This tender roasted Pork Tenderloin recipe is so simple to prepare and incredibly tender, juicy and delicious!
Pork tenderloin is lean, healthy and becomes fork-tender when roasted in the oven with just a little bit of seasoning.
A delicious main dish alongside is fast enough to make on a busy weeknight and elegant enough to serve to guests at a dinner party!
Thank you to our friends at the National Pork Board for sponsoring this post!x
The King of All Cuts
Pork tenderloin is, in my opinion, the king of all cuts of pork.
This cut of meat lives up to its name, tenderloin because it is just exactly that – so incredibly tender when cooked right! The key to perfection is knowing exactly how long to cook pork tenderloin (and not to overcook it)!
Pork Loin vs. Pork Tenderloin A pork loin is not the same as a pork tenderloin. Pork tenderloin is a long thin piece of meat about 7-8″ long and 2″ in diameter whereas a pork loin is a thicker piece of meat that is often cut down into roasts and chops.
Because of their different shapes they cannot be used interchangeably as they do not cook the same way.
How To Prepare Pork Tenderloin
It is incredibly versatile, you can make roast pork tenderloin either baked in the oven, on the BBQ, or even in the air fryer. Pork tenderloin can be prepared in so many different ways… in addition to roasting, stuffed pork tenderloin or herb-crusted pork tenderloin are favorites too! We sometimes even slice it into medallions (which fry up in literally minutes or are perfect for making Grilled Pork) for a fast weeknight meal.
It can be crusted or just simply seasoned with your favorite seasonings or even just a simple sprinkle of salt and pepper – when you have a delicious, premium cut of meat, that is all it really needs!
How Do You Make Pork Tenderloin Juicy?
Knowing how to properly cook pork tenderloin can help you achieve melt in your mouth perfection! The answer is really simple, the key to perfect pork tenderloin is to make sure you don’t overcook it.
Many of us grew up at a time when our parents cooked all things pork until it was tough as leather. Today pork is safe to consume cooked to medium (145° F) leaving it just a little bit pink in the middle and tender & juicy. Serve this with perfect mashed potatoes and easy roasted asparagus.
Tips for Perfection
- Cook at a high temperature so the outside will have nice color and flavor.
- Brush with olive oil and fresh herbs & spices to the outside before cooking.
- Use a thermometer to achieve the perfect temperature.
- Allow your meat to rest before cutting.
- If cooking pork tenderloin medallions, fry or grill them for just a few minutes on each side.
- Do not overcook. Pork tenderloin is very lean if overcooked can become dry.
I can’t stress this enough, using a thermometer is really essential to perfection! If you do not have one, this is a very small investment to ensure the best cook on not just pork, but many types of meat!
I have a digital thermometer where the probe is inserted into the meat (this one gets rave reviews and is inexpensive), then a wire cord connects the probe to the digital display. Don’t worry, the oven door closes just fine with the cord sticking out.
Pork Tenderloin Temperatures
When roasting pork tenderloin (or pork chops), it should be roasted to a tender juicy temperature of 145° F. Roasting your pork tenderloin to 145° F is a medium cook which means it’ll be just a little pink in the middle.
Anywhere between 145° F to 160° F is fine however cooking it more towards medium (145° F) will produce much juicier meat. Always remember to rest your meat for about 5 minutes before cutting it.
What Color is a Cooked Pork Tenderloin?
I had the amazing opportunity to be a part of the Pass the Pork tour and learn first hand about both pork farming and cooking pork to perfection! For years I have confidently served my pork cooked to medium with just a hint of pink, the pork is so tender and juicy you can literally cut it with a fork.
Cooking your pork tenderloin to 145°F means your pork will have just a touch of pink in the middle. Pork tenderloin can be (and should be) served with a little bit of pink in the middle in order to ensure it’s juicy and fork-tender. Find more information about cooking pork at pork.org.
More Pork Recipes We Love
-
- Pork Carnitas Recipe – delicious slow cooker recipe!
- Instant Pot Pork Chops – perfectly juicy & full of flavor!
