Perfectly buttery and flaky, tender bites of beef tenderloin are topped with a creamy mushroom mixture and baked inside puff pastry, making these Beef Wellington Bites the most amazing bites on the planet!
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Who doesn’t love puff pastry when it’s wrapped around tasty beef tenderloin and melt-in-your-mouth mushrooms; every bite is bliss! These cravable and oh-so-delicious bites are the hit of every party, but they also make an elegant and flavorful appetizer.
I love working with puff pastry. You can find great frozen puff pastry in just about every supermarket, and it always bakes up light and flaky. Pair these puff pastry bites with a tangy Horseradish Sauce, and everyone will be talking about these amazing bites!
Easy to make and totally make aheadable, don’t let their fanciness fool you! These Beef Wellington Bites are as perfect on game day as they are for black-tie cocktail parties. Want an appetizer that’ll really impress? These beefy bites will do the trick!
What you’ll love about Beef Wellington Bites
- They’re packed with beefy flavor!
- The puffy pastry is flaky, buttery, and delish!
- They’re totally make aheadable!
Ingredients
- Puff pastry – Store-bought is fine; let it thaw in the fridge overnight.
- Beef tenderloin – You’ll need about 1 pound. Buy it when it goes on sale and pop it in the freezer.
- Butter – I use salted butter.
- Olive oil – Or your favorite cooking oil
- Shallots – Shallots are like mild onions and are ideal for this Beef Wellington Bites recipe.
- Mushrooms – I like using a mixture of white and cremini mushrooms.
- Thyme – Fresh thyme sprigs. See variations and substitutions below for alternatives.
- Heavy cream
- Dijon mustard
- Salt and pepper
- Egg
What Is Puff Pastry?
Puff pastry is light, flaky, buttery, and a pain to make from scratch. You can, but it involves rolling and folding a bazillion times because each fold represents 1 layer. Trust me, buy it from the store. Puff pastry cooks fabulously in a hot oven, and it is neutral in flavor so that you can tuck so many delicious fillings inside. You can also use puff pastry as a topping for pot pies, or for the base of a tart. It is so versatile!
How To Make The Best Beef Wellington Bites With Puff Pastry
- Cut the beef tenderloin into small bite-sized pieces, about 1/2-inch cubes. Season them well with salt and pepper.
- Heat the butter and oil in a large skillet until it is hot but not smoking, then add the beef cubes and brown them on at least 2 sides. Don’t cook them through! You just want them seared.
- Remove the beef from the skillet leaving behind any fat and add another 2 tablespoons of butter.
- Add the finely diced shallots to the skillet and saute them until they’re starting to get soft.
- Add the finely diced mushrooms and garlic. Saute until the mushrooms have given off all their liquid.
- Add the thyme sprigs and cream to the mushrooms, and lower the heat cooking until the cream has thickened and is nearly evaporated.
- Season with salt and pepper, stir in the Dijon mustard and set aside to cool.
- Preheat your oven to 400-F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Roll out the thawed puff pastry until it is about 1/8-inch thick. It doesn’t have to be perfect!
- Cut the pastry into 2-inch squares. You’ll need 1 square for each cube of beef.
- Top the puff pastry square with a teaspoon of cooled mushroom mixture and then a beef cube.
- Fold the opposite corners toward the middle of the cube of beef and press them to seal.
- Fold the remaining corners over the first seal, and press the edges together. Gently form the bundle into a small package with the edges all tucked in. Place this seam side down on a parchment paper-lined baking tray.
- Whisk the egg and brush it lightly over the top of each beef puff pastry bundle, and sprinkle the top with a few grains of flake or kosher salt.
- Bake the puff pastry bites at 400-F until they’re golden brown and puffy. Serve with an amazing Horseradish Sauce and serve!
Chef Jenn’s Tips
- Don’t cut your beef too small or too big. If they’re too big, they’ll be larger than 1-bite size, and if they are too small, you’ll lose the beef inside. I find about 1/2 to 3/4-inch cubes are perfect.
- When working with puff pastry, keep everything as cold as possible. Leave the dough in the fridge until the last minute, and make sure your beef cubes and mushroom mixture are both cool or chilled.
