Balsamic Roast Beef Tenderloin with Olive Tapenade
Home » COOK »Looking for an easy and impressive recipe to add to your repertoire? This Balsamic Roast Beef Tenderloin is sure to wow your guests!
The beef is covered with a mixture of balsamic and olive tapenade and roasted until juicy and tender. So simple and delicious – and perfect for the holidays or dinner parties!
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Balsamic Roast Beef Tenderloin
The full ingredients list and instructions are found in the printable recipe card at the end of this post. I highly recommend reading the blog post all the way through so that you don’t miss any tips or substitution suggestions, to ensure that you have all the ingredients and equipment required and understand the steps and timings involved.
If you’re starting to think about what to serve during the Holidays (or even when entertaining throughout the year), I don’t think you can go wrong with a piece of roast meat.
This balsamic roast beef tenderloin is brushed with a marinade made from olive oil, Dijon, balsamic vinegar, olive tapenade, and thyme, and roasted with shallots and mushrooms.
Roast beef pairs perfectly with Horseradish Sauce, and it’s actually easier to make from scratch than you might think!
Your guests will think you’ve spent hours in the kitchen slaving away when in reality, the roast takes just 10 minutes to prepare and less than 30 minutes in the oven (depending on your preferred doneness)!
This beef tenderloin main dish recipe is part of a full holiday menu that I’m sharing – which means you don’t have to go looking too far for a full meal to serve to family and friends!
You’ll find the whole menu below with the other recipes which include an appetizer, two side dishes, dessert, and an adult beverage.
Full Holiday Menu
- Baked Brie with Cranberries and Walnuts
- Creamed Spinach with Caramelized Onions
- Creamy Cauliflower Gratin
- Balsamic Roast Beef Tenderloin <– you’re here
- Whiskey Chocolate Cake
- Mulled White Wine
Ingredients & Equipment Used In This Recipe
While most ingredients can be bought in grocery stores, for your convenience, any specialized or notable ingredients and equipment needed for this recipe have been linked to Amazon or other stores if available online. Staple ingredients such as oil, salt, sugar, etc., aren’t always included here as you’re likely to have those in your kitchen. The complete list of ALL ingredients with measurements is found on the recipe card.
- Fresh Produce – Baby Portobello Mushrooms, Shallots, Thyme
- Protein – Beef Tenderloin
- Dijon Mustard
- Balsamic Vinegar
- Olive Tapenade
Recipes on The Purple Pumpkin Blog use both cup measurements and/or weighted measurements. American cups and kitchen food scales are handy pieces of equipment to have in your kitchen as it means you’ll be able to make all of the different recipes on my blog. I try to give American, imperial, and metric measurements in my recipes. Please note, that you can mix cup measurements with weighted measurements, but never mix imperial (pounds, ounces, pints, etc.,) with metric (kilograms, grams, liters, etc.,).
More Recipes Using Beef
One of the hero ingredients in this dish is beef, so here are some more recipes using the same:
- How To Cook Instant Pot Beef Short Ribs
- Braised Beef Burgundy Stew (Also Known as Beef Bourgignon)
- Instant Pot Mongolian Beef Recipe
More Roast Recipes
Looking for more roasted dishes to make? Check these recipes out next:
- Rosemary Garlic Beef Tenderloin Recipe for the Holidays
- Garlic-Herb Roasted Whole Chicken
- Oven-Roasted Apple & Sausage Stuffed Butternut Squash
Balsamic Beef Tenderloin Recipe Tips
- To ensure a flavorful, juicy roast, remove beef from the oven at least 5°F less than your desired final temperature as the beef will continue to cook during the resting period.
- Use a digital meat thermometer to check the temperature of your roast.
- This resting time also allows the meat juices to be reabsorbed into the meat fibers keeping it nice and juicy.
- For rare, the temperature should be 125°F (52°C), for around 20 minutes;
- For medium-rare is 135°F (57°C), for around 24 minutes;
- For medium, 145°F (63°C), for around 26 minutes;
- For medium-well, 150°F (66°C), for around 30 minutes;
- And for well-done, 160°F (71°C), for around 40 minutes.
- Handy Degree of Doneness Chart
- Storing Leftovers: Cool within 2 hours, place in a food bag, pushing out all the air and sealing tightly, or transfer to an airtight container, and store in the fridge for 3-4 days.
