This roasted pork tenderloin deserves a spot on your weeknight rotation

If you ask me, roasted pork tenderloin is one of the easiest ways to make a dinner that impresses every time. It’s quick-cooking, takes extremely well to countless flavors, and is easy enough for a weeknight dinner but remarkable enough for holidays and special occasions. All you need is a simple marinade and about an hour, and you’ll be on your way to a dinner to remember. Read on for all the info you need to make yours the best it can be.

What People Are Saying:

"What a perfect recipe. I've been making glazes for my pork tenderloins separately forever, and this fabulous recipe just self-glazes as it cooks, saving me time, but also creating the most delicious pork tenderloin I've ever made." - NicoK

"This was very delicious and not dry at all. It was indeed tender and the addition of the maple syrup added a nice sweetness to it." - POWERPUFFYVETTE

How To Make Roasted Pork Tenderloin

INGREDIENTS

• Garlic: I use garlic to give my marinade a solid savory footing.
• Olive Oil: Extra-virgin olive oil is the ideal medium for extracting the flavors of the garlic and rosemary and transferring them to the pork.
• Maple Syrup: Not only does maple syrup bring a complex sweetness to the marinade, but it also plays a wonderful foil to the sharp mustard and helps the tenderloin quickly form a deeply caramelized crust before it has a chance to dry out. What’s more, unlike honey, it readily integrates into the marinade.
• Mustard: I use whole-grain mustard to liven up the flavor of the pork and add a little texture. Mustard also functions as an emulsifier for the marinade, binding all the ingredients and helping the marinade cling to the tenderloin.
• Rosemary: It’s hardly breaking news that rosemary, garlic, and pork make a winning combination. Here, rosemary adds a bright, piney, herbal note that really completes the marinade.
• Pork Tenderloin: Whenever I’m craving roast pork on a weeknight, this is the cut I turn to. Its diminutive size—most tenderloins range between 1 and 1 1/2 lb.—and long, narrow shape make it about as quick-cooking as roasts come. Heads up: For this recipe, look for tenderloins that are as close in size as possible to ensure they cook at the same rate. Oh, and feel free to cut the recipe in half if two tenderloins are one too far.

STEP-BY-STEP INSTRUCTIONS

First order of business: the marinade. Combine the garlic, oil, maple syrup, mustard, rosemary, and red pepper flakes in a bowl. Season with a large pinch of salt, then whisk vigorously to combine; the marinade should appear emulsified, a bit like a vinaigrette.

Roasted Pork Tenderloin

Place the tenderloins in a baking dish in a baking dish and season generously on all sides with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper. Pour the marinade over, turning the tenderloins to coat evenly. At this point, you’d be forgiven for wanting to cut straight to roasting, but resist the temptation. All these tenderloins need is 30 minutes, 1 hour max, at room temperature to take on tons of flavor. If you want to work ahead, you can marinate the pork in the fridge for at least 2 hours and up to 12 hours; if going this route, let the pork come to room temperature while you’re preheating your oven.

Roasted Pork Tenderloin

About 15 minutes before you’re ready to roast, preheat your oven to 400°. Transfer the baking dish to the oven and roast the pork, basting with the marinade halfway through, until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part registers 145°, 25 to 30 minutes. (If this temp sounds a little low, don’t fret—the internal temperature will continue to rise another 5 to 10 degrees as the tenderloins rest.) Let rest for 10 minutes to allow the juices to redistribute, then transfer the tenderloins to a cutting board and slice 1" thick.

Roasted Pork Tenderloin

Shingle the slices on a platter and spoon the sauce from the baking dish over. Top with chopped rosemary and you’ve got yourself a main course to be proud of, any day of the week.

Roasted Pork Tenderloin

The full list of ingredients and directions can be found in the recipe below.

Recipe Tips

• How do I keep pork tenderloin from drying out? Using an instant-read meat thermometer is the best (and easiest!) way to know when your meat is done without risking overcooking it and drying it out. The internal temperature should reach 145°, just like a classic pork chop. At this temp, your pork tenderloin will still be perfectly tender and juicy when you slice into it.
• Tuck the tapered end: Many tenderloins come tapered at one of the ends. To avoid overcooking this portion of the meat, tuck the ends under themselves so the tenderloins are an even thickness.

What To Serve With Roasted Pork Tenderloin

While your tenderloin is marinating, use the time to make easy side dishes to round out your meal. Looking for inspo? You can’t go wrong with some roasted potatoes, a simple arugula salad, or some garlic-Parmesan roasted carrots.

Storage

Leftovers will keep up to 5 days in an airtight container in the refrigerator.

Pork tenderloin

Roasted Pork Tenderloin

Made This?

Let us know how it went in the comments below!

Yields: 6-8 servings

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Total Time: 1 hour 10 minutes

Ingredients

• 3

  garlic cloves, finely chopped

• 3 tbsp.

  extra-virgin olive oil

• 3 tbsp.

  maple syrup

• 1 tbsp.

  whole-grain mustard

• 2 tsp.

  chopped fresh rosemary, plus more for serving

• 1/4 tsp.

  crushed red pepper flakes

• Kosher salt

• 2

  (1-lb.) pork tenderloins

• Freshly ground black pepper

Directions

1. In a medium bowl, whisk garlic, oil, syrup, mustard, rosemary, red pepper, and a large pinch of salt.
2. Place pork in a small baking dish; season all over with salt and pepper. Pour marinade over and let sit at room temperature at least 30 minutes and up to 1 hour.
3. Arrange a rack in center of oven; preheat to 400°. Roast pork, basting with sauce halfway through, until an instant-read thermometer inserted into thickest part registers 145°, 25 to 30 minutes. Let rest 10 minutes.
4. Transfer pork to a cutting board and slice into 1" pieces. Arrange on a platter. Spoon sauce over and top with rosemary.