This Pork Tenderloin recipe comes out very tender and juicy.

Roasted pork tenderloin is easy to make and on the table in no time at all. Served with a mushroom sauce, it’s as easy as it is elegant.

sliced pork on a wooden cutting board to show How to Cook Pork Tenderloin

Why I Love Pork Tenderloin

  • It’s incredibly quick to make and goes from the oven to the table in minutes.
  • Pork tenderloin is lean, and this method makes it very tender and juicy.
  • It is simply seasoned yet has lots of flavor.
  • It’s easy enough for a weeknight meal or an elegant dinner when the company’s coming, especially with this homemade mushroom sauce.
onion , butter , worcestershire , oil , wine , broth , mushrooms , flour , thyme , parsley and pork tenderloin with labels to make How to Cook Pork Tenderloin

What’s You’ll Need For a Perfect Pork Tenderloin

  • Pork: Pork tenderloin is a lean, tender cut from the rear of the pork loin, about 2 inches in diameter and about 7 to 8 inches long. It is different than pork loin, (about 4 inches in diameter) and is cooked differently.
  • Seasonings: I serve this with a mushroom sauce so I keep the seasonings simple. Feel free to add your favorite herbs, Italian seasoning, garlic powder, or onion powder.

For the Sauce (optional)

While it’s optional, I love to serve this pork tenderloin recipe with mushroom sauce.

  • Mushrooms: Use brown or white mushrooms for this sauce.
  • Broth: Broth is the base of this sauce, a little heavy cream can be added if desired.
  • White wine: Wine adds a delicious flavor to the sauce, it can be replaced with additional broth.

Prepping Pork Tenderloin

You’ll want to remove the silverskin from the tenderloin before cooking it. The silverskin is a thin, shiny membrane on one side of the tenderloin..

  1. Slide a paring knife underneath one end of the silverskin, then tilt the knife up slightly and cut towards the center of the meat (away from yourself). The silver skin might not come off in a single piece, pick up where you left off.
  2. Discard the silver skin.

How to Cook Pork Tenderloin

  1. Prep and season the pork tenderloin. (full recipe below.)
  2. Sear the pork tenderloin and transfer it to a prepared baking sheet.
  3. Cook until a meat thermometer reads 145°F.
  4. Allow meat to rest before slicing.

For the Sauce:

  1. Cook mushrooms, onion, and thyme in oil.
  2. Deglaze the pan, whisk in the flour and broth, and simmer until thickened.

Serve on top of slices of pork tenderloin.

plated slices of pork to show How to Cook Pork Tenderloin

Perfect Pork Tenderloin Tips

  • A digital meat thermometer ensures the pork tenderloin doesn’t overcook. Remove it at 145°F or slightly lower as it rises while resting. The center should be slightly pink.
  • Always let the meat rest after removing it from the oven before slicing. This will give time for the juices to reabsorb back into the meat.
  • Due to its smaller size, pork tenderloin can also be grilled or cooked in the air fryer in much less time than it takes larger cuts of meat.

Holly's Pork Tenderloin Favorites

What’s your favorite way to cook pork tenderloin? Leave a comment and rating below!

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sliced Pork Tenderloin on a cutting board to show How to Cook Pork Tenderloin
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How to Cook Pork Tenderloin

This pork tenderloin recipe makes perfectly tender, juicy meat with a creamy mushroom sauce that's irresistible.
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Total Time 45 minutes
Servings 4 servings
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Ingredients  

Roasted Pork Tenderloin

  • 1 pound pork tenderloin * 1 tenderloin
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • ¼ teaspoon black pepper

Mushroom Sauce (Optional)

  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 12 ounces sliced mushrooms cremini or white
  • ½ medium yellow onion diced
  • ¼ teaspoon dried thyme leaves
  • ½ cup white wine or chicken broth
  • 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
  • 1 tablespoon butter softened
  • 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
  • 1 cup chicken broth
  • 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
  • salt and pepper to taste

Instructions 

Pork Tenderloin

  • Preheat oven to 400° F. Line a baking sheet with foil.
  • Season the pork with salt and pepper.
  • Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Brown the tenderloin in the pan, rotating until all sides are golden. Place on prepared baking sheet.
  • Cook for 18 to 20 minutes or until a thermometer reads an internal temperature of 145℉.
  • Allow to rest for at least 5 minutes before slicing.

