Say goodbye to the days of tough and overcooked beef – forever. This is The Ultimate Easy Beef Tenderloin, and it comes together in just a matter of minutes with a few simple and easy ingredients. This delicious cut of meat is small, lean, and bursting with flavor, making it the perfect dish to serve as an easy weeknight dinner, or even at your holiday dinner table!
Friends, if there is one food that I could easily eat every single day, it’s steak. And, as an ex-vegan, the me of a few years ago would NOT believe that I’m saying that! Now, don’t get me wrong, I do love a good vegan recipe every now-and-then (and I have plenty of amazing vegan recipes on my blog). But for me, there is nothing that compares to a thick, juicy, perfect cut of steak.
But while steaks are delicious, they are also expensive, especially when it comes to eating out. In San Francisco, a perfectly-cooked steak will easily run you $50. Which is why I love sharing simple and easy ways to make your favorite cuts of meat at home. Not only will it save you money when it comes to going out to eat, but it also will help you ensure that the meat turns out perfectly, every single time.
One of my favorite cuts of steak, hands-down, is the beef tenderloin. This lean cut of meat is small, thin, and packed with flavor. The only downside is… it’s pricy. And with grocery prices on the rise, it’s not a cut of meat that you can afford to mess up. That’s where this recipe comes in. I don’t know about you, but in my book, there’s nothing worse than spending money on a perfect cut of meat, only to end up overcooking it. If you follow this recipe to a t, you’ll cook this beef tenderloin PERFECTLY, every time!
This recipe is such a simple and easy way to prepare beef tenderloin, and the best part is, it’s also foolproof. It turns out tender and perfectly pink, every single time, and has an unbeatable herby crust that makes it taste luxurious. Whether you serve this tenderloin for a hearty Christmas dinner or simply want to elevate a weeknight dinner, you can’t go wrong with having this recipe in your back pocket.
What You Need to Make This Simple & Easy Beef Tenderloin
- 🥩 Beef Tenderloin: Of course, beef tenderloin is essential to this recipe. This very lean cut of meat is small, thin, and turns out perfect every single time!
- 🧂 Kosher Salt: Kosher salt is a key ingredient, both when it comes to preparing the beef tenderloin itself and preparing the marinade.
- 🫒 Olive Oil: A high-quality oil like olive oil gives this beef tenderloin a rich flavor. You can also use avocado oil, if you prefer.
- 🧄 Garlic: Fresh garlic is absolutely essential to this recipe and gives it the best flavor. Don’t skip this!
- 🌿 Fresh Herbs: To add a bright, fresh flavor to this tenderloin, I love using both fresh rosemary and fresh thyme.
- 🧂 Seasonings: A blend of onion powder and ground black pepper gives this beef tenderloin the perfect flavor!
How to Make This Perfectly Juicy Beef Tenderloin
To make this beef tenderloin, start by preheating your oven to 275 F. Next, line a baking sheet with tin foil and place the beef tenderloin on top of it. Use your hands to rub half of the kosher salt onto the beef tenderloin and set it aside.
Next, prepare the marinade by whisking together the olive oil, mashed garlic, chopped rosemary, chopped thyme, onion powder, ground black pepper, and remaining kosher salt in a small bowl. Taste and adjust the seasonings as needed. Then, rub the marinade all over the beef tenderloin, ensuring that all sides are covered in the marinade.
Insert a meat thermometer into the meat, if using. If you opt to not use a meat thermometer, see the recipe notes! Finally, place the tenderloin into the oven and allow it to cook until it reaches your desired internal temperature. For rare, this is approximately 130 F, or 50 minutes in the oven. For medium rare, this is approximately 135-140 F, or 1 hour and 10 minutes in the oven.
Once the meat has cooked to your desired temperature, remove it from the oven and allow it to rest for 10 minutes before slicing. Then, serve and enjoy!
Tip: How to Make This Beef Tenderloin Without the Thermometer
Because beef tenderloin is a rather fragile cut of meat, I highly recommend using a meat thermometer to ensure that it cooks properly. You can absolutely use a traditional meat thermometer (and pay attention to the temperatures listed below), but I love my Yummly Smart Thermometer. This thermometer connects to your phone via bluetooth, and allows you to pre-set your desired cook on the meat. The thermometer will send a notification to your phone once the meat reaches its optimal temperature, which means you can relax and trust that the meat is cooking perfectly!
But, if you don’t have a meat thermometer and don’t want to purchase one, here’s my trick for ensuring that this beef tenderloin turns out perfect, every time.
A general rule-of-thumb for cooking beef tenderloin without a meat thermometer is to cook it according to how many inches thick that the beef tenderloin is and what type of cook you desire. See below:
- Rare (120-125°F): 10-12 minutes per inch of thickness.
- Medium-Rare (130-135°F): 12-14 minutes per inch of thickness.
- Medium-Well (140-145°F): 14-16 minutes per inch of thickness.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, to both – and if you don’t want to do it yourself, you can ask your butcher nicely and they may do it for you. However, if you want to do it on your own, here’s an easy step-by-step:
Trimming: To trim the beef tenderloin, start by using a sharp knife to remove the “silver skin” – aka the tough membrane that runs along the length of the tenderloin. Then, cut away any large, excess chunks of fat. Be sure to leave some fat, as that will help the tenderloin stay juicy while cooking!
