Air fryer filet mignon gives you a steakhouse-quality beef tenderloin steak in 10 minutes - no cast iron, no smoke alarm, no flipping. Just season, set the basket, and finish it with a slice of garlic herb butter.
Recipe Summary: Air Fryer Filet mignon
- ✅ Recipe Name: Air Fryer Filet Mignon (Beef Tenderloin) With Garlic Herb Butter
- 🥩 Cut: Center-cut beef tenderloin filets - 8 oz, about 2 inches thick
- 🌡 Cook Temp: 400°F for 10 minutes - pull at 125-130°F for medium-rare
- 🕒 Ready In: ~15 minutes (plus 30 minutes to temper the steaks)
- 👪 Serves: 3 filets
- 🍽 Calories: ~647 per serving
- 📋 Protein: ~31g per serving
- 🥣 Main Ingredients: Beef tenderloin, unsalted butter, garlic, shallot, thyme, rosemary
- 👨🍳 Chef Technique: Air Fryer
- 🌞 Best Season: Year-round - a go-to for Valentine's Day and holiday dinners
- ⭐ Why You'll Love It: A perfect medium-rare filet in 10 minutes.
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"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."
-Stacey
Jump to:
- Recipe Summary: Air Fryer Filet mignon
- What makes this recipe so good
- Ingredient Notes
- Substitutions & Variations
- How to cook filet mignon in the air fryer
- cook times & temperature chart
- Is filet mignon the same as beef tenderloin?
- Chef Tips
- Air Fryer filet mignon FAQs
- Round out the plate
- 📖 Recipe
- 5 Free Secrets to Make Homemade Food Taste Better.
- 💬 Comments
Cooking filet mignon can feel intimidating for such an expensive cut, but the air fryer takes the guesswork out of it. Set it for 10 minutes and get a perfectly cooked, restaurant-quality medium-rare every time, with easy cleanup. It's the recipe we make for Valentine's Day or any date-night dinner at home.
Craving something different? Try the Sous-Vide Ribeye Steak and pair your filet or ribeye with Boursin Mashed Potatoes, Air Fryer Parsnips, or my Make Ahead Green Beans Almondine.
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 compound butter. 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
- 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.
Substitutions & Variations
- 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.
- Spicy - Add a dash of chipotle powder to our garlic-herb butter for a kick.
- Sauces - Make a Red Wine Demi Glace with a Veal Stock Recipe for a delicious sauce!
- Compound Butter - Add ¼ cup of blue cheese crumbles to the garlic-herb butter.
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How to cook filet mignon in the air fryer
What is mise en place? It means to temper the meat, season, and make the compound butter and the air fryer does the rest.
Step 1: Bring filets to room temperature for at least 30 minutes and season with olive oil, salt, and pepper.
Step 2: Preheat the air fryer to 400°F/204°C, and place the steak into the basket, giving each 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.
Step 3: Cook steak for 10 minutes for medium rare, 12 minutes for medium, 13 minutes for medium-well, and 14 minutes for well-done. Let the filet rest the filet for 5 minutes to let the juices distribute evenly throughout the steak.
Garlic-Herb Compound Butter
Step 4: In a medium-sized bowl, place room-temperature butter, shallots, garlic, herbs, and salt.
Step 5: Using a fork, mix room temperature garlic-herb butter together.
Step 6: Place a mound of compound butter in the center of a 12-inch by 12-inch piece of parchment paper.
Step 7: 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.
cook times & temperature chart
| Doneness | Pull from air fryer | Temp after resting |
| Rare | 115-120°F | 120-125°F |
| Medium-Rare | 125-130°F | 130-135°F |
| Medium | 135-140°F | 140-145°F |
| Medium-Well | 145-150°F | 150-155°F |
| Well-Done | 155°F+ | 160°F+ |
Is filet mignon the same as beef tenderloin?
Almost. Filet mignon is a steak cut from the beef tenderloin, the long, narrow muscle that runs along the spine. Since the tenderloin barely gets used, it's the most tender cut on the animal, and filet mignon comes from its leanest section.
A whole tenderloin breaks down into three parts:
- The head - widest end, usually cut into roasts.
- The center cut (châteaubriand) - even thickness, best for filet mignon and best for the air fryer.
- The tail - thin and tapered. Good for medallions, bad for a 10-minute cook since the thin end overcooks before the thick end catches up.
Chef Tips
- Pat the surface dry before you season it. A dry piece of meat will sear evenly on all sides giving you a nice maillard reaction. We use the same technique before searing our Red Wine Braised Short Ribs.
- Ask for a center-cut filet mignon. It may cost you 1-2 dollars more per pound, but they cook up evenly and are the most tender part of the beef tenderloin.
- Truss it if it won't stand up. Wrap a single loop of butchers twine around the filet to hold it's shape and keep it standing upright in the basket.
- Compound butter goes on the moment it comes out. The residual heat from the meat will meat the compound butter.
Air Fryer filet mignon FAQs
Yes. Failure to do this step will result in a steak without any color. Preheat the air fryer for 5 minutes, then lay in your steak for the perfect sear.
No. Air fryers circulates hot air on all sides of the filet, giving you a perfect sear.
At 400°F/204°C air fryer basket, a 2-inch (8 oz) filet takes 10 minutes for medium-rare, 12 for medium, 13 or medium-well, and 14 for well-done. Use a digital thermometer for the most accurate reading since air fryers cook at different wattages.
Yes, but you will sacrifice quality. Cook for 5 minutes before seasoning, so the meat has a chance to de-thaw. Then season, and add another 5-7 minutes to the cook time. This cut is expensive so plan ahead and thaw in the fridge overnight.
Round out the plate
If you tried this Air Fryer Filet Mignon or any other air fryer recipes on my website, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it went in the 📝 comments below. I love hearing from you!
📖 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.
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.