You’ll love this tried and true, quick, and easy way to prepare Roasted Pork Tenderloin. Searing the tenderloin creates a beautiful crust that seals in all the natural juices, resulting in incredibly tender, flavorful meat!
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This is our favorite oven-baked pork tenderloin recipe. It’s such a well-loved recipe that I had to put it into Natasha’s Kitchen Cookbook (I couldn’t risk disappointing everyone by not including it 😉).
Roasted Pork Tenderloin Video
Be sure to check out the video for this roasted Pork Tenderloin recipe—I’ll walk you through every step for tender, juicy results! Trust me, you’ll be shocked at how simple it is.
Pork Tenderloin Recipe
If you haven’t tried pork tenderloin yet, I truly think it’s just as satisfying as steak! Piercing the tenderloin with a fork allows the seasoning to penetrate deeply, eliminating the need for marinating. With its quick prep time, this dish is perfect for unexpected guests or a hungry family.
This recipe is easy to double or triple to feed a crowd, but even when cooking for fewer people, it’s worth making extras—it always disappears quickly! Whether sliced into sandwiches or served as a side, the leftovers are just as delicious the next day. I’m confident this baked pork tenderloin will become a go-to family favorite for you.
Pork tenderloin is often underrated, but you’ll love how this tender and lean cut of meat offers both incredible flavor and great value (we paid $18-$22 for 4 tenderloins at Costco). While we love to roast pork tenderloin, we also love Grilled Pork Tenderloin during warmer weather and Stuffed Pork Tenderloin for special occasions.
Ingredients for Baked Pork Tenderloin
- Pork Tenderloin – The star of the dish, pork tenderloin is a lean, tender cut of meat that cooks quickly and absorbs the flavors of the rub well.
- Olive Oil – helps create a golden crust on the pork when searing, locking in moisture.
- Black Pepper – freshly ground
- Salt – helps to tenderize the meat, and enhances the natural flavors.
- Dry Rub – Made with Italian seasoning, garlic powder, and ground coriander (If you don’t have coriander, you can omit it and the recipe will still work).
Pro Tip:
To remove the silver skin, insert the tip of your knife between the silver skin and the meat. Slide the knife along the meat while simultaneously pulling the silver skin and fat away.
Pork Tenderloin vs Pork Loin
Pork tenderloin and pork loin are both lean cuts of meat, but they differ significantly in shape and size and should not be used interchangeably in recipes. Pork tenderloin is smaller and thinner, typically weighing between 1 to 1 1/2 pounds. In contrast, pork loin is larger, usually weighing between 2 to 5 pounds. For this recipe, you want to use pork tenderloin.
How to Make Roasted Pork Tenderloin
- Prep – Preheat oven to 400°F with the rack positioned in the middle. With a sharp knife, trim any fat or leftover silver skin and pat dry with a paper towel.
- Prepare Dry Rub – In a small bowl, combine sea salt, freshly ground black pepper, Italian Seasoning, garlic powder, and ground coriander.
- Season – Pierce the pork tenderloin all over with a fork and rub it with 1 tablespoon of oil. Sprinkle the dry rub onto the tenderloin. Use your hands to rub the spices into the tenderloin until it is evenly coated.
- Sear – Heat 1 Tbsp oil over med-high heat in a large oven-safe pan such as a cast iron pan or a Dutch oven. Once the oil is hot, add the pork tenderloin and brown it on all sides, about 6 minutes in total.
- Bake, Rest, and Serve – Place the pan in the oven and bake the tenderloin uncovered at 400°F for 13-15 minutes, flipping it over halfway through baking. Continue baking until the center of the pork registers at least 150°F on an instant-read thermometer. Transfer the pork to a cutting board and let it rest for 5-10 minutes. Slice into medallions and serve.
What Color is Cooked Pork Tenderloin?
*The USDA now recommends letting the tenderloin get to 145°F and letting it rest for at least 3 minutes. With a perfect pork tenderloin temperature of 145°F, the meat will still be slightly pink in the middle. I highly recommend using a thermometer to achieve the perfect doneness.
