My friend Rachel from culinary school makes this Beef Wellington that's basically legendary. Like, people still talk about the one she brought to our final exam tasting back in 2019. The pastry came out golden and crispy, the beef was this perfect pink all the way through, and that mushroom layer? I still don't know exactly what she did but it was better than anything I'd tasted.
Why You'll Love This Beef Wellington
So yeah, Rachel was right about this having a bunch of steps. But it's not hard-hard, you know? It's just particular. Do things in the right order, don't skip stuff, wait when you're supposed to wait. That's basically it. What you get though is insane. You pull this thing out of the oven and it looks like you ordered it from some expensive place. The pastry is golden and crispy. The beef is pink in the middle exactly how it should be. And that mushroom layer actually stays put instead of making everything wet and gross.
I've cooked plenty of complicated dinners. Most of them had like 15 ingredients and took forever. This is maybe 8 things and most of the time is just sitting around waiting for stuff to chill or bake. Max ate a piece and said "it's a fancy hamburger" which cracked me up but kind of true. My sister literally stopped mid-conversation to take pictures of it when she came over. Just kept moving around the counter getting different angles.
Jump to:
- Why You'll Love This Beef Wellington
- Ingredients for Beef Wellington
- How To Make Beef Wellington Step By Step
- Smart Swaps for Your Beef Wellington
- Different Ways to Make Beef Wellington
- Equipment for Beef Wellington
- Storing Your Beef Wellington
- Top Tip
- FAQ
- Time to Try It Yourself
- Related
- Pairing
- Beef Wellington
Ingredients for Beef Wellington
For the Beef:
- Beef tenderloin
- Dijon mustard
- Salt
- Black pepper
- Olive oil for searing
The Mushroom Layer (Duxelles):
- Button mushrooms
- Shallots
- Fresh thyme
- Butter
- Garlic
- Salt and pepper
For Assembly:
- Puff pastry
- Prosciutto slices
- Egg
Optional But Good:
- Fresh parsley
- Extra thyme for serving
See recipe card for quantities.
How To Make Beef Wellington Step By Step
Getting the Beef Ready:
- Take your beef out of the fridge 30 minutes before
- Pat it really dry with paper towels
- Salt and pepper it all over
- Get a skillet screaming hot
- Sear each side maybe 2 minutes until it's brown
- Let it cool completely on a plate
Making the Mushroom Stuff:
- Chop mushrooms super fine
- Mince the shallots and garlic
- Cook everything in butter on medium heat
- Keep cooking until all the liquid evaporates
- Add thyme, salt, pepper
- Let it cool down completely
Putting It Together:
- Lay out plastic wrap on your counter
- Put prosciutto slices down overlapping
- Spread the mushroom stuff on top
- Brush the beef with mustard
- Put beef on the mushroom layer
- Roll everything up tight using the plastic wrap
- Twist the ends and stick it in the fridge for 20 minutes
Wrapping in Pastry:
- Roll out your puff pastry
- Unwrap the beef log from the plastic
- Put it on the pastry
- Fold pastry around it and seal the edges
- Trim off extra pastry
- Brush with beaten egg
- Cut a few slits on top for steam
- Back in the fridge for 15 minutes
The Bake:
- Oven at 400°F
- Bake for 25-30 minutes until pastry is golden
- Beef thermometer should read 120°F for medium-rare
- Let it rest for 10 minutes before cutting
Smart Swaps for Your Beef Wellington
The Beef:
- Tenderloin → Filet mignon (smaller portions, same idea)
- Center cut → Tail end (cheaper but less even)
- Beef → Pork tenderloin (Rachel did this once, said it was good)
Mushrooms:
- Button → Cremini, baby bella, whatever's on sale
- Fresh → Dried (soak them first, squeeze out water)
- Regular → Mix of shiitake and button for more flavor
Prosciutto:
- Prosciutto → Thin ham slices
- Regular → Serrano ham
- Meat → Skip it entirely if you want (not traditional but works)
Pastry:
- Puff pastry → Phyllo dough (way different texture but Rachel's friend did this)
- Regular → Rough puff if you're feeling ambitious
Mustard:
- Dijon → Whole grain mustard
- Yellow → Don't, it's too mild
- Spicy → English mustard if you want heat
Different Ways to Make Beef Wellington
Individual Wellington Portions:
- Cut beef into 4-6 smaller medallions instead of one large piece
- Sear each piece separately and wrap individually with mushrooms and pastry
- Reduce baking time to just 18-20 minutes for perfectly cooked centers
- Makes serving at dinner parties way easier and looks impressive on each plate
- Everyone gets their own golden pastry package with no awkward slicing at the table
Mushroom Lover's Dream:
- Mix shiitake, cremini, and dried porcini mushrooms for deeper earthy flavor
- Add finely chopped chestnuts to the duxelles for extra texture and sweetness
- Finish with a drizzle of truffle oil right before wrapping for luxury taste
- Creates an incredibly rich, umami-packed layer that mushroom fans go crazy for
Herb and Mustard Twist:
- Spread a mixture of Dijon and whole grain mustard on the beef for more texture
- Add fresh rosemary and sage to the mushroom mixture instead of just thyme
