Air Fryer filet mignon is the perfect elevated meal for a date night or special occasion, and easy enough to whip up on a busy weeknight. Ready in under 15 minutes! This delicious filet mignon is topped with homemade compound butter for a tender, meaty flavor bomb.
Love steak? Try my Tuscan steak recipe straight from the hills of Lucca, Italy or my easy weeknight Healthy steak tacos with fresh lime slaw
You'll Love this Recipe
The buttery tenderness of filet make it an ideal cut of steak for me, if you've ever felt intimidated cooking filet this is the recipe for you!
- Low stress – Filet is an expensive cut of meat, and it can feel intimidating to cook because you don't want to mess it up! This air fryer steak recipe is so foolproof and straightforward, it comes out perfect every single time.
- Minimal clean-up, and say hello to a kitchen that isn't filled with smoke! I love a good steak, but cleaning the cast iron pan after cooking it is a bummer, and the amount of smoke that fills my kitchen when cooking steak on the stovetop is annoying. I love using the air fryer for quick clean-up and a smoke-free kitchen 🙂
- Easy Peasy – I feel like I say this about many of my recipes but I think it is always worth pointing out, especially when the ingredients can be a little pricier. As steak recipes go this is remarkably simple.
Let's Get Cooking!
Ingredients
Detailed measurements and ingredients can be found within the recipe card at the end of this post.
Just a few simple ingredients are needed to make the perfect air fryer filet mignon.
- Filet Mignon – Filet comes from the end portion of the tenderloin. It is an incredibly tender cut of meat.
- Kosher Salt and black pepper to season
- Olive oil – cooking fat.
Herb Compound Butter (optional but delicious)
- Butter- I prefer salted
- Herbs -parsley, thyme, rosemary
- Garlic- optional
- An acid- I use lemon but a sherry or white wine vinegar could work as well.
Tools
- Air Fryer – I am currently using an Air Fryer Toaster Oven (this model) I used a basked style air fryer for years but upgraded when I moved into a larger kitchen. I prefer the toaster oven model for 2 reasons: 1) The capacity is much larger 2) It has multiple functions and ends up saving appliance space in my kitchen
- Knife
- Cutting board
- Parchment paper
- Zester
How to Make The Perfect Air Fryer Filet Mignon Steaks
This is a super simple recipe made with just a few very simple steps. Follow these steps for the perfect steak every single time.
These instructions and cook times are based on using an Air Fryer Toaster Oven, I have also listed cook times for a bucket-style Air fryer, like the Philips Premium Airfryer XXL.
- Lightly coat the filet mignon steaks with olive oil on all sides
- Season generously with kosher salt and fresh cracked black pepper. Don't be shy with the salt. It will enhance the flavor of the meat. I use a 1/2 tsp per piece of meat. Use fresh black pepper. Pre-ground is not as flavorful.
- Place steaks in a single layer in the air fryer basket.
- Cook at 400 degrees for 15 minutes for medium steak.
- Remove steaks, top with a pat of compound butter, and allow the filets to rest for 5 minutes before serving. The resting time allows the juices to evenly redistribute through the meat for a juicy steak.
- Use a meat thermometer to check the temperature for doneness – 120 degrees for rare, 130 degrees for medium-rare, 140 degrees for medium, 150 degrees for medium-well, or 160 degrees for well done.
Combo Air Fyer Oven Filet Mignon Cooking Time:
- 10-11 minutes for rare
- 12-14 minutes for medium-rare
- 14-16 minutes for medium
- 16-17 minutes for medium-well
- 18-19 minutes for well done.
Basket Air Fryer Filet Mignot Cooking Time
A basket air fryer has less surface area and will cook faster than a toaster oven style air fryer.
- 9-10 minutes for rare
- 10-11 minutes for medium-rare
- 11-12 minutes for medium
- 12 -13 mins for medium-well
- 14-15 minutes for well done.
