Air Fryer Filet Mignon

Name: Air Fryer Filet Mignon
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 10 min
Total time: 15 min
Ingredients: 3 filet mignon steaks (8 oz); 1 tablespoon olive oil; salt and pepper (too taste); 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

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This Air Fryer Filet Mignon comes out perfect every time, with a cook time of only 10 minutes. Topped with garlic-herb butter, this beef tenderloin will melt in your mouth!

Close-up shot of air-fried filet mignon with compound butter and rosemary. — Top filet mignon with compound butter for a nice sauce.

Cooking filet mignon can be intimating, 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! 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 and 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
Ingredient Notes
How to make this recipe
Steak temperature chart
Substitutions
Variations
Equipment
How to reheat a steak in the Air Fryer
Chef Tips
Recipe FAQs
Related Recipes
What to serve with this recipe
📖 Recipe
Comments

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.

Air fryer filet mignon list of ingredients.

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.

Filet mignon seasoned with salt, pepper, and olive oil on a large plate.

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.

3 cooked filet mignons inside of an air fryer basket.

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

Garlic-herb ingredients in a small glass bowl.

Step 1: In a medium-sized bowl, place room-temperature butter, shallots, garlic, herbs, and salt.

Mixing garlic-herb butter in a small glass bowl with a fork.

Step 2: Using a fork, mix garlic-herb butter together.

Placing garlic-herb butter in the middle of a piece of parchment paper.

Step 3: Place a mound of compound butter in the center of a 12-inch by 12-inch piece of parchment paper.

Rolling compound butter into a log with 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 sauce out of veal bones for a delicious sauce! Here is an awesome demi-glace sauce to try.
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 Slow Roasted Roma Tomatoes.

Close-up shot of a filet mignon that has been cut in half.

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

Is fillet mignon the same as beef tenderloin?

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.

What is the most expensive cut of steak?

The filet mignon is the most expensive cut of meat because of its tenderness. Other expensive cuts include NY Strip Steak and Ribeye Steaks.

How long to cook filet mignon in the air fryer?

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.

Is fillet mignon a lean meat?

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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