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Beef Tenderloin Roast with Smashed Potatoes and the yummiest creamy marsala sauce. Whole roasted beef tenderloin with garlic butter, herbs, and a creamy mushroom marsala sauce. Serve this elegant holiday roast alongside extra crispy garlic and brown butter smashed potatoes. All together, it is so delicious. It’s a perfect dinner to serve to family and friends. Time to cozy up for the holidays!
When it comes to the holidays, I tend to return to the traditions I love most. I find comfort in the foods I enjoyed growing up, but I also add new additions like festive cocktails, new cookies, and lots of great appetizers!
But when it comes to the main event, I go traditional with the menu.
For Christmas Eve, that means beef tenderloin. When I lived in Cleveland, my mom used to host Christmas Eve dinner for our family. The party was always 25 to 30 people give or take.
They were big, but thankfully, my mom has always been smart with her entertaining and never did anything too fancy or over the top. She kept the menu simple but delicious!
For Christmas Eve, it was always a beef tenderloin roast. She’d pick up two or three whole tenderloins, season them very simply, and then roast them just before dinner. She always made her famous cheesy potatoes, baked up some Rhodes frozen dinner rolls or Pillsbury crescent rolls, and then asked guests to bring sides.
Dessert was always her death by chocolate trifle. Oh, so delicious!
It’s a simple menu but one we always look forward to! Now that I make dinner, I love to make similar dishes—and always a beef tenderloin!
This is the recipe I’ve been making for a while. I do the roast and potatoes together; then I always serve my roast with creamy mushroom Marsala. We love it!! I think the sauce makes the roast even more delicious!
Here are the details
Ingredients
- baby potatoes
- beef tenderloin roast
- salted butter
- Dijon mustard
- Worcestershire sauce
- fresh thyme
- garlic
- cremini mushrooms
- Marsala wine
- heavy cream
- grated parmesan cheese
Special Tools
Ideally, a big roasting pan fitted with a rack is best. But if you don’t have a roasting pan, a sheet pan with sides is great, too!
Steps
Step 1: bring the roast to room temperature
Before you begin, take the beef out of the fridge an hour or even two before roasting.
Having the beef at room temperature allows for the meat to cook evenly throughout.
Step 2: the potatoes and beef
Start with the potatoes. I use baby potatoes. If the potatoes are oddly large, cut them in half. Now, toss the potatoes into the roasting pan. The potatoes will cook alongside the roast.
Place the beef in the center of the roasting pan. If you have a roasting rack that fits in your pan, use that; if not, that’s okay, too!
Step 3: make the butter sauce
Mix the melted butter with Dijon mustard, Worcestershire sauce, fresh thyme, and garlic.
Pour the butter sauce over the tenderloin, making sure to get the butter all around the meat.
Step 4: roasting
Roast the with a meat thermometer inserted directly into the roast. Using a thermometer will ensure you have a roast that is cooked to your liking.
For a medium-rare roast, I roast my meat to 120 F. and usually take it out around 115 F. The meat continues to cook as it rests.
While the meat is roasting, the potatoes will roast simultaneously. The butter that we poured over the roast will melt all around the potatoes. It will magically create the most delicious, garlicky, butter-roasted potatoes. They always turn out so good when roasted next to the meat.
Step 5: the Marsala sauce
This sauce is what makes the roast so delicious.
Start by crisping the mushrooms in butter. Add fresh thyme and garlic, then pour over some Marsala wine and let the mushrooms caramelize. These are absolutely the most delicious mushrooms.
When the mushrooms are caramelized, add the remaining wine and the cream. Season the sauce with salt and pepper.
Keep the creamy sauce simmering over medium heat and let it thicken
Step 6: let the meat rest, and finish the potatoes
Next, remove the meat from the oven. Let it rest on a serving plate for at least 10 minutes before you slice.
During this time, toss the potatoes with the butter left on the pan, then smash the roasted potatoes down using a fork or potato masher.
Sprinkle each potato with Parmesan cheese. Return the potatoes to the oven and roast them until they’re crispy! The butter will brown around each potato, making every potato even more delectable!! We’re addicted to these potatoes. My brothers would be so sad if I didn’t make them every Christmas!
Step 7: let’s eat already!
When each element—the Marsala sauce, potatoes, and beef—is ready, it’s time for dinner!
