10+ Beef Tenderloin Recipes You’ll Love to Try Tonight

Beef tenderloin is a go-to when you want a tender, flavorful cut of meat. It’s perfect for special meals or when you’re out to impress with a delicious roast.

You can prepare beef tenderloin in so many ways, from simple to super elegant. There’s really no shortage of ideas here.

Whether you like it roasted, slow-cooked, or loaded with herbs and spices, you’ll find something here to try. Cooking beef tenderloin might sound intimidating, but honestly, it’s easier than you’d think.

1) Classic Garlic and Herb Beef Tenderloin

This classic garlic and herb beef tenderloin is simple but packed with flavor. Just coat the tenderloin in garlic, fresh herbs, and olive oil, then roast.

The garlic and herbs really bring out the beef’s natural taste and help keep it juicy. Serve it up for a holiday or fancy dinner—it’s great with roasted veggies or baked potatoes.

Season the beef generously and let it rest after cooking. That way, the juices redistribute and every bite is extra tasty.

Ingredients

• 3-4 lb beef tenderloin
• 4-8 garlic cloves, minced
• 2-3 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tbsp fresh rosemary, chopped
• 1 tbsp fresh thyme, chopped
• 1-2 tsp salt
• 1 tsp black pepper

Cooking Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 425°F (220°C).
2. Mix garlic, herbs, olive oil, salt, and pepper.
3. Rub mixture all over the tenderloin.
4. Place meat on a roasting pan.
5. Roast 25-30 minutes or until internal temp hits 135°F (57°C) for medium-rare.
6. Rest tenderloin 15 minutes before slicing.

2) Slow-Roasted Beef Tenderloin with Browned Crust

Start by seasoning the beef tenderloin all over. Sear it in a hot pan until you get a good browned crust.

Move the tenderloin to the oven and slow roast at 250°F (120°C). This keeps the meat tender and evenly pink inside.

Use a meat thermometer to check doneness. For medium rare, aim for 135°F (57°C) before you let it rest.

Ingredients

• 1 whole beef tenderloin (about 4-5 pounds)
• 2-3 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 teaspoons kosher salt
• 1 teaspoon black pepper
• Optional: garlic powder or fresh herbs

Cooking Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 250°F (120°C).
2. Rub tenderloin with olive oil, salt, pepper, and any herbs.
3. Heat a pan on high, sear tenderloin on all sides—about 3-4 minutes total.
4. Transfer beef to a roasting pan and put it in the oven.
5. Roast until internal temp is around 130-135°F (54-57°C), about 45-60 minutes.
6. Rest for 10 minutes before slicing.

3) Beef Tenderloin with Red Wine Sauce

Rub your tenderloin with rosemary, garlic, salt, and pepper. Roast it in the oven until it’s done to your liking.

While the beef cooks, simmer red wine with garlic and herbs to make a quick sauce. Pour that over the sliced beef for a rich finish.

This one’s a crowd-pleaser at special dinners. Serve slices with the warm wine sauce—so satisfying.

Ingredients

• 3-5 lb beef tenderloin, trimmed
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 2-3 sprigs fresh rosemary, chopped
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 1 cup red wine
• 1 sprig thyme (optional)

Cooking Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 425°F (220°C).
2. Rub tenderloin with olive oil, rosemary, garlic, salt, and pepper.
3. Roast for about 25-30 minutes for medium-rare.
4. Rest beef while you make the sauce.
5. In the same pan, add red wine and thyme, simmer and reduce by half.
6. Slice beef, pour sauce over, and serve.

Find more details on making beef tenderloin with red wine sauce here.

4) Million Dollar Roast Beef Tenderloin

Million Dollar Roast Beef Tenderloin feels fancy but it’s not hard to pull off. Let the beef come up to room temp for a few hours, then roast at high heat for a nice crust.

After 15 minutes at 425°F (220°C), drop the oven to 300°F (150°C) and finish roasting slowly. Season simply with salt, pepper, garlic, and olive oil.

Ingredients:

• 4-5 lb beef tenderloin, trimmed
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 4 cloves garlic
• 1 tbsp sea salt
• 1 tbsp black pepper

Cooking Instructions:

1. Let tenderloin sit at room temp for 4 hours.
2. Preheat oven to 425°F (220°C).
3. Rub olive oil, garlic, salt, and pepper on beef.
4. Roast for 15 minutes.
5. Lower oven to 300°F (150°C).
6. Cook until meat reaches desired doneness (about 40-50 minutes).
7. Let it rest before slicing.

For more details, see the Million Dollar Roast Beef Tenderloin Recipe.

5) Garlic Rosemary Beef Tenderloin

Garlic rosemary beef tenderloin is a classic for a reason. The combo of garlic and rosemary gives the beef a fresh, savory kick.

Mix minced garlic, chopped rosemary, and olive oil into a paste. Rub it all over the beef and let it sit for a bit.

Sear the tenderloin in a hot pan, then roast at 425°F (220°C) until it’s done to your liking.

