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….😂
Thank you so much for this recipe. Tender and tasty – Loved it!
All I can say is very yummy
This was delicious, I did it exactly and by the recipe and was amazed at how good it was. My husband was glad he didn’t have to get the grill ready I did it all in my cast iron.
I have made this a number of times and it is still a favourite & so easy.
I think I followed the spirit of the recipe😀. It still turned out excellent! My family went back for seconds.
Subs:
Salted meat tenderizer
Minced garlic (canned)
Red wine vinegar
Dark soy sauce🤫
Added:
Pineapple (canned 15oz) drained
Seared then cooked to 145F using a pressure cooker on slow cook (no pressure)
Served on rice with a side of cauliflower.
Thanks, Ken…I’m getting ready to make this and was worried about having the wrong soy sauce. I didn’t know there’s different ones and what I have doesn’t specify it just says “lite”. Your comment is very helpful 👌 👍
I’m not sure why you bothered to make all these changes and then post a review. You have entirely altered what is already a superb dish and stands up on its own (without embellishment). Try it as written and I’m sure you won’t be disappointed, plus it is super fast to prepare and cook and the loin is perfectly tender and moist. It is a regular favourite in our house.
We loved this dish! Easy and great flavor..also the cooking to 155 was spot on!
Nagi, your website has inspired me many times when I don’t know what to make for dinner or whatever meal….I used to be a chef in SF and love all your recipes. Keep them coming!
The Honey Garlic Sauce does not contain garlic. Is this because the garlic is cooked separately in the pan with the pork loin?
Love this recipe always comes out juicy tender and sooo tasty – thanks
Super! So easy and yummy!
As usual your recipes are beautiful!
Thankyou Naji.
Epic
Excellent dish! Didn’t have enough honey so I added maple syrup. Loved everything about this 100%!
I love this recipe. We had it again last night, served with mashed cauliflower, beans and creamy leeks. Amazing! Thanks Nagi. Your recipes never disappoint.
Have you ever thought about auditioning to cook on TV? I so appreciate many of your recipes and Google constantly recommends them to me. Your site is very popular compared to others.
This dish was really really good! I made it last night for my family and everyone loved it.
Thank you for the note & instructions regarding the timing & how long to cook the tenderloins. I had one piece that was smaller than the other. I cooked the smaller piece for about 14min & took it out 1st to rest. Put the larger piece back in for another 3 to 4 minutes & continued with the rest of the recipe.
Really great recipe & instructions. The tenderloins came out very tender & juicy. This is going to be a regular recipe I’ll come back to.
Excellent ! Easy and delicious
easy and delicious! I will make this often and use the sauce with other protiens
Amazingly delicious! Fairly easy. One of my new favorites!
This recipe is a regular in our house. Quick, easy and delicious.
Another gorgeous, fail safe recipe from Nagi.
The only thing I will do differently next time is double the sauce amount. That’s a personal preference for our family..