Compound butter
Compound butter is simple butter mixed with herbs and aromatics, it adds so much flavor to steak but also can be stored int the fridge or freezer for other recipes. Simply slice off a round of compound whenever you want to add it to a dish (last night I added this butter to grilled shrimp, delish!) Below is one of my favorite recipes but feel free to play around with your choice of herbs and ingredients to tailor it to your personal taste.
- Add finely chopped herbs and a pinch of kosher salt to 4 tablespoons, (half a stick) of softened butter.
- Grate 1 small clove of garlic into the butter/ herb mixture
- Add 1 -2 teaspoons of freshly squeezed lemon juice to the butter
- Mix thoroughly to combine all ingredients
- Lay butter mixture onto parchment paper and form into a log or a rectangle.
- Chill for 30 minutes to hold the shape.
- Alternatively, you can skip the chilling and opt to slather the room temp butter on your steaks. This butter is also excellent on potatoes and veggies.
A Celebrity Chef's Temperature Guide
Many foodies will tell you that you should never order a steak over medium rare. I used to subscribe to this commonly accepted wisdom, however, time has taught me that I prefer my steak medium.
For reasons I could never quite articulate medium steaks just tasted better and had a more pleasing texture, even though I knew ‘medium rare' was the preferred temperature of true steak lovers. Then one day, Chef Bobby Flay proclaimed that he too thinks the best results and most flavorful steak come from cooking to medium. Why, you might ask. As Bobby Flay explains, cooking to an internal temperature of 140-150 degrees f, allows more of the fats in the meat to melt and distribute through your steak.
Because fat=flavor, it logically follows that creating an environment where more fat melts into the meat while not overcooking to dryness is the best way to enjoy an ideally cooked steak. While medium-rare steak may seem like the perfect temperature, you may be missing out on some serious flavor enhancement by not getting all that delicious meatiness integrated throughout the steak.
Of course, everyone should feel free to prepare their steak according to personal preference but I encourage you to use this story as a guide if you are unsure.
Tips from a NYC Steakhouse
I learned this hack while working at a popular NYC Steakhouse. To get ready for the hundreds of steaks they would cook every night, the line cooks would prepare a salt and pepper mixture every morning so that during service, they could quickly grab a few finger fulls to generously season each cut of meat before it went into the blazing hot broiler. I use this same time saver at home. It's a mixture of 4 to 1 kosher salt to fresh cracked black pepper. I usually prepare enough to last for 5 days of cooking as you want the pepper to still retain its fresh zing.
More Expert Tips
- Use a meat thermometer. It will save you a headache and a heartbreak. I am a believer in the value of using a meat thermometer or instant read thermometer to check the temperature of your meats. This recipe provides a good baseline of what to expect, cook times can vary based on the thickness of your steak and with different appliances. No one wants to ruin their expensive filet because they overcooked it. My favorite meat thermometer is the Meater Plus, it is Bluetooth enabled and honestly a genius cooking tool. My phone keeps me updated on the temp of the meat while it's cooking. It is an expensive tool that has earned a permanent spot in my kitchen. Love it.
- Filet Mignon is excellent for leftovers. I like to cut up leftovers and use them in a stir fry or with eggs the next morning. Who doesn't love steak and eggs?
Air Fryer Toaster Oven vs. Air Fryer Basket
- I have had both of these types of machines and each has its merits. The basket fryers have a slight air frying edge as they create a very tightly sealed environment for the air to circulate in. Arguably, this can produce a crispier product. However, I also have fantastic results with the Air Fryer Oven combos. The results are just as crispy and delicious.
- Essentially air frying is convection oven cooking, and both of these types of machines create a very effective convection oven environment. I give the edge to the oven combo because it performs more than 1 function. Not only can I make this amazing filet mignon, but I can toast my bagel the next morning to enjoy with my steak and eggs.
- Living in tight New York apartments taught me the value of tools that perform more than 1 function, thus saving counter space and money. The combo air fryer oven simply has a much broader range of applications, giving it more bang for your buck and efficiency in the kitchen.
- I have also experienced a plastic odor and taste from some of the bucket fryers and I don't like that they are made of non-stick surfaces.
