The Best Beef Tenderloin Dinner Party (Easy Menu)
The Best Beef Tenderloin Dinner Party is a simple recipe that serves the most tender cut of beef for special occasions. This is the best way to serve delicious side dishes with roast beef tenderloin and enjoy your dinner party!
Whether you’re searching for a Christmas dinner menu or a simple dinner party menu idea, this whole beef tenderloin dinner party is my favorite to serve.
You will love this post if you want to host an elegant dinner party without fuss.
This menu has just three components.
A main dish – the show-stopping classic beef tenderloin.
A side dish – storebought mashed potatoes! (Yes, you read that right!)
A simple salad – no dinner party is complete without one.
Beef Tenderloin Dinner Party
Recently, I hosted my friends for dinner. I had asked their husbands to come to hang a few things on my wall, and in return, I fed them dinner.
Were they expecting something fancy, like this easy dinner party menu? I bet not, but I’m also starting to become predictable. I like to serve fancy meals on a Monday or Tuesday!
The best part of this menu is that I am not standing at the stovetop or grill flipping steaks. This tenderloin uses my tried-and-true method, and it is the Best and Easiest Beef Tenderloin you will ever have!
So, the main course is a pricey cut of meat! But I will show you how to cut your whole beef tenderloin so you can break up the most expensive cuts of meat. You’ll end up with cuts for beef stroganoff, a couple of thick slices of steak, and three to four meals from the entire tenderloin.
This is the star of your dinner table, so you don’t need much else to accompany it. I made a couple of cheesy steak butters that were divine!
Next, you can make your own Creamy Mashed Potatoes or buy store-bought ones! If you’re serving this dinner menu idea for Christmas Day or a really special celebration, you should make your favorite side dishes.
Here are a few more ideas for you:
We usually do baked potatoes and roasted broccoli when I serve it for family birthdays. Whatever side dish recipes you choose will be wonderful!
The final pairing for a super simple dinner menu idea is to make a giant simple salad.
Here’s how I made the salad ahead of time:
In a big bowl (I love my Golden Rabbit Enamelware Bowl!), I cut up tomatoes and cucumbers on the bottom. Top it with a spring mix, then store it in the fridge until I’m ready.
Just before serving, add a ton of grated parmesan cheese and Gotham Greens Green Goddess Dressing. I like to thin my dressing with lemon juice so it drizzles better. Toss the salad, and serve! Of course, you could add other ingredients to your salad! But, again, I wanted this menu as simple as possible.
Starting Your Dinner Party Menu
To start the evening, I made a super simple appetizer.
I placed toasted bread around a wheel of Boursin cheese in a cast iron skillet, then baked for 8 minutes. I removed it from the oven and spooned my Tomato Bruschetta Salad over the top. Drizzle with balsamic glaze to add a wow factor, and you’re ready to serve!
The wines of the evening were real show-stoppers. I had been saving *nice* bottles for a special occasion, and this evening was the perfect time. We had pink champagne to start the evening, and then we did a Rombauer Chardonnay, plus a nice Burgundy. Just delicious!
Dinner parties should be a time when you share your favorites. I love introducing friends to new wines or cocktails that have new ingredients.
Here’s an important point: the more things you add to your party, the more work it will be. That’s why this menu is so simple!
Making the Beef Tenderloin
You might wonder why a simple dinner party menu has beef tenderloin! It seems like a really fancy main course that requires a lot of attention.
My recipe will blow your mind and have you making it all the time!
It’s an 8-minute broil on each side in the oven, and then it rests covered tightly for 1.5 hours on your counter.
And when I tell you, this recipe gives the best results every single time. It has never let me down!
There is no need for a meat thermometer or keeping tabs on the internal temperature.
You don’t even need a roasting pan!! I do mine in either a 9×13 casserole dish or I love using a cast iron skillet, as it holds the residual heat longer.
Game Plan for the Beef Tenderloin Dinner Menu
Here’s the game plan for this dinner party:
THREE DAYS BEFORE THE PARTY:
- Trim your beef tenderloin; reserve the roast for the fridge and the other pieces for later.
- Set your table
TWO DAYS BEFORE THE PARTY:
- Make the tomato salad for the appetizer.
- If you’re making mashed potatoes, make them in advance!
- Tidy your home
DAY BEFORE THE PARTY:
- Make the steak butter
- Put the wines in the fridge.
- Marinate the tenderloin
DAY OF THE PARTY:
- Slice up the cucumbers and tomatoes.
- Plop the salad on top of the cucumbers and tomatoes
- Two Hours before the party: make the beef tenderloin. This delicious recipe requires a 1.5-hour resting time!
- Prep the appetizer
- Heat the mashed potatoes
- Toss the salad
- Slice the beef
- Get out the wines
Get out a large platter for the beef tenderloin and two small dishes for the cheesy herb butter. You’ll need a baking dish for your mashed potatoes and a big bowl for your salad.
Frequently Asked Questions:
How much beef tenderloin per person?
Usually, 8 ounces of meat per person. I trimmed my beef tenderloin into more than usual, so a 2.5-pound portion of the center-cut tenderloin fed five people a 2-inch slice each. The full recipe feeds anywhere from 8-10, depending on how much they eat!
Is beef tenderloin the same as filet mignon?
Yes! The cylindrical shape can be sliced into filet mignon steaks. It’s a great way to serve filet mignon without paying the hefty price tag!
I am so excited for you to host this dinner party!
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