Baked Pork Tenderloin Recipe - Cooking Classy (2024)

Published December 16, 2020. Updated December 18, 2020

An easy Pork Tenderloin recipe! It’s oven baked and yields an unbelievably tender and juicy interior, enclosed by a deliciously seasoned, nicely browned exterior. It’s a perfectly tasty, foolproof recipe!

Oven Baked Pork Tenderloin

A no fuss way to prepare pork tenderloin! Just season, place in a hot skillet and let the oven do the rest.

Then for a little extra something, finish it with basic pan sauce. Because you can’t go wrong with a little something over the top.

Serve it with your favorite sides and make it a small and simple feast. Great things here would be the classics (think meat and potatoes). Below are some ideas.

What to Serve With

• Classic Mashed Potatoes or Twice Baked Potatoes
• Roasted Brussels Sprouts
• Roasted Vegetable Blend with Garlic and Herbs (or this colorful seasonal blend)
• Dinner Rolls or Cornbread

Baked Pork Tenderloin Recipe Ingredients

• 2 (1 lb each) pork tenderloins – package usually comes with two tenderloins
• 1 tsp paprika
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 1/2 tsp ground coriander
• 1/2 tsp chili powder
• 1/2 tsp garlic powder
• 1/8 tsp cayenne pepper – increase or decrease for more or less heat
• 1 tsp freshly ground black pepper – crack a bit larger if possible
• Salt
• 1 Tbsp light olive oil – vegetable oil works well too
• 1 1/2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
• 1 1/2 tsp minced fresh garlic
• 2 tsp cornstarch mixed with 1 Tbsp low-sodium chicken broth

Scroll below for print option and full recipe instructions.

How To Prepare and Cook Pork Tenderloin

1. Preheat oven and pan: Place a 12-inch cast iron pan in oven and preheat oven to 450 degrees. This should take about 15- 20 minutes of pan resting in oven.
2. Mix spices: Meanwhile in a mixing bowl whisk together paprika, cumin, coriander, chili powder, garlic powder, cayenne pepper and pepper and season with salt as desired.
3. Rub spices over pork: Rub seasoning all over pork tenderloins to even cover.
4. Add oil and pork to preheated pan: Once oven is preheated remove pan from oven, immediately add oil and swirl in pan then place pork tenderloins in pan (don’t forget pan is hot! Use oven mitts/or thick kitchen towels to handle pan).
5. Bake: Return pan to oven and let roast 10 minutes.
6. Turn and continue to bake: Insert an oven meat thermometer in tenderloin (if you have one, otherwise you can just remove roast occasionally to check temperature) and continue to roast until pork registers 145 degrees in thickest portion of each, about 8 – 14 minutes longer.
7. Let rest before carving: Remove from oven and transfer roast to a carving board. Tent with foil and let rest 5 – 10 minutes.
8. Make pan sauce: Meanwhile place pan on stovetop over medium heat. Add garlic and saute about 20 seconds. Pour in chicken broth and let cook until sauce is reduced by about half, about 4 – 5 minutes.
9. Thicken sauce: Whisk in cornstarch chicken broth mixture and let cook until thickened, about 1 minute. Season with salt and pepper if needed.
10. Cut tenderloin, serve: Carve tenderloin into 1/2-inch thick slices and serve with pan sauce.

How Long to Bake Pork Tenderloin

At about 400 to 450 degrees 1 pound pork tenderloin takes about 20 – 25 minutes per lb. And here we are using two separate 1 pound portions so that is right about where we land.

At What Temperature to Cook Pork Tenderloin

• The USDA recommends cooking pork tenderloin to 145 degrees to kill of any potentially harmful bacteria.
• That temperature should be taken from the thickest portion in the center.
• Use an oven probe thermometer or an instant read digital food thermometer to take the temperature.

Is it okay if pork is pink in center?

Yes as long as it has reached an internal temperature of 145 degrees. Originally the USDA recommended an internal temperature of 160 for whole cuts of pork but they have reduced that to 145 degrees which means pork may just be lightly pink and that is fine.

How much pork tenderloin per person?

Plan on about 1/3 pound per person (around 5 oz.) so here you should get about 6 servings.

Variations

Pork tenderloin is very versatile when it comes to seasonings. Here are a few ideas:

• Add 1 tsp lemon zest or orange zest.
• Sweeten the pan sauce with 1 Tbsp honey or brown sugar.
• Try other spices. For a smokey flavor try with smoked paprika instead of sweet or add some spicy chipotle powder.
• Try with fresh herbs such as thyme, oregano, sage or rosemary (add to the sauce or rub over the pork).
• Replace half of the chicken broth with apple cider or fresh orange juice.

Baked Pork Tenderloin Recipe Tips

• Trim the silverskin before seasoning and baking. It’s the shimmery white, thin membrane of connective tissue found on the tenderloin. It doesn’t dissolve, caramelize or digest well, plus it’s tough and chewy.
• Don’t skip preheating the skillet with the oven. Starting the pork out in the super hot pan is what helps brown the exterior.
• Liberally season for layers of flavor. Here we use lots of spices.
• Keep on eye on the temperature for a prime result.
• Keep it juicy, serve it with a sauce.

More Tasty Pork Recipes to Try

• Island Pork Tenderloin
• Kalua Pork
• Grilled Pork Chops
• Pork Chops with Apples and Onions
• Pulled Pork Sandwiches