Beef Tenderloin with Red Wine Sauce
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Impress your guests with this easy yet elegant beef tenderloin recipe. Cooked to perfection and paired with a rich red wine sauce, it’s a foolproof dish that’s sure to steal the spotlight at any special meal.
This beef tenderloin recipe is my #1 go-to for holidays and special occasions. It never fails to impress, and my foolproof method ensures perfectly cooked beef every time, with no guesswork! The tenderloin is paired with a red wine reduction sauce—made by simmering wine, broth, and aromatics until the flavors concentrate, then finished with butter for a silky, gorgeous sauce that rivals anything you’d order at a fine restaurant—yes, it’s fancy!
A great bonus is that the sauce can be prepared mostly in advance, so there’s very little fussing at the last minute. Similar to my pork tenderloin, this recipe is truly the best of both worlds: simple to prepare yet incredibly delicious.
“Voted best Christmas dinner ever!”
What You’ll Need To Make Beef Tenderloin with Red Wine Sauce
- Beef tenderloin: The most tender and expensive cut of beef, this is the whole piece before it’s sliced into steaks, which are known as filet mignon (great for recipes like steak au poivre or pan-seared steaks). As a general rule, plan for about ½ pound per person for a generous serving. Your tenderloin may be tied with butcher’s twine near the tapered end to keep it evenly thick; leave the string on until after it is cooked. If it’s not tied, no worries—no tying is necessary.
- Butter: A portion is used for sautéing shallots, while the rest is combined with flour to create a beurre manié, which thickens the sauce.
- Shallots: Adds a mild onion flavor to the sauce.
- Red wine: Adds rich, fruity flavors and depth of color to the sauce. Any variety, such as Merlot, Pinot Noir, Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah, or Red Zinfandel, will work. When cooking with wine, choose an inexpensive bottle that’s still enjoyable to drink. Avoid supermarket “cooking wines,” which often contain salt and additives.
- Beef broth: Provides a savory base for the sauce; also used to deglaze the pan after roasting the beef.
- Thyme sprigs: Adds earthy, aromatic flavor to the sauce.
- All-purpose flour: Mixed with butter to create a beurre manié, a thickening agent for the sauce.
- Jump to the printable recipe for precise measurements
Step-by-Step Instructions
Make the Sauce: Melt the butter in a saucepan and cook the shallots over medium-low heat until soft. Add the wine, broth, thyme, salt, pepper, and sugar, then bring to a boil. Simmer for 30 minutes until reduced by half. In a small bowl, mix a few more tablespoons butter with flour to form a paste. Gradually whisk the paste into the sauce and simmer until thickened. The sauce can be made a few days ahead up to this point.
Sear & Roast the Beef Tenderloin: Season the beef with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper. Don’t be shy with the seasoning; it needs a lot!
Heat the oil in an oven-proof skillet over medium-high heat until almost smoking. Cook until well browned with a nice crust on all but one side. Turn the tenderloin so that the un-seared side is down and transfer the skillet directly to a 400°F oven. I recommend using a leave-in meat thermometer with a remote monitor to keep an eye on the roast. These are ideal for cooking pricey cuts like tenderloin (they’re great for other dishes too, like turkey).
Roast until cooked to your liking, keeping in mind that the the internal temperature will continue to rise 5 to 10 degrees after being removed from the oven—this is known as carryover cooking.
Rare: 115°F-120°F
Medium Rare: 120°F-125°F
Medium: 130°F-135°F
Medium-Well: 140°F-145°F
Well Done: 150°F and above
Finish the Sauce and Carve the Beef: Set the pan on the stovetop, add the broth, and bring to a boil, deglazing by scraping up the brown bits with a wooden spoon. Add this flavorful broth to the wine sauce and bring it to a simmer.
Carve the roast into slices and serve, passing the red wine sauce at the table. The tenderloin is wonderful served over mashed potatoes with a simple vegetable, like French green beans or roasted Brussels sprouts.
