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….😂
Mrs. Wickers says
I am so glad I discovered this recipe. Delicious and good value to boot.
Gynene L Lane says
I made this tonight! So good!! My husband loved it!!
Mia Groenewald says
Devine. Absolutely devine. I can imagine this recipe with a poke bowl topped with some sesame seeds, a sticky stir fry or a pulled pork burger topped with this sauce. Even sticky ribs. LLOOVVVEED THIS!
Raquel says
Hubby and son was raving about it. Hubby said much better than his usual with cream of mushroom soup. So simple to make yet so good. Even the not so good cook like me can make it. Thank you Nagi for the recipe 😻
Allison says
I’ve never had a Nagi recipe fail before! I followed the instructions to the letter and my sauce burnt in the pan and the tenderloin was raw after 18 mins. I love this site. Guess I could blame my oven though it is new. 🙁
Kai says
This looked and tasted amazing and a simple recipe to cook. Once again you smashed this Nagi. Many thanks
Sandy says
Best tasting and easiest pork tenderloin recipe! This will be a staple for guests.
Jasson says
Very nice recipe chef 👍👌👏, delicious 😋.Thank you for your effort 🌹🌞😎
Linda says
I tried this Pork Tenderloin with Honey Garlic Sauce tonight. It was absolutely the best Pork Tenderloin I have ever made. It was melt in the mouth, and so delicious. Thank you!
Karen says
Loved this! Thanks Nagi. X
Beth says
Pork tenderloin with honey garlic sauce is my go to recipe when having company for dinner. Very delicious. Always have fave reviews when serving it
Alex says
Made this for a potluck last weekend and doubled the recipe so I could share with family. It got the most enthusiastic praise of any tenderloin I’ve ever made. My usual go-to for a glaze is orange juice concentrate with minced garlic and fresh herbs like thyme, tarragon or rosemary. But everyone’s asking me to repeat the honey garlic glaze so I guess it’s the new fave.
Sylvia Winton says
How would this pork tenderloin recipe go using chicken breasts
Stacey says
This was delicious, used rice wine vinegar and added ginger (sorry, but I love the stuff) and served it with jasmine rice, pak choy and edamame beans….scrummy!!!
Fiona says
I am sorry Nagi but I don’t see the instructions to cook this in the oven only can you please help
Hanna says
Made this for dinner tonight with the cauliflower mash…divine! Not normally pork eaters but saw some great pork fillets in supermarket and googled in store what I could do with them and voila! Here was the best recipe.
My son couldn’t get enough of the sauce- next time I think I’ll make double batch of it .
Definitely a hit and will be making again!
Second time I’ve used you recipe Nagi and not disappointed! ( first one was slow cooked lamb shanks!)
Hanna says
Do you cover the fillets when putting in the oven? Or leave uncovered?
Edward Green says
Hi Hanna, I watched the video and I’m sure it’s uncovered.
Susan McDermott says
OMG this is the best recipe ever! Easy to make and the pork was so tender. Hubby said it was the best meat he has ever eaten will do this again thank you
Jane says
Just made this for lunch with cauliflower mash steamed broccoli and steamed beetroot leaves tossed in ricotta
It was a amazing success. My family kicked their plates yummy
Thank you Nagi another one of your recipes that have got me praises from my family
Babs Fawcett says
OMG! Truly delicious and relatively easy. Served with wilted sugarloaf cabbage, steamed parsnip and carrot and minted potatoes. Really good, thanks Nagi