You’ll Love This Rosemary Beef Tenderloin with Chocolate Sauce Recipe

Updated: January 17, 2024 by Olivia Mittak | Leave a comment

Who says watching your weight and eating chocolate can’t go together? This old traditional Italian recipe tweaked for healthy living makes this one dinner you won’t feel guilty about after indulging in. Some cooks are hesitant to use a chocolate sauce in a dinner recipe, fearing it will taste odd.

Chocolate sauce has been successfully used in a wide variety of recipes. Rest assured that we've tested this recipe ourselves, and we can say for certain that it's delicious. Effectively using chocolate sauce in a dinner recipe is all down to execution and ingredient selection.

This is definitely a meal to make to impress guests or for a special date night. It isn't too difficult to make, provided you follow the instructions as-written. If this will be for an adults-only meal, pair it with some nice red wine for a complete meal.

Without any further ado, let's check out this fantastic recipe. If you enjoy this recipe, share it with friends and family, and leave a comment down below. Make sure to take a look at our other great recipes!

Rosemary Beef Tenderloin with Chocolate Sauce and Roasted Cauliflower

Ingredients:

Beef tenderloin:
1 (2 pound) beef tenderloin roast
¼ teaspoon salt, plus more to taste
¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, plus more to taste
4 teaspoons olive oil
½ cup chopped shallots
1 small carrot, finely chopped
1 stalk celery, finely chopped (about ¼ cup)
1 clove garlic, minced (about 1 teaspoon)
2 cups dry red wine
2 cups low-sodium beef broth
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1 bay leaf
1 sprig fresh thyme
1 tablespoon unsweetened natural cocoa powder
1 teaspoon chopped fresh rosemary

Cauliflower:
1 head cauliflower (about 2 pounds), cut into florets
2 tablespoons olive oil
¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
¼ teaspoon salt

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 425°F.

2. Place the cauliflower in a 9×13-inch baking dish, toss with the oil, and sprinkle with the nutmeg and salt. Cover the dish and roast for 25 minutes.

3. Season the meat with salt and pepper. In a large skillet, heat the 2 teaspoons oil over medium-high heat until shimmering, then add the meat and sear until well browned on all sides, about 10 minutes.

4. Remove the cover on the cauliflower, stir, and cook for another 30 to 40 minutes, until the cauliflower is tender and nicely browned, stirring occasionally.

5. Transfer meat to a rack set on a baking sheet. Roast until an instant-read thermometer inserted in the thickest part registers 140°F for medium-rare, about 30 minutes, or to your desired degree of doneness. Remove it from the oven, cover with aluminum foil, and let rest until the sauce is nearly done before slicing.

6. While the meat cooks, make the sauce. Heat remaining 2 teaspoons oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the shallots, carrot, and celery and cook, stirring a few times, until softened, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for 2 minutes more. Add the wine and broth and stir in the tomato paste. Add the bay leaf and thyme and bring to a boil. Simmer until the liquid is reduced to about ½ cup, about 40 minutes. Strain through a fine mesh strainer into a small saucepan. Stir in the cocoa and rosemary and season with salt and pepper. Serve on the side with the sliced tenderloin.