- Creates a more complex, aromatic flavor that fills your whole kitchen while baking
- Perfect for fall and winter dinners when you want something more robust
Lighter Chicken Version:
- Use chicken breasts pounded to even thickness instead of beef tenderloin
- Add a layer of wilted spinach between the prosciutto and mushrooms for color
- Reduce baking time to 20-25 minutes since chicken cooks faster than beef
- Creates a golden, flaky dish that's less heavy but just as impressive for guests
Equipment for Beef Wellington
- Heavy skillet (cast iron works great)
- Sharp knife
- Cutting board
- Baking sheet
- Plastic wrap
- Meat thermometer
Storing Your Beef Wellington
Before Baking:
- You can wrap everything up to the pastry stage
- Stick it in the fridge for up to 24 hours
- Wrap the pastry around it right before baking
- Add maybe 5 extra minutes to the bake time since it's cold
After Baking:
- Leftovers keep in the fridge for 2 days max
- Wrap them tight in foil
- Reheat at 350°F for about 10 minutes
- They won't be as good but still decent
Freezing (not great but possible):
- Wrap the whole thing before baking
- Freeze up to a month
- Thaw in fridge overnight before baking
- Pastry might be a little soggy
Top Tip
- So after I made this the second time, I texted Rachel a picture. She calls me like ten minutes later laughing because apparently I did it exactly how her grandmother used to mess it up in the beginning.
- Turns out there's this thing her grandmother figured out after making Beef Wellington like 50 times at the hotel. Most recipes tell you to sear the beef and that's it. But her grandmother started brushing the Beef Wellington with mustard, letting it sit for 10 minutes, then patting it dry before wrapping everything up. "It seasons it from the outside in," Rachel explained. "Plus it helps the prosciutto stick better."
- Her grandmother had written "mustard twice?" in the margin with a question mark, then later came back and wrote "YES" in different ink. So apparently she tested it and it worked. The other thing - and Rachel said she forgot to mention this - was about the oven temperature. Her grandmother would start it at 425°F for the first 10 minutes to really crisp up the pastry, then drop it to 375°F for the rest. Made the bottom less soggy.
FAQ
What is the secret to a good Beef Wellington?
Keep everything cold and don't rush the steps. The beef needs to cool completely after searing, the mushroom mixture needs to be totally dry and cooled down, and that 15-minute chill in the fridge before baking isn't optional. Rachel's grandmother wrote "COLD PASTRY ALWAYS" for a reason - warm ingredients make soggy pastry.
What cut of meat is used for Beef Wellington?
Beef tenderloin, specifically the center cut. It's the most expensive part but it cooks evenly and stays tender. You want a piece that's roughly the same thickness all the way through, about 2 pounds for 4-6 people. Don't try this with sirloin or ribeye - they're too fatty and won't work the same way.
Why is Beef Wellington so difficult to make?
Honestly? It's not that hard, it's just got timing. You need the beef cooked perfectly, the pastry crispy but not burnt, and the mushroom layer staying in place. Most people mess up by not letting things cool enough between steps or by overcooking the beef. Follow the order, use a thermometer, and you'll be fine.
What ingredients go into a Beef Wellington?
The basics are beef tenderloin, mushrooms (usually button or cremini), shallots, Dijon mustard, prosciutto, and puff pastry. You need butter for cooking the mushrooms, thyme for flavor, and an egg to brush on the pastry. That's really it - maybe 10 ingredients total. Simple stuff, just needs to be done in the right order.
Time to Try It Yourself
So that's everything Rachel finally shared after three years of me asking. Her grandmother's Beef Wellington recipe from that hotel job back in the 70s, plus all the little tweaks Rachel figured out over time. It's got steps, yeah, but nothing crazy. Just gotta do things in order and not rush it.
Want more dinner winners? Pair this with our The Best Tuna Salad Recipe for easy lunch the next day. Or try our Healthy Cornbread Recipe as a side that actually goes really well with beef. Need something to drink? Our Easy Strawberry Juice Recipe is perfect for impressing guests before dinner.
Made this? I want to see how yours turned out.
Rate this recipe and let me know if you nailed it on the first try or the second like me.
Related
Looking for other recipes like this? Try these:
Pairing
These are my favorite dishes to serve with Beef Wellington
Beef Wellington
Ingredients
Equipment
Method
- Season and sear the beef tenderloin, then brush with Dijon mustard.
- Cook finely chopped mushrooms, shallots, and garlic with butter and thyme until dry.
- Wrap beef in a layer of prosciutto and mushroom mixture using plastic wrap.
- Enclose the chilled beef log in puff pastry, seal edges, and brush with egg wash.
- Bake until golden brown and medium-rare inside, then let rest before slicing.
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