An elegant British classic–but make it for two! Beef Wellington is a show-stopping dish that is both impressive and delicious. Perfectly seared filet mignon wrapped in herby mushrooms and prosciutto baked in golden, flaky puff pastry. Are you drooling yet?

While Beef Wellington is usually quite expensive and meant for a crowd, this easy Beef Wellington recipe is all the elegance and indulgence for a fraction of the cost and work. Beef Wellington for two is the perfect luxe meal for Christmas, Valentine’s Day, or any night that calls for a romantic dinner.

Beef Wellington: A British Classic

The meals at and around Christmastime are honestly my favorites of the year! We have our traditions that we stick to pretty stringently like Prime Rib on Christmas eve and homemade bagels and gravlax on Christmas morning. But we also love to mix it up depending on whether or not we have company. When it’s just me and Erik, I love an elegant dinner that I can make for just the two of us that doesn’t break the bank and doesn’t feel wasteful.

Enter: Beef Wellington for two! This incredible recipe has all the glitz and glam while still feeling approachable. Because the Beef Wellingtons are individually wrapped, it’s easy to scale this recipe up as needed! This would also be a great recipe for a dinner party for 6-8.

The best part about this recipe? You can make the components ahead of time and assemble the Beef Wellingtons a day in advance! I love a make-ahead recipe that allows me to feel in-control and stress-free when entertaining.

I’ve partnered with Calphalon to bring you this fantastic Beef Wellington recipe. I used their NEW Performance French Door Air Fryer Toaster Oven to get this beautiful recipe on the table. This lovely countertop oven has quickly become one of my go-to kitchen essentials. You’ll love using this helpful appliance during the holidays as a way to free up space in the oven. It does everything from baking to air flying to toasting to broiling and you can even proof bread in it! 

What is Beef Wellington?

Beef Wellington is an iconic British dish, consisting of beef tenderloin encased by mushrooms or paté (usually foie gras) & puff pastry. 

The dish was created in celebration of the first Duke of Wellington, Arthur Wellesley, and his victory at the Battle of Waterloo on June 18, 1815. While it’s most well-known as a traditional British dish, it’s likely that it was originally derived from a classic French dish (boeuf en croute).

Typically Beef Wellington is made as a large roast, which is sliced into individual portions before serving. But today, we’re making individual beef wellingtons!

Why You’ll Love this Recipe

Rich & Decadent – Beef Wellington for two is perfection – perfectly seared filet mignon is wrapped in herby mushrooms and prosciutto and baked until golden brown in flaky puff pastry. Every bite of Beef Wellington is filled with flavor.

Impressive – If there is ever an occasion to look like a culinary genius, it’s during the holidays! Whether you’re looking to impress family or friends, or even just yourself, this recipe pulls out all the stops.

Economical – Making a full-size Beef wellington is both a culinary and financial undertaking. Making beef wellington for two ran me about $55–you can’t dine out for one at that price! This recipe is elegant and beautiful without a massive price tag.

Make-Ahead Friendly – You can make the components and assemble the beef wellington a day in advance! This leaves you stress-free and prepared any time you want to entertain.

How to Make Beef Wellington for Two

You’re going to be shocked at how simple this recipe is to put together! Don’t be intimidated by its fanciness–beef wellington is really just a handful of ingredients. It takes a little time to prep, but most of it is hands-off time.

Tools Needed

• Calphalon Performance French Door Air Fryer Toaster Oven
• Calphalon Anti-Microbial Knife
• Cutting Board
• Rolling Pin
• Stainless Steel Skillet

Ingredients and Substitutions

• Filet Mignon. When purchasing, you’re looking for 2 8oz filets with nice marbling that are 1 3/4″ thick. Read below for my tips on purchasing filet mignon for Beef Wellington.
• Cremini Mushrooms. I love using cremini mushrooms, sometimes called baby bella, because they’re so hearty. However, you could swap in button mushrooms also.
• Shallots. The best onion to use here! It has the perfect delicate flavor that isn’t overwhelming.
• Garlic. The combination of garlic and shallot is heavenly!
• Butter. Butter truly makes everything better, but you could use a little olive oil if that’s what you prefer.
• Cognac. Optional, but adds amazing flavor to the mushrooms. We aren’t big cognac drinkers so I just keep a teeny tiny bottle on hand for cooking.
• Thyme. Fresh thyme is best, but you can use dried. If you’re planning to use dried, use much less.
• Dijon Mustard. Opt for some high quality dijon mustard. My favorite, favorite dijon mustard is the dijon from Trader Joe’s.
• Prosciutto. Also something I purchased at Trader Joe’s! Their prosciutto is great. You only need about 6 slices, so purchase a small pre-packaged amount.
• Puff Pastry. You could make your own if that’s your thing, but I’m 100% pro-store bought here. I used the all-butter puff pastry from Trader Joe’s and it’s the best! I stock up on it every year and always have a stash in my freezer.

