Disclosed herein is a method of controlling a hybrid electric vehicle in which a torque converter is disposed between a motor and a transmission for driving the hybrid electric vehicle comprises, by a control unit, determining a driver demand torque and an output speed of the torque converter based on vehicle driving information, determining a target input speed of the torque converter from the determined output speed of the torque converter based on preset characteristic information of the torque converter and information on the determined driver demand torque, determining the determined target input speed of the torque converter as a target engine starting speed, and performing control to start an engine using torque of the motor when an engine-on mode is determined, and controlling and engine speed to the determined target engine starting speed after startup.