Easy & Elegant Tenderloin Roast

Total Time

Prep: 10 min. Bake: 45 min. + standing

Makes

12 servings

Updated: Apr. 21, 2023
I love the simplicity of this easy beef tenderloin recipe. Olive oil, garlic, salt and pepper—just add the tenderloin and pop it in the oven. In an hour or so you’ve got an impressive main dish to feed a crowd. This leaves you with more time to visit with family and less time fussing in the kitchen. —Mary Kandell, Huron, Ohio
Easy & Elegant Tenderloin Roast Recipe photo by Taste of Home

Ingredients

  • 1 beef tenderloin (5 pounds)
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 4 garlic cloves, minced
  • 2 teaspoons sea salt
  • 1-1/2 teaspoons coarsely ground pepper

Directions

  1. Preheat oven to 425°. Place roast on a rack in a shallow roasting pan. In a small bowl, mix the oil, garlic, salt and pepper; rub over roast.
  2. Roast until meat reaches desired doneness (for medium-rare, a thermometer should read 135°; medium, 140°; medium-well, 145°), 45-65 minutes. Remove from oven; tent with foil. Let stand 15 minutes before slicing.

Tips for Easy Beef Tenderloin

Is beef tenderloin the same as filet mignon?

Beef tenderloin and filet mignon are not the same, although they are related—the filet mignon is actually a very small part of the whole tenderloin. The tenderloin can be sold whole or divided into different cuts. The filet is the most tender part of the tenderloin, but there’s a tradeoff in flavor. To make up for it, filet is often served with rich accompaniments, like a savory sauce or bacon and mushrooms.

Should you sear beef tenderloin before roasting?

You do not have to sear beef tenderloin, although you certainly can. Many recipes call for searing as a first step to boost the flavor.

Why is my beef tenderloin tough?

If your easy beef tenderloin is tough, the first culprit is usually overcooking. A tenderloin is extremely lean, and that lack of fat means that it’s extremely vulnerable. While slow-cooking may transform an otherwise tough chuck roast to a melt-in-your-mouth pot roast, a filet doesn’t have the same fat marbling, so overcooking it will take make your tenderloin chewy and tough.

If you’ve cooked it the right length of time, and to the perfect internal temperature (you'll need an instant-read thermometer to know for sure) then toughness is most likely due to cutting into it too soon. Yes, that tenderloin is tempting right out of the oven, but you have to let it rest for 10-15 minutes. This rest period lets the juices reabsorb into the meat; if you cut it too soon, the juices will escape, leaving the meat dry.

Research contributed by Hazel Wheaton, Taste of Home Book Editor

Nutrition Facts

5 ounces cooked beef: 294 calories, 13g fat (5g saturated fat), 82mg cholesterol, 394mg sodium, 1g carbohydrate (0 sugars, 0 fiber), 40g protein. Diabetic Exchanges: 5 lean meat, 1/2 fat.