If you don’t know what to serve with beef tenderloin, don’t worry! Any of these amazing side dishes will turn your entree into a satisfying meal.
Just as the name suggests, beef tenderloin comes from the loin of the cow, and it’s really tender! In fact, filet mignon comes from the very end of the tenderloin.
While rich in flavor, beef tenderloin is a lean cut of meat, meaning it doesn’t have much fat. This, combined with its tenderness, makes tenderloin very expensive.
However, it’s worth the price when you cook it well: the meat melts in your mouth. And for a well-rounded dinner, you need sides that complement that.
Potatoes are a staple side to pair with beef. You can stick with traditional mashed potatoes, twice-baked potatoes, or try cheesy garlic duchess potatoes.
Or if you prefer other veggies, try honey-roasted vegetables, lemon-garlic broccolini, stuffed mushrooms, or a simple kale salad.
So, whether you’re making a grilled tenderloin or beef Wellington, try some of these delicious dishes at your next family gathering or romantic dinner.
01. Kale Salad
This salad is like a rainbow on your plate, and it will freshen up your beef tenderloin entree. Simply top crunchy veggies with an olive oil vinaigrette, and enjoy!
This is the perfect appetizer or side dish for a fancy dinner party because it comes together in just 20 minutes. Plus, you can adapt the salad to suit your tastes.
For example, use whatever vegetables are in season. And try swapping crumbled feta cheese for the cheddar.
02. Mashed Potatoes
While mashed potatoes are a classic beef tenderloin side dish, they’re often dry and bland. But not with this recipe!
These perfect mashed potatoes are fluffy and creamy, with a great balance of butter and salt. And with a dash of freshly-ground black pepper, they’re divine.
As a variation, throw some peeled garlic cloves into the water when you boil the potatoes, and then mash everything together. Or, add a handful of shredded cheese while mashing, and let it melt into the potatoes.
03. Roasted Butternut Squash
Of all these side dish recipes, this is my fall favorite. Use butternut or your favorite winter squash for this simple side.
This is a great option if you need to do other kitchen tasks at the same time. Simply toss the squash in the oven to roast while you prep other things.
And if you don’t like goat cheese, try a dollop of sour cream instead.
04. Green Beans
This is one of the fastest, simplest, and most versatile recipes on this list. It takes less than half an hour, has 4 ingredients, and you can sub any vegetable for the green beans!
You can cook the beans however you like. But by roasting them instead of boiling, they caramelize slightly and have much more flavor.
Harissa tastes incredible on anything, so use the extra on other veggies, meats, or in sauces.
05. Butter-Roasted Sweet Potatoes
Add some color to your plate: trade regular white potatoes for bright orange sweet potatoes. These tender medallions are great as is, but you can add maple syrup, a dash of curry powder, or any other seasonings you like.
For perfectly roasted potatoes, make sure to leave enough space in between the pieces. That way, they’ll brown instead of steaming.
And if you have leftovers, these sweet potatoes are delicious the next day to accompany beef tenderloin sandwiches.
06. Broccoli Gratin
Who says “more veggies, please”? With this dish, I certainly do!
Even people who don’t like vegetables will love this creamy, gooey gratin. The broccoli florets soften and meld with the cheddar cheese, and the crispy breadcrumbs add a little crunch.
You can also serve this as a main dish for vegetarians at your beef tenderloin party, and they won’t feel left out!
07. Twice-Baked Potatoes
In this case, 2 is better than 1! By baking twice, you get the best of both worlds: a yummy baked potato stuffed with mashed potatoes.
By rubbing whole potatoes with olive oil before baking, you get an extra crispy skin on the outside. Then, add your favorite mix-ins to the mashed potato filling, top with extra cheese, and re-bake.
You can simplify the potato filling flavorings, using just butter and salt. But I love the addition of sour cream, garlic, and onion powder in this recipe.
08. Tomato Salad with Feta Cheese
For a burst of summer flavors, try this refreshing side dish recipe! With cherry tomatoes, cucumber, and dill, this salad brings you the taste of sunshine.
I love the Greek twist in this salad with Kalamata olives and feta cheese. But if you can’t find Kalamata olives, you can always use canned black olives, or leave them out entirely.
You could also use a bottled Greek salad dressing (or any other flavor) to save time.
09. Yorkshire Pudding
Everyone says Yorkshire puddings are tricky to make, but this recipe is simple and straightforward. There are a few necessary steps, such as refrigerating the batter, but nothing is too complicated.
As the author notes, you do need an oven that keeps a consistent temperature to get the puddings properly cooked. And, make sure the oil is smoking hot before adding the batter.
10. Green Bean and Mushroom Casserole
The smell of this casserole baking will make your mouth start to water! Savory mushrooms and sweet green beans soak in a creamy sauce beneath spice-spiked fried onions.
These onions are my favorite part, and you can add any extra flavorings you want. But you can also buy pre-fried onions if you don’t have time to make them from scratch.
As well, use pre-sliced mushrooms and frozen green beans for extra-easy prep. And you can make this casserole dish ahead of time — just add the onions right before serving.
11. Pan-Fried Parmesan Potatoes
This is one of those delicious side dishes I make over and over again. The crispy potatoes have just the perfect kick of spices and tang from the parmesan cheese.
While these potatoes are delicious with beef tenderloin, I also serve them instead of home fries at breakfast. If you make extra, you could make an omelet with the leftover beef and serve it with the potatoes for an easy brunch.
12. Creamed Pearl Onions
This classic dish is a Thanksgiving favorite in my house, but it’s also wonderful with a beef roast at Christmas.