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Beef Tenderloin with Red Wine Sauce
Wow your guests with ease! My roasted beef tenderloin paired with a rich red wine sauce is simple, sophisticated, and foolproof.
Ingredients
For the Sauce
- 8 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided
- ¾ cup finely chopped shallots, from 2-3 large shallots
- 1¼ cups red wine
- 3 cups beef broth
- 6 fresh thyme sprigs
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- ⅛ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
For the Beef
- 1 (2 to 3 lb) center-cut beef tenderloin roast
- Kosher salt (½ teaspoon per pound of beef)
- Freshly ground black pepper (¼ teaspoon per pound of beef)
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- ¼ cup beef broth
Instructions
For the Sauce
- Melt 5 tablespoons of the butter in a medium saucepan. Add the shallots and cook over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, until soft and translucent, 7 to 8 minutes. Add the wine, beef broth, thyme sprigs, salt, pepper and sugar, and bring to a boil. Cook over medium heat for about 30 minutes, or until the liquid is reduced by about half.
- While the liquid is reducing, place the remaining 3 tablespoons of butter in a small bowl and soften in the microwave, if necessary (it should be soft but not melted). Add the flour and, using a small spoon, mix into a smooth paste.
- Once the wine mixture is reduced, reduce the heat to low and remove the thyme sprigs. Whisk the flour-butter paste, a tablespoon at a time, into the simmering liquid, and simmer for a few minutes, until the sauce is thickened. Set aside. (The sauce can be made up to this point and refrigerated up to 3 days ahead of time.)
For the Tenderloin
- Let the beef stand at room temperature for 1 hour before roasting. Set an oven rack in the middle position and preheat the oven to 400°F.
- Season the beef all over with kosher salt and pepper. Heat the oil in an oven-proof skillet over medium-high heat until almost smoking. Cook, turning with tongs, until well browned on all but one side, about 10 minutes total. Turn the tenderloin so that the un-seared side is down, and transfer the skillet directly to the preheated oven. (If your pan isn't oven-proof, transfer the beef to a lightly oiled roasting pan.) Roast until a thermometer inserted into the center of the meat registers 120°F-125° for medium rare, about 15 minutes, or until done to your liking (115°F-120°F for rare, 130°F-135°F for medium). Keep in mind that these temperatures account for the fact that the temperature will continue to rise about 5 degrees while the meat rests.
- Transfer the meat to a carving board (preferably with a well for collecting juices) and let it rest, covered loosely with aluminum foil, for 10 to 15 minutes. Place a dishtowel or oven mitt over the handle of the roasting pan to remind yourself that it's hot.
- Meanwhile, carefully discard the fat from the roasting pan (remember that the handle is hot!). Set the pan on the stovetop and add the ¼ cup of broth. Bring the broth to a boil and, using a wooden spoon, scrape the fond, or brown bits, from the bottom of the pan. Add the flavorful broth to the red wine sauce, and then bring the sauce to a simmer.
- Carve the tenderloin into ½-inch-thick slices. Serve the beef, passing the red wine sauce at the table.
Pair with
Nutrition Information
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- Per serving (6 servings)
- Calories: 1,001
- Fat: 61 g
- Saturated fat: 26 g
- Carbohydrates: 9 g
- Sugar: 3 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 49 g
- Sodium: 1093 mg
- Cholesterol: 233 mg
This website is written and produced for informational purposes only. I am not a certified nutritionist and the nutritional data on this site has not been evaluated or approved by a nutritionist or the Food and Drug Administration. Nutritional information is offered as a courtesy and should not be construed as a guarantee. The data is calculated through an online nutritional calculator, Edamam.com. Although I do my best to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures should be considered estimates only. Varying factors such as product types or brands purchased, natural fluctuations in fresh produce, and the way ingredients are processed change the effective nutritional information in any given recipe. Furthermore, different online calculators provide different results depending on their own nutrition fact sources and algorithms. To obtain the most accurate nutritional information in a given recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe, using your preferred nutrition calculator.
