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Filet mignon has always been my favorite cut of steak. My go-to cooking method has always been my stovetop-to-oven filet mignon recipe, but recently I tried cooking filet mignon in the air fryer and I am sold! It only takes 10-15 minutes, and the best part is it’s completely hands off. Just like my air fryer sirloin steak and air fryer lobster tail, there’s no initial searing step and no babysitting it. Let me show you how to a cook a perfect air fryer filet mignon, including my top 5 tips for amazingly delicious steaks.
Why You’ll Love This Air Fryer Filet Mignon
- Perfectly tender, juicy steak
- Rich and flavorful compound butter topping
- Don’t have to watch over it (and no need to flip!)
- Only 10 minutes to prep
- Just a few simple ingredients
- Better than getting it at a steakhouse

Ingredients You’ll Need
This section explains how to choose the best ingredients for filet mignon in an air fryer, what each one does in the recipe, and substitution options. For measurements, see the recipe card below.
- Filet Mignon Steaks – I prefer to use grass-fed beef for best flavor and nutrition, but any filet mignon cuts will work. The main thing to know is that the thickness of your steaks will impact the cook time. Mine were 8 ounces each and about 1.5 inches thick, so the cook times are based on that. You can also use the same recipe for beef tenderloin, which the filet mignon is part of. Because tenderloin is larger, though, it may take an extra couple of minutes to cook.
- Sea Salt & Black Pepper – The only seasonings you really need! This cut of steak is so perfect that simple seasoning is best. For salt, a good rule of thumb is 1 teaspoon per pound of meat. If you use kosher salt instead of sea salt, you may need an extra 1/4 teaspoon per pound.
- Compound Butter – You don’t even have to have compound butter on your air fryer filet mignon, but I highly recommend it! It only takes a few minutes to make with butter, fresh herbs, garlic, and salt. It gives the steak incredible flavor along with a restaurant feel.

Other Seasoning Ideas:
You can keep it simple with salt and pepper, but you can also add your favorite steak seasoning (I love Montreal steak seasoning!), garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, and/or red pepper flakes. Some people like to brush their steak with olive oil before air frying, but I don’t find it necessary.

How To Cook Filet Mignon In The Air Fryer
This section shows how to air fry filet mignon, with step-by-step photos and details about the technique, to help you visualize it. For full instructions, including amounts and temperatures, see the recipe card below.
- Bring steak to room temperature. About 30 minutes before cooking, take steaks out of refrigerator to come to room temperature.

TIP: You can skip this if you forget, but highly recommend it if you can.
This ensures that the steaks cook evenly.
- Mix garlic herb butter. In a small bowl, make compound butter according to instructions here. Store in the refrigerator until ready to serve.


- Preheat. Preheat your air fryer (I love this one because it has a large basket!) to 400 degrees F.
- Prep & season. Trim any extra tissue or fat from steaks. Sprinkle generously with sea salt and black pepper on both sides.
- Air fry. Place filet mignon steaks in the air fryer basket, so they are not touching each other (cook in batches if necessary). Air fry until they reach your desired doneness. (See below for cook times.)
- Rest. Top the steaks with a tablespoon of garlic butter each (it will start to melt). Rest for 5 minutes before slicing against the grain. (You can cover with foil while resting to keep warm, if you like.)


How Long To Cook Filet Mignon In The Air Fryer?
Air fryer filet mignon cook time will vary depending on the thickness of your steaks and the air fryer temperature. I recommend cooking at 400 degrees F, and for 1.5 inch steaks, use the time chart below for the estimated cook times based on your preferred doneness.
Desired Doneness | Cook To This Internal Temperature | Cook Time In Air Fryer |
---|---|---|
Rare | 120 degrees F (52 degrees C) | 10-12 minutes |
Medium Rare | 130 degrees F (54 degrees C) | 11-13 minutes |
Medium | 140 degrees F (60 degrees C) | 12-14 minutes |
Medium Well | 150 degrees F (66 degrees C) | 13-15 minutes |
Well Done | 160 degrees F (71 degrees C) | 14-16 minutes |
For perfect filet every time, use a probe thermometer, which you can set to your desired temperature, insert before cooking, and it will beep when your steak is ready. If you don’t have one, you can also use a regular instant-read thermometer and check on it.
The final steak temperature will rise by another 5 degrees F while resting.