The simple cream sauce has a roux base, and it’s lightly flavored with parsley and parmesan. In fact, you could use it to accompany any vegetable of your choice!
While you can use jarred onions to save time, fresh or frozen ones will make the dish more flavorful.
13. Honey-Roasted Vegetables
Sweet and savory, these carrots add both flavor and color to your plate. By roasting the carrot sticks, they caramelize and brown in the oven, making them taste even sweeter than boiled ones.
The honey in the dressing also brings out the natural sweetness of the vegetable. And the fresh herbs lighten the dish and add freshness.
As a variation, you could substitute parsley or cilantro for the thyme and rosemary. Or, add a dash of cayenne pepper for a kick.
14. Roasted Capsicum and Cherry Tomatoes
Rather than stuffing roasted red peppers with rice, stuff them with salad! This scarlet side dish packs punchy flavors in a cute pepper cup.
If you don’t eat fish, simply skip the anchovies. Or, add olives or capers for a different salty treat.
And you can change up the cheese for bocconcini or chevre, depending on your tastes. Or, skip the cheese and add toasted croutons instead.
15. Mushrooms with Bérnaise Yogurt
With earthy grilled mushrooms, fragrant spices, and the zing of yogurt and fresh lemon juice this dish is worthy of a Michelin star. It’s the perfect accompaniment to an elegant beef tenderloin.
Rather than a tricky true béarnaise, this recipe uses a flavorful yogurt sauce instead. The creamy effect is the same, but this recipe is tangier (and easier!).
16. Stuffed Mushrooms
Stuff yourself with these stuffed mushrooms! The garlic and cream cheese filling is worth every bite.
You can save yourself some time in the kitchen by preparing the filling beforehand. Then, stuff and bake the mushrooms right before you want to eat them.
While these stuffed mushrooms are an amazing side dish, they’re also a very pretty appetizer. Consider serving them with other small bites at your next fancy party.
Or, use large portobello caps as a side or vegetarian main dish.
17. Braised Swiss Chard
This fresh and fancy take on Swiss chard will please every one of your tastebuds. It’s sweet, sour, salty, spicy, and savory.
It has plenty of bacon in it — what more do I need to say? By cooking the chard in the pan with the meat, you infuse lots of flavor into the greens.
Then, you top it with the perfect balance of hot sauce, vinegar, and brown sugar. Yum!
18. Onion Tart
Onions are an underrated vegetable, but they add so much flavor to other dishes. In this tart, they’re the only seasoning besides salt, pepper, and cheese.
But you won’t miss other spices! The golden brown, caramelized onions in this rich tart are all you need.
This tart also makes a delicious dinner on its own, paired with a fresh green salad. Or, you can serve it as a sophisticated brunch option.
19. Roasted Lemon-Garlic Broccolini
Depending on the preparation and serving size, beef tenderloin can be quite heavy. Therefore, it’s nice to lighten up the plate with fresh veggies.
This roasted broccolini is seasoned with standard pantry ingredients, so you don’t need anything fancy. Olive oil helps the broccolini brown, and lemon and garlic add the right amount of seasoning.
Adding zest in addition to juice really brings out the lemon flavor, so don’t skip that step!
20. Garlic Plantains
Bring your roast to Puerto Rico with tostones, a classic side dish of fried plantains. And these particular tostones get extra flavor from a garlic soak.
By double-frying the plantain pieces, they get super crispy. With a little sea salt on top, you’ll eat them like potato chips.
It’s important to wipe the minced garlic off the tostones after soaking. If you don’t, it will burn in the oil and can make the plantains taste a little bitter.
21. Balsamic Bacon Brown Sugar Brussels Sprouts
Take your holiday side up a notch with the three “b”s: balsamic, brown sugar, and bacon. Your guests will thank you!
Not everyone loves Brussels sprouts, but then again, not everyone cooks them well. This recipe, however, is absolutely heavenly.
The saltiness of the bacon, sweetness of the sugar, and sourness of the vinegar come together to elevate these tiny humble cabbages.
22. Deviled Eggs
Deviled eggs make a great appetizer, but they’re also a delicious side dish! The creamy richness of the filling is a lovely complement to a lean cut of meat.
For a pretty presentation, use a star nozzle to pipe the filling into the eggs. But if you don’t have a piping bag, you can fill a plastic bag and snip one corner off — it will just be a bit messier.
23. Cheesy Garlic Duchess Potatoes
How do you improve on perfect mashed potatoes? You turn them into duchess potatoes!
When you pipe mashed potatoes and bake them until crisp, you end up with an elegant side dish fit for royalty.
This dish hails from France and is supposedly named for a visiting British duchess. You can honor this tradition by using a French cheese like Gruyère, or just use your favorite variety.
Ingredients
- Kale Salad
- Mashed Potatoes
- Roasted Butternut Squash
- Green Beans
- Butter-Roasted Sweet Potatoes
- Broccoli Gratin
- Twice-Baked Potatoes
- Tomato Salad with Feta Cheese
- Yorkshire Pudding
- Green Bean and Mushroom Casserole
- Pan-Fried Parmesan Potatoes
- Creamed Pearl Onions
- Honey-Roasted Vegetables
- Roasted Capsicum and Cherry Tomatoes
- Mushrooms with Bérnaise Yogurt
- Stuffed Mushrooms
- Braised Swiss Chard
- Onion Tart
- Roasted Lemon-Garlic Broccolini
- Garlic Plantains
- Balsamic Bacon Brown Sugar Brussels Sprouts
- Deviled Eggs
- Cheesy Garlic Duchess Potatoes
Directions
- Choose your sides.
- Prepare your beef tenderloin.
- Make a feast!