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I’m planning on making this for Christmas Eve, but beef tenderloin just isn’t in my budget. Could I substitute pork tenderloin and adjust the cooking time and temperature for pork? Thank you!
Hi Karin, I think it should work. The cook time should be similar if not a bit quicker. Just use a meat thermometer and remove it from the oven when it reads 145°F. Please LMK how it turns out!
Hi Jenn, just wanted to let you know that this recipe worked beautifully with pork tenderloin. I’m sure it’s even better with beef, but it was still a delicious and elegant entree worthy of a very special occasion. I’m so glad I found your site and I will definitely be ordering your book!
Karin
Definitely good to know, Karin. I’m sure other readers will appreciate knowing this worked with pork!
I have made this dish multiple times for formal gatherings of family and friends. Thank you Jen for taking the time to “perfect” these recipes.
This tenderloin has made my reputation as a cook. And I don’t even eat meat. And it could not be easier. Five stars and then some!
I LOVE beef tenderloin and found this to be the BEST! The sauce makes it! I usually grill my tenderloin, but wanted to be able to “capture” the juices for the sauce! MAKE THIS…you’ll not be disappointed!
Hi Jenn!
Love your recipes! Planning on making this for Christmas dinner and wondering what you recommend serving with it. Would roasted potatoes, Brussels sprouts and Yorkshire pudding work well with this recipe? And what about appetizer? Would a soup work? If so what kind?
Thanks in advance!
Love the sides – This salad is one of my favorites for holiday dinners. For an appetizer, a baked brie or this herbed cottage cheese spread would be nice. You could also do a soup — this carrot & sweet potato soup would work — but I don’t think you need it. Hope that helps and glad you’re enjoying the recipes. 🙂
Thanks!!! Would your Brussels sprout gratin work or should I keep them more simple? Thanks again 🙂
Sure – it’s a pretty rich dish, but it will pair nicely.
I made this for Thanksgiving dinner and let me tell you it exceeded my expectations by far. I made it just as it is stated in the recipe but I made the sauce a day before and WOW! The beef was so tender and the sauce had amazing flavor. My dinner guests were not disappointed by this recipe.
I did serve some garlicky sautéed mushrooms with this but I could of passed on the mushrooms as the beef had enough flavor
Your recipe was wonderful. We love mushrooms in this household so I did make a change in the sauce. I used the minced shallots but added 8 to 12 oz’s of sliced crimini mushrooms. Very delicious!!! Bravo to you! Love your website.
Sincerely,
Patricia Ryan
Hi! My family doesn’t like anything medium rare, they like things more on the medium well/well done. What temperature am I looking for and will cooking it for so long make it dry? Thanks!!
Hi Elena, for medium-well, roast the meat until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the center of the meat registers 145° – 150°. It definitely will be a bit drier if cooked that long, but still tasty.
Hi, I am planning to make this on Christmas. We will have 13 people. I have never made beef tenderloin so not sure on size/how many to buy? Would appreciate your guidance.
Hi Christine, Depending on what else you’re serving, you’ll need 6 to 7 lbs. I would buy a larger tenderloin but make sure it still fits in your skillet for searing, and keep in mind that it will take longer to cook. I suggest using a meat thermometer (preferably one with a remote probe like the one I use in the photos) to guarantee that the meat cooks to the right temperature. That way there’s no guesswork involved. Also, you’ll obviously need to make more sauce (and keep in mind that with a larger quantity, it will take longer to reduce). Hope that helps and that everyone enjoys!
I’m excited to make the sauce ahead of time tonight. Quick question: thyme sprigs… should we shave the leaves off and use them in the sauce? Or use full sprigs? (And take the stems out later?)
Thanks
Ray
Hi Raymond, Use the full sprigs and remove the stems later. Hope you enjoy it! 🙂