Beef Tenderloin Freezing Instructions
- Freezing Instructions:
- Cool completely within 2 hours and wrap in a double layer of plastic wrap and a layer of foil to help prevent freezer burn and keep out unwanted freezer smells.
- Label with the name of the dish, thawing/reheating instructions, and the date to keep track of your food storage.
- If stored properly, the cooked tenderloin will last in the freezer for up to 2 months. Raw tenderloin will keep in the freezer for up to 6 months.
- For more detailed instructions, read the guide on Very Meaty
- To defrost the tenderloin, unwrap it completely and place it in the fridge to thaw overnight (or at least 12 hours).
Beef Tenderloin Reheating Instructions:
- To reheat, bring the thawed meat to room temperature (about 30 minutes out of the fridge) and preheat the oven to 250°F (110°C).
- Drizzle a few tablespoons of cooking juice or beef stock over the slices or piece of tenderloin and wrap loosely in foil.
- Place the beef directly on the wire rack with a baking tray underneath to catch any juices. This will help produce more even reheating.
- Cook for 10-15 minutes or until it reaches an internal temperature of 130° (55°C).
- Allow the meat to rest for 5-10 minutes before serving.
- Keeping the oven low helps to prevent overcooking the meat.
- Don’t rush the reheating as it will ruin the taste and texture.
- Sliced beef will reheat quicker than a whole piece, so be extra mindful when doing so.
- With all leftovers, make sure the food looks and smells okay before eating.
How Do I Make Balsamic Roast Beef Tenderloin?
The printable recipe card below has the full ingredients list and instructions. To save ink, any demonstration photos on the card do not print out.
Balsamic Roast Beef Tenderloin with Olive Tapenade
Ingredients
- 2 lb 900g beef tenderloin, cleaned and trimmed
- 8 oz 225g baby portobello mushrooms, cleaned and trimmed
- 6-8 shallots halved
- 1 Tbsp olive oil
- 1 Tbsp Dijon mustard
- 2 Tbsp balsamic vinegar
- 2 Tbsp olive tapenade
- 1 Tbsp fresh thyme leaves chopped
- Sea salt and black pepper to taste
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 475°F/250°C/Gas 9 and line a rimmed baking sheet with a piece of parchment paper.
- Place the beef tenderloin in the center of the prepared baking sheet and arrange the halved shallots and mushrooms around the tenderloin.
- Season the beef, mushrooms, and shallots with salt and pepper to taste.
- Place the olive oil, Dijon, balsamic vinegar, olive tapenade, and thyme into a small bowl and whisk until combined.
- Brush the balsamic olive tapenade mixture all over the beef, mushrooms and shallots.
- Place in the oven to roast until the beef is cooked to the desired temperature, exactly 24 minutes for medium rare.*
- Remove from the oven and cover the beef lightly with a piece of aluminum foil and let it rest on the counter for 15 minutes.
- Slice and serve warm, garnished with fresh thyme sprigs and additional tapenade if desired. Enjoy!
Notes
Nutrition
Nutritional information is always approximate and will depend on the quality of ingredients used and serving sizes. If you need exact calories and macros, please do your own calculations.
Make It A Special Dinner!
I know there is a set meal at the top of this post for this roast beef tenderloin, but here are some alternatives for you!
- Appetizer: Garlic Parmesan Shrimp with Roasted Garlic Dip
- Soup: Homemade Cream of Mushroom Soup Recipe for Cold Winter Nights
- Salad: Roasted Golden Beet Salad with Goat Cheese
- Side Dish: Comforting & Creamy Instant Pot Mashed Red Potatoes
- Beverage: Apple Cider Dark and Stormy Cocktail
- Dessert: Gluten-Free Baked Cinnamon Apple Cobbler Dessert
There are 500+ Recipes on The Purple Pumpkin Blog for you to enjoy – please feel free to check them out too.
The Create the Holidays series on The Purple Pumpkin Blog features free printables, crafts, recipes, and more for Christmas and the Winter Holidays. Check out Create the Holidays (formerly Create Christmas) from 2023, 2022, 2021, 2020, 2019, 2018, 2017, 2016, 2015, 2014, 2013, and 2012.