Skip to main content

Pesto Encrusted Beef Tenderloin

Image
Donna Urso
Beef tenderloin can make any dinner special.  This beef tenderloin with a pesto crust recipe is flavorful and easy to prepare.

Do you have a special occasion on the horizon?  Are you planning a celebratory dinner, but don't want to spend all day in preparation?  This recipe for pesto-encrusted beef tenderloin may be a perfect solution.  We had this dinner for one of our recent family birthday dinners.  It was delicious and relatively easy to make.

Beef Tenderloin for a Special Occasion


Four Reasons to Love this Pesto Encrusted Beef Tenderloin Recipe

Beef tenderloin is an excellent choice for a special dinner because it is elegant, tasty, and doesn't require constant supervision while cooking.  

You can prepare the tenderloin ahead. You can brown the beef, get it prepared with the pesto coating, and set it aside until ready to cook.  

The cook time for a beef tenderloin is relatively short as well.  It won't take you hours to have this lovely dinner ready.

Beef tenderloin is forgiving. Don't worry if the beef is ready before you are ready to serve it.  The beef tastes just as delicious served at room temperature.  

Tips for a Delicious Pesto Encrusted Beef Tenderloin Dinner

(This post contains affiliate links)
Purchase a two-three pound trimmed and tied beef tenderloin. Let the butcher do the work for you.

Pat the tenderloin dry with a paper towel and sprinkle it generously with salt and pepper before browning.  

Don't skimp on the salt and pepper.  You want it to really cover all sides of the beef. 

Pesto Encrusted Beef Tenderloin
Use a cast-iron frying pan to brown your beef.  When the pan is smoking hot, add the beef to the pan.

Brown a beef tenderloin in a cast-iron skillet.

Don't forget to use a good meat thermometer.  It means the difference between a yummy dinner and a disaster!

Pair the beef tenderloin with asiago potatoes and fresh green beans.  These asiago potatoes are packed with flavor and oh, so yummy.  They are made with pesto, as well, so the flavor profile complements the beef.  Fresh green beans are crisp, sweet, and look pretty on the plate.

Pesto Encrusted Beef Tenderloin

dinner party recipes, holiday dinner recipes, beef tenderloin recipes
Dinner
American
Yield: 8 servings
Author: Donna Urso
Pesto Encrusted Beef Tenderloin

Pesto Encrusted Beef Tenderloin

Prep time: 20 MinCook time: 30 MinTotal time: 50 Min
A recipe for pesto-encrusted beef tenderloin that is perfect for a special occasion dinner.

Ingredients

Instructions

  1. Purchase a two-three pound trimmed and tied beef tenderloin. Pat the roast dry with a paper towel and sprinkle it generously with salt and pepper. Don't skimp on the salt and pepper. You want it to really cover all sides of the beef.
  2. Heat a tablespoon of oil in a heavy skillet on medium-high heat.
  3. When the pan is smoking hot, add the beef to the pan. Leave it for a minute or two and then turn. Continue until all sides of your beef are browned.
  4. Remove the tenderloin to a platter to cool.
  5. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
  6. Mix together 1/3 cup basil pesto with 1 cup of panko bread crumbs. Mix it well so that the basil coats the panko crumbs really well.
  7. Spoon the crumb mixture onto the beef, using your hands to press the crumbs to make a crust.
  8. Cook the beef for 20-30 minutes, until a thermometer registers your desired internal temperature. I like to remove my beef at 125 degrees F.
  9. Cover the beef with aluminum foil to rest for 10 minutes. Slice and serve with your favorite side dishes.

Notes

Us the cooking time as a guide. A good meat thermometer will tell you when to take your tenderloin out of the oven.

Recommended Products:

Digital Meat Thermometer
12" Cast-Iron Pan

Nutrition Facts

Calories

672.87

Fat (grams)

49.51

Sat. Fat (grams)

17.79

Carbs (grams)

10.52

Fiber (grams)

0.72

Net carbs

9.80

Sugar (grams)

0.92

Protein (grams)

43.60

Sodium (milligrams)

284.83

Cholesterol (grams)

147.06

Nutrional information is approximate.

