Pork Tenderloin seasoned with a rub, seared until golden then oven baked in an incredible Honey Garlic Sauce until it’s sticky on the outside and juicy on the inside! A quick and easy pork fillet recipe with high returns for very minimal effort.
Pork tenderloin recipe
Pork tenderloin is like chicken breast – it’s a lean, tender cut of meat and when cooked just right, it’s juicy and succulent.
It is also easy to overcook, and overcooked tenderloin = dry and bland.
Hence the beauty of this pork tenderloin recipe. It’s unbelievable when the pork is cooked perfectly.
But if you go slightly over, no one’s going to notice with this outrageously delicious honey garlic sauce!
What you need
VERY few ingredients! This is another one of those recipes with high returns for low effort – minimal ingredients, less than 10 minutes of active effort for incredible flavours!
How to cook pork tenderloin
The best way to cook pork tenderloin is to start it on the stove and finish it in the oven. Sear the pork first to give it a nice crust (remember, colour = flavour 🙌🏻) then finish cooking it in the oven.
Can’t it be cooked entirely on the stove??
Yep, it sure can, but the outside ring of the tenderloin will be cooked more than ideal by the time the centre is just cooked. Reduce this uneven cooking by bringing the pork to room temperature before cooking.
What about in the oven?
Again, yep, you sure can, but you won’t get the same colour on the surface of the tenderloin so you’ll notice a loss of flavour. But with a sauce this good, it’s forgivable to skip the initial sear! 😇 Directions in the recipe notes.
Look at that sauce glazing the pork!!! Doesn’t it look incredible??!
The Honey Garlic Sauce used in this pork tenderloin recipe has made an appearance in various forms on my website, such as with Salmon, Chicken Breast and as a dipping sauce for the crispiest ever Baked Chicken Wings.
It’s just one of those terrific back pocket sauces that works with virtually every protein. Just a few ingredients that totally transforms when simmered on the stove into a savoury-sweet sauce.
It’s inevitable that it will make yet another appearance one of these days!
What to serve with pork tenderloin
Though you cannot see it properly in the photo above, that yellow/green blur in the background is this Lemon Potato Salad which I added steamed green beans to. A two-in-one carb + veg side that keeps for days, I’m a big fan of those! Here’s a few more:
- Baked vegetables and rice
- 12 Minute Couscous Salad with Sun Dried Tomato and Feta
- Kale and Quinoa Salad and Garlic Butter Rice with Kale (kale is a nutrition powerhouse and these are 2 seriously tasty ways to eat it!)
Otherwise, serve it with a fresh garden salad tossed with a fresh vinaigrette like French, Italian or the everyday salad dressing used in this Cabbage Salad.
I’d also recommend something to slop up the sauce with – bread, mashed potato, or Cauliflower Mash. What looks like mash in the photo below is actually Mashed Cauliflower. Carb free, creamy smooth indulgence – you’ll see it in the recipe video! ~ N x ❤️
Watch how to make it
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Pork Tenderloin with Honey Garlic Sauce
Ingredients
- 2 pork tenderloin (pork fillet), 500g/1lb each (Note 1)
- 1.5 tbsp olive oil (or butter)
- 3 garlic cloves , very finely chopped
Pork Tenderloin Rub:
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder
- 1/2 tsp paprika
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
Honey Garlic Sauce:
- 3 tbsp cider vinegar (Note 2)
- 1.5 tbsp soy sauce, light or all purpose (Note 2)
- 1/2 cup (150g) honey (or maple syrup)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 180C/350F.
- Mix Sauce ingredients together.
- Mix Rub ingredients then sprinkle over the pork.
- Heat oil in a large oven proof skillet (Note 3) over high heat. Add pork and sear until golden all over.
- When pork is almost seared, push to the side, add garlic and cook until golden.
- Pour sauce in. Turn pork once, then immediately transfer to the oven.
- Roast 15 - 18 minutes or until the internal temperature is 68C / 155F (Note 4).
