Air Fryer Recipe
Beef Wellington Bites
Beef Wellington Bites make a handy, delicious appetiser, bringing those classic flavours into neat little mouthfuls that work beautifully in the air fryer.
Ingredients
- 500g beef tenderloin, cut into bite-sized pieces
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 150g mushrooms, finely chopped
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
- 250g puff pastry, thawed
- 1 egg, beaten
- 2 tablespoons flour, for dusting
- 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped (optional)
Method
- Season the beef tenderloin pieces with salt and pepper.
- Warm the olive oil in a pan over medium-high heat, then sear the beef for about 1-2 minutes on each side until lightly browned. Lift out of the pan and set aside to cool.
- In the same pan, add the butter and let it melt. Stir in the chopped mushrooms and garlic, cooking until the mixture is soft and any moisture has evaporated, about 5 minutes. Spoon the mixture into a bowl and leave it to cool.
- Roll out the puff pastry on a lightly floured surface. Cut it into squares large enough to wrap around each piece of beef.
- Preheat your air fryer to 180°C (356°F).
- Spread a thin layer of Dijon mustard over each piece of seared beef. Add a teaspoon of the mushroom mixture on top of the mustard.
- Place each beef piece in the centre of a pastry square. Wrap the pastry around the beef and mushroom mixture, pinching and sealing the edges so everything is well enclosed.
- Brush the tops of the pastry with the beaten egg for a golden finish.
- Arrange the beef Wellington bites in a single layer in the air fryer basket, making sure they are not touching. Air fry in batches if needed, each for about 10-12 minutes, or until the pastry is golden and crisp.
- Remove from the air fryer and let them cool slightly. Sprinkle with fresh parsley before serving, if desired.
Why this works in an air fryer
Searing gives the beef a dry, browned surface before it is sealed in pastry, while cooking the mushrooms until their moisture evaporates prevents steam from softening the puff pastry. The air fryer’s fast convection sets the pastry layers quickly, so the bites crisp before the beef overcooks.
Equipment notes
Assumes a 5–6 litre basket holding about 8–10 bites with 2 cm gaps. In a single-drawer air fryer, cook in batches and rotate the bites halfway if browning is uneven; in a dual-zone model, split them evenly between drawers and check the lighter-loaded side 1–2 minutes early.
Common pitfalls
- Pastry is golden on top but wet underneath? The mushroom mixture was still damp or warm; cook it until it looks paste-like and cool it fully before wrapping.
- Pastry seams opening during cooking? The pastry is overfilled or stretched thin; use less mushroom mixture, pinch with dry fingers, and place the seam side down in the basket.
- Beef is grey and firm rather than pink-centred? The pieces are too small or the sear was too long; use roughly 3 cm chunks and sear only until browned, not cooked through.
- Patchy pale pastry after 12 minutes? The bites are too close together for airflow; leave clear gaps, cook fewer per batch, and add 2–3 minutes rather than raising the temperature.
Variations & substitutions
- Use chestnut mushrooms instead of standard mushrooms for a deeper flavour; they still need cooking until dry or the pastry will steam.
- Wrap each beef piece in a small strip of prosciutto before the pastry; it adds salt and a moisture barrier, so season the beef more lightly.
- Use ready-rolled puff pastry for speed; it is often thinner, so start checking for browning at 8–10 minutes.
- Add a very thin layer of pâté with the mustard for a richer filling; keep it sparse because excess fat can leak at the seams.
Storage & reheating
Keep cooked bites refrigerated for up to 2 days and reheat in the air fryer at 160°C for 5–7 minutes until the pastry is crisp and the centre is hot.
Nutrition
Calories: 250