Storage Tips
- To Refrigerate: Allow the leftover pork tenderloin to cool to room temperature before storing. Place the pork in an airtight container or wrap it tightly in aluminum foil. Store it in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days.
- Freezing: If you want to store it longer, slice or leave it whole, then wrap it tightly in plastic wrap and place it in a freezer-safe bag or container. It can be frozen for up to 2-3 months. To reheat, thaw in the refrigerator overnight.
- To Reheat: When ready to eat, reheat the pork gently in the oven or on the stovetop with a bit of broth or leftover pan sauce to maintain moisture.
What to Serve with Pork Tenderloin
The mild flavor of Pork Tenderloin pairs well with just about any side, but here are some of our favorites:
- Vegetables – Choose from Green Beans Almondine or roasted Roasted Carrots, Broccoli, Cauliflower, or a Roasted Vegetable Medley
- Potatoes – Roasted Potatoes, Greek Lemon Potatoes, Smashed Potato Salad, or Creamy Mashed Potatoes
- Salad – Broccoli Grape Salad, Caesar Salad, Arugula Beet Salad, Macaroni Salad
- Rice – White Rice, Risotto, Cilantro Lime Rice, or Quinoa
Is your mouth watering like crazy? Try this pork tenderloin recipe once, and you’ll make it on repeat!
More Pork Recipes You Will LOVE
If you loved this Roasted Pork Tenderloin recipe, get ready for more deliciousness! Explore our collection of mouthwatering recipes where pork is the star of the dish.
Roasted Pork Tenderloin Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 tsp sea salt, or to taste
- 1/2 tsp black pepper, freshly ground
- 1 tsp Italian seasoning
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp ground coriander
- 2 Tbsp olive oil (extra light), or vegetable oil, or avocado oil**
- 1 1/2 lb pork tenderloin*
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400°F with the rack positioned in the middle.
- Trim the tenderloin of fat and any silver skin and pat dry with a paper towel. Pierce pork tenderloin all over with a fork and rub with 1 Tbsp oil.
- Combine your seasonings and sprinkle the dry rub onto the tenderloin, then use your hands to rub the spices into the tenderloin until evenly coated.
- Heat 1 Tbsp oil over med-high heat in a large oven-safe pan (cast iron or a Dutch oven will work). Once the oil is hot, add pork and brown on all sides (6 minutes total).
- Place in the oven and bake uncovered at 400°F for 13-15 min, flipping the tenderloin over halfway through baking. Bake until the center of the pork registers at least 150℉ then transfer to a cutting board and let meat rest for 5-10 min. Slice into medallions and serve.
Notes
Nutrition Per Serving
Hi Natasha,
I’ve tried making this several times but my pork never bakes all the way through for some reason :(( I follow your recipe exactly and I’ve tried using different ovens and I’ve tried several different tenderloins but for some reason in order for the tenderloin to come out without any red left in the middle, I have to bake it for almost an hour and then it turns out dry 🙁 do you have any advice or suggestions to offer??
Hi Alice, the pork tenderloin is naturally more “pink” when it’s fully cooked through than chicken or even pork loin. Also the beauty of this recipe is that you can even overcook it a little if you want to err on the side of caution and it will still be moist and delicious, but an hour is definitely much too long and will leave it overcooked. Are you certain you are using a tenderloin and not a pork loin which is larger and requires a different cooking method? The best way to make sure it is cooked to your desired doneness is to use a meat thermometer. Based on how you like your meat, you will want it to register at least at 160˚F then let it rest for 5-10 minutes during which the meat will rise another 5˚ or so in temp.
I use this recipe, seasoning, sear all sides, however, I use an instant read thermometer at center of the thickest part of the tenderloin. I cook to 140 then wrap in foil to rest for 10 m t and it comes out at 155-60 with a light pinkish cast every time. Really quick and a great alternative to marinade.
This is soooo good! I made this pork already like 5 times. So quick and easy and oh so delicious! Thank you so much for this recipe. Please post more quick recipes for busy moms:)
Natasha, that’s so great to hear! It sounds like you have a new favorite 😁.
