Easy Air Fryer Beef Tenderloin
A perfectly cooked, premium cut of meat doesn’t always require turning on the oven. This Air Fryer Beef Tenderloin comes out incredibly tender and juicy in about 30 minutes, freeing up your kitchen and minimizing cleanup.
Using a simple mayonnaise-based garlic and fresh herb rub, you get a beautifully seasoned crust and rich flavor with barely any hands-on prep.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Oven-free cooking: Perfect for holidays or busy dinners when you need your oven space for sides.
- Incredibly tender: Cooking at a low 250°F ensures the center cooks evenly without drying out the edges.
- Simple herb rub: Fresh rosemary, thyme, and garlic give the roast a rich, classic flavor.
- Minimal prep: The mayonnaise base helps the seasoning stick perfectly to the meat.
Ingredients
- 2-pound beef tenderloin roast (tied with string)
- 1 tablespoon fresh rosemary, chopped
- 2 teaspoons fresh thyme, chopped
- 2 tablespoons mayonnaise
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tablespoon kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
- Set the beef tenderloin out at room temperature for at least 30 minutes to take the chill off the meat.
- Pat the roast completely dry with paper towels to ensure the rub will stick.
- In a small bowl, combine the chopped fresh rosemary, fresh thyme, mayonnaise, minced garlic, kosher salt, and black pepper. Stir well to create a paste.
- Rub the mayonnaise and herb mixture evenly all over the entire piece of meat, string and all, making sure it is fully coated.
- Place the coated roast directly into the middle of the unheated air fryer basket.
- Cook at 250°F. For a rare roast, check it around 27 minutes. For medium-rare, check it at about 30 minutes.
- Use a quick-read thermometer to check the center of the meat (aim for about 127°F for medium-rare before resting).
- Remove the roast from the air fryer and let it rest for 20 minutes to allow the temperature to rise slightly through carryover cooking.
- Carefully snip and remove the cooking strings, then slice and serve.
Notes
Why mayonnaise? Using mayonnaise instead of butter or oil is a great trick for making sure the rub sticks perfectly to the meat during cooking.
Cook low and slow: Cooking a large piece of meat at a low 250°F in the air fryer prevents the outside from overcooking while the inside comes to temperature, resulting in a much more consistent, evenly cooked roast.
Use fresh herbs: Fresh herbs work best for this rub because they are less coarse than dried herbs, but you can substitute dry herbs if that is all you have on hand.
