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This Roasted Pork Tenderloin is cooked in a rich balsamic glaze that beautifully blends the earthy taste of rosemary, the tangy flavor of vinegar, and a hint of garlic. Paired with perfectly roasted baby red potatoes, this filling and flavorful meal is a perfect choice, especially when served with a light salad and a glass of wine.
If you’re craving more pork tenderloin recipes, give this Instant Pot Pork Tenderloin a try—it’s always a hit!
No other cut of pork can hold a candle to pork tenderloin when it comes to soaking up flavor. Since it’s such a thin cut, the rich and deep flavors of garlic, rosemary, and sweet yet tangy balsamic vinegar really get a chance to shine. The glaze also helps ensure that the delicate meat stays nice and tender.
This juicy and flavorful roasted pork tenderloin recipe is also great for a quick meal because it has a built-in side dish. Not only do you get the sumptuous meat, but it also comes with potatoes that are cooked right there in the same pan! This saves time and means the potatoes will be packed with flavor.
Why You’ll Love This Roasted Pork Tenderloin Recipe
- Quick Flavorful Dinner: Opting for pork tenderloin ensures a quicker cooking time and better absorption of flavors, giving you a tender and delicious meal every time.
- All-In-One Meal: The recipe incorporates potatoes cooked right alongside the pork, so you get a flavorful side dish without any extra effort.
- Juiciness Guaranteed: The delicious glaze not only adds flavor but also ensures the pork remains tender throughout the cooking process.
- Effortless: With a short list of common ingredients and easy-to-follow instructions, this dish can be assembled in just 10 minutes and is perfect for both beginners and seasoned cooks.
Pork Loin vs Pork Tenderloin
Although pork loin and pork tenderloin might sound pretty much the same, there’s a world of difference in those six extra letters! Pork loin roast is a much thicker cut of meat. This means it takes longer to cook and needs more time to marinate before the flavor can really sink in, and it’s best for a porchetta recipe or slow cooker pork loin. We use pork tenderloin in this recipe because it is quicker, more tender, and fully soaks up the flavors of the glaze.
Ingredients You’ll Need
This pork tenderloin recipe is easy to make with only a handful of ingredients you probably already have sitting around your kitchen. The glaze can be whipped up in no time at all, and the oven does the rest of the work!
- Pork Tenderloin: Don’t substitute other cuts.
- Olive Oil: Used for the glaze and to help brown the pork and potatoes. Any other neutral cooking oil can be used.
- Balsamic Vinegar: Provides a tangy, slightly sweet depth of flavor. You could substitute red wine vinegar with a teaspoon of honey or brown sugar.
- Garlic: Whole cloves, crushed. Use garlic powder (about 1/4 teaspoon per clove) if fresh garlic isn’t available.
- Rosemary: If you don’t have fresh rosemary, add about 1 teaspoon dried rosemary. Fresh thyme is also a good option.
- Salt & Black Pepper: A simple seasoning that will enhance the flavors of the pork and glaze.
- Red Potatoes: Cut into quarters. Yukon Gold or fingerling potatoes can be used instead.
How to Cook Pork Tenderloin
Ten to fifteen minutes is all you need to get this dish assembled and ready for the oven. Follow these easy steps for perfectly cooked tenderloin with potatoes.
- Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven to 450°F.
- Prep Your Materials: Use cooking spray to grease a roasting pan, then place the pork in it.
- Assemble the Glaze: Combine the olive oil, balsamic vinegar, garlic cloves, rosemary leaves, salt, and pepper in your food processor and blend until the mixture thickens into a paste.
- Glaze the Pork and Prep the Potatoes: Cover the meat on all sides using 3/4 of the glaze. Cut the potatoes into quarters and spread the rest of the rub onto the potatoes. Place the potatoes around the pork and pop it into the oven for 8 minutes, flipping the meat halfway through to brown evenly on both sides.
- Reduce the Oven Temp to 350°F, and cook for 40 to 45 minutes or until the potatoes are tender, and the pork should read at least 145°F on your meat thermometer.
- Let it Cool: Let the pork rest for 5 minutes. This not only cools the meat but also allows the flavorful juices to sink into the pork and potatoes.
- Serve: Transfer the pork tenderloin to a cutting board. Cut it into slices and serve it with the potatoes and a side of roasted carrots.
How to Tell When Pork is Done
Since it can be hard to tell if meat is cooked all the way through just by looking at it, the best way to tell when your pork tenderloin is done is to use a meat thermometer and pull the pork out of the oven when its internal temperature reaches 145˚F. Instant-read digital thermometers are easy to use and give you quick results.
Recipe Tips
From selecting the right cut of meat to mastering the perfect seasoning and cooking techniques, follow these tricks and tips for a successful roasted pork tenderloin dinner.