I tried your roasted pork tenderloin recipe tonight. It was amazing! I didn’t have any Italian seasoning so I added some paprika, onion powder, and tony’s creole seasoning. Doesn’t really sound Italian but it’s seasoning that I like. I would normally smoke them but It was raining tonight and I looked for an alternative method. Glad I found yours! Thanks again!
You are very welcome and thank you for the great review 😀.
What is your suggestion for keeping it moist? I’m looking to bring this for an event to serve at 7 PM, but I’d like to prepare it at my house during the day to ensure it is cooked properly. The recipe sounds fantastic…just concerned about it drying out b/c of it resting too long. Any ideas?
Make sure you keep the pan juices and drizzle them over the pork when you slice them – this keeps the pork really juicy and moist and flavorful. 🙂 You can even pre-slice it and reheat it in a warm oven if you want to serve it warm, but it does taste really good at room temperature also. Enjoy!
This is my go-to pork tenderloin recipe. Turns out perfectly moist and delicious every time!
Thank you for the nice review Sasha, I’m glad you like it 😀.
Thank you so much for sharing this wonderful recipe. I made it last night, and my whole family loved it! The pork tenderloin was really moist and tender. I also added some parsley & shallot compound butter on top of each sliced pork tenderloin. This will be one of my go-to recipes for special occasions , holidays, as well as busy weeknight dinners.
Dee, thank you so much for such a great review, looks like you might have a new favorite 😁.
Thank you a thousand times over! My family LOVES this tenderloin recipe, so I decided to make 8 of them for our church family today. So many complements! I never seem to have coriander, so I just left it out, but otherwise followed instructions as directed. Fabulous every singe time 😀 Thank you again!!!
Oh my goodness! That is so awesome that you made 8 of them for your church family! I’m feeling so blessed by your comment. Thank you for sharing that with me 🙂
Can I transfer to a baking dish to go in the oven? Or is the cast iron essential to the tastiness??☺
Hi Katie, you can absolutely use a metal baking pan to roast the tenderloin 🙂 I roast it in the same pan to save myself some dishes 😉
I was surprised how delicious AND how easy this was! I prepare pork tenderloin quite often many different ways. This was most flavorful and fast!! I used the cast iron and made a simple sauce with the drippings in skillet pouring red wine stirring up all the brown bits. Enjoy!
I absolutely love your idea for the sauce!! Yum! 🙂
I have a large pork tenderloin, will it work the same way?
Hi, is it a pork tenderloin or a pork loin? This method works best for the tenderloin and not the pork loin. Most pork tenderloins are thinner and smaller than a pork loin. I found an article that does a great job explaining the difference between the two. I hope that answers your question! 🙂
Excellent! Family of five loved it, and it was simple and healthy. Thank you.
Janette, thank you for sharing your wonderful review and you are very welcome 🙂
Made the roasted pork tenderloin last night and it was delicious. It was tender and moist. Will definitely make again.
Eileen, I’m so happy you enjoyed the recipe. Thank you for sharing that with us!
I’ve just made it for dinner. Yours is great! I loved it. Thanks for sharing!
Kim, I’m so happy to hear that! Thank you for sharing your great review!
SO Delish! A great alternative to grilling.
Thank you Allie, I’m glad you like it 😄.
I made this for dinner tonight and we all loved it!
That’s awesome!! I’m so happy to hear that 🙂
Absolutely LOVE this recipe! Mine took about 19 minutes to cook but it was the best tenderloin ever!
I’m so happy to hear that! 🙂
Best tenderloin I ever made. Bookmark this recipe for sure.
I’m so happy you enjoyed it 🙂
Fantastic recipe presentation and delicious results. Thank you!
I’m so happy you enjoyed the recipe! Thanks for the great review 🙂
WOW – best pork tenderloin ever
Thank you Pat, I’m so glad you liked it.😁
A+ ammaaaazing
So happy you loved it! 🙂