Baked Pork Tenderloin
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Crispy on the outside, juicy and tender on the inside, and amazing flavors make this the BEST Baked Pork Tenderloin!
Want more pork recipes? I’ve got you. Check out my popular posts for Honey Chipotle Glazed Pork Chops with Peach Salsa, Ultra Juicy Grilled BBQ Pork Chops, and Pork Tacos with Pineapple Salsa.
Why This Recipe Works
- Pork tenderloin — There are many cuts of pork you can bake, but to me, there is nothing like baked pork tenderloin. It’s so easy to make and I feel like this is the easiest cut of pork to take on whatever flavors you fancy. In the slow cooker, the Instant Pot, on the grill, there is really no way to mess up a pork tenderloin. (Well, I’m sure there is, but not one that I’ve found yet!).
- So juicy — Not only is this baked pork tenderloin crispy on the outside, it’s also juicy on the inside. While most people do eat with their eyes first, it’s when you taste the tenderloin that you will truly understand why I’m gaga for this recipe. Sink your teeth into that first bite, and you get a little crunch, then the juices from the pork itself, plus the actual juice you’ve used and the spices intermingling with it all, and you’ll be hard-pressed to find a reason NOT to make this delicious dish.
- Fruit juices — When I’m creating a recipe, I tend to lean on oils, vinegars, and sauces for the “wet” ingredients with which to marinade, spoon over, or otherwise cook in. I tend to forget how great fruit juices are with pork. The citrus in the lemon, lime, or orange juices (or all three) acts as the acid in the mixture (much like vinegar does in other recipes), giving your meat those tangy (and slightly sweet) undertones. Plus, the acid helps the rest of the flavors seep into the meat, making it nice and juicy.
- Simple spices — You don’t need to go too crazy on the spices for baked pork tenderloin. Simple is best here. I mixed together a little Italian seasoning blend, garlic powder, cumin, chili powder, paprika, salt, and pepper — all items you probably already have in your spice drawer.
Ingredients
- Pork tenderloin – Use one or two depending on how large, you’ll want at least 1 1/2 pounds of pork for about 4 people
- Fresh-squeezed citrus – I like to use a combination of lemon, lime, and orange juice. If you can’t get your hands on some fresh citrus, you could use chicken broth.
- Dried herbs – Italian seasoning or Herbs de Provence blends are great.
- Garlic powder – you can substitute or add onion powder.
- Smoked paprika – if you don’t have smoked paprika, regular paprika will work.
Here’s How You Make It
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees and grease a rimmed baking sheet or casserole/baking dish. (not pictured)
- Pierce the pork all over with a fork, then rub all over with oil. (photos 3-4)
- Stir together the spices and seasonings, then sprinkle all over the pork and pat into place with your fingertips. (photos 1-2 & 5)
- Transfer pork to your prepared baking dish and squeeze citrus juices all over the top. (photos 6-7)
- Bake for about 25-35 minutes until center temperature reaches 145 degrees. (photo 8)
- Spoon juices from the pan over the cooked pork, then let it rest on a cutting board for about 5 minutes before slicing and serving.
Frequently Asked Questions
Fruit juices are great for marinating, basting, and otherwise livening up your meat. The acid from citrus juices, in particular, helps to “cook” the meat just a little as it’s marinating to really seal in the flavors you’re using. They do this by breaking down the meat with the enzymes they contain. This lets the other ingredients in your marinade (oils, spices) penetrate more deeply into the meat.
Have you ever heard of ceviche? It’s a Latin American dish, a raw fish salad of sorts, in which raw seafood is “cooked” in citrus juices — usually lemon or lime. The juice denatures the proteins (so it will turn white as it’s marinating, just like it does when it’s cooked). This is best made with fresh seafood. But the principle is the same for any citrus marinade and any meat.
Recipes vary as to what is the best temperature to bake pork in the oven. However, most fall between 375-425 degrees. For this baked pork tenderloin recipe, I use 400 degrees. At 400 degrees, the meat cooks most evenly and quickly enough to keep it nice and juicy and moist on the inside.
If you’re not sure if the pork tenderloin is baked through, use a meat thermometer. Insert the thermometer into the thickest part of the meat. It should read 145 degrees fahrenheit. Don’t worry if the inside of the tenderloin is still a little pink. In fact, you might err on the side of leaving it a little pink. Also, it’s key to let the meat rest before cutting into it. This ensures it will be as juicy and tender as possible.
Expert Tips & Tricks
- This recipe is pretty flexible and you can use 1-2 very small pork tenderloins or one medium-large pork tenderloin OR you can double or even triple the ingredients for the seasonings and serve a LOT of people with very large tenderloins.
- This baked pork tenderloin will keep in the fridge for up to 5 days.
- You can freeze this baked pork for up to 6 months in an airtight container. Thaw in the fridge before reheating.
More Recipes Like This
- Instant Pot Balsamic Pork Tenderloin
- BEST Ever Healthy Grilled Pork Tenderloin
- One Pan Garlic Herb Chicken and Asparagus
Did you make this recipe? FANTASTIC. Please rate the recipe below and be sure to tag me on social when you share a photo on social – I love seeing what you’re up to in the kitchen!
