Learn how to cook like the best steakhouse—at home. With this easy skillet-to-oven filet mignon recipe, even beginners can cook juicy, tender steak every time.
You’ll master the simple pan-sear and oven-bake method that gives filet mignon its perfect crust and tender center—without the guesswork.
⏱️ How Long to Cook Filet Mignon in the Oven
For a 1-inch filet: sear 2–3 minutes per side, then oven bake 5–7 minutes at 400°F for medium-rare.
For complete guidance, see the Time & Temp Guide section below.
Jump To (scroll for more)
- ❤️ Why You’ll Love This Filet Mignon Recipe
- 🐄 Ingredients — Filet and Seasoning Suggestions
- 👨🍳 Quick Overview: How to Cook Filet Mignon in Oven
- ⏰ How Long to Cook Filet Mignon in the Oven (Time & Temp Guide)
- 👍 Tips for Success
- ❓ FAQs
- 🍽️ What to Serve with Filet Mignon
- ❄️ Storing Leftover Filet Mignon
- 🐄 Other Steak Recipes
- 📖The Recipe Card
Featured Comment by Gina:
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
"Perfect instructions, perfectly done, couldn’t be easier! The timing chart was very helpful. Thank’s doc."
I learned to cook filet mignon years ago, back when we could hardly afford it. That meant paying attention to every detail—because this steak had to be perfect every time.
❤️ Why You’ll Love This Filet Mignon Recipe
- Beginner-friendly: Uses a simple pan-sear and oven-bake method—just a skillet, an oven, and a thermometer.
- Juicy and consistent: Delivers steakhouse-quality tenderness every time.
- Fast: From prep to plate in about 20 minutes.
- Perfect doneness, your way: Rare, medium-rare, or medium—with easy temperature targets.
- Anytime cooking: Great for weeknights or special dinners, no grill required.
🐄 Ingredients — Filet and Seasoning Suggestions
- Filet mignon (beef tenderloin steaks): About 6–8 ounces each and 1 to 1½ inches thick. (Thicker needs a reverse searing method). Choose Prime or well-marbled Choice for the most tender, juicy results.
- Butter or oil: Butter adds rich flavor; high-heat oils (like avocado or canola) work if you’re worried about smoke.
- Seasoning: Kosher salt and black pepper are all you need. Or use a steak seasoning blend—I often reach for my All-Purpose Seasoning Salt (salt, pepper, garlic powder).
🧂 Optional flavor boost: Add a pat of butter and a sprig of rosemary or thyme on top before the oven step.
👨🍳 Quick Overview: How to Cook Filet Mignon in Oven
This is the same method I’ve trusted for decades when precision matters.
1. Preheat, rest, and season
Preheat the oven to 400°F. If you have time, let the filet mignon rest at room temperature for 30 to 60 minutes. Pat dry and season all sides.
2. Searing the steaks
Use a hot cast-iron (or other oven-safe) skillet. Sear 2–3 minutes per side in butter or oil until a crust forms.
✅ Pro Tip: Don’t skip the searing—it builds flavor and a delicious crust. If you only bake, you’ll miss that, and oven time will be longer.
3. Finish in the oven
Transfer skillet to the oven. Cook under 10 minutes until the steak is 3–4°F below your target temp.
Medium-rare = 130°–135°F (about 5–7 minutes).
4. Rest and serve
Move steaks to a plate, tent loosely with foil, and rest 5–8 minutes so juices reabsorb.
👇For step-by-step photos and full instructions, scroll to the printable recipe card—or keep reading for tips and serving ideas.
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⏰ How Long to Cook Filet Mignon in the Oven (Time & Temp Guide)
Cooking time for filet mignon depends on the steak’s thickness, starting temperature, and desired doneness. Most 1-inch steaks reach medium-rare in about 9–11 minutes total, including both the sear and oven time.
🍽️ Filet Mignon Oven Time by Doneness
(Total time is the sear and oven time together. Oven times below are after a 4–6 minute sear in a hot skillet.)
- Rare (125°–130°F): 4–5 minutes in the oven, for a total time of about 8–11 minutes. (See note below.)
- Medium-Rare (130°–135°F): 5–7 minutes in the oven, for a total time of about 9–13 minutes.
- Medium (140°–150°F): 8–10 minutes in the oven, for a total time of about 12–16 minutes.
- Medium-Well to Well Done (150°F+): 12 minutes or more in the oven, for a total time of about 16–21+ minutes. Not recommended.
✅ Pro Tip: Remove the filet from the oven 3–4°F below your target temp. It will finish cooking while it rests—locking in the juices.
