5-Ingredient Pork Tenderloin Recipe - I Heart Naptime (2024)

Only 5 simple ingredients and done in less than 30 minutes, this roasted pork tenderloin is tender and juicy on the inside, with a flavorful seared outside.

For more pork recipes, check out my 3-ingredient kalua pork, slow cooker sweet pork tacos or this smothered pork chops recipe!

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Easy 30-Minute Meal

This dish is so easy and has tons of flavor. Pork tenderloin is flavorful, simple to cook and one of our favorite weeknight dinners. Thi roasted pork tenderloin is ready in less than 30 minutes and this pan roasted herbed pork tenderloin ready in under an hour.

For this recipe, I love to sear the meat on the stove first, giving the outsides a nice golden color before going in the oven, I use this same two step process in my beef tenderloin recipe. It continues cooking in the oven until it’s perfectly tender and juicy.

You can serve as-is, or make a simple apricot sauce to pair with it. Then don’t forget the yummy side dishes, like green beans or mashed potatoes. So delicious and comforting!

Pork Loin vs. Pork Tenderloin

Although they are often confused for each other, the two types of meat are actually different cuts. Tenderloin is smaller and more narrow, usually weighing in about 1 to 1 1/2 pounds. The pork loin is a bigger and more thick cut of pork, typically as wide as a steak.

Different cooking methods are also used for the two cuts of meat. Pork tenderloin tends to cook much faster than pork loin, so it’s usually seared on high heat. Pork loin is often slow cooked or grilled.

Seasonings

I like to keep it really simple when seasoning my meat. You could always add in extra spices, but below is my favorite blend. Sometimes I use this easy dry rub for pork tenderloin to make an herb crusted pork tenderloin as well.

• Kosher salt
• Black pepper
• Italian seasoning
• Rosemary sprigs (optional)

Cooking Time and Temperature

• How long to cook in the oven at 400ºF? Because you’re searing the sides of the meat first, it only needs to cook in the oven at 400ºF for about 13-15 minutes.
• What temp should it be cooked to? I remove my meat from the oven once it’s reached an internal temperature of 145ºF on my meat thermometer. It may look a little pink, but as long as it’s 145ºF then it’s ready. It will also continue to cook as it rests.

How to Cook Pork Tenderloin

1. Rub seasoning on tenderloin. Mix together salt, Italian seasoning and black pepper in a small bowl. Rub mixture over pork and let sit for a few minutes.
2. Brown pork in skillet. Heat an oven-proof skillet over medium-high heat. Add pork and cook until golden brown all over (turning occasionally), about 6-8 minutes total. Then place pan in oven. Add fresh rosemary sprig on top if desired.
3. Bake in oven. Bake uncovered at 400ºF for 13-15 minutes, or until the internal temperature of the pork has reached 145ºF. Then carefully remove from oven with an oven mitt (the handle of the pan will be hot!).
4. Let rest, then slice. Transfer pork to a cutting board and tent with foil. Let rest 5-10 minutes, then slice. Serve and enjoy!

Serving Tips

Below are a few sides and sauces that taste delicious with this dish.

Sides

• Green beans
• Instant pot mashed potatoes
• Roasted red potatoes
• Oven roasted vegetables
• Rice pilaf
• Dinner rolls
• Garlic mashed red potatoes
• Mac and cheese

Sauce

• A-1 sauce
• Apricot sauce (instructions below)
• BBQ sauce

More Main Dish Meals

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