prosciutto slices in a slightly overlapping layer to form a rectangle slightly larger than the beef.
05 - Spread cooled mushroom duxelles evenly over the prosciutto layer.
06 - Brush the cooled beef with Dijon mustard. Position beef on the duxelles-covered prosciutto.
07 - Using plastic wrap, roll prosciutto and mushrooms around beef into a tight log. Twist ends to seal and refrigerate for 20 minutes.
08 - Roll out puff pastry on a floured surface to a rectangle large enough to fully encase the beef. Unwrap beef from plastic and place in the center of the pastry.
09 - Fold pastry over beef, trimming excess. Seal edges and place seam-side down on a parchment-lined baking sheet.
10 - Brush pastry with beaten egg. Decorate with pastry scraps if desired. Refrigerate for 10 minutes.
11 - Bake for 40 to 45 minutes until pastry is golden and an instant-read thermometer inserted into the beef reads 120°F for rare or 130°F for medium-rare.
12 - Remove from oven and let rest 10 to 15 minutes before slicing.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It looks wildly impressive but the steps are actually quite forgiving once you start.
  • The mushroom duxelles adds an earthy richness that makes every bite taste expensive.
  • You can prep most of it ahead and just bake before guests arrive.
  • It's one of those dishes that makes people remember the evening.
02 -
  • If the beef isn't completely cool before wrapping, the heat will soften the pastry and make it soggy.
  • Don't skip chilling the wrapped Wellington before baking, it helps the pastry hold its shape and puff properly.
  • Use an instant-read thermometer, guessing the doneness of beef wrapped in pastry is nearly impossible.
03 -
  • Freeze the wrapped Wellington for 10 minutes before baking if you want extra-clean slices and a pastry that puffs dramatically.
  • Use a serrated knife to slice through the pastry without crushing it.
  • If you're nervous about timing, make the whole thing up to the baking step a day ahead and keep it chilled.
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