This Air Fryer Filet Mignon comes out perfect every time, with a cooking time of only 10 minutes. Topped with garlic-herb butter, this beef tenderloin will melt in your mouth!
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Cooking filet mignon can be intimidating, especially since it's an expensive cut of meat. We all strive for the perfectly cooked restaurant quality filet mignon. What if I could guarantee you a perfectly cooked medium-rare steak every time?
Using an air fryer, we can achieve that tender and juicy steak, and cleanup is a breeze! But air fryers are not just for steaks. Try the Air Fryer Teriyaki Salmon for a quick and easy dinner. Check out our air fryer time and temperature chart below.
This is the best filet mignon recipe to prepare for Valentine's Day or any special dinner date night! I love to serve my Boursin Mashed Potatoes, Air Fryer Parsnips, or Green Beans Almondine as side dishes.
Maybe you are craving a Ribeye steak instead? This Sous-Vide Ribeye Steak is one of our reader's favorites!
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What makes this recipe so good
- Cooking the filet mignon is easy. There is no standing over an open flame and flipping the meat. Set your air fryer for 10 minutes and walk away. No flipping is required.
- Topped with garlic-herb butter, can you say YUM! Most steak houses finish their steaks with butter for a rich flavor.
- Cleaning an air fryer saves time. Tired of cleaning and seasoning your cast iron pan after cooking on it? Air fryer baskets clean up in just minutes!
Ingredient Notes
Here is a visual list of the air fryer steak ingredients you will need.
- Filet Mignon - For the best-tasting steak, I recommend buying high-quality beef. There are 3 classes of meat Select, Choice, and Prime. Choice and Prime are going to be your best bet. If you can find pastured-raised grass-fed beef, even better.
- Garlic-Herb Butter - In our recipe, we use unsalted butter, garlic, rosemary, thyme, and salt. You can use any combination of herbs and spices you like. Tip: Make sure to soften your butter at room temperature beforehand.
See recipe card for quantities.
How to make this recipe
Learn how to make air fryer filet mignon with step-by-step instructions below.
Season your steak - Bring filets to room temperature for at least 30 minutes and season with olive oil, salt, and pepper. I like to season my steaks on a large plate to mop up all the salt and pepper.
Cook your air fryer filet mignon - Preheat the air fryer to 400 degrees and place the steak into the basket, making sure to give the steak enough room for air circulation. Cook steak for 10 minutes for medium rare, 12 minutes for medium, 13 minutes for medium-well, and 14 minutes for well-done.
Rest: Letting your steak rest is the most important part of cooking a steak! Rest the filet for 5 minutes, and you will be rewarded with a perfectly cooked air fryer filet mignon.
Garlic Herb Butter
Step 1: In a medium-sized bowl, place room-temperature butter, shallots, garlic, herbs, and salt.
Step 2: Using a fork, mix garlic-herb butter together.
Step 3: Place a mound of compound butter in the center of a 12-inch by 12-inch piece of parchment paper.
Step 4: Using the parchment paper, roll the butter into a log. I like to use my hands to help shape the log. Place butter in the freezer to firm up.
Steak temperature chart
- Rare - 120 - 130 degrees
- Medium Rare - 130 - 135 degrees
- Medium - 135 - 145 degrees
- Medium-well - 145 -155 degrees
- Well-done - 160 degrees
Keep in mind that steaks carry-over cook after you remove them from heat. A piece of meat will increase by 5° while it's resting. So for a medium-rare steak, we recommend cooking it to 125 degrees.
Substitutions
Here are a few swaps your can make to fit your needs.
- Steak - If the filet is not your jam, try another cut of meat like Ribeye or NY Strip. You may need to change the cooking time since all steaks are of different thicknesses.
- Butter - If you are dairy-free, use vegan butter or Ghee for Whole30 dieters.
Variations
Put a twist on this recipe and make it your own, here are some of my ideas.
- Spicy - Add a dash of chipotle powder to our garlic-herb butter for a kick.
- Sauces - Make a Demi-Glace out of veal bones for a delicious sauce!
- Compound Butter - Add ¼ cup of blue cheese crumbles to the garlic-herb butter.
Equipment
- Air Fryer - I use a Gourmia version, but there are many great air fryers on the market like this Corsori Air Fryer.
- Thermometer - To achieve that perfectly cooked steak, invest in a high-quality instant-read thermometer. The only one I recommend is a ThermoPro.
