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! How long would you say I need to bake it if it’s a 2lb pork loin?
Hi Marina, is it a pork loin or pork tenderloin? This recipe is not intended for a pork loin since pork loin is best cooked low and slow so with this recipe it may end up dry. If you meant pork tenderloin, bake until the center of pork registers at least 150˚F. My guess would be close to 20 minutes in the oven, but definitely use a meat thermometer to be sure 🙂
This is the 3rd I’ve made this. I follow the recipe, but I double everything. It takes quite a bit longer in the oven (4lbs pork takes almost an hour), but so delicious and moist. It’s a new favorite! And I didn’t think I would like the coriander, but it’s awesome with pork!
I’m so happy you like it enough to make it three times and double everything!! Thats just awesome! 🙂
I just starting cooking four years ago after I retired. I’ve made this for my wife and I and our children and grandchildren. Everyone loves it ! Thanks for helping me look as if I’ve been cooking for a long time.
I’m so happy to hear that!! 🙂
Would garlic salt work in this recipe? I don’t have garlic powder…could I use fresh garlic or garlic salt?
Yes, absolutely! I would suggest omitting the salt and the garlic powder and using 1 1/2 to 2 tsp garlic salt instead 🙂
I made this tonight and it was awesome!! The kids loved it, so this is definantly a keeper! I topped it off the last I cooked it for 18 mins (our family is not big on the pink) and at the 10 min marked flipped and sprinked brown sugar on top. It was so moist and simply delicious. I will be making this again for sure. Thank you for sharing.
I’m so happy you loved it!! 🙂
My husband is not comfortable eating “pink” pork. I cooked this to just over 160 and let it rest. I also used Herbs de Provence instead of Italian seasonings to match the potatoes, apples, and leeks with rosemary that I made. Huge hit! The pork was still juicy and everyone loved it. Thanks for the recipe!
You are very welcome Cristi and thank you for the nice review 😀.
Excellent flavor. The only problem I had was the cooking time. I cooked it for 30 mins instead of 10. I was uncomfortable with the color when I cut into it. Did anyone else have this issue?
Hi Billie, 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. The best way to test for doneness is to use an oven meat thermometer. The safe temperature for pork tenderloin is 145˚F, but I always go a little over and it’s still super juicy with this recipe.
Easy and quick. You solved dinner for me tonight! Thank you! Thank you!
Thank you! 🙂 I’m so happy you liked it 🙂
Hi Natasha, I’ve never cooked pork tenderloin before and came across your recipe on the internet. We all loved the flavours, it was so moist and easy to cook – after browning I just popped it into a ceramic oven dish. Will be making this one again!
Mary, I’m so happy to hear that 😄. Thank you for sharing such a nice review!
thanks so much for this recipe. a new favorite. My 9 and 4 year old that’s extremely picky loved it. I was out of coriander so i subbed some cumin like you had mentioned in above comment. gonna try with exact ingredients next time!
Mia, I’m so happy to hear that! Thank you for sharing your great review!
This looks so yummy! I am searching the internet for a new way to cook pork tenderloin. I really want to make this tonight but I do not have coriander. Any suggestions for an alternative seasoning? Thanks!
Stacy, you can just omit it or try a little cumin instead. Let me know how it turns out 😀.
I don’t really care for coriander so I substituted smoked paprika. It was wonderful!! Thanks for sharing this recipe:-(
I’m so glad you enjoyed it and thank you for the great review!
I never leave comments, NEVER, but I just had to tell you that I made this tonight and it was soooo good! I didn’t have the Italian seasoning, so I used a Montreal chicken seasoning instead, but other than that I followed the directions exactly as written. I gotta say, I’ve never been a huge fan of pork, but I am now. This is definitely a repeat recipe for me.
Erin, I’m so happy to hear that 😁. Thank you for sharing such a nice review with us and for taking the time to write in. I hope you’ll find many more favorites on the site.
Fantastic, I think this was the best pork I’ve ever cooked, the juices left over in the pan were great too, spooned over the meat or mashed potatoes.
Will be making again for sure
I’m so glad you liked it Lisa, reading your comment is making me hungry 😋.
I am new to cooking. I made this without any assistance and it was absolutely delicious.
I’m so happy for your success! 🙂 Thank you for sharing your wonderful review 🙂
Just a note that in the recipe, it says to cook to 150 degrees inside, but then in your comments to Alice on Sept 3, it says to cook to 160. I am guessing the latter is correct so probably want to update the recipe. It tastes very good though
Hi John, although, I have cooked it to 160, it isn’t necessary to wait until it is 160 because the tenderloin continues to cook as it rests. I was expressing to her that it is still ok to let it cook until 160 if she had concerns about the meat being fully cooked through. It sounded like she was severely overcooking the meat leaving it in the oven for almost an hour and drying out the tenderloin. Its perfectly ok to keep it in the oven until it reaches 160. It will still be juicy 🙂
Not bad, though it did dry out the tenderloin. I’d suggest browning for less than 6 minutes as that seems too long.
Hi Ashton, I’ve never had this turn out dry before. Did you possibly brown 6 minutes per side rather than 6 minutes total (all sides)? Also, were you using a tenderloin or a pork loin?
Best pork tenderloin recipe ever, and I’ve tried alot. This will go on our monthly meal rotation for sure.
Cheryl, thank you for such a nice review 😀. It sounds like you have a new favorite!
What size cast iron skillet do you recommend? Thanks for the recipe – it’s in the oven now!
Tina, we us this 12″ Iron Skillet and yo are welcome 😀.
Natasha, thank you! This is the best pork tenderloin recipe ever! The seasoning blend is perfect. The preparation is easy. The finished product is amazingly flavorful and moist. My husband and I loved it so much, we can’t wait to make it again for company!
By the way, my cast iron skillet is my fave too! Once belonging to my grandmother, it’s now at least 100 years old!!
A 100 year old cast iron pan?! That is so neat!! I’m so happy you both loved the recipe and thank you for the amazing review! 🙂
I just made this recipe yesterday and will be making it again for my cousin today. I was supriced how easy and fast it takes to make and it tastes SOOOO GOOD!
I’m SO happy you enjoyed it!! 🙂