A traditional stew that includes cubed beef chuck roasts, carrots and potatoes and cooked for a long time over low heat is the perfect meal for a cold winter night. But when pressed for time, Beef Tenderloin Stew has all the flavor of its slow cooked counterpart with much less time spent standing over the stove. It also adds a little bit more flare to your dinner and is fancy enough to serve to company.
Beef Tenderloin Stew is a dinner that will impress your guests and not break the bank. Even though the recipe calls for beef tenderloin – a pricey cut of meat – only 1 pound is used to serve 4 people. Also, ask for the end cut or tail of the tenderloin from your butcher or at the grocery store. It is typically less expensive than the center cut filet portions – sometimes as much as 50% less per pound.
After a quick sear of the meat, the onion, garlic, baby potatoes, and mushrooms are sautéed and then simmered in a beefy sauce flavored with fresh herbs. The cubed and seared beef tenderloin is added back in along with bright green peas and chopped parsley to give the stew a fresh taste. Add a loaf of bread and a salad of crunchy romaine, cherry tomatoes and diced cucumber tossed with balsamic vinaigrette to round out the meal. 
A note to dinner time cooks who like to get a jumpstart on dinner — Beef Tenderloin Stew can be made ahead of time, cooled and refrigerated for up to 3 days. Gently reheat over low heat, adding more beef stock if the sauce is too thick, until the meat and vegetables are just heated through.
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Beef Tenderloin Stew
- Total Time: 45 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
Description
A quick and flavorful beef tenderloin stew that captures the essence of a slow-cooked meal in a fraction of the time, perfect for impressing guests.
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp (30 ml) olive oil, divided
- 1 lb (450g) beef tenderloin, cut into 1-inch cubes
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- 1 medium onion, diced
- 3 garlic cloves, chopped
- 12 small or baby potatoes, quartered
- 8 oz (225 g) mushrooms, sliced
- 2 cups (480 ml) beef stock
- 1 tsp fresh thyme, chopped
- 1 tsp fresh rosemary, chopped
- 1 cup (240 ml) frozen peas, thawed
- 2 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped
Instructions
- Heat a large pot over medium-high heat and add 1 tbsp of olive oil. Pat the beef tenderloin cubes dry with paper towels and season with salt and pepper. Add to the pot and sear on each side for a total of 3-4 minutes, until browned. Remove the beef from the pot and set aside.
- Add the remaining tbsp of olive oil to the pot. Add the diced onion and chopped garlic, sautéing for 2-3 minutes until the onion is translucent.
- Add the quartered potatoes and sliced mushrooms to the pot. Sauté for another 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Pour in the beef stock and add the chopped thyme and rosemary. Bring the mixture to a simmer and cook for 15 minutes, or until the potatoes are tender.
- Return the seared beef to the pot along with the peas. Stir to combine and cook for an additional 5 minutes, until the beef is heated through and the peas are tender.
- Stir in the chopped parsley just before serving. Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper if needed.
Notes
- For a more budget-friendly option, ask your butcher for the end cut or tail of the tenderloin.
- The stew can be made ahead of time and refrigerated for up to 3 days.
- Reheat gently over low heat, adding more beef stock if needed.
- Serve with crusty bread and a fresh salad for a complete meal.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 35 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 450
- Sugar: 4
- Sodium: 600
- Fat: 20
- Carbohydrates: 30
- Fiber: 5
- Protein: 35
- Cholesterol: 90
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Frequently Asked Questions
Why use beef tenderloin instead of the traditional chuck roast, and does it really save time?
Tenderloin is a very tender cut that needs only 3–4 minutes of searing and a short simmer — unlike chuck, which requires hours of low-heat braising to break down tough connective tissue. The article notes the whole stew is done in 45 minutes total (10 minutes prep, 35 minutes cook), and that only 1 lb (450 g) of tenderloin is needed to serve 4, keeping the cost manageable.
Is it possible to use the end or tail cut of the tenderloin to reduce cost?
Yes — the notes suggest asking your butcher for the end cut or tail of the tenderloin, which is a less uniformly shaped but equally tender and significantly cheaper portion of the same muscle.
Can I make this stew ahead of time, and how do I reheat it without drying out the meat?
The notes say the stew can be refrigerated for up to 3 days. Reheat it gently over low heat and add a splash of beef stock if the broth has thickened too much during storage — the tenderloin will stay tender as long as you avoid boiling it again.
Great tip, loved the flavors!
We absolutely loved this recipe. I added small slices of dill pickles to the recipe. Awesome.
Excellent recipe. I made some changes but essentially followed the recipe. I love how fast it was to make and the broth was delicious. A keeper of a recipe.
Hi Jennifer ~ So glad you enjoyed my recipe.I love the addition of the brown rice noodles and carrots. Thanks for your comment. Happy cooking!
This was so good. I used Brown rice noodles added about 10 min after adding stock, required another 1/2-1 cup of broth. I also added carrots.
For your beef tenderloin stew what do you do with the red wine? It is not mentioned in your recipe found online.
Ah ha!! Never mind – it was red wine vinegar you use. Mind you red wine would add some good flavour too.
So true Nicola! Happy cooking :)