- Cast Iron Skillet - Let's face it, not everyone has an air fryer, so what's a reader to do? Get your cast iron skillet piping hot. Sear steaks on both sides and bake in a 350-degree oven for 8 minutes.
How to reheat a steak in the Air Fryer
Preheat your air fryer to 350 degrees. Place the filet mignon inside and cook for 6 to 8 minutes, flipping at the halfway mark.
Remove the steak and cover it with foil for a few minutes to rest.
Serve reheated steak with your favorite side dishes like my Air Fryer Dinner Rolls and Slow Roasted Roma Tomatoes.
Chef Tips
- High-quality beef will give you the best-tasting steak. Look for Choice or Prime cuts at your local grocery store.
- Let your air fryer fillet mignon rest for at least 5 minutes before cutting into it.
- I like to place my garlic-herb butter on top right before serving, so the heat of the steak melts the butter.
- Let the butter come to room temperature before making your compound butter.
- Set your filets out at from temperature for a least 30 minutes before cooking.
Recipe FAQs
No! Filet mignon comes from the tip of the beef tenderloin. It's a delicate and tender part of the beef tenderloin. It's incredibly lean and free from connective tissue, making it fork-tender.
The filet mignon is the most expensive cut of meat because of its tenderness. Other expensive cuts include NY Strip Steak and Ribeye Steaks.
Preheat your air fryer to 400 degrees. Cook 9 minutes for rare, 10 minutes for medium-rare, 12 minutes for medium-well, and 14 minutes for well-done. Times may vary depending on how thick your steak is. Estimates are based on a 2-inch filet mignon.
Yes! The tenderloin is located near the backbone and doesn't get much exercise. The muscle fibers are small and very tender, making it a prized cut of beef. Cuts of meat that get a lot of exercise are tough and need to be cooked for hours to make them tender like brisket and short ribs.
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What to serve with this recipe
These are my favorite dishes to serve with Air Fryer Filet Mignon
📖 Recipe
Air Fryer Filet Mignon
Equipment
Ingredients
- 3 filet mignon steaks 8 oz
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- salt and pepper too taste
Garlic Herb Butter
- ¼ cup unsalted butter room temperature
- 1 clove garlic minced
- 1 tablespoon shallot minced
- 1 teaspoon fresh thyme chopped
- 1 teaspoon fresh rosemary chopped
- ½ teaspoon salt
Instructions
- Let filet mignon and butter come to room temperature for 30 minutes.
- Place steaks on a large plate and season with olive oil, salt, and pepper. Make sure to rub all of the seasonings into the meat. Marinate for 10 minutes while you make the butter.
- Combine butter, garlic, shallots, herbs, and salt together in a small bowl. Place garlic-herb butter onto a 12-inch by 12-inch piece of parchment paper. Using the parchment paper, roll the butter into a log.
- Place the log of butter into the freezer to firm up.
- Preheat your air fryer to 400 degrees. Place filet mignon steaks into the basket and cook for 10 minutes. The internal temperature of the steaks should be 125°-130°F. Steaks will carry-over cook and should finish at the internal temperature of 135°.
- Place steaks on a plate and top with a slice of garlic-herb butter, and cover with aluminum foil to rest for 5 minutes.
Notes
Steak Temperature Chart
-
- Rare - 120 - 130 degrees
-
- Medium Rare - 130 - 135 degrees
-
- Medium - 135 - 145 degrees
-
- Medium-well - 145 -155 degrees
-
- Well-done - 160 degrees
- Bring your steaks to room temperature for 30 minutes before cooking for an even cook.
- We recommend always using a good quality digital instant-read thermometer to check the doneness of steaks.
- If you are cooking many steaks cook them in batches. You need space between them for proper air circulation.
- If you don't have an air fryer, large cast-iron skillets work great for searing steaks.
Nutrition
SAVE THIS RECIPE!
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Julann Callender says
Love this recipe and it only takes 10 minutes to make!
Mike Cleavenger says
Hi Julann! Glad you like this quick and easy fillet mignon recipe.
Stacey says
This was so delicious, and tender. It had such a great flavor. My filet was a little thicker, so I just left it in a little longer, checking it occasionally. This was such an easy, and quick dinner. You’d never know it wasn’t made on a grill.
Mike Cleavenger says
I am so glad this recipe was a success! The air fryer is such a great kitchen gadget.
mikecleavenger says
I love using an air fryer to cook filet mignon! It only takes 10 minutes, and clean-up is a breeze.