- Bacon Wrapped Pork Tenderloin – perfect grilled or baked
- Grilled Marinated Pork Chops – great simple supper idea
- Honey Glazed Mushroom Pork Chops– 30 min meal!
Did you enjoy this Roasted Pork Tenderloin? Be sure to leave a rating and a comment below!
How to Cook Pork Tenderloin
Equipment
Ingredients
Roasted Pork Tenderloin
- 1 pound pork tenderloin
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1 tablespoon oil
Mushroom Sauce (Optional)
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- ½ onion diced
- 12 ounces sliced mushrooms cremini or white
- ¼ teaspoon dried thyme
- salt and ground pepper to taste
- ½ cup white wine
- 1 cup chicken broth
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1 tablespoon butter softened
- 1 tablespoon all purpose flour
- 3 tablespoons fresh parsley
Instructions
Pork Tenderloin
- Preheat oven to 400° F. Line a baking sheet with foil
- Season the pork with salt and pepper (add chopped fresh herbs if desired).
- Heat oil and brown the pork evenly in a frying pan. Place on baking sheet.
- Cook 18-20 minutes or until a thermometer reads an internal temperature of 145° F (While the tenderloin is cooking, begin to prepare the mushroom sauce)
- Allow to rest for at least 5 minutes before slicing.
Mushroom Sauce
- Saute onion in oil until softened, about 3-5 minutes.
- Add mushrooms, thyme and salt and pepper. Cook till mushrooms have released juices.
- Add the wine to deglaze and loosen any bits off pan. Add the chicken broth and Worcestershire sauce and bring to a low boil for 2-3 minutes.
- Melt butter. Add the flour and parsley to melted butter.
- Whisk into broth and bring to a boil. Let cook 1 minute.
- Simmer until thickened and serve over sliced tenderloin.
Notes
- Use a thermometer and remove the pork from the oven when it reaches 145°F or just before.
- Allow your meat to rest before cutting.
- Do not overcook. Pork tenderloin is very lean if overcooked can become dry.
- Add some of the juices that escape from the tenderloin while it rests to the sauce or pour it over the sliced pork for extra flavor.
Nutrition Information
Nutrition information provided is an estimate and will vary based on cooking methods and brands of ingredients used.
Course Dinner
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I am excited to have partnered 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!
After purchasing a lemon-pepper pork tenderloin on a whim, I turned to this recipe for help in getting it right. Perfection! I agree that a meat thermometer is your most important tool here. Mine was slightly thicker than average so took 20 minutes to achieve 145. I only needed 2 servings so lopped of each end and pan fried leftovers. Served with cauliflower gnocci in Alfredo sauce and roasted broccoli.
I tried it exactly as you said ,It turned out almost perfection.
Love this recipe
I love this recipe so much.
Family and quests always rave about the tenderness! A must try if you are not pleased with your method of cooking pork
Came out great. I only had white mushrooms
This is absolutely WONDERFUL. I did just as the recipe instructed, but I cooked the pork in the crock pot. If you haven’t tried this recipe, you are missing out, Adding this to my favorite recipes.
I have four 2 pound tenderloins (approximately 8 lbs total). I have a thermometer and plan to use it to check for appropriate tempature but would like to know how much time I need to plan on for baking. I have read in several places 20 minutes per pound…. so should I allow 2.5 – 3 hours? Thanks!!
If they are individually 2 lbs, I would check around 35-40 minutes and adjust from there, especially if using a convection oven.
This was great! I make pork tenderloin often 3x a month. The mushroom gravy was great. i did roasted potatoes and asparagus. I had a dairy free guest and IBS guest. I used bacon fat on the tenderloin and roasted potatoes and asparagus. instead of butter. and held off on and parmesan cheese till to the plate. red wine instead of white cause that is what I had. the thermometer to 145 was perfect. I did use Italian seasoning and flour in the pre sauté seasoning. this is my new easiest recipe. Thank you for the Recipe I will be using it often.
So happy you loved it, Pam!
I made this the other night. Fantastic pork and I love the BBQ sauce! This is a recipe I will be making often!
