Pork Tenderloin in the Oven (Ready in 25 Minutes!)
Jump to Recipe
Pork tenderloin in the oven is honestly one of the most underrated weeknight dinners out there. It’s leaner and faster than my slow cooker pork loin, it’s on the table in 25 minutes, and with a smoky spice rub and a compound butter that brings it to the next level. Follow this recipe, and I promise it’ll earn a permanent slot in your weekly rotation.
Recipe Summary: Pork Tenderloin in Oven
- ✅ Recipe Name: Oven Pork Tenderloin
- 🕦 Ready in: 25 minutes
- 🤝 Serves: 8
- 🍴 Calories: 262 kcal
- 🧑🍳 Main ingredients: pork tenderloin, butter, spice rub, chicken broth
- ✨ Summary: Juicy pork tenderloin in the oven with a smoky spice rub and honey Dijon compound butter. Done in 25 minutes with a gorgeous built-in pan sauce.
Why you’ll love this recipe
- It’s on the table in 25 minutes: Sear it, glaze it, roast it 🤌 Pork tenderloin in the oven is the kind of dinner that feels impressive when you’ve actually put minimal effort into it.
- The compound butter is our secret weapon here. Honey and Dijon mustard are combined and brushed over the pork as it roasts. It bastes the meat, adds richness, and you not only have a perfectly flavoured tenderloin, but you also have a delicious pan sauce. Enter point three!
- Built-in pan sauce, without any effort! Deglazing the cast iron with chicken stock before the whole thing goes into the oven means you get a gorgeous pan sauce automatically. If dry pork tenderloin has let you down before, this is the recipe will win you over.
- One of the most affordable cuts of pork! If you’re already a fan of a great baked pork steak recipe, tenderloin needs to be on your radar too. It’s lean, incredibly tender, and still very budget-friendly per serving. I got mine for 3 quid!
- Cupboard essentials only. Smoked paprika, cayenne, Italian seasoning, onion powder, garlic powder, Dijon, honey, butter, and a splash of stock. So no need to go searching for random ingredients! Similarly to my Air Fryer Pork Belly Strips, you probably only need to go out and buy the pork!
Table of Contents
Ingredients For Roasted Pork Tenderloin
Here’s you’ll need for this oven-roasted pork tenderloin recipe:
- Pork tenderloin: Two tenderloins, which together serve 8 people generously. Make sure the packaging says tenderloin and not pork loin or pork loin filet – completely different cut and different recipe required!
- Smoked paprika: If you can go with a good quality paprika, that would be great as it’s the backbone of the spice rub. It gives the tenderloin that deep, almost barbecue-style colour and a gentle smokiness that makes every bite taste like you tried much harder than you did.
- Compound butter (butter, honey, Dijon, parsley): As it melts over the pork during roasting, it bastes the meat from the top down, giving you a heavenly result. I use salted butter as I’m not afraid of a little seasoning.
See the recipe card for full information on all ingredients and quantities.
Variations/ Adaptations
- Swap the herbs in the rub. Italian seasoning is a great all-rounder here, but dried rosemary, thyme, or oregano works just as well. A teaspoon of fennel seeds is also brilliant as fennel and pork are a match made in heaven (hello creamy sausage pasta)
- Change up the compound butter. The honey Dijon version is my favourite by a mile, but garlic and herb butter is a brilliant swap for a more classic result. If you’re feeling bold, you could even go with a cowboy butter recipe or try something like my compound butter for steak which includes roasted garlic!
- Adjust the heat level. The cayenne in the spice rub is optional so if you have kids that really don’t like any hint of spice, you can remove it.
How to make Pork Tenderloin in Oven
Step 1: Pat the pork tenderloins dry with a paper towel, then season generously with salt.
Step 2: Evenly coat both tenderloins with the spice rub, pressing it in on all sides.
Step 3: Sear the tenderloins for around 2 minutes on each side, until you get a nice golden-brown crust all over.
Step 4: Coat the tenderloins in the compound butter and add the chicken stock into the pan.
Step 5: Roast for 10-15 minutes.
Step 6: Allow the tenderloin to rest before slicing and serving. Garnish with fresh parsley and an extra crack of black pepper.
Tips for the best result
- Remove the silver skin before you season. That thin, silvery membrane running along the side of the tenderloin doesn’t break down during cooking, so it makes the meat tough.
- Pat the pork completely dry with a paper towel. Excess moisture is will prevent a good sear.
- Use a meat thermometer. Tenderloin is a very lean cut and it dries out fast if you overshoot the temperature. I remove it from the oven at 135-140°F and let the residual heat carry it the rest of the way. The biggest criticisms of pork tenderloin are that they dry out so watch out for this!
- Don’t skip the rest. Five minutes rest will allow the juices to redistribute and will lock in that moisuture!
- Cast iron is ideal but if you have a stainless steal pan or a heavy bottomed oven safe pan, that will also work!