The Process

• Sear the beef: Pat your filet mignon pieces dry with a paper towel to remove extra moisture. Season all over with salt and pepper. Heat a heavy bottomed cast iron or stainless steel skillet over medium-high heat. Sear the beef for 2-3 minutes per side until deeply browned. Transfer to a plate and refrigerate for 30 minutes. 
• Make the mushroom duxelles: Finely chop your mushrooms. If you want an easy shortcut, pulse the mushrooms in your food processor until finely chopped. Melt the butter in the skillet you used to sear the steak and add the mushrooms. Season with salt and pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, until the mushrooms start to release their liquid. Add the shallot, garlic, thyme, and cognac and continue to cook until all the liquid is gone and the mushrooms are browned. Set aside to cool. 
• Wrap the steak: Lay down two pieces of plastic wrap. Lay 3 slices of prosciutto down on both pieces of plastic wrap and spread the mushrooms evenly between them. (See step by step photos). Lay the steak in the center and brush the steak with a thin layer of dijon mustard. Use the plastic wrap to help you wrap the mushrooms and prosciutto tightly around the steak. 
• Wrap the steak in puff pastry: Make sure to defrost your puff pastry ahead of time! Pull one sheet of puff pastry out of the fridge and lightly dust a work surface with flour. Cut the puff pastry sheet into 4 even squares. Stack two squares together and roll them out into two larger 8×8 squares. Wrap the steak in the puff pastry, pressing the seams together to seal. Place the beef wellingtons on a baking sheet and transfer to the freeze for 20 minutes while the oven preheats. 
• Bake. Preheat the oven to 425 F. Brush the beef wellingtons all over with egg wash and sprinkle with flaky sea salt and bake for 20 minutes, until the outside is golden brown. Let the beef wellingtons rest for 10-15 minutes before serving.

Selecting the Right Beef for Beef Wellington

Choosing the right filet for beef wellington for two is the most important step! In an effort to cut down on cost, we aren’t buying a whole beef tenderloin. Instead, we’re going for two nice 8 oz filet mignons.

Follow these tips when you’re selecting your filet mignon for beef wellington:

• Head straight to the meat counter. Don’t you dare even mess with pieces of filet that have already been cut! For a meal like this, make sure you’re getting exactly what you need. Head straight to your butcher or meat counter and have them cut the filet for you. You’ll have the most control here!
• Choose the right grade. When you’re paying for a high-quality cut of meat, it’s important to get the best! Talk to your butcher and see what they have on hand and what he would recommend. Opt for at least choice grade, but prime is best. For this recipe, I actually went with grass-fed wagyu beef because it was really nicely marbled and I was able to get it on sale (win!). 
• Cut from the right part of the tenderloin. When you ask your butcher or meat counter attendant to cut the filet for you, ask for it to come from the center of the tenderloin. This is the most tender part and it’s the most even in size which means both pieces will cook evenly. Ask them to cut the filet at least 1 ¾” thick. This also helps to avoid overcooking!
• Buy right before you plan to cook. This seems like an obvious one, but this is also why we aren’t selecting pre-cut pieces. Most pre-cut pieces of beef have been sitting for a day or two and have started to oxidize and that is not the play for beef wellington. Buy the beef the day you plan to assemble the beef wellington for optimal flavor and presentation. 

When you’re spending money on a high-quality piece of meat, you should get the best! Follow my tips for purchasing and you’re going to end up with the perfect beef wellington.

Tips for the Perfect Sear

Searing the filet is one of the most important ways to add flavor to Beef Wellington! A nice hard sear and a brown crust enhances the beef flavor and makes this recipe even more delicious. Here are my best tips for getting the perfect sear: 

• Room temperature meat sears more easily. Pull your filet out of the fridge 30 minutes before cooking. 
• Pat as much moisture as possible from the surface of the meat. Moisture is the natural enemy of a good, hard sear. Use paper towels to dab the filet really well all over to remove extra moisture before you season with salt and pepper. 
• Choose the right oil. Because this is high-temperature cooking, you need an oil that will stand up to high heat. Canola, avocado, and sunflower oils are my favorite for searing at high temperatures. Avoid olive oils as they burn and become acrid at high temps.

How to Avoid Overcooking Beef Wellington

Beef Wellington for two is best served medium-rare or medium. Once it’s overcooked, you can’t un-cook it and since it’s an expensive cut of meat, you don’t want to leave the cooking to chance. Invest in a dependable probe thermometer any time you’re cooking beef.

Keep in mind that the temperature of the meat will rise 5 degrees or so as it rests. For best results, pull at the temperatures listed below.

• Medium-rare roast: 120°F.
• Medium roast: 130°F.

The most important step to avoid overcooking beef wellington is to adequately cool the beef wellington between steps. After searing the filet, refrigerate it for 30 minutes. After you wrap the steak in puff pastry, freeze for 20 minutes. This keeps the internal temperature of the steak cold and prevents it from overcooking before the puff pastry has a chance to cook. 

Take your time with this recipe and you’re going to be blown away!

Prepping Beef Wellington for Two Ahead of Time

One of the best things about this individual Beef Wellington recipe is the fact that it can very easily be prepped in advance. Assembled individual Beef Wellington will keep, stored wrapped in plastic in the refrigerator, for 1 day. 

You could possibly push it to two days in advance, but you might lose a little of the pink color on the filet.

To prep Beef Wellington for two in advance: Assemble the Beef Wellington all the way through wrapping it in puff pastry. Wrap each Beef Wellington tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to use. 

When it’s time to cook, remove the Beef Wellingtons from the plastic wrap and place on a baking sheet. Brush with egg wash and sprinkle with flaky sea salt and bake according to the instructions.

What to Serve with Beef Wellington for Two

What is a dinner without sides? Here are my favorite sides to serve alongside Beef Wellington for two for a true show-stopping meal. 

• Fluffy Dinner Rolls
• Creme Fraiche Mashed Potatoes
• Caramelized Onion and Potato Gratin
• Kale Caesar Salad
• Gooey Nutella Lava Cakes

More Entertaining Recipes to Try Now

Tomato Risotto
Red Wine Braised Beef
Flank Steak with Burrata
Herb Roasted Chicken

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