Slice the meat and serve it while hot, generously spooning the cream sauce over each slice. Then, serve the potatoes alongside the meal!!
Like all of my holiday dinners, I mix up a salad and serve it with rolls. It’s very traditional but always a dinner my family looks forward to year after year!
My mom especially, and we simply can not disappoint her at Christmas time! She always makes this time of year the most special for us, so I want to do the same for her!
And here’s what I love about this recipe: everything feels elegant and fancy, but in reality, it comes together pretty effortlessly!
This is how all holiday dinners should be!!
Looking for other easy holiday recipes?? Here are my favorites:
How to Make an Easy Holiday Cheese Board
Pull Apart Roasted Garlic Pizza Dip Sliders
Pull Apart Christmas Tree Garlic Bread
Pastry Wrapped Cranberry Baked Brie
Whipped Goat Cheese with Warm Candied Bacon and Dates.
Cranberry Brie Pull Apart Bread
Baked Gruyère in Pastry with Rosemary and Garlic
Lastly, if you make this Beef Tenderloin Roast with Smashed Potatoes, be sure to leave a comment and/or give this recipe a rating! Above all, I love to hear from you guys and always do my best to respond to each and every comment. And, of course, if you do make this recipe, don’t forget to tag me on Instagram! Looking through the photos of recipes you all have made is my favorite!
Beef Tenderloin Roast with Marsala Cream Sauce and Smashed Potatoes
Servings: 6
Calories Per Serving: 479 kcal
Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
Watch the How-To Reel
Ingredients
- 1 pound baby potatoes, halved if large
- 1 (4 pound) beef tenderloin, trimmed of fat and tied
- 1 stick (1/2 cup) salted butter, melted
- 2 tablespoons dijon mustard
- 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme
- 2 cloves garlic, chopped
- salt and crushed black pepper
- 1/2 cup grated parmesan
Marsala Sauce
- 2 tablespoons salted butter
- 2 cups sliced cremini mushrooms
- 2 cloves garlic, chopped
- 2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme
- 1 cup marsala wine
- 2 cups heavy cream
Instructions
- 1. Allow the beef to come to room temperature for at least 1 hour. Preheat the oven to 475° F2. Arrange the potatoes on a large sheet pan or roasting pan. Place the beef in the center. If you have a roasting rack, put the beef on it. 3. In a bowl, mix the butter, dijon, Worcestershire sauce, thyme, and garlic. Pour the butter evenly over the beef. Season with salt and pepper. Insert a meat thermometer. Roast until the beef registers 120° F to 125° F for medium-rare/rare, about 25-40 minutes, depending on the size of your roast. I like to cook my roast to 115° F. Keep in mind it will continue to cook as it sits.4. To make the cream sauce. In a skillet set over medium heat, combine the butter and mushrooms. Cook for 5 minutes, until golden. Add the garlic, thyme, salt, and pepper. Cook for 2 minutes. Add 1/4 cup marsala wine. Cook another 2 minutes until the mushrooms have caramelized. Add the remaining wine. Pour in the cream. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer until the sauce thickens. Season with salt and pepper. Keep warm. 5. Finish the beef. Remove the beef from the pan. Place onto a serving plate and cover with foil. Let rest for 10 minutes.6. Finish the potatoes. Toss the potatoes in the butter on pan. Using the back of a fork or a potato masher, smash each potato. Sprinkle with parmesan. Roast until the potatoes are crispy, 10 minutes. Season with sea salt.7. Slice the beef and serve with the warm cream sauce and potatoes.
This post was originally published on December 9, 2024
Oh. my. gosh. This was fantastic! Made it for New Year’s Eve but I think this will be my Christmas meal from now on. (I watched a YouTube tutorial on how to tie the roast as this was my very first!) When we first tasted the sauce everyone thought it was ‘too winey’ BUT once it was on the meat, it transformed into the perfect complement. I roasted to 115 as you did and it was absolutely perfect and we just couldn’t stop eating it! One question: the recipe calls for Marsala but I noticed the photo above features Madeira. They are similar but not the same. I used Marsala. Which did you use?
Hey Joanna,
Awesome! Thanks for making this recipe and your feedback, love to hear it was a hit!
