Beef Wellington Mushroom Paste (Printable Format)

Tender beef fillet wrapped in mushroom duxelles and golden puff pastry for an elegant main course.

# What You Need:

→ Beef

01 - 2.6 lbs center-cut beef tenderloin, trimmed
02 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
03 - 2 tbsp olive oil

→ Mushroom Duxelles

04 - 1.1 lbs cremini or button mushrooms, finely chopped
05 - 2 shallots, finely diced
06 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
07 - 2 tbsp unsalted butter
08 - 2 tsp fresh thyme leaves
09 - Salt and pepper, to taste

→ Assembly

10 - 12 thin slices prosciutto
11 - 17.6 oz puff pastry, thawed if frozen
12 - 1 egg yolk
13 - 1 tbsp milk

→ Optional

14 - 1 tbsp Dijon mustard

# How-To Steps:

01 - Generously season the beef tenderloin with salt and pepper. Heat olive oil in a heavy skillet over high heat. Sear the beef on all sides until browned, about 2 to 3 minutes per side. Remove from heat and allow to cool completely. Optionally brush with Dijon mustard for added flavor.
02 - In a large skillet, melt unsalted butter over medium heat. Sauté diced shallots and minced garlic for 2 minutes. Add finely chopped mushrooms and thyme leaves. Cook, stirring frequently, until all moisture evaporates and mixture becomes paste-like, about 10 to 15 minutes. Season with salt and pepper, then transfer to a plate to cool.
03 - Place a large sheet of plastic wrap on the work surface. Arrange prosciutto slices in a slightly overlapping layer to form a rectangle large enough to wrap the beef. Spread the cooled mushroom duxelles evenly over the prosciutto.
04 - Position the cooled beef on top of the mushroom-covered prosciutto. Use the plastic wrap to roll the prosciutto and mushrooms tightly around the beef, forming a compact log. Twist the wrap ends to seal and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.
05 - Lightly flour a work surface and roll the puff pastry into a rectangle large enough to encase the wrapped beef. Remove beef from plastic wrap and place in the center of the pastry.
06 - Beat the egg yolk with milk to create an egg wash. Brush pastry edges with egg wash, then fold pastry tightly over the beef, trimming any excess. Seal edges by pinching and place seam-side down on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Brush the top with additional egg wash and optionally decorate with pastry scraps.
07 - Refrigerate the assembled Wellington for 15 minutes. Preheat the oven to 425°F.
08 - Bake for 40 to 45 minutes until the pastry is golden brown and internal temperature reaches 122°F for medium-rare. Let rest for 10 minutes before slicing.

# Expert Suggestions:

01 -
  • It looks like you've spent hours in the kitchen, but the actual hands-on work is surprisingly straightforward
  • The combination of tender beef, earthy mushrooms, and buttery pastry is genuinely luxurious without feeling overly complicated
  • It's the kind of dish that transforms an ordinary evening into something memorable
02 -
  • The beef must be cooled completely before wrapping—warm beef will make your mushroom paste slide around and ruin all your careful work
  • The prosciutto layer is essential; it prevents the mushroom moisture from soaking into the pastry and making it soggy instead of crispy
  • A meat thermometer is your best friend here—it's the only reliable way to know when your beef is cooked to the exact doneness you want, and with something this expensive, guessing is not an option
03 -
  • Sear your beef in a very hot skillet and trust the process—the deeper brown color equals deeper flavor, and you're not overcooking it with this brief high-heat searing
  • The mushroom duxelles must be completely cooled before wrapping; warm mushrooms will create steam that prevents proper pastry browning and can make everything soggy
  • Freeze your assembled Wellington (before baking) for up to 3 months; you can bake it straight from frozen, just add 10–15 minutes to the baking time

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