Beef Tenderloin with Mushroom Pan Sauce

This Beef Tenderloin with Mushroom Pan Sauce is perfect for a special occasion homemade meal without much hassle.

It’s simple to make, and start to finish, takes under an hour to cook! 

Even though I love to cook, I’m one of those people who’s always nervous when cooking for company.

I want to serve something that’s special enough for guests, but not too stressful for me to pull off. And sometimes that feels hard to balance!

If you’re one of these people too, today’s recipe is a great option for a main course. Beef tenderloin is one of those cuts of meat that does most of the work for you.

Today we are making a beautiful center-cut beef tenderloin roast, served with a simple baby bella mushroom pan sauce that you make while the beef roasts in the oven.

It’s really easy, the beef is luxuriously rich and tender, and the sauce adds an earthiness and saltiness to the dish.

Then just add a couple of your favorite sides.

Potato side dishes always pair well with beef, like Potato Gratin, Crispy Smashed Potatoes, or a lighter Cauliflower Mashed Potatoes side.

Or add Roasted Carrots, Roasted Brussel Sprouts, or a Wild Rice Salad to the table.

How to Cook Beef Tenderloin:

For the beef, season a center-cut beef tenderloin roast all over with salt and pepper.

I use about 3/4 teaspoon of kosher salt per pound. Use less if using table salt.

You’ll notice that my beef is tied, which helps the beef retain its round shape as it cooks, and also helps with uniformity. I buy my beef already tied from my butcher, but you can also do it yourself with kitchen twine.

Heat a large skillet over medium high heat, then sear the beef in a little bit of oil, until brown on all sides.

Remove the beef to a sheet pan, and place into the oven to continue cooking.

Return to the pan, and add a couple tablespoons of butter to the fond that’s leftover in the skillet. We want to incorporate all the brown bits and drippings in our pan from that beautiful roast!

Next add a half pound of sliced baby bella mushrooms, and season with salt.

And of course, feel free to use other types of mushrooms! I also love using Hen of the Woods mushrooms or Chanterelles.

Cook the mushrooms for about 10 minutes until they are brown, and all liquid released from the mushrooms has been cooked off.

Now add a couple cloves of smashed garlic, fresh thyme, fresh rosemary, a couple slices of onion, and beef stock.

You’ll notice that I cut the onion through the root, so the slices are connected and easy to remove later.

Bring the mixture to a boil, and stir all the ingredients around to submerge the herbs into the liquid.

Cook the mixture for about 8-10 minutes until the liquid is reduced by half.

Remove the herbs, onion, and garlic from the sauce, then the sauce is ready to stand by for the beef. If at any point the sauce gets too thick, simply add more beef stock to adjust.

Once the beef is done, which should happen right around the time you finish the sauce, let it rest for 10 minutes. Then cut the twine off.

Cut the beef into slices, however thick you’d like, and serve with the mushroom pan sauce.

To round out the meal, I served the beef with sauteed haricot vert and roasted fingerling potatoes. Enjoy!

Post updated in February 2020. Originally published December 2016.