Holiday Beef Wellington

Enjoy delicious beef Wellington for your festive Christmas dinner and tuck into puff pastry enclosing a tender cut of beef surrounded by duxelles and prosciutto.

More holiday recipes to try include smoked turkey breast, sweet potatoes with candied maple pecans, or perhaps this leftover turkey shepherd’s pie.

Why You’ll Love It

A classic dish: Beef Wellington is known and loved all over the world. It’s the kind of classic dish that will never go out of vogue because it’s just so good!
Such amazing flavors: Juicy, tender beef, earthy mushrooms, aromatic rosemary and thyme, flaky pastry, and flavors including shallots, garlic and mustard lend so much incredible flavor to this wonderful recipe.
Not hard to make: If you haven’t made this dish before because you thought it was difficult, this straightforward recipe is going to change your mind!

Holiday Beef Wellington Ingredients

Beef tenderloin: The center-cut part of the meat which is super-tender and juicy.
Mushrooms: I like to use portobello and porcini mushrooms.
Mustard: Adds a touch of piquancy and spice.
Parma ham: Adds a contrasting meaty flavor.
Eggs: For an egg wash.
Fresh herbs: Rosemary and thyme are bold herbs which pair beautifully with the beef.
Aromatics: Garlic and shallot add wonderful flavors.

How to Make Beef Wellington Like a Pro

A complete list of ingredients and amounts can be found in the recipe card below.

Trim the beef: The first step in making juicy beef tenderloin wrapped in a soft, buttery pastry is to trim the meat. Take an extra fat off and add salt. Let the meat sit out and come to room temperature.
Roast the garlic: Peel the garlic, cut off the top and wrap it in foil with a little oil. Roast it for half an hour.
Sauté the vegetables: Mince the mushrooms and shallot and sauté in butter for about 15 minutes, before transferring to a bowl and mixing in the roasted garlic.
Sear the beef: Put some more butter in the skillet and add the rosemary. Place beef in the skillet. Sear the beef in there for a minute on each side. Brush mustard over the beef.
Assemble the dish: Put a puff pastry sheet on a large sheet of cling film on the work surface. Add the Parma ham slices on top followed by the mushroom mixture. Add the beef on top of that and roll it up in the puff pastry.
Chill it: Wrap the whole thing in the plastic wrap and give it 20 minutes in the refrigerator. It should be a tight barrel shape.
Prepare it for the oven: Brush egg wash over your Thanksgiving or Christmas beef wellington recipe and add salt, freshly ground black pepper, rosemary, and thyme.
Bake the beef Wellington: Prepare a baking sheet with parchment paper. Bake for half an hour in the oven and then let it rest for 10 minutes before serving.

Substitutions and Variations

Mushrooms: The mushroom mixture is made with portobello mushrooms and porcini mushrooms. You can substitute button mushrooms, cremini or chestnut mushrooms for the Portobello ones. When they’re minced and combined they taste practically identical anyway. The name given to the resulting mushroom, shallot and herb mixture is ‘mushroom duxelles’.
Mustard: English mustard works well in this recipe because it’s very hot and flavorful. If you can’t find it, just substitute another kind of yellow mustard or Dijon mustard instead.
Beef tenderloin: The beef filet in the Wellington can be filet mignon instead of beef tenderloin.
Gluten-free version: Use gluten-free puff pastry or even phyllo pastry.

Serving Suggestions

Appetizers: Begin your feast with cranberry galette or one of these warm appetizers.
Side dishes: Serve this beef wellington in thick slices. Delicious side dish options include one pot Gouda and cream cheese corn, sweet potatoes with candied maple pecans or scalloped potatoes au gratin. Add some green bean casserole and roasted acorn squash too.
Dessert: Finish off with tiramisu Swiss roll.

How to Store Beef Wellington

Store: Keep leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
Freeze: You can freeze this dish either unbaked or baked. If you’re freezing it after cooking, ensure it’s completely cool before freezing, as any moisture from the condensation can make the pastry soggy.
Thaw: Thaw it overnight in the refrigerator.
Reheat: Warm it back up in a warm oven (between 250°F and 300°F) to ensure the pastry stays crisp and the beef doesn’t dry out. Put slices on a baking sheet and cover loosely with foil. Take the foil off for the last couple of minutes to get a nice crust. Alternatively, reheat slices in a skillet in some butter over a moderate heat, taking care not to overcook it.