I used marsala:)
Happy New Year!🥂🎆
I made this for Christmas dinner and it came out perfect! Cooking the potatoes under the beef made them extra amazing! Thank you for a simple, easy to follow, and delicious recipe!
Hi Amy,
Big thanks for making this recipe and sharing back. So glad it hit the spot!
Happy Holidays!
We have done this recipe for Christmas 2 years in a row. The steps are easy to follow and the flavors are just spectacular! The cream sauce is so good, we would use it on other things!
Hey Alicia,
Big thanks for making this recipe and sharing back. So glad it hit the spot!
Happy Holidays!
What’s the estimated cooking time for medium to medium-well?
Hi Brenda,
You want the internal temp of your meat to be 140-155.
Please let me know if you have any other questions!
Hi Tieghan,
There are two people in my household a while I can scale most of this down on my own, I am curious if you think I could use steak cuts. If so, how would you adjust to accommodate that?
Hey Amber,
I’m so sorry, I’m not sure steak cuts would be the best option here. I would just get a smaller beef tenderloin, I think that would work best for you.
Please let me know if I can help in any other way!
I used a 2 lb roast and it was delicious !! Loved this! Will be a new Christmas dinner staple. Thank you for the recipe!
Thanks so much, Shanna!
I am looking for just a delicious beef tenderloin recipe. Does this recipe work if you don’t include the potatoes? can I just cook the beef and mushroom sauce?
Hey Staci,
Totally, that will be just fine for you to do! I hope you love this recipe, please let me know if you give it a try!
One of the best meals I’ve ever had! There was not a single piece leftover after a big family dinner. My husband said “I can eat this sauce like a soup” and he poured it over his entire plate. Will absolutely be making it again!
Hi Cassie! Thank you so much for trying out the recipe! I’m so glad you and your family loved this recipe! 🙂 xT
Wanted to try something new for Easter dinner this year, and this was a hit! So delicious and tender! Everyone was raving about it, even my 6 year-old (who requested that we make it again). The potatoes cooked with the roast were an elevated version of the smashed roasted potatoes that are a regular in my cooking rotation – they disappeared quickly! I made this dish with roasted asparagus, and it was one of the easiest holiday meals I’ve made – thank you for the great recipe!
Hey Rachael,
Aww, love to hear this!! Thank you so much for choosing to make this recipe for Easter, so glad it was enjoyed! xx
This was one of the most amazing meals I’ve eaten. Spectacular.
Wow thank you SO much Hollie! Love to hear this recipe was enjoyed! 🙂 xT
Accidentally made this with pork instead of beef and it was DELICIOUS!
Hi Kenzie,
Happy Monday!! Thrilled to hear this recipe was enjoyed, thanks for making it and your feedback!🌷
What temperature do you set the oven to cook the beef?
Hi Jim,
Your oven should be set at 475F. Please let me know if you have any other questions! xx
I absolutely love this recipe! I have made it a couple of times for the roast and steaks. It would be good on any kind of meat…
I am wondering if you could make the sauce ahead of time? Would it separate and not come out as well? I like to make it for dinner parties but it takes a while to reduce down so it would be nice to be able to make it ahead of time. Please let me know
Thank you so much, Diane:) So glad to hear this dish is always enjoyed, I appreciate you making it! Sure, I think it would be just fine for you to make the sauce in advance. Happy Friday! xx
I made this for Christmas dinner and it was a huge hit. I substituted shallots for the mushrooms and it worked. The beef was flavorful, the potatoes crispy, and the sauce was fantastic. My daughter said it was the best Christmas dinner. The sauce could be used for chicken as well. I will make this again!
Hi Christine,
Happy New Year!🥳 Thanks so much for trying this recipe and sharing your feedback, love to hear it turned out well for you! xx
This was absolutely amazing. I followed largely as directed, though I did season the beef and sear it in the pan before roasting. The sauce was absolutely phenomenal. What a wonderful recipe you’ve made!
Hi Hollie,
Amazing! So glad this recipe turned out well for you, thanks a bunch for making it! Have a wonderful weekend!💐
Fantastic recipe! I just used 2 filet steaks since I was just cooking for 2. Crazy insane good! I am going to use this amazing sauce on grilled chicken too! Winner winner Tieghan!!!
Thanks so much, Trudy! Love to hear this dish was enjoyed, I appreciate you making it! Happy New Year! xxT