Good, simple, made this tonight when I got home from work hungry, it didn’t take forever, even made some rice to have with it.
Used some garlic powder, onion powder along w salt & pepper before browning.
Delicious!
Looking forward to making this very soon. Can I assume that the nutrition info is for both the pork and the sauce?
Hi Janet, yes the nutrition information is for the pork tenderloin and the sauce.
Ms. Holly, Will you marry me? I followed this tenderloin and mushroom sauce recipe to a “T” and I was instantly in love! Thank You so much, IT WAS PERFECT!
Haha! So glad you love the tenderloin so much Tim!
Made this and it was excellent! Husband gave two thumbs up!
Can you make this recipe without the wine? Would it change it much?
Hi Danielle, it will change the flavor but still delicious! You could replace the wine with additional chicken broth if you prefer.
Tried this tonight – (it was my first time making pork tenderloin, actually) it was deeeeeelicious!! will definitely be making again! it was perfect in every way. absolutely nothing i would change. QUESTION: If I wanted to double the sauce, is it just a matter of doubling each ingredient (including butter and four) or will that change the consistency? Maybe a dumb question but don’t want to mess it up !
Thanks!
Yes, this sauce can be doubled by doubling all ingredients.
I haven’t actually made it yet but good reviews led me to purchase the tenderloin. What is the purpose of the aluminum foil? Am I supposed to wrap it up? I keep thinking I’m missing a step somewhere.
I use it for easy clean up, you can skip the foil if you’d prefer.
I made this tonight for family, it was delicious. about the time I was done chopping onions and mushrooms, the oven was heating and the oil heated to brown the meat. The gravy took the time needed while the meat cooked and rested, so it was fairly speedy. we had leftover mashed potatoes that went well with the meal and asparagus. My only change was to put wondra on the mushrooms and cook it before deglazing to make the gravy.
You are adorable. I love all your recipes. My first try was the jalapeno poppers. Amazing!
Many others.
Tonight trying the pork. Yum!
Aww thank you Mary, you made my day. Happy Cooking!
I used your recipe for the pork tenderloin only. I would like to try the mushroom sauce one day. This pork tenderloin was incredibly juicy and tender. Thank you for the recipe!
Overall good, but a bit confusing. Making the gravy tells you to sauté the onions and mushrooms in a pan with olive oil. Then jumps to making a rue with butter and flour. Am I doing this in the same pan? A new pan? Do I remove the onions and mushrooms then start this, am I pushing this all to one side while creating the rue? You’re assuming we’re watching you or in your head. Took it on the fly and it turned out ok. Could have done that on my own, that’s why I look at recipes.
Hi Patrick,
Sorry it was confusing to you.
In step 4. butter is melted and flour is added. In step 5. the butter mixture is whisked into the broth. Hope that helps.
Hi there,
So I’m going to melt the butter down in a separate pan and add the flour, Then mix the butter and flour mix into the onion and mushroom Sauté?
Will have to say I questioned if I was doing it right but put it all in the same pan mixed it all together and it’s turned out fine delicious
So you make the rue in a separate pan??
I melted the butter in the microwave in a small bowl , and then added the flour to make a paste. This paste was added to the gently boiling mixture in the original pan and stirred and gently boiled until it all thickens. Job done! Delicious!
Took 35 minutes in the oven. The oven is new so it’s not that. My pork was a pound. The gravy calls for too much parsley. All that could be tasted was green.
The thickness of the pork can cause the cooking time to vary slightly. You can certainly reduce the parsley to your preference in this recipe.
Unfortunately this is a recurring problem with new cooks that have to follow recipes to the letter. No knock just the reality of being new or inexperienced. The first thing you should do is learn food combinations. What flavors pair well or lend itself to other flavors. You begin to build a knowledge of how to create dishes and find out that a recipe is just a primitive set of blueprints. Just like a builder you could take that plan and make it your own. You get to the point where you won’t just add in parsley because it says so but you’ll adjust seasoning to your tastes. Keep plugging.
Great comment. I actually do not like Parsley so I usually leave it out. Maybe add a little but never for just looks….