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….😂
Easy to make. The family really liked it. We be using this recipe again.
Wonderful recipe thanks for sharing
You’re so welcome Marijke!!
Absolutely beautiful and so easy to make!
I’m so glad you love it Janelle!
This was SO delicious.
Your recipes are always a huge hit in my house. My husband took one mouthful and said “this is Nagi right?”
Aww that’s lovely to hear!
Made this for friends and family, This recipe is really simple yet packs so much flavour. Turned out super tender and the sauce is soooo yummy it should be illegal!!
Thanks so much Nagi for making cooking such a joy again.
I made this last night and it was delicious !!! I will double the sauce next time …it was so good ! Thanks for another awesome recipe !
You can never have enough sauce!!! I’m so glad you loved it – N xx
Oops forgot to give it 5 stars !
Very very good and simple to prepare. love a one pan recipe, especially one that comes off as impressive as this one .
Nagi you have done it again !
Thanks so much Susan!! – N x
My family gives this the thumbs up!
Just caught the sauce before it burnt, with the result that it was a delicious sticky caramel. Complemented the pork beautifully. Served with roasted cauliflower and pumpkin on a bed of spinach and rocket.
I’m so glad you caught it Julie!!
I JUST PREPARED THIS WITH AGAVE INSTEAD OF HONEY AND THE TASTE WAS AMAZING.
THANKS!
I’m so glad it works with agave, thanks so much for letting me know – N x
This recipe has just become one of my favourites!
It was absolutely delicious.
My Mother-in-law and hubby were wanting more.
Thank-you for all of your amazing recipes. ♥️
It’s another winner Nagi 😀 I served it with noodles and pak Choi but next time I make it I will double the sauce and use half to mix into the noodles 😋 it was delicious, thank you
Sorry forgot to give this 5 stars
WOOT! That’s awesome Claire!!
You give inspiration to so many and give people the confidence to at least try to create something delicious.
Your video’s are a huge help and although I consider myself a good cook with years of work in hospitality, I still look to you for delicious ideas.
Thank-you x
Hi Nagi…Happy New Year! I’ve been making your Chinese bbq pork the last few New Years because it’s so good. I was skeptical about this recipe. Oh my goodness….ANOTHER WINNER! I’ll have to rotate the 2 recipes now…lol
I’m so glad you loved it Andrea!!
Can pork loin be sub’ed in this recipe
what can you substitute green onion with?
Our new favorite recipe for pork tenderloin. We are addicted to your honey garlic sauces!
I made this the other night!
Was so easy and the flavours were incredible!!!
Wahoo, that’s awesome to hear Angela!
Really delish
Thanks so much Melanie!
Loved this recipe. Was so easy and the family loved it.
Awesome Caron!
Here is my second time recipe comment –
I made this pork tenderloin recipe with chicken thigh fillets and it was really lovely,
Hope I live long enough to try all your mouth watering recipes ! So many new ideas and so far no failures,
Thumbs up for YOU ,
AGAIN THANK YOU , Ose
THANKS
That’s great to hear Ose, I’m so glad you enjoyed it!
Hello! I am very excited to make this! Quick question….my sister-in-law is nursing a baby with a soy allergy. Is there anything to substitute for the soy sauce?
Hi Jennifer – you can try coconut aminos 🙂