Garlic Herb Pork Tenderloin Recipe
Pork tenderloin recipe seared in a skillet and roasted with a garlic herb rub, then finished with a quick pan sauce. Juicy, tender, and done in 35 minutes.
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Pork tenderloin is the cut I keep coming back to on busy nights, and this pork tenderloin recipe is the one I make most: a garlic herb rub, a hard sear, and about 15 minutes in the oven. It slices into pale pink medallions with a browned, peppery crust, and the pan sauce takes five extra minutes because everything it needs is already stuck to the bottom of the skillet.
The sear is doing more work than people give it credit for. Tenderloin is lean, with almost no fat to build flavor on its own, so browning every side in a screaming hot pan gives you the deep, roasted taste the meat can’t produce by itself. Then the oven finishes it gently, and you pull it at 145°F instead of cooking it to the gray, dry stage a lot of us grew up with.
One skillet handles all three jobs here: sear, roast, sauce. Use cast iron or any oven-safe pan, grab a mitt when you pull it from the oven, and the only other dish you’ll dirty is the cutting board.
Why You’ll Love This Pork Tenderloin Recipe
- Juicy instead of dry. Pulling the pork at 145°F and letting it rest keeps it tender and just barely pink in the center.
- A real crust. Searing all four sides before roasting builds the browned flavor a lean cut can’t make on its own.
- One skillet start to finish. Sear, roast, and build the pan sauce in the same pan, so cleanup is one dish.
- On the table in 35 minutes. Most of that time is hands-off while the oven does the work.
Pork Tenderloin Ingredients
Pork tenderloin and pork loin are two different cuts and they are not interchangeable. Tenderloin is the long, skinny one, about a pound and a half, and it cooks in minutes. A pork loin roast is wide and thick and needs an hour or more, so check the label at the store.
- 1 1/2 lbs pork tenderloin (1 large or 2 small)
- 1 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp dried Italian seasoning
- 1/2 tsp smoked paprika
- 1/2 tsp onion powder
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 3 tbsp butter, divided
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/2 cup chicken broth
- 1 tsp Dijon mustard
- 1 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped, for garnish
Recipe Variations
- Swap the Italian seasoning for 1 teaspoon dried rosemary and 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme if you want a more woodsy, holiday-leaning flavor.
- Stir 2 tablespoons of heavy cream into the pan sauce at the very end for something richer that clings to the medallions.
- Skip the Dijon and add a splash of apple cider instead for a sauce with a little sweetness, which is nice against the smoked paprika.
How to Make Pork Tenderloin
- Heat the oven and prep the pork: Preheat the oven to 400°F. Pat the pork tenderloin completely dry with paper towels and trim off the thin silvery membrane running along one side, since it stays tough no matter how long it cooks.
- Season it well: Stir together the salt, pepper, garlic powder, Italian seasoning, smoked paprika, and onion powder in a small bowl. Rub the pork all over with 1 tablespoon of the olive oil, then press the spice mixture into every side.
- Sear all four sides: Heat the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large oven-safe skillet over medium-high heat until it shimmers. Sear the tenderloin for about 2 minutes per side, turning with tongs, 6 to 8 minutes total, until every surface is deeply browned.
- Roast to 145°F: Slide the whole skillet into the oven and roast for 13 to 16 minutes, until an instant-read thermometer pushed into the thickest part registers 145°F. Start checking at 13 minutes; a thin tenderloin can get there fast.
- Rest the meat: Move the pork to a cutting board, tent it loosely with foil, and let it rest at least 3 minutes (I give it 5 to 10). The USDA calls for 145°F plus a 3-minute rest, and that rest is also what keeps the juices in the meat instead of on your board.
- Build the pan sauce: Set the skillet back over medium heat, using an oven mitt since the handle is still hot. Melt 1 tablespoon of the butter, add the garlic, and cook 30 seconds until fragrant. Pour in the chicken broth and whisk in the Dijon, scraping up the browned bits. Simmer 2 to 3 minutes until slightly reduced, then swirl in the remaining 2 tablespoons butter off the heat.
- Slice and serve: Cut the tenderloin into 1/2-inch medallions, arrange them on a platter, and spoon the pan sauce over the top. Sprinkle with fresh parsley and serve warm.
Recipe FAQs
Is 145°F Really Safe for Pork?
Yes. The USDA lowered the recommendation for whole cuts of pork to 145°F plus a 3-minute rest back in 2011. At that temperature the center is still faintly pink and the meat is juicy, which throws people off if they learned to cook pork to 160°F.
What’s the Difference Between Pork Tenderloin and Pork Loin?
