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:
-
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 1/2 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 1/2 tbsp soy sauce, light or all purpose (Note 2)
- 1/2 cup 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….😂
Lori says
Is Cider vinegar the same thing as apple cider vinegar?
Nagi says
Yes Lori – same thing 🙂 N x
Craig (Victoria) says
Love this recipe .Its a family favourite. Can the sauce be made and stored for another meal?
Nagi says
Hi Craig, yes definitely! N x
Craig (Victoria) says
Thanks for your reply that is yummy news.😋😋
Lucy adams says
Omg I just made this and wow. Possibly the best meal I have ever cooked xx
Tammy Houssen says
This recipe is amazing and the result is delicious!
Nagi says
Thanks so much Tammy!! N x
Manuela says
Can we use the original syrup
Jenny Knowlton says
Absolutely fantastic! So easy. It tasted and turned out great.
J L says
A new family favorite and easy to make
Elly says
Tenderloin was absolutely delicious, but I must have made an error with the sauce along the way, so……..soy toffee anyone?😂
I won’t be deterred to try again.
Nagi says
Hi Elly, oh no – sounds like it may of reduced too much!
Hertha says
How long in the oven for 1 1/2 pound Pork tenderloin
Nagi says
Hi Hertha, I’d check at 10 minutes and test with a meat thermometer to ensure it’s cooked through – if not, just keep cooking but check evert 2 minutes. N x
Borat Sagadeev says
5/5 Very Nice, Thank You.
Nagi says
Thanks so much Borat!! N x
Deslie Hack says
Made this last night for a dinner party, it was stunning i had to make twice the amount but didn’t change anything. It was just stunning
Thanks
Maria says
I made the pork, but the sauce turned into a toffee consistency. Does anyone know why?
Nagi says
Hi Maria, sounds like the sauce reduced too much – can I ask which method you used to cook it? N x
Maria says
I followed the recipe Nagi, but I think I cooked the sauce too long when I took it out of the oven and simmered it on the hob. Nevertheless, it was absolutely gorgeous, even scraping the sauce! I am definitely trying it again and will make sure I only simmer it for 3 minutes once out of the oven. I made the kale rice with it; absolutely to die for.
Jill says
Could the pork be grilled if it were basted with unreduced sauce and then the sauce reduced on the stovetop as instructed?
Nagi says
Yes definitely Jill! N x
Sharon Huddle says
Simply the best…a definite make again…and again!
clarissa says
look very yum. Im goin to try.
thank for the recipe.
Bronnie says
thanks for this recipe. my family are skeptical about pork but they loved this, “1st time I’ve enjoyed pork!”. I’ll be doing this again and again!!
Gail says
Made this last night, subbed honey with maple syrup, with a side of cauliflower and parsnip mash. Delicious!
Ron says
Love this recipe. I’ve made it three times following these instructions, and twice on the charcoal grill in a carbon steel pan. Very tasty!
Carmen says
Just wanted you to know that I have made quite a few of your recipes and they are absolutely delicious. I thank you for the wonderful recipes you share on your website. P.S. Please give a nice hug to Dozer … I love him.
Nagi says
Thank you so much Carmen, that’s so kind of you!! Will give Dozer plenty of hugs 🙂 N x
Lynn Gercke says
Hi Nagi, Thank you so much for this recipe, we had it for dinner to night and it was delicious. I served it with scalloped Potato’s, steamed Corn on the cob & beans, Definitely on my Dinner party menu now.
Garry Flanagan says
This recipe was so nice. The pork was tender and had quite a bit of flavor. The gravy was sweet and complimented the pork. I put a light potato puree and it worked well.