Ingredients

• 4-6 lb beef tenderloin
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 tablespoons fresh rosemary, chopped
• ¼ cup olive oil
• Salt and pepper to taste

Cooking Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 425°F (220°C).
2. Mix garlic, rosemary, olive oil, salt, and pepper into a paste.
3. Rub paste over beef tenderloin.
4. Sear beef on all sides in a hot pan.
5. Transfer to oven and roast until internal temp is 130°F (54°C) for medium-rare.
6. Rest 10 minutes before slicing.

6) Beef Tenderloin with Mushroom Sauce

Sear the beef tenderloin in a hot pan to lock in juices and get a nice crust. Finish in the oven until the inside is pink and tender.

For the sauce, cook mushrooms in the same pan with butter and garlic. Add cream or broth for a rich, smooth sauce.

Serve the beef sliced with mushroom sauce poured on top. It’s great with mashed potatoes or veggies.

Ingredients:

• 1 beef tenderloin roast (about 2 pounds)
• 8 oz mushrooms, sliced
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• ½ cup heavy cream or beef broth
• Salt and pepper to taste

Cooking Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C).
2. Season beef with salt and pepper.
3. Sear beef in a hot pan for 2-3 minutes per side.
4. Transfer beef to oven and roast for 15-20 minutes.
5. Let beef rest.
6. In the same pan, melt butter and cook garlic and mushrooms.
7. Add cream or broth and simmer until thickened.
8. Slice beef and serve with mushroom sauce.

7) Perfectly Seared Beef Tenderloin Roast

Season the beef tenderloin with salt and pepper. Sear it on all sides in a hot pan—about 3 to 5 minutes per side for a golden crust.

Move it to the oven and roast at 375°F (190°C) until the internal temp hits 135°F (57°C) for medium-rare. Use a meat thermometer if you’re unsure.

Let the roast rest 10 minutes before slicing so the juices stay put.

Ingredients

• 1 beef tenderloin roast (about 3 pounds)
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 2 tablespoons olive oil or butter
• Optional: garlic or herbs for extra flavor

Cooking Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C).
2. Season tenderloin with salt and pepper.
3. Heat oil or butter in a pan over medium-high.
4. Sear tenderloin 3-5 minutes per side until browned.
5. Transfer to oven; roast until internal temp is 135°F (57°C).
6. Rest 10 minutes before slicing.

8) Holiday Garlic and Herb Beef Tenderloin

Holiday garlic and herb beef tenderloin is a festive pick. It’s simple and full of fresh flavor from rosemary, thyme, sage, and a good dose of garlic.

Roast the tenderloin until it’s juicy and tender. It goes great with roasted veggies or loaded baked potatoes.

You’ll get a beautiful crust thanks to the herb rub, and it looks as good as it tastes.

Ingredients

• 4 lbs beef tenderloin, trimmed
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 3 tbsp garlic and herb rub (with rosemary, thyme, sage)
• 1 tsp salt

Cooking Instructions

1. Preheat your oven to 425°F (220°C).

2. Rub olive oil all over the tenderloin.

3. Coat the meat with garlic and herb rub, then sprinkle with salt.

4. Place it on a baking sheet and roast for 25-30 minutes.

5. Let it rest for about 10 minutes before you slice it.

Adjust the cooking time if you like your beef more or less done.

For more details, check out garlic herb beef tenderloin recipes like this one from Longbourn Farm.

9) Best Oven-Roasted Beef Tenderloin

To roast beef tenderloin, crank your oven up to 425°F (220°C). That blast of heat gives the outside a nice crust.

Roast for about 15 minutes. Then, drop the temperature to 300°F (150°C) and let it finish cooking slowly.

Stick a meat thermometer in there to check doneness. Pull the roast out just before it hits 140°F (60°C) if you want medium rare.

Let it rest before you slice, so the juices stay put.

Ingredients

• Beef tenderloin (about 3-4 lbs)
• Salt
• Black pepper
• Olive oil or butter
• Garlic (optional)
• Fresh thyme (optional)

Cooking Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 425°F (220°C).

2. Rub the beef with olive oil, salt, and pepper.

3. Roast at 425°F (220°C) for 15 minutes.

4. Lower the oven to 300°F (150°C) and keep cooking until the internal temp hits 135°F (57°C).

5. Take it out and let it rest for 15 minutes before slicing.

10) Easy Beef Tenderloin with Fresh Thyme

Fresh thyme makes beef tenderloin taste and smell amazing. You don’t need a bunch of fancy stuff.

Coat the tenderloin with olive oil. Press fresh thyme leaves all over so they stick and flavor the meat.

Sear the beef in a hot pan for about 40 seconds on each side. That quick sear helps lock in the juices.

Pop it in the oven at 425°F (220°C) and roast until it’s as done as you like. Let it rest before you slice—seriously, don’t skip that step.

Ingredients

• 1 beef tenderloin (about 2 pounds)
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 tablespoons fresh thyme leaves
• Salt and pepper to taste

Cooking Instructions

1. Preheat your oven to 425°F (220°C).

2. Rub olive oil all over the tenderloin.

3. Press some fresh thyme leaves into the beef.

4. Sprinkle it with salt and pepper.

5. Get a pan really hot, then sear the meat on every side—about 40 seconds per side.

6. Pop it in the oven and roast for 20-25 minutes, or until it’s cooked just how you like.

7. Let the beef rest for 10 minutes before you slice it up.