- You can prep the beef and the mushroom mixture up to 2 days ahead of time. You can also roll and wrap the bites a few hours ahead of time and just pop them into the oven at the last minute.
- Use an alligator chopper to make quick work of the mushrooms. They need to be finely diced, and this chopper is perfect for the job!
Recommended
Variations & Substitutions
- For more affordable beef, try tender sirloin or ribeye – just watch it’s not too fatty.
- Cremini, portobello, button, or even wild mushrooms can all be used in the mushroom mixture.
- You can use dried thyme instead of fresh – add 1/2 teaspoon of dried thyme to the mushroom mixture when you add the cream.
Serving Suggestions
A tangy horseradish sauce is all you need for these tasty Beef Wellington Bites, or this Garlic Aioli would also be fabulous. These bites are perfect as an appetizer to delicious meals of grilled ribeye steaks, smoked beef tenderloin or seafood pot pie. Or, pass them around at a party or gathering. Serve them alongside other tasty appetizers like Spanakopita Rolls, Artichoke Jalapeno Dip, and Sauerkraut Balls.
Step By Step Process
Beef Wellington Bites
Equipment
- pastry brush or silicone basting brush
Ingredients
- 1 pound beef tenderloin cut into 1/2-inch cubes
- 4 tablespoons butter divided
- 2 each shallots diced, about 1/4 cup diced
- 2 cloves garlic finely minced
- 1 pound mushrooms cremini and button mushrooms, cleaned and finely chopped
- 1/3 cup heavy whipping cream
- 4 sprigs fresh thyme
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- salt and pepper
- 1 package puff pastry thawed in the fridge overnight
- 1 egg
Instructions
- Cut the beef tenderloin into small bite-sized pieces, about 1/2-inch cubes. Season them well with salt and pepper.
- Heat the butter and oil in a large skillet until it is hot but not smoking, then add the beef cubes and brown them on at least 2 sides. Don't cook them through! You just want them seared.
- Remove the beef from the skillet leaving behind any fat and add another 2 tablespoons of butter.
- Add the finely diced shallots to the skillet and saute them over medium heat until they're starting to get soft, about 3 minutes.
- Add the finely diced mushrooms and garlic. Saute over medium heat until the mushrooms have given off all their liquid, about 10 minutes.
- Add the thyme sprigs and cream to the mushrooms, and lower the heat cooking until the cream has thickened and is nearly evaporated. About 5 minutes.
- Season the mushrooms with salt and pepper, stir in the Dijon mustard and set aside to cool.
- Preheat your oven to 400-F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Roll out the thawed puff pastry until it is about 1/8-inch thick. It doesn't have to be perfect!
- Cut the pastry into 2-inch squares. You'll need 1 square for each cube of beef.
- Top the puff pastry square with a teaspoon of cooled mushroom mixture and then a beef cube.
- Fold the opposite corners toward the middle of the cube of beef and press them to seal. A dot of the whisked egg can help seal the cubes.
- Fold the remaining corners over the first seal, and press the edges together. Gently form the bundle into a small package with the edges all tucked in. Place this seam side down on a parchment paper-lined baking tray.
- Whisk the egg and brush it lightly over the top of each beef puff pastry bundle, and sprinkle the top with a few grains of flake or kosher salt.
- Bake the puff pastry bites at 400-F until they're golden brown and puffy, about 14 minutes. Serve with your favorite sauce and enjoy!
Notes
Chef Jenn’s Tips
- Don’t cut your beef too small or too big. If they’re too big, they’ll be larger than 1-bite size, and if they are too small, you’ll lose the beef inside. I find about 1/2 to 3/4-inch cubes are perfect.
- When working with puff pastry, keep everything as cold as possible. Leave the dough in the fridge until the last minute, and make sure your beef cubes and mushroom mixture are both cool or chilled.
- You can prep the beef and the mushroom mixture up to 2 days ahead of time. You can also roll and wrap the bites a few hours ahead of time and just pop them into the oven at the last minute.
Nutrition
A Note on Nutritional Information
Nutritional information for this recipe is provided as a courtesy and is calculated based on available online ingredient information. It is only an approximate value. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site cannot be guaranteed.