Pork Tenderloin Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 or 2 half-pound pork tenderloins , (see note)
- 1 tablespoon oil
- 2-3 tablespoons fresh lemon, lime, or orange juice , (or 1 tablespoon of each)
- 2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
- 1 teaspoons garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- ½ teaspoon smoked paprika , (optional but highly recommended)
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees and lightly grease a large baking/casserole dish. Pierce tenderloins all over with a fork. Rub oil onto all sides of the meat.
- Whisk together Italian seasoning, garlic powder, cumin, salt, chili powder, smoked paprika (if using) and black pepper. Sprinkle mixture over tenderloin(s), patting it onto the surface of the meat on all sides. Place in prepared baking dish and drizzle lemon/lime juice over the top.
- Bake for 25-35 minutes until outside is browned and crispy and centers are cooked through to desired doneness (you can take them out on the early side if you like the centers a little pink).
- Spoon juices from the dish over the meat. Allow to rest on a cutting board or in the baking dish for 5-10 minutes. Slice into 1 inch pieces. Spoon any remaining juices from the pan over the slices, garnish with fresh chopped cilantro if desired, and serve.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
I did everything that the recipe said. U can’t bake it for 25-30 and get that dark crust that is on the photo. I baked 10 more minutes then decided to raise the heat that didn’t do it. So, I decided to put it under the broiler. That got it dark & crusty. So, shame on the instructions all that work & it doesn’t look like the photo. Maybe if I had known I would have put it on my barbecue. For sure, I would have gotten that dark crusty look.
The meat came out very juicy. I didn’t measure the olive oil but just made sure to put some in my hand and rub it over both sides. I cut the cumin and chili powder in half because I was afraid those flavors would be too prominent. We felt it was just perfect. I used 1T each of lime and lemon juice and also added in 1T worcestershire sauce which I drizzled over the top right before baking. I always use a foil lined baking dish to speed clean up. It took about 35 mins to reach a temperature of 150. I pulled the foil over the roast loosely to tent it while it rested and there was enough pan juice that accumulated. This was a nice change from a marinated pork tenderloin recipe I typically use. I’ll be keeping this in my file.
Thank you and 5-star again! I and my friends always have outdoor grill every weekend! I will try this for next party! Thank you again!
I make this recipe about three or more times a month. It’s so good and is heavenly with a homemade blue cheese or cilantro lime sauce. SO GOOD! I use a meat thermometer to check if the pork is done and if not, I only have to add a few extra minutes. Love, love, love this one.
It is great. Love the flavor.
Centers a little pink? On Pork? Isn’t that just asking to get sick? I mean the ingredients sound good but that part just threw me.
It’s ok to eat pork tenderloins with a pink center. Not any other cut of pork. You will not get sick. We eat it like this all the time
Bob – As long as pork roasts are cooked to at least 145 degrees, there’s no possibility of illness. Pork is delicious when not overcooked, as many people still do even now that pigs are not fed on garbage in the US so the likelihood of trichanae is extremely low. See
Pork cooked to medium-rare is fine (and generally better). Honestly it’s probably “safe” at rare, but the lower temp is skirting dangerous temps too closely (and most people don’t know how to use a meat thermometer properly in the first place) so it wouldn’t be recommended.
Rob,
Pink in the middle is perfectly safe for pork. Welcome to the new World of pork production. 140 degrees interior temp is fine for removing from the oven — put your thermometer into the meat at one end to be certain you are getting the center temp. it will cook a litle more over the 10-15 minutes you give it to rest and redistribute its interior juices.
I used a much smaller dish so the tenderloins were nice and snug, the larger the dish you use, the more the juice will evaporate. I had plenty of juices left. I cooked two of them for forty minutes and then just broiled them at the end to make them brown on the top.
Just made this last night! It is amazing! I read the comments before making it and wanted it to be browned on the outside. So I took the advice from the one comment about browning it beforehand. I towel dried my tenderloin, rubbed it with the herb mix and then browned it in the oil until it was golden brown on all sides. I put the tenderloin into the baking dish, mixed the lemon, orange, and lime juices together then sprinkled it on top. I added lemon and orange slices (didn’t have any lime) to baking dish around the meat and poured whatever drippings from the pan around the tenderloin. I baked at 400 for about 35 minutes, then tested with my meat thermometer. It was perfectly done.
This was the most tender, melt in your mouth, tenderloin I have ever made. The outsides were nicely browned and there was juices around the meat. Will definitely make this again!! Next time I will add garlic cloves and lemon slices to the baking dish, too, along with the lemon and orange slices.
Did you cover it in the oven? I’m
Very flavorful dish that the whole family enjoyed. It took an hour to cook 2 tenderloins weighing about 2.25 lbs total. Thanks for posting a simple and delicious recipe.
I had to bake probably 15 minutes longer than stated. It wasn’t brown and crispy on the outside and the core temperature wasn’t hot enough. There wasn’t any juice to spoon over the top, either…at any point. What there was burned away at the end of 25 minutes. Disappointed.
You can use AU JUS in the pan for juice, maybe half a package.Depending on how large is your roast. ‘Works every time.