Pork tenderloin recipes take this delicious cut of meat and flavor it in so many truly different ways!
Pork tenderloin is also sometimes referred to as pork filet, pork steak, or Gentleman’s Cut.
It is the long thin cut of pork that comes from the muscle that runs along the backbone.
It traditionally has slightly fewer calories than other cuts as well as less fat, which is why it is prone to drying out easily.
In order for this meat to be fully cooked, it needs to reach 145°F though there may be a bit of pink inside.
The best pork tenderloin recipe keeps the tenderloin moist during cooking and contains juices.
Many swear by a splash of apple cider vinegar to keep pork tenderloin juicy.
In the list below, I have included unique pork tenderloin recipes which use all forms of cooking styles from the oven, slow cooker, Instant Pot, and an air fryer to the grill.
My favorites from this list are the Honey Dijon Garlic Roasted Pork Tenderloin, Mediterranean Stuffed Pork Tenderloin, and the Best Damn Instant Pot Pork Tenderloin.
One of the best dinner ideas using pork tenderloin is #11, a sheet pan preparation that includes cooking two sides at the same time!
Pork tenderloin dinner ideas cover the distance between sweet, think Hawaiian, and savory, think mushrooms, and literally everything in between!
Taking a few moments to remove the “sliver skin” from the pork tenderloin, will result in a consistent texture throughout the whole tenderloin no matter the recipe.
When considering what to do with pork tenderloin, keep in mind, that it can be sliced, cubed, or sometimes shredded.
Also, those leftovers will make a wonderful second meal, so hang onto them and check out my post on amazing pork tenderloin leftover recipes.
There are so many different things to do with pork tenderloin, but these 17 should get your creative juices flowing!
Many pork tenderloin recipes are a combination of sweet and savory and this one is exactly that with honey and garlic.
The rub is rich in flavor including paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, thyme, rosemary, salt, and pepper.
The magic though is in taking the time to sear all the sides for a few minutes before adding the sauce of garlic, honey, soy sauce, mustard, sriracha, and oil.
The baking process includes some time uncovered, sometimes covered, and a little time to rest before slicing.
Some would certainly consider this the best pork tenderloin recipe because of the flavor profile being Hawaiand with the inclusion of pineapple!
The marinade is the star here being made of pineapple juice, soy sauce, brown sugar, Asian sweet chili sauce, ketchup, ginger, and garlic!
Plan ahead though since it needs four to twelve hours to soak.
Bonus since this can be cooked inside or outside on the grill.
The exquisite presentation here is top-notch with sliced pineapples and colorful peppers!
This post has a treasure trove of information!
Not to fret, there are so many different things to do with pork tenderloin no one will have time to be bored, that’s for sure!
The preparation for this recipe calls for slicing the tenderloin into “medallions” before cooking.
They are dredged in a seasoned flour mixture and seared in olive oil.
The creamy mushroom sauce along with the pasta make this a complete dinner by the time it is done. Family pleaser for sure!
Want more dinner inspirations? Don’t miss out on our crave-worthy Sweet And Sour Pork Chops and Roast Chicken, too!
New flavors are introduced in each of the dinner ideas using pork tenderloin and here the standouts are the sauce applied to the pork tenderloin made of honey, Dijon mustard, garlic, salt, and pepper.
Sear on the stove and then bake in the oven.
It is not super fancy, but it is moist and tender and got lots of raving reviews!
The options are wide open for sides to serve alongside!
The unique pork tenderloin recipes have a twist that is a bit unexpected and slow cooking for six hours is definitely a change-up here.
The preparation includes applying a rub of sage, garlic, salt, and pepper.
The balanced tangy-sweet glaze added to the last hour is delightful without being overpowering.
Browning it in the oven after cooking gives it a caramelized crust of sorts.
The end result is a crispy outside with a tender inside that everyone will rave about!
Grilling pork tenderloin dinner ideas always seem fun!
The rub here is salt, pepper, garlic powder, and cinnamon for a 30-minute marinade.
The sauce is made of honey, soy sauce, olive oil, hoisin sauce, minced onion, minced garlic, sesame seed oil, and crushed red peppers.
Slice the pork tenderloin into medallions and grill on high heat on both sides, brushing on the honey sesame sauce for the last minute.
Serve on a bed of rice with the reserved sauce, toasted sesame seeds, and green onions.
Running out of soy sauce? Replace the original ingredient with these 5 soy sauce substitutes.
When autumn coziness is the season, this recipe is exactly what to do with pork tenderloin!
Why?
Besides the amazing taste, the aromas it leaves in the kitchen are heavenly!
There is an apple-filled stuffing cooked alternately with the pork tenderloin in the oven.
The tenderloin rub includes garlic powder, cinnamon, cumin, salt, allspice, ginger, and pepper.
After the initial baking time, a sauce of apple jelly, ginger, lemon zest, and garlic is applied to the pork tenderloin and the dressing is added to the same sheet to finish cooking together.
Delicious!
Seasonings and sauces turn pork tenderloin recipes into works of art!
This recipe has a white wine sauce that starts with a dry wine, like a chardonnay, butter, onion, garlic, heavy cream, and basil.
The pork tenderloin preparation is super simple with just salt and pepper before baking.
The sauce has specific instructions to follow when making and is added when serving.
The simple seasoning on the pork perfectly balances the rich sauce!
Fancy indeed!
The best pork tenderloin recipe award just might go to this Mediterranean Stuffed Pork Tenderloin!
The pork tenderloin is sliced down the side lengthwise, laid flat, and filled with a mixture of oil, red pepper flakes, garlic, spinach, feta, and sundried tomatoes, folded back over, and tied with butcher’s string (or not).