Other Quick Tips for Oven Filet Mignon
- Use an instant-read thermometer. It’s the only way to avoid overcooking.
- Check early. You can always cook longer, but you can’t uncook.
- Oven temps can vary. 375° to 425°F will all work — higher cooks faster, lower gives more control.
- Rest 5–8 minutes. This is how you keep it juicy and tender. Don’t skip it.
⚠️ Note for Rare Steak Lovers
Rare filet mignon is tricky. If the steak is thinner than 1 inch or well-rested before cooking, it may need only 1–2 minutes in the oven. Check temps before it goes in and again a few minutes later. You’ve got this—just use your thermometer and trust it.
👍 Tips for Success
- Use quality beef: Prime is best, but well-marbled choice filet mignon will still deliver great results.
- Rest before cooking: Let the steak sit at room temp for 30 to 60 minutes. It helps cook more evenly and hit your target temperature.
- No cast iron? No problem: Cast iron gives the most even sear before oven roasting. But any oven-safe skillet works—just be sure it’s rated for at least 400°F.
- Time your salt: Season right before cooking, or at least an hour ahead. Salting in between can dry out the surface without time to recover.
- Rest after cooking: This step matters. Rest filet mignon for 5 to 8 minutes so the juices reabsorb and the temperature finishes rising.
❓ FAQs
After searing, most 1-inch steaks take 5–7 minutes in the oven for medium-rare. See the time and temperature guide above for more doneness levels.
400°F is ideal for finishing filet mignon after searing. It’s hot enough to roast quickly without drying it out. You can use 375°F if needed—just add a couple of minutes to oven time.
Not reliably. Time alone isn’t accurate—an instant-read thermometer is the only way to avoid overcooking a filet mignon.
Resting before helps the steak cook evenly and hit your target temperature. Resting after lets the juices reabsorb for a tender, juicy filet mignon. Both matter.
🍽️ What to Serve with Filet Mignon
While your oven-baked filet mignon rests, top it with a pat of butter or compound butter for extra flavor. I recommend my Steak Butter with Garlic and Blue Cheese—it melts right in and adds a rich, savory finish.
This filet mignon in oven recipe pairs well with classic sides like:
- Oven Roasted Baby Red Potatoes or Parmesan Baked Potatoes
- A fresh salad or hot vegetables like Green Beans with Almonds or Roasted Asparagus
- Crusty bread to soak up any juices left on the plate
For wine, go with a medium to full-bodied red like Merlot, Pinot Noir, or Cabernet Sauvignon.
❄️ Storing Leftover Filet Mignon
Cooked filet mignon will keep in the fridge for 3 to 4 days in an airtight container. Reheat gently in a skillet over low heat or slice cold for sandwiches or steak salads.
🐄 Other Steak Recipes
Want more ways to cook a perfect steak? Try one of these easy, foolproof favorites:
Each recipe uses a reliable method—grilling or pan-searing and oven-finishing—to help you get moist, tender, flavorful steak at home.
Grilled Filet Mignon
Grilling filet mignon is easier than you think. With a gas grill, simple seasoning, and a meat thermometer, you can cook a juicy, tender filet better than most steakhouses.
📖The Recipe Card
How to Cook Filet Mignon in the Oven (Pan-Sear & Bake Recipe)
Video Slideshow
Ingredients
- 2 filet mignon - about 1-1½ inch thick and about 6-8 oz
- 1 tablespoon butter - or oil
- salt and pepper or other steak seasoning
Step-by-Step Instructions
1. Preheat, rest, and season
- Preheat oven to 400°F. Trim filets if needed. Let them rest at room temperature for 30–60 minutes.
- Pat dry well with paper towels. Season all sides to taste with the seasoning of your choice. Just kosher salt and black pepper or All-Purpose Seasoning, which adds garlic powder, is enough.
2. Searing the steaks
- Heat 1 tablespoon of butter or oil in a cast-iron or oven-safe skillet over medium-high heat. Sear each side for 2–3 minutes until well-browned.
- When hot, sear both sides of the filets for 2-3 minutes—sear, flip, sear, and give them a final flip before putting them into the oven.
3. Finish in the oven
- Transfer skillet to the oven. Roast until the internal temperature is 3°–4°F below your target. Medium-rare takes about 5–7 minutes in the oven to reach 130°–135°F.
4. Rest and serve
- Remove from the pan, tent loosely with foil, and rest for 5–8 minutes before serving.
Recipe Notes
Pro Tips:
- Use prime beef if possible, but well-marbled choice works too.
