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A favorite easy weeknight dinner, this Roasted Pork Tenderloin is rubbed with herbs and spices, seared in a cast-iron skillet and roasted in the oven with flavorful citrus juices. (low-carb, gluten free, paleo)
Roasted pork tenderloin has always been a weeknight staple in my house. It’s a budget-friendly and inexpensive cut of meat that’s lean and super easy to make!
This recipe requires no marinating which is perfect for those weeks where you’re super busy and forget to plan ahead. (aka most days in my house)
Instead, we’re using a simple dried rub of my favorite herbs and spices, searing the pork to create some beautiful caramelization on the outside, and then finishing it off in the oven with some squeezed oranges and lemons to create a beautiful citrus juice glaze. So good!
Pork tenderloin recipe ingredients
For this recipe, you’ll need 2 pork tenderloins that weigh a total of about 2 1/2 pounds. Most grocery stores sell them in packs of 2, which is perfect for this recipe.
You’ll also need a few herbs and spices to create an easy dry rub. Simply add chili powder, kosher salt, smoked paprika, dried thyme, ground cumin, crushed red pepper flakes and onion powder in a small bowl and mix to combine.
Last but definitely not least, you’ll need some cooking oil and 2 types of citrus fruits – an orange and a lemon.
Before you get cooking, make sure to pat the tenderloins completely dry with paper towels. Then season them on all sides with the dry rub.
How to cook pork tenderloin
Step 1: Heat a large cast iron skillet or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add in oil to coat the bottom of the pan and then add the seasoned pork tenderloins.
Step 2: Sear the pork for about 1 1/2 minutes per side, until every side has a good sear on it.
Step 3: Remove the skillet from the heat and squeeze in the juice of one orange and one lemon. Add the fruit rinds to the skillet and bake everything in 375°F oven for 20-25 minutes, or until the internal temperature of the pork reaches 140°F.
Step 4: Transfer the pork to a cutting board and let it rest for 5 minutes. Slice and serve immediately with the juices from the skillet.
Tips for making the best pork tenderloin
Get a good sear. Make sure your skillet is hot before adding the pork. This will help create that beautiful and delicious caramelization on the outside that creates a ton of flavor!
Use a meat thermometer to check the internal temperature of the pork. Not only will this help you determine if the pork is underdone, but it will also help you make sure it’s not overcooked! Here’s my favorite in-oven meat thermometer.
Let it rest. After removing the pork from the oven, transfer it to cutting board and let it rest for 5 minutes. This will help redistribute and lock in all the moisture so that when you go to slice it, the juices don’t run out.
What to serve with roasted pork tenderloin
To turn this tenderloin into a full meal, here are a few of my favorite side dishes to serve with it:
Roasted Pork Tenderloin
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon chili powder
- 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
- 1 1/2 teaspoons smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 2 1/2 pounds boneless pork tenderloins*
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 orange, quartered
- 1 lemon, halved
- chopped cilantro or parsley, for garnish
Instructions
- In a small bowl, add chili powder, salt, smoked paprika, thyme, cumin, red pepper flakes and onion powder. Mix together until combined.
- Pat the pork tenderloins with paper towels until completely dry. Sprinkle the spice mixture all over the tenderloins and rub it in using your hands.
- Preheat oven to 375°F. Heat a large oven-safe skillet or pan (a cast-iron skillet or dutch oven are best) over medium-high heat. Add the olive oil followed by the seasoned pork. Sear the pork on all sides, about 1 1/2 minutes per side.
- Remove the skillet from the heat and squeeze the juice of the orange quarters and lemon halves into the skillet. Place the squeezed oranges and lemons into the skillet and bake in the oven for 20-25 minutes, or until the internal temperature of the meat reaches 140°F. (I highly recommend using an in-oven meat thermometer to make sure you don't overcook the pork.)
- Remove the skillet from the oven and transfer the pork tenderloins to a cutting board. Let the pork rest for 5 minutes. The pork will continue cooking a little bit during this time and the internal temperature of the meat will reach 145°F.
- Slice and serve with the juices from the skillet and a garnish of chopped cilantro or parsley.
Notes
- Get a good sear. Make sure your skillet is hot before adding the pork. This will help create that beautiful and delicious caramelization on the outside that creates a ton of flavor!
- Use a meat thermometer to check the internal temperature of the pork. Not only will this help you determine if the pork is underdone, but it will also help you make sure it’s not overcooked! Here’s my favorite in-oven meat thermometer.
- Let it rest. After removing the pork from the oven, transfer it to cutting board and let it rest for 5 minutes. This will help redistribute and lock in all the moisture so that when you go to slice it, the juices don’t run out.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
The rub was good and flavorful. However, the notion that you can simply squeeze citrus into the pan. roast the tenderloin in it, and end up with a finished sauce is too good to be true. Or so I found out. Some very major adjustments are necessary to make this sauce edible. I tried a little baking soda (to reduce acidity), some salt (to reduce bitterness), and some sugar (to reduce sour taste), but none of it could save it. Unless you already know how to make a pan sauce from citrus juice, this recipe simply doesn’t work. Therefore, two stars – for the rub.
Made this last night (only one tenderloin so I halved the recipe). I also only had clementines and no oranges. It was delicious! Will definitely make it again!
I made this again last night (almost a year to the day I wrote this last review!) and it was just as good! Again, I only used only one tenderloin and halved the spices (but still used a whole orange and lemon). One tenderloin took about 20 min at 375, although I started checking the temp at 17 min. While the pork was resting I added a little water to the cast iron pan and made a more of a “jus” with the leftover drippings (there wasn’t much actual juice leftover in the pan from cooking so adding some water was the perfect remedy).
Decided to try this pork loin recipe to spice things up this rainy Memorial day. So far it smells amazing. Now onto the cilantro lime rice and corn!
Delicious! Easy! Amazing Flavor!!
Yes, I made this roasted pork tenderloin today…Easter Sunday…and it was so good! Instead of our usual strawberries and whipped cream with Angel food cake for dessert, we had your Mango Chili popsicles! But I used a little chipotle child powder in mine….ooh, what a sensation! Freezing cold mouth on FIRE! Yum thank you for the recipes
This was SO GOOD! I loved it and will definitely make it again.
Delicious. Made half the recipe for two and could have used more citrus.
Made this 4 times now. Always great. Simple and quick and halving the recipe is perfect for 2 with some leftover.
I read the comment from Rebecca, so before my pork was ready I removed from the pot the slices of oranges, and my husband and I loved the taste the flavor was perfect, thank you Isabel for sharing this recipe. Cb
Just made this recipe. Husband and I were both a bit disappointed, too much citrus flavor.