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….😂
First time I’ve ever cooked pork Tenderloin this recipe was fantastic tasted really jive will definitely be cooking again
Turned out great, followed recipe almost exactly, had to bake for a few extra minutes but my tenderloins were a bit larger. The sauce is totally yummo. Will definitely make again!
This is the first pork recipe that I have really enjoyed! The sauce makes it special and I’ll use it again on chicken.
Trying this recipe tonight! Does the sauce go into the oven as well with the pork?
First time I’ve ever cooked pork Tenderloin this recipe was fantastic tasted really nice will definitely be cooking again
Hi Therese, yes it does – if you’re ever unsure, take a look at the video for clarification 🙂 N x
Oh thank you! And thanks for pointing out the video, I just have missed that 🤦🏽♀️
I just made this tonight. My first tenderloin. Except for the fact that I had to cook it longer and finally cut it in slices to get rid of the pink, it was excellent.
I served this tonight for the second time. When my daughter-in-law saw it, she said “ did you make it the way
you did last time?” My family loves it. The sauce is wonderful and I will use it often. Best pork tenderloin I have ever made.
The BEST pork tenderloin I’ve ever cooked!! I used smoked paprika and it was delicious! Definitely a keeper and I will be trying the sauce with salmon and chicken.
This was delicious! I almost bypassed this recipe because it sounded too easy. The menfolk in my house mopped it up. Thank you!
Wahoo, that’s great Rosemary! N x
I’m trying this recipe again tonight. Last time, at the final step of simmering the sauce on the stove top it turned into a sticky separated mess – any tips please ?:) TIA
Oh no Andy!!! Sounds like the heat may of been a little too high at the end? N x
Excellent. Instructions were clear, and the ingredients I easily had available to me, nothing that needs to be a specialty purchase… I will make this again. It worked out PERFECT!
Thank you for sharing this recipe.
Can I do this with pork medallions that’s already pre sliced?
Hi Megan, It depends on how big they are as the cook time will differ 🙂 N x
I’ve made this several times now and it’s always a winner in my house! Matter of fact, all of your recipes have been winners. Keep them coming!
P.S We love Dozer’s adventures, too! I feel like you’re part of the family!
Absolutely love this recipe. Tried it with pork tenderloin and looking forward to trying it with chicken.
I forgot to tell you that I have a Dozer too. He is a 2 year old lab.
Pork tenderloin with garlic and honey, five stars.
I heated slices of leftover in sauce, briefly and mixed with onions and apples, sauteed in oil and a bit of chicken stock.
Added pork at end with sauce.
Great again.
Absolutely beautiful 👌
This was another winner! Absolutely delicious! First night served with some buttery creamy mashed potatoes…The second night served on a bed of fluffy buttery rice. Salad and a veg to cover all the bases…A meal, (actually two) to remember! Thank-you, Nagi! And, Dozer is such a good sport… I love it! 🙂
I made this for dinner tonight…It was delicious and everyone loved it!
This is the best piek tenderloin I have ever had much less cooked. It is so easy and that sauce us to due for. Thank you so much for sharing, Nagi!
I’ve had my cast iron pan for a while now but I’ve just really started using it this year. To be able to use it for this sticky recipe with no fear makes me so happy! I cooked the pork about 10 minutes longer than recommended in the oven (I could have probably seared more) and ended up not needing to reduce the sauce any more. So good! I made it with your mashed cauliflower which my husband doesn’t normally like, but he enjoyed it with this sauce 😊 Thank you Nagi! I’ve made many of your recipes and they’re always delicious!
I made this for supper last and it was absolutely AMAZING! Thank you so much!!