Tenderloin is a long, narrow muscle that weighs about a pound to a pound and a half and roasts in under 20 minutes. Pork loin is a much thicker roast that can weigh 3 to 5 pounds and needs an hour or more. Using this recipe’s timing on a pork loin would leave it raw in the middle.
Do I Have to Sear It First?
You can roast it straight through at 400°F for around 20 to 25 minutes, but you’ll lose the browned crust and the pan sauce along with it. The sear takes 6 minutes and it’s where most of the flavor comes from.
My Tenderloins Came Two to a Package. Can I Cook Both?
Yes, and this recipe is written for about 1 1/2 pounds total, which is usually what those twin packs weigh. Sear them one at a time if they crowd the skillet, then roast them side by side.
Can I Make This Ahead, and What Goes with It?
Rub the pork with the spice mixture up to a day ahead and keep it covered in the fridge, which actually seasons it a little deeper. Roasted green beans and honey-glazed carrots round out the plate.
Cooking Tips
- Take the tenderloin out of the fridge 20 minutes before you cook it. Cold meat straight from the fridge sears unevenly and can leave the center underdone when the outside is ready.
- Trim the silverskin. It’s the thin, shiny membrane along one side, and it shrinks and turns rubbery in the oven while the rest of the meat stays tender.
- Use a thermometer, not the clock. Tenderloins vary a lot in thickness, and the difference between 145°F and 160°F on a lean cut is the difference between juicy and chalky.
Storage and Freezing
To store: Keep sliced pork in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days, with any leftover pan sauce poured over it so the slices don’t dry out.
To freeze: Cooked slices freeze for up to 3 months in a freezer bag with the air pressed out. Thaw overnight in the fridge; the texture holds up better than most lean meats, though it comes back slightly firmer.
To reheat: Warm the slices gently in a covered skillet over low heat with a splash of broth, just until heated through. High heat will finish cooking them and undo all that work you did with the thermometer.
How to Serve Pork Tenderloin
Pork tenderloin is a natural with roasted green beans, honey-glazed carrots, or a green salad with a sharp vinaigrette to cut the butter sauce. Leftover slices are excellent cold on a sandwich the next day. If pork is on regular rotation at your house, our Honey Garlic Pork Chops is a good companion for nights when you want something sweeter.
Loved This Recipe?
This pork tenderloin recipe turns one of the leanest cuts in the meat case into a juicy, garlicky dinner in about half an hour.
Leave a star rating in the comments below, it helps other people find this recipe. Made it? Tag @allwellfed on Instagram, I love seeing this one in other people’s kitchens.
Garlic Herb Pork Tenderloin
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 lbs pork tenderloin 1 large or 2 small
- 1 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp dried Italian seasoning
- 1/2 tsp smoked paprika
- 1/2 tsp onion powder
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 3 tbsp butter divided
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- 1/2 cup chicken broth
- 1 tsp Dijon mustard
- 1 tbsp fresh parsley chopped, for garnish
Instructions
- Heat the oven and prep the pork: Preheat the oven to 400°F. Pat the pork tenderloin completely dry with paper towels and trim off the thin silvery membrane running along one side, since it stays tough no matter how long it cooks.
- Season it well: Stir together the salt, pepper, garlic powder, Italian seasoning, smoked paprika, and onion powder in a small bowl. Rub the pork all over with 1 tablespoon of the olive oil, then press the spice mixture into every side.
- Sear all four sides: Heat the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large oven-safe skillet over medium-high heat until it shimmers. Sear the tenderloin for about 2 minutes per side, turning with tongs, 6 to 8 minutes total, until every surface is deeply browned.
- Roast to 145°F: Slide the whole skillet into the oven and roast for 13 to 16 minutes, until an instant-read thermometer pushed into the thickest part registers 145°F. Start checking at 13 minutes; a thin tenderloin can get there fast.
- Rest the meat: Move the pork to a cutting board, tent it loosely with foil, and let it rest at least 3 minutes (I give it 5 to 10). The USDA calls for 145°F plus a 3-minute rest, and that rest is also what keeps the juices in the meat instead of on your board.
- Build the pan sauce: Set the skillet back over medium heat, using an oven mitt since the handle is still hot. Melt 1 tablespoon of the butter, add the garlic, and cook 30 seconds until fragrant. Pour in the chicken broth and whisk in the Dijon, scraping up the browned bits. Simmer 2 to 3 minutes until slightly reduced, then swirl in the remaining 2 tablespoons butter off the heat.
- Slice and serve: Cut the tenderloin into 1/2-inch medallions, arrange them on a platter, and spoon the pan sauce over the top. Sprinkle with fresh parsley and serve warm.
