Beef Filet Mignon with a Creamy Mushroom Sauce
This pan-seared filet mignon is topped with a rich, creamy mushroom sauce made with cremini mushrooms, shallots, garlic, white wine, beef broth, Dijon mustard, heavy cream, and Parmesan. I cook the steaks on the stovetop first to get a golden crust, then finish them in the oven while I make the mushroom sauce in the same pan.
Servings 4
Calories 627kcal
Ingredients
For the Filet Mignon
- 24 oz filet mignon 4 steaks each about 6-8 ounces, preferably uniform in size and shape
- kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter room temperature
- 2 cloves garlic smashed
- 4 springs fresh thyme
- 2 sprigs fresh rosemary
For the Creamy Mushroom Sauce
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 pound cremini mushrooms sliced
- 2 shallots finely minced
- 4 cloves garlic finely minced
- 1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves finely minced
- 1 teaspoon fresh rosemary finely minced
- ¼ cup dry white wine Sauvignon Blanc or Pinot Grigio
- ½ cup beef broth plus more if needed
- 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
- ½ cup heavy cream
- ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
- Fresh parsley chopped (for garnish)
Instructions
- *Note: Before you begin, have all ingredients prepped and ready — this recipe moves quickly once you start cooking.*
- Roasted garlic bulbs: I like to serve this with whole roasted garlic bulbs (it's optional) - you can find the recipe for roasted garlic bulbs in the notes section below.
For the Filet Mignon
- Remove steaks from the refrigerator 1 hour before cooking to bring to room temperature. Preheat the oven to 400°F. Prepare a baking sheet with parchment paper and a wire rack.
- Pat filets dry and season generously with salt and pepper on all sides.
- Turn on your overhead fan or open a window. Heat a heavy skillet (cast iron preferred) over very high heat until smoking. Add olive oil.
- Sear steaks for about 2 minutes per side, until a golden brown crust forms.
- Reduce heat to low and add butter, smashed garlic cloves, thyme, and rosemary to the skillet. Tilt the pan and spoon the melted butter over the steaks for about 15-20 seconds.
- Transfer steaks to the prepared baking sheet with a rack. Roast until desired doneness, about 5–7 minutes for medium-rare, 8-10 minutes for medium, and 10+ for medium-well, depending on the thickness of your steak. I highly recommend using an instant-read or digital thermometer.
- Medium-rare: remove at 115-118 degrees for 125–130°F (after resting)
- Medium: remove at 120-125 degrees for 135–140°F (after resting)
- Medium-well: remove at 130-135 degrees for 145–150°F (after resting)
- Remove steaks from the oven, tent with foil, and rest for at least 10 minutes.
For the Creamy Mushroom Sauce
- While steaks are in the oven, discard the garlic, thyme, and rosemary from the skillet, but keep the browned butter and bits.
- Return skillet to medium heat, add butter, and cook mushrooms until browned and their liquid evaporates, 8–10 minutes.
- Stir in shallots, minced garlic, and thyme. Cook until shallots are softened, 2–3 minutes.
- Deglaze with white wine, scraping up browned bits. Simmer until the alcohol smell has disappeared, about 2-3 minutes.
- Add beef broth and simmer until reduced by half, about 5 minutes.
- Turn heat to low and stir in Dijon, cream, and Parmesan until smooth and slightly thickened. Simmer on low until thickened, about 5-8 minutes.
To Serve
- Plate filets and spoon mushroom sauce generously over top. Garnish with fresh parsley and serve immediately.
- Serve alongside roasted garlic and asparagus or your favorite sides like mashed potatoes or sauteed greens beans.
Notes
- Bring steaks to room temperature before cooking: This is critical. Cold steaks will cook unevenly and won't develop a proper crust. Let them sit out for at least an hour before cooking.
- The reason you transfer the steaks to a wire rack is to limit direct heat to the steaks once they’ve been browned on both sides. This helps evenly cook the steaks and frees up the pan for your mushroom sauce.
- It’s important to use room-temperature butter when you are about to baste your steaks. Timing is everything when you are wanting to get the best filet mignon, so if the butter is cold, it may take too long to melt, thus risking overcooking your steaks.
- I highly recommend cooking filet mignon medium-rare, as this is a very tender and delicious cut of steak. Cooking it to a higher internal temperature will taste fine, but the texture will suffer.
- Use an instant-read thermometer. Pull the steak before the final temp because it rises while resting. For medium-rare, I remove around 115–118°F and let it rest to 125–130°F. For medium, I remove around 120–125°F and rest to 135–140°F.
- Don't skip the resting step: Resting allows the juices to redistribute. If you cut into the steak immediately, all the juices will run out, and the meat will be dry. I recommend pulling the steaks from the oven 10 degrees before your target temperature. They'll continue cooking as they rest (carryover cooking), which means you won't end up with overcooked, gray meat when you were aiming for medium-rare.
- Use a heavy skillet: Cast iron is ideal because it retains heat and creates the best sear. If you don't have cast iron, use a heavy stainless-steel pan - avoid nonstick for this recipe.
- The nutrition info does not include: Optional garnishes or any suggested side dishes.
Mushroom Sauce Tips
- Reduce the sauce properly: Let the broth reduce by half before adding the cream. This concentrates the flavor and prevents the sauce from being watery.
- If your sauce is too thin for your liking, combine 2 tablespoons of flour with 2 tablespoons of room-temperature water to create a slurry. Pour this into your sauce while it is simmering in the last step. You can also add more Parmesan cheese if you like!
- Can I make the mushroom sauce dairy-free? Absolutely, swap heavy cream for coconut cream and skip Parmesan for nutritional yeast or vegan parm. Use veggie broth, too.
How To Roast Garlic Bulbs in the Oven
I usually use 6 garlic bulbs (tops removed) and ¼ cup olive oil. Preheat Oven to 400°F (200°C). Place your garlic bulbs, cut side up, in a cast-iron skillet or another ovenproof baking dish. Drizzle with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Cover with foil and roast for 45 minutes to 1 hour, or until cooked through, soft, and slightly golden brown. OPTIONAL: Flip the garlic over in the pan, and place back into the oven for 2-3 minutes to char and further brown the tops.Storage Tips
- Fridge: Keep the sauce and steak separately if possible. Store leftovers in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
- Freezer: I do not recommend freezing filet mignon ever. However, you can freeze the sauce for up to 2 months in an airtight freezer-safe container.
- To reheat: Microwaving the steak is not recommended, but feel free to do so if you need to. We suggest bringing the steaks to room temperature once again, at least 30 minutes out of the fridge. Heat a pan to medium heat and gently sear the steak on both sides until heated through, about 5 minutes per side. The steak will cook a bit more so keep that in mind when reheating.
Equipment & Supplies You'll Need:
- Knife
- Cutting board
- Cast iron skillet
- Baking tray with wire rack
- Spoon
- Measuring spoons and cups
Nutrition
Calories: 627kcal | Carbohydrates: 12g | Protein: 46g | Fat: 43g | Saturated Fat: 21g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 16g | Trans Fat: 0.5g | Cholesterol: 183mg | Sodium: 471mg | Potassium: 1273mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 1031IU | Vitamin C: 7mg | Calcium: 220mg | Iron: 4mg