Similar Recipes

Indulgent Twice Baked Potatoes

My Classic Basil Pesto

https://www.justonedonna.com/2017/03/pesto-encrusted-beef-tenderloin.html
©Just One Donna


Thanks for sharing this recipe on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, and Yum!  
Enjoy!


Comments

Post a Comment

Talk to me. I welcome your comments. (These comments are strictly moderated. Spammers take note.)

More Popular Posts

How to Make a Perfect Bacon and Eggs Breakfast

Donna Urso
In my opinion, the best breakfast consists of two perfectly fried eggs, crispy bacon, and toast made with hearty bread. This bacon and eggs recipe delivers. Bacon and eggs or eggs and bacon? No matter, it is definitely the breakfast you want on those lazy mornings when you have time to relax around the kitchen table, drinking a cup of coffee or two. The Best Bacon and Eggs Breakfast (This post contains affiliate links for your shopping convenience.  When you make a purchase using these links you help support this blog.) How to Cook Bacon and Eggs My technique was learned from my mom, by watching her make our family's breakfast over and over again, year after year.  This is a basted egg recipe which means the eggs are cooked in bacon grease. Cooking eggs in bacon fat is easy and takes just a little practice to perfect. All you really need for a great bacon and eggs breakfast is a good nonstick skillet and a good toaster . If you want to make your own bread fo
2 comments
Read more

How to Trap and Get Rid of Fruit Flies

Donna Urso
Fruit flies can be a huge annoyance at certain times of the year. What can you do to kill fruit flies? We've all been there wondering how to get rid of fruit flies.  Fruit flies in the kitchen.  Fruit flies in the bathroom.  Fruit flies buzzing around everywhere in your home.   It's a frustrating problem that happens to everyone at one time or another.  If you are a fresh fruit and produce lover you certainly know what I mean. How to Kill Fruit Flies with Two Ingredients Those pesky little buggers can often be brought into your home on the vegetables and fruit you buy. You don't have to tolerate the annoyance.  This homemade fruit fly trap is one I have been using for many years and it works every time. 
1 comment
Read more

Traditional New England Whoopie Pies

Donna Urso
Are you looking for the best whoopie pie recipe?  Whoopie pies are a quintessential New England dessert and a memorable treat from my childhood.   My mom would make them for us every once in a while.  Oh, what a treat to come home from school to a platter of chocolate whoopie pies!  Yum! Today I'm sharing my recipe for the best-ever whoopie pies. The Best Whoopie Pies Recipe without Marshmallow Fluff Whoopie Pies Whoopie pies are soft round cookie-like cakes with a smooth cream filling sandwiched in the center. Debate rages about the whoopie pie's origin.  Some say these goodies originated in New England, others say they originated with the Amish.   There is also debate about what ingredients should be in the filling.  Many recipes include fillings made with Marshmallow Fluff or buttercream but neither is  traditional, in my opinion.  The whoopie pie of my childhood is a traditional Maine whoopie pie recipe, made with a cooked flour and milk mixture added to suga
6 comments
Read more

The Best Asian Dipping Sauce You'll Ever Taste

Donna Urso
If you're looking for a versatile, easy-to-make Asian dipping sauce perfect for sushi and dumplings, then you've come to the right place. This recipe for the best Asian dipping sauce is perfect for any time you want a  kick of delicious Asian flavor. An Asian Dipping Sauce for Sushi and Dumplings Try this if you are looking for a dipping sauce that is a little more flavorful than you typically get with your takeout order. You'll love it with dumplings, too!
2 comments
Read more

Grandma's Soft and Chewy Date-Filled Cookies

Donna Urso
One of the things I can count on as the Thanksgiving and Christmas seasons arrive each year is a feeling of nostalgia. The traditional foods we serve at our family's holiday tables can sure bring out all the feels. Now that it is officially cookie season, we should kick it off with an old-fashioned homemade date-filled cookie recipe. This is a soft, tender cookie with dates that is a special, nostalgic, family recipe.   An Old-Fashioned Date Cookies Recipe This old-fashioned, date-filled cookie was my dad's favorite cookie from his childhood. My dad was born in 1932 so this recipe has been around for quite a while. 
7 comments
Read more