What to Serve with Air Fryer Filet Mignon
One of my favorite simple meal formulas is protein + green veggie + orange veggie, in this case I love filet with sweet potato and green beans. Here are a few more side dish ideas
- Perfect baked sweet potato
- Air fryer garlic butter green beans
- Loaded broccoli parm baked potato
- Truffle smashed potatoes
- Greek crunch salad
Storage and Reheating Instructions
- STORAGE – Store leftovers in and airtight container in the fridge for 5 days.
- REHEATING – Gently reheat in a skillet over medium heat or in the microwave. (note: reheating can change the level of doneness, e.g .med-rare will become medium) Use as a protein for a stir fry or fried rice.
FAQ
It's not necessary to flip an air fryer steak ( I don't). It can be argued that since flipping exposes the opposite side to the heating element it will cook more evenly, however, I have always had very even results without flipping.
Adding oil, particularly with a lean cut such as filet, will add an element of good fat to coat and cook the meat. This builds a layer of flavor, helps prevent the meat from sticking to the basket, and helps to brown the meat.
I can’t wait for you to try this! When you make it, snap a photo and tag me on Instagram @abrapappa or use the hashtag #abraskitchen so I can feature your photo!
If you’ve tried this recipe, don’t forget to rate it and leave a comment below. I love to hear from people who’ve made my recipes!
Air Fryer Filet Mignon
Ingredients
- 12 oz filet mignon 2- 6 ounce cuts
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tsp kosher salt
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
Compound butter
- 4 tbsp butter
- fresh thyme
- fresh rosemary
- 1 tsp garlic 1 small clove, grated
- 1 tsp fresh lemon juice
Instructions
- Lightly coat steaks with olive oil on all sides
- Generously season each steak with approximately 1/2 – 1 teaspoon of kosher salt and 1/4 – 1/2 teaspoon of fresh cracked black pepper.
- Set the air fryer to 400°.
- Once the target temperature has been reached, place the steaks in the air fryer basket in a single layer. Cook for 15 minutes for medium steak.
- Remove steaks and top with the compound butter, and allow the steaks to rest for 5 minutes before serving. The resting time allows the juices to evenly redistribute throughout the meat. While the steaks rest, the compound butter will melt into the meat.
- Use a meat thermometer to check the temperature for doneness – 120 degrees for rare, 130 degrees for medium-rare, 140 degrees for medium, 150 degrees for medium-well, or 160 degrees for well done.
Compound Butter
- Finely chop thyme, parsley and, rosemary so that you have about a 1/2 teaspoon of each once they are completely chopped.
- Add finely chopped herbs and a tiny pinch of kosher salt to 4 tablespoons, (half a stick) of softened butter.
- Grate 1 small clove of garlic into the butter/ herb mixture
- Add 1-2 teaspoons of freshly squeezed lemon juice to the butter mixture
- Mix thoroughly to combine all ingredients.
- Lay the butter mixture onto parchment paper and form into a log or a rectangle. Chill butter for 30 minutes. This allows the butter to hold its form so that you can cut individual patties when serving.
- Alternatively, you can skip the chilling and opt to slather the room temp butter on your steaks. This butter is also excellent on potatoes and veggies.
Notes
- Get a meat thermometer. It will save you a headache and a heartbreak. I am a believer in the value of using a meat thermometer or instant read thermometer to check the temperature of your meats. This recipe provides a good baseline of what to expect, cook times can vary based on the thickness of your steak and with different appliances. No one wants to ruin their expensive filet because they overcooked it.
- Filet Mignon is excellent as leftovers. I like to cut up leftovers and use them in a stir fry or with eggs the next morning. Who doesn't love steak and eggs?
- Prepare a premix of a 4-1 ratio of kosher salt and fresh cracked black pepper to season your steaks and any other protein.
- 10-11 minutes for rare, 12-14 minutes for medium-rare, 14-16minutes for medium, 16-17mins for medium-well, and 18-19 minutes for well done.
- 9-10 minutes for rare, 10-11 minutes for medium-rare, 11-12 minutes for medium, 12 -13 mins for medium-well, and 14-15 minutes for well done.
