Pork Tenderloin in the Oven

Name: Pork Tenderloin in the Oven
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 45 min
Ingredients: 2 Tablespoons apple cider vinegar; 2 Tablespoons soy sauce; ½ cup honey; ½ teaspoon garlic powder; ½ teaspoon paprika; ½ teaspoon salt; ½ teaspoon black pepper; 2 pound pork tenderloin; 2 Tablespoons olive oil; 3 cloves garlic (very finely chopped, or minced garlic)

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My recipe for Pork Tenderloin in the Oven is perfectly tender and moist, and ready in just 30 minutes following a few simple steps! Pair it with my honey garlic sauce, and serve an easy family dinner everyone will love!

Roasted pork tenderloin sliced in a pan with honey garlic sauce

Jump to:

Oven Pork Tenderloin
Baked Pork Tenderloin Ingredients
How to Cook a Pork Tenderloin in the Oven
Pork Tenderloin Recipes Tips
Sauces for Pork Tenderloin in the Oven
How Long to Cook a Pork Tenderloin in the Oven
FAQ for Baked Pork Tenderloin
Pork Tenderloin Recipes
Pork Tenderloin in the Oven
Reviews

Oven Pork Tenderloin

Pork tenderloin is a meal I love making for my family. This is an easy cut of meat because it pairs well with so many flavors and can be prepared hands-off in the oven.

This pork tenderloin recipe is my favorite because it is simple but delicious! Baking pork tenderloin results in luscious, tender pork and gives me time and room on the stove to prepare the honey garlic sauce and a side of glazed carrots.

Let me show you how to make pork tenderloin and the best sauces for pork so you can bake it perfectly every time! This is a dish I guarantee you and everyone at the table will love.

Roasted pork tenderloin in a pan with sauce in a spoon

Baked Pork Tenderloin Ingredients

apple cider vinegar
soy sauce
honey
garlic powder
paprika
salt
black pepper
pork tenderloin
olive oil
garlic

ingredients for roasted pork tenderloin with labels

How to Cook a Pork Tenderloin in the Oven

Preheat oven to 350°F. Mix apple cider vinegar, soy sauce, and honey together in a small bowl and set aside.
In a separate bowl, mix together the spices: garlic powder, paprika, salt, and pepper.
Sprinkle the rub over the sides of the pork tenderloin, and pat it down to coat evenly.
Add oil to a large cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat. Add the pork and sear until golden brown on all sides, about 3-5 minutes per side.
Add minced garlic to the skillet. Cook until lightly browned, about 2 minutes.
Add reserved sauce to the skillet over the pork. Use a spoon to spoon the juices over the meat.
Transfer the skillet to the oven. Bake for 15 minutes or until the pork reaches 145°F on a meat thermometer.
Remove the skillet from the oven. Transfer the pork to a cutting board and rest for 10 minutes. This will help with the juiciness of the pork.
Place the skillet with the remaining sauce on the stove over medium heat. Simmer until it thickens, about 5-10 minutes.
Remove the skillet from the heat. Slice the pork, then place it back in the skillet with the sauce.
Stir the pork to coat completely in the sauce and use a spoon to drizzle sauce over the top of the pork.
Serve, and enjoy!

If you love pork tenderloin recipes as much as I do, you will have to try my Air Fryer Pork Tenderloin and Instant Pot Pork Tenderloin.

Pork Tenderloin Recipes Tips

Split longer pork tenderloin in half to fit into the skillet if necessary, so all parts cook evenly.
Bring pork to room temperature for 30 minutes, covered on the counter, before cooking.
Sear on all sides, including the tips, for best results.
Allow the meat to rest for 5-15 minutes after removing it from the oven before slicing.
Slice against the grain for the most tender cuts of pork.

slices of roasted pork tenderloin in a pan

Sauces for Pork Tenderloin in the Oven

These sauces are all perfectly served with pork tenderloin!

Garlic butter sauce: Garlic butter sauce pairs deliciously with pork tenderloin. Sear the tenderloin in garlic butter first, then baste it in the last 5-10 minutes with more of the garlic butter. In the end, you can finish it with a final drizzle and fresh herbs, if desired. Pair with simple salt and pepper seasoning or seasoning using dried herbs such as thyme, parsley, and rosemary.
Lemon butter sauce: Lemon butter sauce adds a nice zing of flavor to pork tenderloin and is so creamy. Prepare the sauce while your tenderloin bakes, then add the sauce to the same skillet after removing it from the oven. Coat the tenderloin completely and scrape up any brown bits from the bottom of the pan. Pair with simple salt and pepper seasoning, 1 teaspoon of garlic powder, and fresh chopped parsley and parmesan cheese to taste.
Peri peri sauce: Peri peri sauce is a super flavorful, slightly spicy Portuguese sauce that will add a nice kick to your pork tenderloin. You can either add the sauce after cooking the tenderloin by spooning it over the pork, brush the sauce over the tenderloin just before baking it, or marinate the pork in the sauce overnight for the ultimate flavor. For seasoning, use simple salt and pepper as the peri peri sauce is already very flavorful.
Rhubarb chutney: Rhubarb chutney is a flavorful, fruity chutney perfect for pairing with pork tenderloin. If using rhubarb chutney, first season pork tenderloin with ½ teaspoon cumin and ½ teaspoon cinnamon before searing. Then, spoon 2 Tablespoons of the chutney over the pork tenderloin as it cooks during the last 5-10 minutes of cooking time. Finally, serve with the remaining rhubarb chutney from our chutney recipe.
Teriyaki sauce: For the best flavor, marinate pork tenderloin in homemade teriyaki sauce for at least 30 minutes or up to 4 hours. You can also brush the pork tenderloin with teriyaki immediately before placing it in the oven if you're in a hurry. Bake as instructed, serve, and enjoy an amazing glaze on your tenderloin!
Bechamel sauce: Prepare our bechamel sauce as instructed, and finish it with white wine until thickened and creamy. Add fresh (or dried) herbs such as rosemary and thyme for the best flavor. It's ready once it’s thick enough to stick to the back of a spoon. The sauce can be prepared while making the pork tenderloin. Add it to the skillet with the tenderloin after the pork is removed from the oven, scraping up any brown bits from the bottom of the pan.

How Long to Cook a Pork Tenderloin in the Oven

Pork Tenderloin

1-1.5 pounds

145°F

Sear to brown on all sides, then roast at 350°F for 15 minutes

Refer to my pork temperature chart for the perfect internal temperature to make the most tender pork tenderloin!

FAQ for Baked Pork Tenderloin

At what oven temperature do you cook pork tenderloin?

Pork tenderloin is best baked at an oven temperature of 350°F in an oven-safe skillet such as a cast iron skillet.

Do you cover pork tenderloin when baking?

Pork tenderloin does not need to be covered when baking. However, all ovens are different. If you find it is becoming overly browned but not cooking all the way through, you can cover it with foil to prevent it from browning further.

How do you keep the pork moist when cooking?

You can take a few extra steps to ensure moist oven-roasted pork tenderloins. First, bring your pork tenderloin to room temperature before placing it in the oven. You can do this by allowing it to rest, covered, on the counter for about 30 minutes. Second, do not overcook the tenderloin. Pork tenderloin is a lean cut of meat that will dry out easily when overcooked. As soon as it reaches 145°F, as read by a meat thermometer, please remove it from the oven. Finally, rest for at least 10 minutes before slicing it for the best results. Make sure to slice against the grain.