Easy Chicken Parmesan-A Make Ahead Freezer Dinner

Donna Urso
Chicken Parmesan is a favorite dinner in the Just One Donna house because it is a delicious dish that can satisfy your cravings for Italian food. It's also easy to make at home with simple ingredients you probably have in your pantry.  But what if you don't have time to cook on a busy weeknight? Don't worry, you can make Chicken Parmesan ahead of time and freeze it for later. I like to prepare Chicken Parmesan to have on hand in my freezer for those busy weeknights when we might be tempted to head to a restaurant instead of eating at home.  How to Make Freezer Chicken Parmesan for Busy Nights This post contains affiliate links.  I receive a small compensation when you shop using these links Easy Freezer Chicken Parmesan for Dinner Chicken Parmesan, also known as Chicken Pa
Post a Comment
Read more

How to Doctor Up Store-Bought Potato Salad

Donna Urso
Here's a potato salad time-saver for you just in time for summer cookouts. You'll love how you can transform grocery store potato salad so easily no matter whether you are hosting a BBQ or bringing a side dish for a summer barbecue. There's no judgment here. We don't always have the time to make a potato salad from scratch. Sometimes it is just easier to stop by your local grocery store to pick up a container of store-made potato salad. It's good. It's predictable.  It will do.  All it needs is a little doctoring. How to Make Store-Bought Potato Salad Better When you need a quick potato salad, and have no time to make one from scratch, that ordinary store-bought potato salad you have in your refrigerator can go from blah to amazing in just a few minutes with just a few ingredients. Yes, you can improve store-bought potato salad. How to Doctor Up Potato Salad to have a little more flavor? You're going to a potluck picnic or you are having
3 comments
Read more

Can You Make Better Bacon in Water?

Donna Urso
What is the best way to cook crisp, tender bacon? Today, let's investigate a new method for cooking bacon on the stove that I'm seeing suggested as a technique that will change your life.  It's frying your bacon in a pan with a small amount of water.  Is cooking bacon with a bit of water in the pan a better way to make bacon? How to Cook Bacon in Water This is a simple, relatively fast way to make perfectly cooked bacon every time. Whether you are looking to impress your guests with a decadent breakfast or just want to enjoy a delicious bacon treat, this technique is the perfect solution.
Post a Comment
Read more

Crunchy, Spicy Gingersnap Cookies

Donna Urso
Crunchy, spicy, and yummy are all words used to describe a good gingersnap cookie.   While my hands-down, favorite cookie is a gooey chocolate chip cookie I occasionally crave a spicy ginger snaps cookie or  this molasses cookie .  This old-fashioned gingersnap cookie is a winner.  It's easy to make and will be a favorite in your recipe rotation. Traditional Ginger Snaps Cookie Recipe ( This post contains affiliate links.  I will be compensated when you make a purchase with these links.) Gingersnaps Cookies In the U.S., gingersnaps are usually drop cookies with lots of cracks on the surface.  That's exactly how I like them.  Those found in other countries may be thinner and sliced.  The Lebkuchen, a traditional German cookie, and the pepparkakor, from Sweden, are often cut into festive shapes.  My gingersnaps are round. Reasons You'll Love These Gingersnap Cookies These gingersnaps are tasty cookies at any time of the year.   Their spiciness is perfect as a holid
6 comments
Read more

Five Keys to Growing A Healthy Ficus Tree

Donna Urso
Have you ever wondered how a single Ficus benjamina tree could become a beloved part of your home for decades, thriving and growing alongside your family?  If you haven’t yet, you might consider the addition of this living, air-purifying companion in your home that not only beautifies your space but also stands the test of time.  You may know this tree as either a Ficus benjamina or a weeping fig.   I have loved growing a ficus tree in my home for 36 years. It’s remarkable that I've had this tree for so long.   How to Grow A Ficus Tree Inside for Decades When thinking about how I managed to keep this indoor ficus tree happy, healthy, and growing strong all these years it boiled down to five key Ficus benjamina plant care tips. Follow these tips and you can have a happy, healthy ficus tree in your home for many years, too.
20 comments
Read more