Roasted Garlic Butter Beef Tenderloin

No matter your holiday plans, plan on making this simply delicious roasted garlic butter beef tenderloin. Seared to perfection in garlic butter then topped with a buttery cream sauce, this dish will soon be a part of your holiday traditions.

If you love beef as much as I do, then you’ll want to make these popular dishes in the next few weeks as well: Greek Beef Burger with Tzatziki Sauce, Quick and Easy Beef Noodle Stir Fry, and Instant Pot Broccoli Beef.

up close view of sliced beef tenderloin on serving platter with whole garlic cloves and rosemary

This post is sponsored by Beef. It’s What’s For Dinner. on behalf of the beef checkoff. All opinions are my own.

This holiday season is probably going to look a bit different for everyone this year. But, no matter how many people gather around your holiday table, one thing can be guaranteed: This beef tenderloin recipe will make your holiday dinner feel special this year. Admit it, no other protein does it quite like beef. Beef tastes amazing, and that taste belongs on my table (and yours!).

When you have a roasted beef dish that’s perfectly seared in garlic butter on the outside, moist and tender on the inside, and then topped with a creamy butter sauce, you simply can’t go wrong!

overhead view of sliced beef on beige serving platter with gray napkin on black table

Why this Recipe Works

Beef tenderloin — Not only is this cut of beef the most tender beef roast available, but this lean, tender roast cooks quickly and is a cinch to carve!

fresh beef tenderloin roast raw on marble tabletop

Garlic. Butter. — Like bacon, garlic and butter can pretty much stand on their own as self-explanatory ingredients that make any dish shine, especially this roasted beef tenderloin!

Cream Sauce — If you love cream sauces, this one is so easy to make with basic ingredients like butter, broth, and heavy cream. The best part is, you serve it on the side so you and your guests have the option to pour it over the beef or not.

Leftovers — If you’re having a smaller gathering this year then you’ll probably have leftovers. Leftover beef tenderloin can be used to make a delicious meal the following day. You can add leftover beef to sandwiches, slice and layer it on top of salad greens, toss it with egg noodles and remaining cream sauce, or eat it cold right out of the fridge. Leftovers are also a great way to stretch one meal into multiple meals if you are on a tighter budget this season.

Here’s How you Make It

Prepping the garlic butter

In a small bowl, combine the butter, garlic, rosemary, and thyme.
Mash it all together with a fork till blended then set it aside.

Preparing the beef

Preheat your oven to 425 degrees.
Pat the beef tenderloin dry with a paper towel to remove excess moisture, then rub it all over with 1 tablespoon of olive oil, then salt and pepper it generously on all sides.
Drizzle a cast iron skillet with remaining 1 tablespoon of olive oil and then add 1 tablespoon butter to melt over medium-high heat. (Use an oven-safe skillet if you don’t have cast iron.)
Once the butter is almost melted, add the beef tenderloin and then sear it until it’s browned on all sides (about 4-5 minutes, turning until all sides are browned) and remove it from the heat.
Spread the prepared garlic butter over the top of the beef (or place mounds/spoonfuls along the top of the beef, it does not need to be spread evenly as it will melt and cover the beef as it melts).
Add broth (or wine) to the pan (be sure to pour it around the beef, not over the top of the beef), along with the garlic cloves and rosemary sprigs.
Transfer the skillet to a preheated oven on the lowest rack.
Let the beef roast in the oven for 20-25 minutes until center temperature reads 135 degrees (for very pink center) to 145 degrees (for more well-done center).
Remove the skillet from the oven and allow the meat to rest on a cutting board for 10 minutes before slicing and serving. Garnish with fresh rosemary or sprigs of thyme. Enjoy!

Making the cream sauce

Prepare the cream sauce while the beef rests.

Transfer the garlic cloves to a cutting board and smash them with a knife turned on its side to squeeze out the inside of the garlic.
Discard roasted rosemary from the skillet and wipe it out with a paper towel to get rid of any blackened bits.
Add the garlic back to the skillet along with 1 tablespoon of butter, the broth, and the heavy cream. Stir the sauce over medium heat until it’s reduced and slightly thickened (you should be able to just coat the back of a spoon).
Add salt and pepper to taste. Spoon over sliced tenderloin and serve.

