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….😂
Delicious. I’ll double the sauce next time.
You can never have too much sauce! I’m so glad you enjoyed it Terri ❤️
Making the meatloaf and sweet potato casserole tonight. My new fav recipe blog…is your site, And, I’ve shared with all my foodie friends.
First off, I don’t like pork tenderloin. But I decided to give this recipe a try last night. Well, it was so easy, turned out so tender and was delicious. Glad I gave it a try…….thank you for a wonderful meal…..
I’m so glad you gave ti a shot and loved it Angie!
This recipe looks absolutely fantastic. I’ve never cooked pork tenderloin so am going to get some and try it soon. If I don’t use all the tenderloin is it a good cut to freeze?
Hi Mike, yes you can definitely freeze it – N x
Absolutely delicious!!! I have finally found the best recipe on how to cook pork fillet… Quick easy as and to die for!!!
Thanks so much Marta!
Excellent!
Thank you for sharing.
This was so good!!!!! I doubled the sauce…thank you so much…
You can never have enough sauce Annir!
I am repeating myself, but the combination was just so good that I have to share! I made this with the amazing crispy brussels sprouts and creamy cauliflower mash both from your site and everything was FANTASTIC! Thank you Nagi, you’ve got a new Canadian Fan in me!
YUM! Sounds great Genevieve!
Really outstanding! We made this with the duck fat potatoes and it makes two dinners for two of us. Yum!
Sounds divine Lisa!!
Made this for dinner tonight and it was absolutely delicious! Put rub on pork this morning and let it set in frig all day. Recommend making double batch of the sauce because it was so good. Will definitely be making this again. Great Fall Dinner!
Yes 🙌 Great to hear Cheryl!
Nagi, you should talk in your videos. You do a great job. Been making plenty of your recipes recently my missus loves it 🙂 thankyou
She’s a lucky gal! I don’t know if I want to hear myself talk in my videos, I’d get sick of my own voice! 😂
I made this today with pork fillet for the husband and myself and chicken breast for the children. OMG so delicious and made a change from the same old things. I will definitely be adding this to my weekly menus.
Wahoo, that’s great Natasha!
Could I use 1/4 cup of honey and 1/4 cup of maple Syrup rather than 1/2 cup of honey or maple syrup?
I haven’t tried Joanna but I imagine that would be fine! – N x
Very tasty and simple to make. Will make again. Maybe try using pork chops.
This would be amazing on chops too! – N x
Just made it. OMG!! My impossibly picky 12 year old thanked me for the delicious dinner!!!!! It was so juicy and tender. Awesome recipe! Thank you!
WOOT! That’s the best compliment ever!!
Honey Garlic sauce has to have Garlic in it!
Looks yummy though.
And this one does! Check under the ingredients – 3 cloves 😉
My husband and I really enjoyed this recipe! Looking forward to making it again.
That’s wonderful Nicole – Thanks so much for letting me know ❤️
Hey there!
This was tasty, but my sauce burned up in the oven and I did the temp and time right. I ended up making new sauce on stove so the dish wasn’t ruined. Any suggestions? I would love to make it again. Also, I overlooked the ends and most of the pork because of a fat section in the middle, I don’t know how to avoid this.
Hi Rena, sorry you had issues here, sounds like the oven may of been slightly too hot as it should burn after such a short time! – N x
Hi from Dublin Ireland,
Just made this for my daughters and they both asked for more and that ‘never’ happens .
So a big thank you
David
Fantastic taste, like the other reader said , it seemed like a lot of honey but it worked out perfectly and the pork was so tender
I’m so glad you loved it Kathleen ❤️
OMG I LOVE THIS RECIPE SOOOO MUCH! Honestly I couldn’t believe I was able to make something this good. Thank you so much!