Beef Wellington

This Beef Wellington recipe is the best! Beef tenderloin fillet is coated with mustard, mushroom duxelles, ham, and then wrapped in a puff pastry and baked. Based on Gordon Ramsay’s Beef Wellington recipe, it does not disappoint.

By
Elise Bauer
Elise Bauer
Elise Bauer
Elise founded Simply Recipes in 2003 and led the site until 2019. She has an MA in Food Research from Stanford University.
Learn about Simply Recipes' Editorial Process
Updated October 13, 2021
Elise Bauer
Beef Wellington
Elise Bauer

A few months ago my father got an inkling to make Beef Wellington, beef tenderloin smothered with mushroom duxelles, wrapped in puff pastry, and baked. Who knows where he got the idea, maybe just curiosity.

Beef Wellington is one of those dishes that was a lot more popular 40 years ago than it is now. But once my dad decides he wants to make something, come hell or high water, it will be made.

It also helps that Chef Gordon Ramsay has a video online on how to make his version of Beef Wellington, using Parma ham wrapped around the fillet instead of the more traditional pâté de foie gras.

beef wellington
Elise Bauer

So, we recently set out to make it, dad channeling Chef Ramsay, albeit without the yelling and swearing (though I'm guessing that if dad thought he could get away with acting like Chef Ramsay around the rest of us, he would).

It's actually a lot easier to make than it looks, assuming you are using ready-made puff pastry, and the result is fantastic. A great idea for a Father's Day dinner for the beef-loving dads out there.

2:27

Click Play to See This Savory Beef Wellington Come Together

What is Beef Wellington?

Beef Wellington is a traditional English way of preparing beef tenderloin. Believed to have originated in the 1800s after the Duke of Wellington had a victory at Waterloo in 1815, it was a popular "fancy" dish in the mid-1900s.

The beef is covered in paté de foie gras or mushrooms duxelles (a mushroom puree that has its moisture cooked out) and some sort of ham — like Parma or proscuitto — cover the beef. It's then wrapped in puff pastry and cooked in the oven.

Make-Ahead Strategies for Beef Wellington

We don't recommend making Beef Wellington ahead of time and reheating it when it's time to serve because the puff pastry will get soggy, but you can make the mushrooms duxelles in advance so it's quicker going when it's time to cook.

Prepare the mushrooms duxelles up to 2 days ahead of time as directed in Step 4. Cool completely and then store in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Bring to room temperature before using.

What to Serve With Beef Wellington

More Beef Recipes to Try!

From the Editors Of Simply Recipes

Beef Wellington

Prep Time 10 mins
Cook Time 2 hrs
Total Time 2 hrs 10 mins
Servings 4 servings

Recipe adapted from this video for making Beef Wellington by Chef Gordon Ramsay.

You can use any mushrooms you like. We used half cremini and half shiitake. If using shiitake mushrooms, cut off the tough stems and discard or save them for stock.

This recipe uses a frozen puff pastry sheet. Plan ahead to thaw the sheet for 2 to 4 hours in the refrigerator, or on the counter for about 40, until it’s easily pliable but not too soft or squishy.

Ingredients

  • 1 pound beef tenderloin filet

  • Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

  • 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

  • 1 pound mushrooms (see recipe note)

  • 4 thin slices ham (Parma ham if you can get it) or prosciutto

  • 2 tablespoons yellow mustard (we used Coleman's Original English Mustard)

  • 1 (7 to 8 1/2-ounce sheet) puff pastry, thawed (see recipe note)

  • 2 large egg yolks, beaten

Method

  1. Preheat the oven:

    Allow the oven to preheat to 400°F as you assemble the Wellington.

  2. Sear the filet:

    Season the fillet generously with salt and pepper. Heat a tablespoon or two of oil in a large pan on high heat. Sear the fillet in the pan on all sides until well browned. (Hint: do not move the fillet until it has had a chance to brown.)

    Elise Bauer
    Elise Bauer
  3. Brush the filet with mustard:

    Remove the filet from the pan and let cool. Once cooled, brush the fillet on all sides with mustard.

  4. Prepare the mushroom duxelles:

    Chop the mushrooms and put them into a food processor and purée. Heat the sauté pan on medium high heat. Transfer the mushroom purée into the pan and cook, allowing the mushrooms to release their moisture.

    When the moisture released by the mushrooms has boiled away, remove the mushrooms from the pan and set aside to cool.

  5. Wrap the filet in mushroom paste and ham:

    Roll out a large piece of plastic wrap. Lay out the slices of ham on the plastic wrap so that they overlap. Spread the mushroom mixture over the ham.

    Elise Bauer
    Elise Bauer

    Place the beef filet in the middle, roll the mushroom and ham over the fillet, using the plastic wrap so that you do this tightly.

    Elise Bauer
    Elise Bauer

    Wrap up the beef filet into a tight barrel shape, twisting the ends of the plastic wrap to secure. Refrigerate for 20 minutes.

  6. Roll out the puff pastry and wrap the beef filet:

    On a lightly floured surface, roll out the puff pastry sheet to a size that will wrap around the beef fillet.

    Unwrap the fillet from the plastic wrap and place in the middle of the pastry dough. Brush the edges of the pastry with the beaten egg yolks.

    Elise Bauer
    Elise Bauer

    Fold the pastry around the fillet, cutting off any excess at the ends. (Pastry that is more than 2 layers thick will not cook all the way, try to limit the overlap.)

    Place on a small plate, seam side down, and brush beaten egg yolks all over the top. Chill for 5 to 10 minutes.

  7. Brush with the egg wash and score:

    Place the pastry-wrapped fillet on a baking pan. Brush the exposed surface again with beaten eggs.

    Elise Bauer
    Elise Bauer

    Score the top of the pastry with a sharp knife, not going all the way through the pastry. Sprinkle the top with coarse salt.

  8. Bake in oven:

    Bake at 400°F for 25 to 35 minutes. The pastry should be nicely golden when done. To ensure that your roast is medium rare, test with an instant read meat thermometer. Pull out at 125 to 130°F for medium rare.

    Elise Bauer
    Elise Bauer

    Remove from oven and let rest for 10 minutes before slicing. Slice in 1-inch thick slices.

Nutrition Facts (per serving)
1029 Calories
68g Fat
35g Carbs
68g Protein
Show Full Nutrition Label Hide Full Nutrition Label
×
Nutrition Facts
Servings: 4
Amount per serving
Calories 1029
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 68g 87%
Saturated Fat 18g 88%
Cholesterol 282mg 94%
Sodium 1743mg 76%
Total Carbohydrate 35g 13%
Dietary Fiber 3g 12%
Total Sugars 5g
Protein 68g
Vitamin C 5mg 23%
Calcium 43mg 3%
Iron 9mg 48%
Potassium 1341mg 29%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate. In cases where multiple ingredient alternatives are given, the first listed is calculated for nutrition. Garnishes and optional ingredients are not included.