Optional Mushroom Sauce

  • Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add mushrooms and cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until browned and starting to soften.
  • Add onion and thyme. Reduce heat to medium and cook for 5 minutes more.
  • Add the wine and Worcestershire to the pan. Simmer for 2-3 minutes, stirring to loosen any bits off pan, until the liquid has nearly evaporated from the pan.
  • Add the butter to the pan, stirring to melt. Sprinkle in the flour and stir to coat the mushrooms. Cook for 1-2 minutes more.
  • Gradually whisk in broth and bring to a boil.
  • Simmer until thickened, about 4-5 minutes. Taste and season with salt and pepper as desired. Serve with sliced tenderloin.

Notes

*Pork Tenderloin is not the same as pork loin. Pork tenderloin is a long thin piece of meat about 7-8-inches long and 2-inches in diameter. 
  • Use a thermometer and remove the pork from the oven when it reaches 145°F or just before.
  • Always allow meat to rest before slicing.
  • Be careful not to overcook.  Pork tenderloin cooks quickly, and is very lean, so if it overcooks, can become dry and lose flavor and tenderness.
  • Use the flavorful juices in the sauce, or pour them over the sliced pork for extra flavor.
  • Store leftover pork tenderloin in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-4 days. 
4.98 from 232 votes

Nutrition Information

Calories: 286 | Carbohydrates: 7g | Protein: 26g | Fat: 14g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Cholesterol: 81mg | Sodium: 494mg | Potassium: 855mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 340IU | Vitamin C: 11.5mg | Calcium: 27mg | Iron: 2.3mg

Nutrition information provided is an estimate and will vary based on cooking methods and brands of ingredients used.

Course Dinner, Lunch, Main Course, Pork
Cuisine American

I am excited to have partnered with the National Pork Board to bring you this belly-warming recipe. While I was hosted in Sioux Falls and compensated for this post, all thoughts and opinions are my own. Working with great brands I love allows me to keep bringing you the great recipes you love!

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pork tenderloin with writing for How to Cook Pork Tenderloin
sliced pork tenderloin on a wooden board with writing for How to Cook Pork Tenderloin
sliced pork tenderloin on a cutting board and on a plate with writing for How to Cook Pork Tenderloin

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About the author

Holly Nilsson is the creator of Spend With Pennies, where she creates easy, comforting recipes made for real life. With a passion for nostalgic flavors and simplified techniques, Holly helps busy home cooks create delicious meals that always work. She is also the author of “Everyday Comfort,” which promises to inspire even more hearty, home-cooked meals.
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Comments

  1. Hi Your pork tenderloin shots (and in fact all your shots) are so tight I can’t see what the whole is that I am dealing with. Good thing I already know how to do this, but I’m thinking of people for whom this is a new idea. A beginner pork loin stuffer?

    1. Thanks for the feedback Emma, these photos are a little bit older but need updating soon so I’ll keep that in mind when I rephotograph it!

  2. Holly, if you were baking your chicken recipe or this pork tenderloin one with you easy oven baked rice recipe, what oven temperature would be best? The rice bakes at 375 and the meat at 400.

    1. I would suggest cooking at 375°F and increasing the cooking time for the meat slightly. A meat thermometer will provide the best results.

  3. Cooked this and served it with buttered rice and sautéed mushrooms. It was a great hit!! Am going to try the recipe for the pineapple upside-down cake next. Thanks for such a great site!!5 stars

    1. Hi Chuck, to see the temperature and the rest of the recipe instructions you can scroll down to the recipe at the bottom or hit the “jump to recipe” button at the very top.

  4. Recipe turned out great. I did try making the sauce the day before to eliminate kitchen time while getting rest of dinner on the table. When I made the sauce I used Holland House White Cooking Wine since I don’t drink so I don’t have wine here. I just didn’t add any additional salt. The liquid would not or did not thicken as I would hope after many minutes of simmering so I strained the cooked mushrooms out and added an additional tablespoon of flour to the liquid. That, to me, was perhaps too much since it then took on a gravy consistency. Next time perhaps 1T+1t flour. Regardless, I added the mushrooms back to it, cooled, and placed in fridge. While tenderloin was cooking I got it back out of fridge and reheated. Everyone loved it although I secretly wished it was a tad thinner but it complimented the pork wonderfully. So, if you want to save time make the sauce beforehand and reheat!

    1. Thank you so much for letting us know how it turned out Zoe! I am so glad to hear this recipe was a hit.

    1. I think that should work just fine. I would store it in the refrigerator and reheat on the stove on low.

  5. Family and quests always rave about the tenderness! A must try if you are not pleased with your method of cooking pork5 stars