- Remove pork onto plate, cover loosely with foil and rest 5 minutes.
- Place skillet with sauce on stove over medium high heat, simmer rapidly for 3 minutes until liquid reduces down to thin syrup.
- Remove from stove, put pork in and turn to coat in sauce.
- Cut pork into thick slices and serve with sauce!
Recipe Notes:
- Cider vinegar - white wine vinegar, rice vinegar or champagne vinegar. OR 2 tbsp normal white vinegar.
- Soy Sauce - Use light or all purpose. Do not use dark soy sauce or sweet soy sauce.
Nutrition Information:
Life of Dozer
I love the robe so much, I got another one and put his name on it. Poor boy, now he’s been named and shamed….😂
Hi from Dublin Ireland,
Just made this for my daughters and they both asked for more and that ‘never’ happens .
So a big thank you
David
Fantastic taste, like the other reader said , it seemed like a lot of honey but it worked out perfectly and the pork was so tender
I’m so glad you loved it Kathleen ❤️
OMG I LOVE THIS RECIPE SOOOO MUCH! Honestly I couldn’t believe I was able to make something this good. Thank you so much!
Soo good! I always get great recipes from you that I can always count on. Thanks for this and other tasty recipes.
You’re so welcome Barbara!
Thank you so much for all the recipes you share. We have never had one we didn’t love. If I am looking for a new recipe to try I click on your site!
That’s so nice to hear Marie, thanks so much!
I was skeptical about the amount of honey but trusted the recipe – turned out amazing! We will definitely make this again.
That’s awesome to hear Karen!!
OMG Nagi, made this tonight
No words 🙌
I’m so happy you loved it!
Lynda did not say that she loved it … or even that she liked it!!!! … but I loved it !!!! Another top recipe Nagi! Thank you. x
Sooo good!! Even my hubby who doesn’t like pork loves it. And I like that no marinate is required. Thank you for another great recipe, Nagi.
You’ve totally converted him Erlinda!!!
This was so damn good. Not a pork fan but this was delicious.
You’re converted now Emily!!
Agree with the others. Made this tonight and it WAS delicious! Halved everything, also cut the tenderloin in half to fit my 8″ cast iron pan, and used a toaster oven for the baking step. Subbed maple syrup for honey. It was hard to stop myself eating it all! Looking forward to the (planned) leftovers! Really enjoy your recipes!
I’ve never cooked with paprika before so I’m wondering if this would be suitable for young kids or too spicy?
Delicious Father’s Day recipe dinner that I made for my Son and his Daughter. Thank you. Mary Heyens, Guelph, ON, Canada
I’m so happy you loved it Mary ❤️
I made this tonight with the lemon potato salad. Amazing! I tend to overcook pork tenderloin (to the point of almost giving up on this meat entirely) but I adhered to your timing and temp and it turned out perfectly. The sauce was divine – flavorful and not too sweet. But the real hit (in my mind) was the lemon potato salad. I only had time to marinate the potatoes for about 15 minutes in the dressing (I got home a little late from work) and it was still incredible – honestly, the best non-mayo potato salad I’ve ever had. It was fresh and lemony but not tart or bitter. . I’m going to be making this quite a bit this summer because it’s so versatile – probably trying out your suggested variations. Thank you for yet another great dinner recipe!
It’s a game changer isn’t it Cheryl! I almost prefer this to creamy potato salads… (almost) 😂
Hi Nagi, are the oven temperatures for a fan forced oven?…or should I reduce the temperature by 20 degrees… cheers, Dani
Hi Dani! Either fan or standard, same temp 🙂 The cook time difference is so small, I don’t factor it in for this recipe! N x
Thank you! Can’t wait to try it. Love your recipes x
Hi Nagi, I made this and it was so delicious 😋 I would like to make it for a dinner party. Could I sear 6 x tenderloins 2 hours prior and then bake in the oven just before serving? Any advice appreciated! Dani