- Season just before cooking or at least an hour ahead. Salting in between can dry the surface.
- Don’t cook by time alone. Always use an instant-read thermometer.
- For rare filet or thinner steaks, check the temperature before and during oven roasting.
- Remove from the oven a few degrees early. It will finish cooking as it rests.
Your Own Private Notes
To adjust the recipe size:
You can adjust the number of servings above; however, only the amount in the ingredient list is adjusted, not the instructions.
Nutrition Estimate (may vary)
Editor's Note: Originally published March 10, 2012, updated with expanded options, refreshed photos, and a table of contents to help navigation.
Aurore Stubbs says
Hello,
Thank you for your recipe and clear instructions.
Could you please tell me how to achieve the reverse searing of a filet mignon
thicker than 2"?
In the past I did a reverse searing with a rib roast, but always cooked a filet in a pan with olive oil and butter.
Thank you ,
Kind regards,
Aurore
Dan Mikesell AKA DrDan says
Hi Aurore,
Welcome to the blog. I generally do not cook very thick fillets. Thinner ones for individual serving size with a good seared crust for me. But I do understand..
I will give you a brief method, but suggest you check some other sites that routinely cook thicker filets. You need to use lower heat to get close to the final internal temp. Always rest at room temperature. Use a 250°F oven (not convection) and cook to about 10-15° below your final doneness. Remove from the oven and tent while you get a skillet (cast iron preferred or something heavy) very hot (get it fully hot, almost smoking), then sear for a minute or so on each side. Use a high-temp oil and let the butter melt on it after the sear.
Hope that helps, but again, double-check before you cook a $50 steak.
Dan
Dan Mikesell AKA DrDan says
Hi Jacob,
Sorry you had a problem. Could you be more specific? Searing time, oven temp, thickness, but most importantly, what temperature were you aiming for, and what is "vastly overdone" for you?
Dan
Gail says
I’d like to make this for a party of 25. Can I sear the filet and store in fridge and bake it in oven later?
Dan Mikesell AKA DrDan says
Hi Gail,
Welcome to the blog.
I don't think you will be happy with the results of searing, refrigerating, and baking. Not that I have done it, but I'm thinking of fluid shifts in the steak and the outside overcooking by the time you get the filets cooked in the oven.
I don’t have a plan for cooking 25 filets and having them ready at the same time with this recipe. I do cook filets frequently on my grill, which is large enough for 25 filets, so you may want to check out my grilled filet recipe if that sounds like a good option. If you choose to use the grill, let them rest at room temperature, and monitor your grill and meat temperatures closely. You should definitely practice cooking filets several times before trying mass cooking.
Sorry, I was not more help.
Dan
PS Additional thought. While eating dinner, I did think of another solution. Use a large electric or stovetop griddle to sear, then move them to a preheated heavy sheet pan to finish.
Randy Bowman says
When pan searing what do you use if you don't have a cast iron pan ?
Dan Mikesell AKA DrDan says
Hi Randy,
Welcome to the blog.
Any oven-safe skillet will do. Most stovetop skillets are oven-safe to a set temperature determined by the manufacturer. Mine are all over 400°, mostly 450° or 500°. It was on the paperwork when you bought it but we all toss that, so do a search for your skillet and be sure they are oven safe to 400°. I will add that 400° oven is arbitrary and you can use 350° if needed, it will take a bit longer.
Now, it you just aren't sure. You can preheat an oven safe pan while searing and transfer the filets after searing on the stovetop to the oven pan to finish to temperature.
Hope that helps.
Dan
Gina says
Perfect instructions, perfectly done, couldn’t be easier! The timing chart was very helpful. Thank’s doc.
Dan Mikesell AKA DrDan says
Hi Gina,
Welcome to the blog. When I was rewriting I felt the frame around the timing chart was a good idea... it is what most people are looking for, so just highlight it.
Thanks for the note and rating.
Dan
Deborah L says
Dr Dan, This is an easy recipe and great taste! I'm thinking of making it as filet au poivre next time. Your sauce recipe says to add minced scallops. Really? Should that read scallions? or shallots? That seems an indignity to the scallops.
Dan Mikesell AKA DrDan says
Hi Deborah,
Thanks for the note and proof read. That paragraph was copied from a 2010 post that I deleted, so you are the first to find it in 13 years.
I changed it to green onions that I think most home cooks will understand better. I also gave the post a fast cosmetic buff-up but do not rewrite anything else. (opps, I did change the weight and thickness range to 1 -1/2 inches and 6-8 oz. I have been doing a lot of 6 oz filets over the summer.
Dan