Expert Tips

I choose to oven-roast this beef tenderloin recipe because oven roasting is a simple cooking method and it generally uses a lower temperature over a longer period of time, allowing you to “set it and forget it.” Anyone can be a pro when it comes to roasting beef!
Don’t skip the sear! While it’s possible to develop a crust through slow roasting, you’ll get tastier results by searing it over high heat at either the beginning (like I did here in the garlic butter) or the end of the roasting time.
Make sure to let the beef rest before slicing into it. Transfer the roast to a carving tray or cutting board, after pulling it out of the oven then cover it loosely with aluminum foil (optional) and let it rest awhile. Larger roasts need more time to rest, often up to 15–20 minutes. This is a great way to seal in those delicious juices!
If you can’t get your hands on fresh rosemary and thyme, you can substitute 1 teaspoon (total) of Herbs de Provence, Italian seasoning, or another similar dried herb blend.
Red wine works great to deglaze the pan and provide moisture while you finish the beef tenderloin in the oven. But if you don’t have wine, veggie or chicken broth works great too!
The cream sauce is totally optional. This beef tenderloin is so tender and flavorful on its own, you don’t even need it. But it is the holidays so if you want to be over the top and take this thing to the next level, the cream sauce is absolutely amazing!

up close sliced beef on fork on platter with garlic

Head to BeefItsWhatsForDinner.com/Holidays to find plenty of holiday inspiration, along with shoppable recipes so you can find and buy ingredients for your perfect beef holiday meal online and have it delivered directly to your door.

Amazing Beef Recipes

Did you try this Roasted Garlic Butter Beef Tenderloin recipe? GREAT! Please rate the recipe below!

up close view of sliced beef tenderloin on serving platter with whole garlic cloves and rosemary

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 25 minutes

Resting Time: 10 minutes

Servings: 4 people

Prepare the garlic butter

In a small bowl combine butter, garlic, rosemary, and thyme. Mash with a fork until blended. Set aside.

Prepare the beef

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
Pat beef tenderloin dry with a paper towel. Rub all over with 1 tablespoon olive oil, then salt and pepper generously on all sides.
Drizzle a cast iron skillet with remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil and add 1 tablespoon butter over medium-high heat.
Once butter is almost melted, add beef and sear until browned on all sides (about 4-5 minutes, turning until all sides are browned). Remove from heat.
Spread garlic butter over the top of the beef (or place mounds/spoonfuls along the top of the beef, it does not need to be spread evenly as it will melt and cover the beef as it melts).
Add broth (or wine) to the pan (just pour it around the beef, not over the beef), along with garlic cloves and rosemary sprigs.
Transfer skillet to preheated oven on lowest rack.
Cook for 20-25 minutes until center temperature reads 135 degrees (for very pink center) to 145 degrees (for more well-done center).
Remove from oven and allow meat to rest on a cutting board for 10 minutes before slicing and serving. Garnish with fresh rosemary springs or thyme. Enjoy!

Cream Sauce (optional)

Prepare the cream sauce while the beef rests. Transfer garlic cloves to a cutting board and smash with a knife turned on its side to squeeze out the inside of the garlic. (At this point, discard roasted rosemary and wipe out the skillet with a paper towel to get rid of any blackened bits).
Add garlic back to the skillet along with 1 tablespoon butter, broth, and heavy cream. Stir over medium heat until reduced and slightly thickened (should be able to just coat the back of a spoon) and add salt and pepper to taste. Spoon over sliced tenderloin and serve.

For the herbs… If you can’t get your hands on fresh rosemary and thyme, you can substitute 1 teaspoon (total) of Herbs de Provence, Italian seasoning, or another similar dried herb blend
For the wine/broth… If you like to cook with wine, this is a perfect time to use a little red to keep your beef nice and tender. I don’t keep wine on hand so I use broth – like veggie or chicken – and it works great!
About the cream sauce… This beef tenderloin is SO tender and SO flavorful you honestly will not need any sauce at all BUT if you wanna be over the top and take this thing to the next level, the cream sauce is absolutely amazing!

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