- Cut of meat: I’ll say it again because it’s important to use pork tenderloin, not pork loin, for this recipe. Keep the loin for this amazing pork roast recipe.
- Cover the Pork: Covering the pan with tin foil after adding the potatoes can stop the steam from escaping and result in a juicier pork tenderloin. However, doing this can make the potatoes less crispy. It’s really up to you to decide whether to cover the pan or not.
- Score the Tenderloin: Before adding the glaze, try making small cuts or scores across the top of your pork. This helps the meat stay tender and absorb more flavor.
- Allow the Meat to Rest: Giving the pork time to rest both before and after it’s roasted will also help it stay tender and absorb the flavors more deeply. The resting time after cooking is especially important to lock in the juices.
Serving Suggestions
Since this pork tenderloin recipe already has a built-in side dish, any other sides should stay light. This refreshing Cabbage Cucumber Salad has a light dressing and brings the bright crunch of fresh greens. You could also pair the pork with our Classic Southern Coleslaw and these amazing Honey Garlic Butter Roasted Carrots.
Storage and Reheating
- Refrigerate. Cooled pork should be stored in an airtight container and kept in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
- Freeze. To freeze roasted pork tenderloin, wrap it in plastic wrap and foil before freezing it, and keep it in the freezer for 2 to 3 months. To serve, thaw it overnight in the refrigerator.
- Reheat. To reheat, use the oven to warm it through. You can also use the stove if you want to give it a light sear. If you saved any of the glaze or the juices from the pan, pour them on before reheating to add more flavor and keep the meat tender.
More Flavorful Pork Recipes
This dish is a rich and flavorful way to make pork tenderloin, but there’s so much more you can do with this little cut! Check out the recipes below for more inspiration.
- Grilled Pork Tenderloin
- Honey Garlic Pork Chops
- Char Siu
- Bacon Wrapped Pork Tenderloin
- Baked Bone In Pork Chops
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Roasted Pork Tenderloin
Ingredients
- 2 pounds boneless pork tenderloin
- ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
- 3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar of Modena
- 10 cloves garlic, smashed
- ¼ cup fresh rosemary leaves
- salt and fresh ground black pepper, to taste
- 2 pounds baby red potatoes, washed, scrubbed, and quartered
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 450°F. Lightly grease a roasting pan with cooking spray; place the pork inside the roasting pan and set aside.
- In a food processor or small blender, combine olive oil, balsamic vinegar, garlic, rosemary, salt, and pepper; process until thickened and the consistency is that of a wet paste.
- Spread 3/4 of the glaze on all sides of the pork. Prepare the potatoes by combining them with the remaining glaze. Arrange the potatoes around the meat. Place in oven and cook for 8 minutes, flipping the pork halfway through cooking for even browning.
- Reduce the oven temperature to 350˚F.
- Continue to cook for 40 to 45 minutes, stirring the potatoes halfway through cooking, until the pork is cooked and the potatoes are tender. Pork is done when its internal temperature registers at 145°F.
- Remove from oven and let rest for 5 minutes. Transfer the roast to a cutting board; slice and serve with the potatoes.
Notes
- Marinating Time: If time allows, let the pork marinate in the balsamic mixture for a few hours. This allows for deeper flavor penetration.
- Cover the Pork: Using tin foil to cover the pan can make the pork juicier by trapping in the steam, but it might reduce the crispiness of the potatoes.
- Score the Tenderloin: Make small cuts on top of the pork before glazing. It helps in flavor absorption.
- Fresh Ingredients: Use fresh rosemary and garlic over dried or pre-minced versions. They significantly impact the depth and authenticity of flavors.
- Temperature Check: Always use a meat thermometer to ensure the pork is cooked to the desired temperature. It’s the best way to avoid over or under-cooking. If the pork is cooked through before the potatoes, remove the pork from the pan, transfer it to a cutting board, and continue to cook the potatoes until done.
- Let the Meat Rest: Resting the pork before and after roasting is crucial for retaining juices.
- To Store: Refrigerate in a tightly sealed container for up to 4 days.
- To Freeze: Wrap tightly in plastic wrap, tin foil, or a freezer bag and freeze for up to 3 months.
Nutrition
Nutritional info is an estimate and provided as courtesy. Values may vary according to the ingredients and tools used. Please use your preferred nutritional calculator for more detailed info.
Quick follow up to my original comment.
HOT DAMN, THAT’S TASTY!!!!
Can’t tell you how happy I am to know that it kind of all worked out in the end!! 😀
You know, the darker brown color could have been because of the brand of balsamico that you used. They all come in the same color of course, but some are a deeper purple, others are lighter. Just a guess.
