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This melt-in-your-mouth Baked Pork Tenderloin is juicy and tender, with a smoky rub and pan-seared crust. It’s ready in under an hour and makes a great midweek meal or special dinner with your favorite side dish.
Pork tenderloin is an excellent choice if you prefer a leaner cut of meat for dinner. Despite being lower in fat, this baked pork tenderloin is still incredibly flavorful and juicy – rubbed with a homemade spice mix and pan-seared in sauteed onions and fragrant garlic.
I love dinners that are cooked in a single pan. It instantly reduces clean-up and allows the flavors to meld together for a richer-tasting meal.
You can easily adapt this baked pork tenderloin by using a different combination of dried herbs and spices for the spice rub. This tenderloin pairs well with a wide variety of side dishes, including mashed potatoes, fettuccine alfredo, roasted vegetables, Caesar salad, and garlic bread. Plus, it’s simple enough to make as a midweek family meal but special enough for your next dinner party.
What is Pork Tenderloin
Pork tenderloin is the muscle of the animal that runs along the top of the ribcage. It’s boneless, thin, tube-shaped, and long. It’s a lean cut of meat that can be overcooked easily if you aren’t careful. Pork tenderloin tends to be more expensive than other cuts of pork but is typically less expensive than beef. You can purchase it with any excess fat already trimmed off or you can trim any fat left on the meat yourself.
Quick Facts:
- One of the leanest cuts of pork, with a low content of fat.
- Most tenderloins weigh between ¾ to 1 ½ pounds. They’re typically sold in packages of two tenderloins.
- They should be cooked to an internal temperature of 145°F (63°C). Avoid overcooking.
- It’s often confused with pork loin roasts which is an entirely different cut of pork. Check out this delicious Oven-Roasted Pork Loin Recipe to see the difference!
Key Ingredients and Substitutions
Find the printable recipe with measurements in the recipe card below.
- Spice mix – This rub consists of dried rubbed sage, dried rosemary, salt, ground black pepper, and smoked paprika. You can easily change this spice mix to incorporate your favorite spices and seasonings. Optional additions: cayenne powder, garlic powder, onion powder, and a little bit of brown sugar.
- Pork tenderloin – This recipe calls for 2 pounds of pork tenderloin. You may need to adjust the cooking time if you use a smaller cut of pork. Pork loin isn’t a good substitute for pork tenderloin as it’s thicker, fattier, and requires a slower cooking process.
- Olive oil – Olive oil is best for this recipe, but you can also use vegetable oil or canola oil. Unsalted butter is another option.
- Onions – I use thinly sliced yellow onions. If you dislike onions, simply remove them from this recipe.
- Garlic – Sliced garlic cloves will give the best flavor.
How to Make Baked Pork Tenderloin
1. Prepare: Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F and combine the spice mix ingredients in a small bowl. Place the pork on a large cutting board and pat dry with paper towels before rubbing the spice mix over the surface of both tenderloins. Set it aside.
2. Saute the onions and garlic: Drizzle the oil in a large oven-safe cast-iron pan over medium-high heat. Add the onions and garlic and cook for 2-3 minutes until the onions are soft and the garlic is fragrant.
3. Cook the tenderloin: Lay the tenderloin over the onions and sear on medium-high heat for 4 minutes per side until browned. Add the pan to the oven and bake for 10-15 minutes.
4. Rest and serve: Allow the pork to rest for 5 minutes. Slice and garnish with fresh thyme if desired.
Frequently Asked Questions
To ensure that the pork tenderloin is cooked, insert a digital meat thermometer into the thickest part of the meat. It should register 145 degrees F.
If the pork tenderloin hasn’t been trimmed, it’s important to do this as part of your preparation. The tenderloin has a tough membrane, known as the silver skin, that is non-dissolvable, meaning it won’t break down—even with cooking. This can result in tough and chewy meat. You can remove the silver skin with a sharp knife or buy trimmed pork tenderloin instead (most tenderloins are sold with the membrane already trimmed).
No, these two cuts of pork are different. Pork tenderloin is leaner, smaller, and cooks faster than pork loin.
What to Serve with Pork Tenderloin
Serve this juicy and flavorful baked pork tenderloin with creamy mashed potatoes, baked sweet potato, sweet potato casserole, or wild rice. For low-carb options, consider serving it with yummy veggie sides like cauliflower mash, Brussels sprouts, carrots, air fryer asparagus, or green beans.
Storage
Store leftover baked pork tenderloin in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days.
Reheat individual portions of pork tenderloin in a small saucepan over low heat with a little bit of butter or oil. Leftover pork tenderloin can also be reheated gently in the microwave, but be careful not to dry out the pork in the process of reheating it.
Can I Freeze Baked Pork Tenderloin?
Yes. Once completely cool, store this baked pork tenderloin in an airtight container or sealable plastic bag for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge and reheat to serve.
Baked Pork Tenderloin Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1 teaspoon dried rubbed sage
- 1 teaspoon dried rosemary
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon Ground black pepper
- ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
- 2 pounds pork tenderloin
- 3 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 yellow onions, thinly sliced
- 3 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.
- In a small bowl, combine the thyme, sage, rosemary, salt, black pepper, and smoked paprika.
- Place the pork on a large cutting board or plate and pat dry with paper towels. Rub the spice mixture over the entire surface of the tenderloins. Set aside.
- Add the olive oil to a large oven-safe cast-iron pan or heavy-bottomed skillet set over medium-high heat. Add the onions and garlic and cook for 3-5 minutes or until the onions start to soften and the garlic is fragrant (reduce the heat to medium if the garlic starts to burn).
- Push the onions and garlic to the side and place the tenderloins in the skillet. Sear for 4 minutes on each side or until browned then bake for 10-15 minutes or until they reach an internal temperature of 145 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Remove from the oven and rest for 5 minutes before slicing. Serve with fresh thyme if desired.
Notes
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