Tips For Success
Follow these reminders for juicy steakfilet mignon in the air fryer — and these tips actually apply for any steak, no matter how you cook it.
- Bring to room temperature. Take the steak out 30 minutes before cooking so it can come to room temperature. This helps the steak cook evenly.
- Season generously. A good seasoning helps to create that desirable crust.
- Don’t overcook. Use a meat thermometer to ensure you cook your steak to perfection.
- Let the steak rest. I know it’s tempting to cut into the steak right away, but let it rest for 5 minutes, so the juices have time to redistribute into the steak and don’t .
- Finish with butter. Filet mignon is a lean cut of steak, so a pat of compound butter helps add rich flavor.
Storage Instructions
Filet mignon is such a tender and expensive cut of meat that it’s really best to eat it fresh as much as possible. However, if you need to store leftovers or freeze your steaks, here is how to do it:
- Store: Keep leftover filet in the refrigerator for 2-3 days.
- Reheat: For best results, lightly heat the steak in a hot skillet, or use the low-temperature oven method with broth that I describe for reverse sear steak. Microwaving is not recommended.
- Freeze: If possibly, freeze filet mignon raw, before air frying (or cooking in any other way). You can freeze cooked steaks for 3-4 months if you have to, but they won’t be as tender after thawing and reheating, so will be best used in soups or in a salad with dressing.