Serving Suggestions
Pork tenderloin in the oven is one of those flexible mains that works with almost anything. A creamy mash or cheesy mashed potato is the obvious pairing and it’s absolutely brilliant, since the pan sauce doubles as an instant gravy.
Roasted med veg, a crisp rocket salad, or just some crusty bread to mop up the compound butter situation all work a treat too. If you’re building out a bigger spread, my baked chicken drumsticks or baked fish both have short oven cook times so you could throw them in alongside as a couple of different protein options for a crowd.Leftover Storage and Reheat Instructions
Refrigerator: Store in an airtight container with the pan sauce for up to 4 days. The sauce keeps the pork moist and stops it drying out in the fridge.
Freezer: Yes, this pork tenderloin in the oven freezes well for up to 3 months. Slice it before freezing for easier portioning.
Reheat: Gently reheat in a frying pan over a low heat with a splash of water or extra stock, lid on, for around 4 to 5 minutes. Avoid the microwave if you can! Tenderloin is lean and the microwave can dry it out quickly.
Oven Roasted Pork Tenderloin in Oven FAQs
The target internal temperature for pork tenderloin in the oven is 145°F/63°C. In this recipe, pull it at 135- 140°F because the temperature will continue to rise during the resting period. A meat thermometer is your best friend here, especially since every tenderloin varies slightly in thickness and my oven will be different to yours!
With the sear-then-roast method in this recipe, pork tenderloin in the oven takes around 10–15 minutes at 200°C/395°F, plus 2 minutes per side to sear and 5 minutes to rest. Total time from start to table is around 25 minutes – pretty impressive if I may say so myself!
You don’t have to, but I’d really encourage it. Searing gives you a gorgeous crust, helps develop flavour, and means less time in the oven overall, which keeps the pork tenderloin juicy. It also means you can deglaze the pan and get that brilliant built-in sauce.
Overcooked is almost always the answer. Pork tenderloin is a very lean cut with minimal fat , so it dries out quickly once it goes past 145°F/63°C. The pan sauce in this recipe adds a great buffer, but the best protection is a meat thermometer and pulling the pork at 135-140°F.
They’re two completely different cuts with different cook times. Pork tenderloin in the oven is long, narrow, and very lean, cooking in around 20–25 minutes. Pork loin is a much wider cut that needs 45 minutes or more. Always check the label as we don’t want a severely undercooked piece of pork!
Explore More Easy Pork Recipes
If you tried this Oven Pork Tenderloin, it would mean so much to me if you could leave a review & a star rating to let me know how you found it! I love hearing about your experiences – it motivates me to keep creating more and more recipes for you guys 💛 Let’s get cooking! – Mimi x
Oven Pork Tenderloin
Ingredients
Spice Rub
- 1 tbsp smoked paprika
- 1 tsp cayenne pepper
- 2 tsp Italian seasoning
- 1 tsp onion powder
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- ¼ tsp ground black pepper
- 1 tsp salt
Main
- 2 pork tenderloins
- 2 tbsp neutral oil vegetable or rapeseed
- 100 ml chicken stock
Compound Butter
- 50 g softened butter
- 1 tbsp honey
- 1 tbsp Dijon mustard
- 2 tbsp fresh parsley chopped
Method
- Preheat your oven to 200°C/395°F.
- Pat the pork tenderloins dry with a paper towel, then season generously with salt.
- Evenly coat both tenderloins with the spice rub, pressing it in on all sides.
- Preheat a cast-iron pan over high heat, then add 2 tbsp of neutral oil.
- Sear the tenderloins for around 2 minutes on each side, until nicely browned all over.
- Turn off the heat and add the chicken stock to the pan to deglaze the base.
- Combine the compound butter ingredients in a small bowl and microwave for 30 seconds to melt.
- Pour or brush the compound butter evenly over both tenderloins.
- Roast for 10-15 minutes, or until the pork reaches an internal temperature of 140°F/60°C. It will rise to 145°F/63°C as it rests.
- Rest for 5 minutes, then slice into 2cm rounds and serve.
Notes
- Remove the silver skin before you season. That thin, silvery membrane running along the side of the tenderloin doesn’t break down during cooking, so it makes the meat tough.
- Pat the pork completely dry with a paper towel. Excess moisture is will prevent a good sear.
- Use a meat thermometer. Tenderloin is a very lean cut and it dries out fast if you overshoot the temperature. I remove it from the oven at 135-140°F and let the residual heat carry it the rest of the way. The biggest criticisms of pork tenderloin are that they dry out so watch out for this!
- Don’t skip the rest. Five minutes rest will allow the juices to redistribute and will lock in that moisuture!
- Cast iron is ideal but if you have a stainless steal pan or a heavy bottomed oven safe pan, that will also work!
Nutrition
- Weekly meal plans with a £20 budget
- 150+ exclusive recipes
- Personal dashboard
- Exclusive step by step videos
- Shopping list tools
- Advert Free experience