The glaze on top is balsamic vinegar, lemon zest, rosemary, Dijon mustard, garlic, salt, and pepper.
The two-temperature baking plan might be the true secret!
Foil is your friend and one of the many different things to do with pork tenderloin!
The mixture of ranch dressing mix, butter, and lemon juice mixes with the juices from the tenderloin and makes an amazing gravy with literally no effort!
Season simply with salt and pepper, and sear all the sides.
On a sheet of foil, place the pork tenderloin, drizzle the ranch mixture on top and close up the foil for baking or grilling.
Let’s sit at least ten minutes before opening.
Slice and serve with cilantro or parsley as garnish.
Ranch fans rejoice!
Sheet pan dinner ideas using pork tenderloin are the best for busy parents and caregivers!
Here we have crispy roasted potatoes, tender green beans and glazed pork tenderloin carefully prepared to all be ready at the same time!
The green beans are under the tenderloin so the juices keep the beans from drying out!
Hoisin sauce is the predominant seasoning.
Baby potatoes cut in half mean a shorter roasting time is needed.
A lovely butter sauce is added after cooking while it is resting.
Every one of these unique pork tenderloin recipes brings a creative flavor profile to the tenderloin.
This is the first recipe to recommend brining the tenderloin for several hours in the water, salt, sugar, garlic, and herbs.
There is also an excellent video on an associated link showing how to trim off the silver skin before applying the rub of salt, pepper, rosemary, and thyme.
The sauce is made of balsamic vinegar, maple syrup, mustard, and garlic and is added towards the end of the cooking whether on the grill or in the oven.
Rest before slicing.
A different approach here with pork tenderloin dinner ideas, this time using an air fryer that cooks at a high temperature for a short amount of time.
The goal is of course always to have a nice crispy exterior with a juicy interior.
The rub consists of brown sugar, onion powder, smoked paprika, garlic powder, ground mustard, salt, and pepper.
After resting and slicing, serve with saved juices poured over the top!
More delicious air fryer recipe ideas you want to unlock: Apple Chips, Carrot Fries, and Potato Chips.
If you have an Instant Pot, then I am sure you know what to do with pork tenderloin!
This recipe will give you a juicy and sliceable pork tenderloin with a rich teriyaki sauce cooked in that Instant Pot.
Mmmm!
It starts with sauteing a sweet onion and adding the tenderloin.
The sauce that goes on top starts with a Teriyaki sauce carefully adding chicken broth, minced garlic, brown sugar, and ginger.
After cooking and resting, serve on a bed of rice with green onion as a garnish!
This is one of the straightforward pork tenderloin recipes on the list.
Using an oven-safe skillet, season the tenderloin with salt and pepper and sear all four sides.
Bake until done and set tenderloin aside to rest.
In the same skillet, the creamy mustard sauce is made with heavy cream and two mustards.
Stir until hot and then add tarragon, parsley, salt, and pepper.
Slice and serve with sauce drizzled on top.
Delightful!
Oh, my word!
This is quite possibly the most amazing of pork tenderloin dinner ideas because it uses BACON and apricots to deliver a special sweet and savory flavor!
The apricot glaze starts with fresh apricots, with pits removed, and warmed with water, sugar, and salt.
When cooled it has a jam texture.
The pork rub is salt and brown sugar.
Bacon strips are wrapped around the pork tenderloin and seared on all four sides before transferring to the oven.
The apricot glaze is added halfway through!
It comes out as beautiful as it tastes!
The Instant Pot has gained popularity as of late and there are many dinner ideas using pork tenderloin that can be prepared in one.
This recipe makes grand claims but I’ll let you be the deciding vote on that issue!
It all begins with cutting the pork tenderloin into two pieces of shorter but equal length to fit nicely.
The rub is a mix of brown sugar, salt, pepper, paprika, onion powder, and garlic powder.
Sear the four sides of each one.
Then chicken stock, Worcestershire sauce, and liquid smoke are added, followed by the tenderloin.
After cooking, remove the tenderloin and rich brown gravy is made from the juices right there in the Instant Pot.
Certainly simple and definitely tasty!
The bottom line
While pork tenderloin recipes tend to follow very similar steps, the variations in spices and sauces really give life to the entree overall!
I am not really sure which one is the best pork tenderloin recipe but the Mediterranean stuffed recipe is absolutely scrumptious!
Don’t know what to do with your pork tenderloin leftovers? Then learn the four best ways to warm up them in this reliable FAQ guide!
17 EASY Ways To Cook Pork Tenderloin
17 Easy Pork Tenderloin Recipes to get your creative juices flowing!
Ingredients
- Juicy And Tender Pork Tenderloin Roast
- Hawaiian Pork Tenderloin Marinade
- Pork Tenderloin In Creamy Mushroom Sauce
- Honey Dijon Garlic Roasted Pork Tenderloin
- Crockpot Brown Sugar Balsamic Glazed Pork Tenderloin
- Honey Sesame Pork Tenderloin
- Apple Spiced Pork Tenderloin
- Pork Tenderloin With Creamy White Wine Sauce
- Mediterranean Stuffed Pork Tenderloin
- Baked Ranch Pork Tenderloin And Gravy
- The Best Pork Tenderloin
- Glazed Pork Tenderloin
- Air Fryer Pork Tenderloin
- Instant Pot Teriyaki Pork Tenderloin
- Pork Tenderloin With Creamy Mustard Sauce
- Apricot Glazed Pork Tenderloin
- Best Damn Instant Pot Pork Tenderloin
Instructions
- Take a look at our Pork Tenderloin Recipes list!
- Bring the ingredients to create a new favorite dish.
- Woohoo! You created a home-cooked meal!
- Comment your thoughts on our Facebook page!