One of the best parts about this recipe is that there’s no marinade time – just add the marinade to the tenderloin and place it right into the oven. It’s that simple and easy!
You’ll know when the tenderloin is done once it reaches your desired internal temperature. This is why using a meat thermometer is so important!
This beef tenderloin pairs well with all of your favorite sides! However, a few of my favorites include my Crunchy Garlic Broccolini, my Sheet Pan Potatoes Au Gratin, my Best Ever Caramelized Onion Mashed Potatoes, or my Spiced Roasted Carrots.
If you make this recipe, please be sure to leave a review and rating below! To see more recipes and behind the scenes, follow along on Instagram, TikTok, and Youtube! I’m also now on Pinterest, so stop by and take a look at what’s new.
** Photography by Tanya Pilgrim
Equipment
- 1 Meat Thermometer I highly recommend picking up a Yummly Smart Thermometer to ensure that the meat cooks to the perfect temperature, every time!
Ingredients
- 4 Pounds Beef Tenderloin, with the fat removed and tied two inches apart
- 3 Tablespoons Kosher Salt, divided
- ½ Cup Olive Oil
- 6 Cloves Garlic, mashed
- 3 Tablespoons Fresh Rosemary, finely chopped
- 2 Tablespoons Fresh Thyme, finely chopped
- 2 Teaspoons Onion Powder
- 1 Teaspoon Ground Black Pepper
Instructions
- To make this beef tenderloin, start by preheating your oven to 275 F.
- Next, line a baking sheet with tin foil and place the beef tenderloin on top of it.
- Use your hands to rub half of the kosher salt onto the beef tenderloin and set it aside.
- Next, prepare the marinade by whisking together the olive oil, mashed garlic, chopped rosemary, chopped thyme, onion powder, ground black pepper, and remaining kosher salt in a small bowl. Taste and adjust the seasonings as needed.
- Then, rub the marinade all over the beef tenderloin, ensuring that all sides are covered in the marinade.
- Insert a meat thermometer into the meat, if using. If you opt to not use a meat thermometer, see the recipe notes!
- Finally, place the tenderloin into the oven and allow it to cook until it reaches your desired internal temperature. For rare, this is approximately 130 F, or 50 minutes in the oven. For medium rare, this is approximately 135-140 F, or 1 hour and 10 minutes in the oven.
- Once the meat has cooked to your desired temperature, remove it from the oven and allow it to rest for 10 minutes before slicing. Then, serve and enjoy!
Recipe In Action
Notes
- Rare (120-125°F): 10-12 minutes per inch of thickness. The tenderloin will be very soft and red in the center.
- Medium-Rare (130-135°F): 12-14 minutes per inch of thickness. The center will be slightly pink with a warm red hue.
- Medium-Well (140-145°F): 14-16 minutes per inch of thickness. The center will be mostly pink with a hint of red.
Rate & review
SELECT A RATING and tell me what you think!
What others are saying
Best beef tenderloin I’ve ever made. I will be making this for my daughter’s wedding reception for a large crowd. Thank you!
I am thrilled to hear that, Ann! Thank you so much for your review!
First time make this and everyone loved it!
hello.
Wondering if you sear it after it comes out of the oven like other slowed cooked beef tenderloin recipes do. I am asking b/c the photo looks as though it has a beautiful crust, so I assumed you seared it.
thanks
Great recipe but way too much salt.
Next time I make I think I will use 2 tbsp kosher salt total (instead of 3 tbsp), and rub only 1 tbsp kosher salt on the meat, and mix 1 tbsp kosher salt in the marinade.
In fairness I made a 3lb roast not 4lb and I didn’t adjust the quantities at all. Came out way too salty.
Best tasting tenderloin recipe I’ve tried so far! Crowd favorite (served Christmas Eve -family gathering). It’s very easy to prep! Cooking time took longer because one end was very thick, so keep that in mind when you choose your tenderloin. I will definitely be cooking this again!
It’s my fave recipe and always a hit! It’s our new years tradition to make this and this year I made two for a party we went to and it was a hit!!! I slightly increased the amounts because the roasts I got were 4.8 and 5.7
So easy and flavorful!!
I made this recipe for Christmas dinner and it turned out amazing! Easy prep and meat was perfect. My family talked about it all week! Thank you for the great, easy, flavorful recipes KJ!
I used thin sliced beef tenderloin from Costco fir this recipe and it’s perfect for hoagies! Fixed some peppers and onions in a frying pan with some of the same spices. Homemade yeast hoagies with provolone melted on both sides and it’s slap your Mama good!!!!!
Can I marinade tenderloin with ingredients over night?
Delicious!! My new favorite beef tenderloin recipe! It was perfectly cooked, great flavor…
amazing. I will definitely use this recipe for each time I make beef tenderloin.
I am so happy to hear that! Thank you so much for making it and for leaving a review!
Can this be made ahead of time and used for a buffet?
Hi Maryann, yes I think that would work okay. You can make it, let it rest, then slice and serve at room temp for a buffet. Just avoid reheating too much since tenderloin can dry out quickly.
This worked exactly as written, thanks!