What To Serve With Filet Mignon
Serve this filet mignon air fryer recipe with one of these classic steak sides. My fave is the mashed cauliflower (you’ll be surprised how much it tastes like potatoes), or roasted broccoli and cauliflower, which is pictured above.
More Air Fryer Dinner Recipes
If you like this air fryer steak recipes like this one, you might also like some of these other air fryer recipes:
Tools To Make Air Fryer Filet Mignon
- Air Fryer – Cooking filet mignon in the air fryer isn’t possible without the air fryer. I’ve tried a few different models and this one is my favorite.
- Probe Thermometer – Using a thermometer that monitors temp during cooking is the best way to ensure your air fryer filet mignon is perfectly cooked. This one will beep when your steak is perfectly cooked.
- Instant-Read Thermometer – If you don’t have a probe, an instant-read thermometer like this one will work.
Air Fryer Filet Mignon Recipe
Air Fryer Filet Mignon (Fast & Super Tender!)
Learn how to cook filet mignon in the air fryer perfectly & quickly every time! You'll love this air fryer filet mignon with compound butter.
Ingredients
Tap underlined ingredients to see where to get them. Please turn Safari reader mode OFF to view ingredients.
Instructions
Tap on the times in the instructions below to start a kitchen timer while you cook.
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Remove your filet mignon from the fridge about 30 minutes before cooking to bring it to room temperature. (This will ensure even cooking.)
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Make compound butter according to the instructions here. Refrigerate until ready to serve.
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Preheat the air fryer to 400 degrees F (204 degrees C).
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Trim any connective tissue around the edges of the steaks. Pat dry with paper towels. Season the filets liberally with sea salt and black pepper on both sides.
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Arrange the filet mignon steaks in the air fryer in a single layer, so the pieces are not touching or only minimally touching (cook in batches if needed; don’t crowd the basket). Air fry until the filets reach your desired doneness (use a probe thermometer for best results). For 1.5-inch thick steaks, that’s about 10-12 minutes for rare, 11-13 minutes for medium rare, 12-14 minutes for medium, 13-15 minutes for medium well, or 14-16 minutes for well done. Use a meat thermometer to check for the right temperature – 120 degrees F (52 degrees C) for rare, 130 degrees F (54 degrees C) for medium rare, 140 degrees F (60 degrees C) for medium, 150 degrees F (66 degrees C) for medium well, or 160 degrees F (71 degrees C) for well done. The temperature will rise by another 5 degrees F while resting (see next step).
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Remove the steaks from the air and transfer to a plate. Top each with 1 tablespoon (14g) of compound butter.
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Let the steaks rest for 5 minutes before slicing against the grain.
Last Step: Leave A Rating!
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Recipe Notes
Serving size: 1 8-oz filet mignon with 1 tablespoon of compound butter
Nutrition facts are provided as a courtesy. Have questions about calculations or why you got a different result? Please see our nutrition policy.
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37 Comments
Ida Bochner
0I have a toaster oven air fryer. Would your instructions be any differently for this type. Thank you.
Jill
0I could hardly believe this recipe could be true….but all the reviews convinced me to try it. I did 2 filet mignon steaks in the air fryer and 2 in the oven; seared for 2 min each side prior to cooking. Both delicious topped with the compound butter but the ones done in the air fryer had a nicer outside crisp. My husband loved them….and could not believe they had been cooked in the air fryer! Ha!
Jodi
0Do you flip the steak at all? Thanks!
Wholesome Yum D
0Hi Jodi, No, I don’t flip the steak in this recipe.
Jodi
0Thanks for letting me know!
Becky
0I’m pretty bummed, because cooking my filet for 12 minutes gave me a very well-done steak that was 174 degrees internally! I’d suggest checking them much earlier.
Patti
0Absolutely delicious. Tender and moist. I’d like to see a restaurant beat this. Wow.
Ben
0Which “cook” setting should be used? Bake, Broil or Roast? Thanks, -Ben
Wholesome Yum D
0Hi Ben, You want to set it to air fry.
Charley
0Tried this recipe tonight it turned out great.
My wife doesn’t like herbs so I just used garlic, onion powered and some salt free seasoning turned out great.
Linda
0I haven’t had my Flip Air Fryer for long. This is the first time fixing a steak. The Filet Mignon was cooked perfectly and so tender. Thanks for sharing your method.
Peggy Baker
0Very detailed recipe and cooking instructions with great explanation for doing each steps I can’t wait to try it!
Deni
0Gave times to cook for desired dinners I like rare. Thanks for the concise instructions. Just the info I wanted and not a lot I didn’t.
Krista
0I was skeptical of the method. Although I love my air fryer, I just can’t imagine that it would be tender. But, OMG! It is fantastic!! Tender, perfectly browned, absolutely delicious! This is a keeper for sure!
Sandi Glenn
0Fantastico!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Amy
0This recipe is absolutely delicious. My steak smelled and looked incredible. It had amazing flavor! I can’t wait to share this with others!
Thank you!
Chenée
0I love how easy it is to make filet mignon in the air fryer! Thank you for all these awesome tips!
Sandy Blair
0My second attempt at air frying something was a steak. It turned out marvelously. I am so glad to have had this recipe and at my expensive steak was delicious and tender and moist. Hallelujah!
Sil
0This is a gorgeous plate both in flavor and in looks. It’s very easy to prepare, my family licked the plate. Now is in my menu rotation to make again and again.
Moop Brown
0This steak looks super juicy and tasty and I love the way this recipe makes use of the air fryer.
Aya
0I never thought of cooking filet mignon in an air fryer before. I’m so glad I gave it a try! The steak came out tender and perfect!
Gwynn
0I’m always looking for new air fryer recipes and this recipe is a keeper! The filet was cooked to perfection and the compound butter was the perfect finishing touch!
Sara LaFountain
0What a great time saving recipe! The family loved it and thought I slaved over the stove all afternoon. Hahaha
Leslie
0Oh my goodness..you really outdid yourself here! This Filet Mignon recipe is pure perfection!
Liz
0I know you can make a lot of food in the air fryer, but I never thought about making filet mignon! The end result looks absolutely delicious! Thanks for the share!
Nicoletta De Angelis Nardelli
0So juicy and delicious! Fabulous use of the air fryer!
Amy L Huntley
0So tender and juicy! I love that this is made in the Air Fryer too! So simple and cooked to perfection.
Helene Bahnman
0You inspired me to order an Air Fryer. I look forward to trying these recipes soon.
Veena
0Thanks for such a flavorful and easy recipe. This looks mouth melting delicious.
Kathryn
0This Filet mignon was so tender, juicy and so flavorful in the air fryer! It made the best dinner and we will be adding this to our dinner rotation whenever we have a craving for filet Mignon- our favorite!
Kristyn
0Give me all the filet mignon!! This will be the perfect meal for a Valentine’s Day, date night in. It’d be great paired with anything!
Betsy
0So easy and so much incredible flavor! This would be the perfect dinner for an at-home date night!
Taylor
0I had never thought about making steak in the air fryer until I saw this recipe and WOW am I glad I tried it out! The steak was cooked perfectly and it was so easy. Definitely my favorite way to cook steak now!
Rebecca
0I would have never thought to use my air fryer to make filet mignon, but when I saw this recipe I decided to try it. It turned out amazing! This is how we are making steak in our house from now on!
Scarlet
0Mind blown. This was a great way to cook filet mignon and it made so much less smoke than in the cast iron.
Tracey Giordano
0Seriously the best way to cook filet mignon, it comes out perfectly every time!
Tiffany
0Heck Yes! I’m always looking for new ways to cook dinner in the air fryer! The steak turned out great and the timing chart was very helpful.