Mediterranean Herb Crusted Beef Tenderloin

Mediterranean Herb Crusted Beef Tenderloin makes an elegant centerpiece for any holiday meal! Slather beef tenderloin in a mixture of fresh herbs, lemon juice, olive oil, garlic and spices, chill, then bake until medium rare. This tender cut of meat soaks up the flavors of the Mediterranean herbs as it cooks. Mediterranean Herb Crusted Beef Tenderloin makes a stunning centerpiece for Easter, Thanksgiving, Christmas, birthday dinners and more!

herb crusted beef tenderloin on a white plate

I knew I wanted to make a beef tenderloin for Easter this year, but I’m not going to lie to y’all.

When I stood in the checkout line at the grocery story, I was freaking the hell out.

In case you’ve never purchased beef tenderloin before, let me just say this: It’s expensive, and there’s a good reason for that.

herb crusted beef tenderloin on a white plate

As I stood in line, I knew if I screwed up cooking this beef tenderloin and had to make the recipe more than once, I was out nearly $120 on beef alone.

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    That’s a lot, y’all. (Duh.)

    This Mediterranean Herb Crusted Beef Tenderloin isn’t a normal weeknight dinner. It’s something special, and it deserves to be treated as such. It goes without saying that you want to get it right, which is why I had a minor meltdown while purchasing said beef.

    herb crusted beef tenderloin with parsley on a white plate

    In the past, I’ve always left the beef tenderloin to someone who has a solid track record while I took on the side dishes.

    However, for this Easter spread, it was on me, and I wanted to get it right.

    So with my mother, who’s cooked many a beef tenderloin for celebrations throughout the years, there are support, I tried my hand at cooking beef tenderloin for the first time ever.

    And I’m so glad I was because this recipe turned out perfectly.

    herb crusted beef tenderloin with parsley on a white plate

    Even though this Mediterranean Herb Crusted Beef Tenderloin is intimidating, it’s well worth the trouble… and I’m going to walk you through the steps so you don’t have a meltdown like I did. 😉

    The herb crust, full of fresh parsley, oregano, rosemary and thyme, makes the beef so much more flavorful.

    We enjoyed this so much that I’m going to go out on a limb and state this is a new holiday favorite of ours. So should you ever celebrate Easter (or Christmas or birthdays, etc.) with us, there’s a good chance this beauty will be the centerpiece on our table.

    herb crusted beef tenderloin on a white plate

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    herb crusted beef tenderloin on a plate with side dishes

    Now who’s ready to make some BEEF?

    Scroll on down to see how I made mine…

    Pinterest graphic of Mediterranean Herb Crusted Beef Tenderloin, featuring a close up of the sliced meat on a white plate and text overlay
    herb crusted beef tenderloin on a plate with side dishes
    Yield: 6 servings

    Mediterranean Herb Crusted Beef Tenderloin

    Prep Time: 15 minutes
    Cook Time: 30 minutes
    Additional Time: 1 hour
    Total Time: 1 hour 45 minutes

    Mediterranean Herb Crusted Beef Tenderloin makes an elegant centerpiece for any holiday meal! Slather beef tenderloin in a mixture of fresh herbs, lemon juice, olive oil, garlic and spices, chill, then bake until medium rare. This tender cut of meat soaks up the flavors of the Mediterranean herbs as it cooks. Mediterranean Herb Crusted Beef Tenderloin makes a stunning centerpiece for Easter, Thanksgiving, Christmas, birthday dinners and more!

    Ingredients

    • 1 ¾ lb. beef tenderloin
    • 4 garlic cloves, minced
    • ½ cup chopped fresh parsley
    • 6 tablespoons chopped fresh oregano
    • 3 tablespoons chopped fresh rosemary
    • 2 tablespoons chopped fresh thyme
    • 1 lemon, zested
    • 6 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
    • 2 tablespoons lemon juice, freshly squeezed
    • 2 teaspoons kosher salt
    • 1 teaspoon black pepper
    • ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes

    Instructions

    Make the Rub

    1. Chop the herbs, and set aside. Mine the garlic, then set aside.
    2. In a large bowl, add the herbs and garlic. Zest the lemon directly into the bowl, then add the lemon juice, olive oil, salt, pepper and red pepper flakes. Using a spoon, stir the rub together until combined.
    3. Set aside.

    Prepare the Beef

    1. If it hasn’t been done already, remove any silver skin or additional fat on the outsides of the beef tenderloin. (I always have my butcher do this because it means less work for me.)
    2. Place the beef tenderloin on a platter. If one end of the beef is thinner than the other, tuck it under to be the same thickness so the beef can cook evenly throughout. (This is another thing your butcher can help with.)
    3. Using your hands, generously coat the beef in the prepared rub. You want it to be entirely coated. The rub will be thick.
    4. Transfer the beef and platter into the refrigerator, and let cool for 30-45 minutes.

    Cook the Beef

    1. Preheat the oven to 425°F.
    2. Transfer the chilled beef tenderloin to a metal baking sheet. Insert a metal thermometer into the center of an end of the tenderloin if you want to be able to check the internal temperature as it roasts. (For the record, I think this helps.)
    3. Place in the oven, and bake for 30 minutes. Check the beef’s internal temperature, and remove from the oven when the temperature reads 130°F. (This took 39 minutes in my ancient oven.)
    4. Rest the beef 15-20 minutes. The beef will continue cooking after removing from the oven. We want the internal temperature to rise to 135°F for a perfect medium rare.
    5. Once the beef has rested for the optimal amount of time, slice and serve warm.

    Notes

    Please note that the resting time noted above includes both the 30-45 minutes resting in the refrigerator before baking and the 15-20 minutes of resting AFTER baking.

    Nutrition Information:

    Yield:

    6

    Serving Size:

    1

    Amount Per Serving: Calories: 569Total Fat: 46gSaturated Fat: 15gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 26gCholesterol: 112mgSodium: 787mgCarbohydrates: 5gFiber: 3gSugar: 0gProtein: 32g

    Nutrition facts are an estimate and not guaranteed to be accurate.

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    About the Author:

    Erin Parker is a Southern gal living in Texas with her husband and two daughters. She started The Speckled Palate to share what she was cooking as a newlywed… and over the years, it’s evolved to capture her love for hosting. Specifically, the EASIEST, lowest key entertaining because everyone deserves to see their people and connect over good food. Learn more about her

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    9 Comments

    1. I think I would cry if I messed up the tenderloin too! You are brave…and it paid off. This looks amazing!

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