In as far as the cooking time, gosh, I really don’t know. Because I blog my recipes, I have an oven thermometer so to make sure that I’m giving out the most precise information, but because all ovens are different, it’s also the reason why I say to use a meat thermometer and remove only once the desired temperature has been reached. I try, I really do try. So sorry if it caused you any headaches! :-/
Have a wonderful day!!
I had two issues with this recipe, though they may be my fault.
First, I used 1.5 packages for a total of 3 individual loins. I cooked them in the same roasting pan so I had to cook the potatoes in a separate roasting pan due to lack of space. Whether or not this is related, I don’t know but the cooking time took way, way less. The loin were at room temp, or just about, when they went in at 450. 15 minutes later, when I put the potatoes in the oven and lowered the temp to 350, they were almost done as the roasting thermometer I put into the largest one was already at 140.
15 minutes later they were all topping 160 in the oven so I had to pull them.
The second issue I had was that they were rather unappealing to look at. They were this dull brown on the outside. Maybe this was due to how quick it took to cook them but they looked nasty, nothing at all like the image above. I had to give them all a few minutes in a hot skillet to give them some color.
Haven’t tasted them as these will be my meals for the week. Once the potatoes are cooked and everything is cooled I’ll portion them out and toss them in the fridge.
I had a similar problem with this recipe. I think it’s in the steps–the pictures are not the result of the actual recipe printed. I don’t think the olive oil mixture in the photos was pureed for 2-3 minutes. Rather just mixed until everything chopped a little. The paste looks awful and smells like mustard! Also I think it would be better to cook the potatoes first at 450 for 15 minutes then put the meat in the pan at 350 for the remaining time. Roasted potatoes take longer to cook. In my dinner last night the potatoes weren’t cooked all the way and the meat was a little over but still very tender. I think the flavor and everything would be better that way. I may try it again another time, but the way it’s written I was also disappointed.
Do you cover this when you return to the oven?
Hi Martha! No, it doesn’t need to be covered.
Is this meant to be made using a tenderloin or a boneless loin roast? I read it as a loin roast, but the pics look like two tenderloins… I’d imagine the cooking time would be pretty different, yes? Just want to make sure before I make a loin only to discover it isn’t cooked through if these directions are really for tenderloins! Thanks.
Hi Christine!! Yes, it should be boneless. Thanks for bringing it to my attention!
Just to clarify you mean 2 boneless pork loin roasts or 2 pork tenderloins?? Thanks!
Hi Lisa!! Yes, boneless pork loin is right. Thank you!!
I used boneless pork tenderloins, the package came with two individual loins. I would however suggest to season the potatoes with with some garlic slices when you put it in the oven. The first time i made this recipe the potatoes were a little too blan for my likeing
I don’t have a “roasting pan” 🙁
What can I use instead?
Just now fresh from the oven and it is wonderful. Followed the recipe exactly. Read the recipe and knew it would be spot on. Perfection. Many thanks.
I followed the recipe and created a paste that I rubbed on the pork but it didn’t roast up like the pictures and when the pork was done the paste wasn’t crisped it was still a partially paste. Not sure what I did because I followed the recipe exactly as written. My rosemary and garlic were completely ground up by the food processor whereas in the pictures the rosemary looks like whole leaves.
Hi Marla!!
I have no idea what could have gone wrong. :-/
So the paste didn’t finish cooking in a 450F oven? That’s a pretty high temp, and the only thing I would suggest is maybe leaving it in there for a few minutes longer, or until the paste sets. Did it taste pasty? And was everything cooked thoroughly, except for the paste? Let me know at your earliest convenience. Thank you!!
My boyfriend loved this! Can’t go wrong feeding an Italian anything with rosemary, garlic and balsamic. Thank you so much for sharing this super easy and delicious recipe, we’ve been enjoying it immensely!
YAAAAY!!! SO happy you both enjoyed it!! THANK YOU!
I have made this for the last 4 yrs at Christmas and add some dark brown sugar. My family raves over this! You are right – rosemary, garlic & balsalmic!
🙂
I’m very glad everyone enjoys it! Thank you so much! 🙂
I have been searching for about 2 hours for your recipe for cabatata bread. Can’t find it!!!!!! Please send it to me or post on next installment of Diethood. Thanks. Liz Davis
Hi Liz!! I have a recipe for a skillet bread. Is that the one you’re looking for? You can find that recipe right here: https://diethood.com/rosemary-garlic-no-knead-skillet-bread/
Or maybe the Focaccia bread recipe: https://diethood.com/whole-wheat-focaccia-bread/
I hope that helps!
This would make the best quick dinner! Not too many ingredients or prep time. Perfect!
Hi Laura!! Happy to “hear” from you! 😀 Have a very Merry Christmas!