The only baked pork tenderloin recipe you need! Seasoned with a flavorful spice rub and baked in the oven until it’s juicy and tender, this pork tenderloin is perfection!
My family loves pork tenderloin for dinner, and we have a few pork tenderloin recipes that we enjoy regularly, including Crock Pot Pork Tenderloin, Air Fryer Pork Tenderloin, Grilled Pork Tenderloin and this baked pork tenderloin. I’ve probably made this pork tenderloin recipe five times over the past two months. It’s so flavorful and so fast that it’s become a staple in our dinner rotation.
This baked pork tenderloin is worthy of serving to company, but also perfect for a simple family meal any day of the week. In this recipe, I season it with a simple spice rub (very similar to the one I use in my popular Baked Chicken Thighs recipe), drizzle it with a little olive oil for flavor and moisture, and then bake it in the oven until it’s juicy and tender.
Ingredient Notes
Be sure to use pork tenderloin, not pork loin in this recipe. Pork tenderloin is long and thin and cooks up wonderfully tender, as the name suggests. A pork loin is larger around and not as tender. If you have a pork loin, try my Pork Loin Roast Recipe or Instant Pot Pork Loin.
- Pork Tenderloin: I like to bake two pork tenderloins at once, since it doesn’t take any more effort and the leftovers are delicious. (Our two favorite ways to repurpose leftover pork tenderloin are to serve it on Brioche Buns with BBQ Sauce for quick pork sandwiches or to wrap in Flour Tortillas as a burrito.)
- Seasonings: The spice rub is a mixture of brown sugar, paprika, garlic powder, Italian seasoning, salt and pepper. The brown sugar doesn’t make the pork noticeably sweet; rather, it balances out the savory spices and seasonings. The sugar also helps the rub to caramelize on the meat as it bakes. Trust me, it’s delicious!
- Olive Oil: I drizzle olive oil over the seasoned pork before baking for extra moisture and flavor.
How to Bake Pork Tenderloin in the Oven
Make spice rub. Mix together the brown sugar, paprika, garlic powder, Italian seasoning, salt and pepper in a small bowl. As an alternative, I sometimes use my Pork Tenderloin Marinade to season baked pork tenderloin. It’s a great option for variety!
Prep the tenderloins. First, I trim off any silver skin. The silver skin is a silver/white membrane on the side of pork tenderloin. It’s easy to trim off with a sharp knife. Then, rub the seasonings all over the meat. Place in a 9×13-inch baking dish and drizzle with olive oil.
Bake at 400° F for 25-35 minutes, until an instant read thermometer inserted into the center of the meat registers at least 145° F. The center may be slightly pink at 145° F, but the USDA states that whole cuts of pork are safe to eat if cooked to 145° F and then allowed to rest for at least 3 minutes before serving. If you prefer your meat more done, cook the tenderloin to 155° F. It will still be very tender!
What to Serve with Baked Pork Tenderloin
Here are some of my favorite sides for this pork tenderloin recipe:
Easy Baked Pork Tenderloin
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- ¾ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- 2 pork tenderloins, about 1 pound each
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400° F.
- In a small bowl, stir together the brown sugar, paprika, garlic powder, Italian seasoning, salt and pepper.
- Pat the pork tenderloins dry with paper towels. Trim off any silver skin. Sprinkle the seasonings over all sides of the pork and gently rub into the meat. Place in a 9×13-inch baking dish. Drizzle the olive oil over the pork tenderloins.
- Bake for 25-35 minutes, until an instant read thermometer inserted into the center of the meat registers at least 145° F.
- Let pork rest for 5 minutes before slicing and serving.
Notes
- This recipe makes two pork tenderloins to serve 8. The recipe can be halved to cook one pork tenderloin.
- Leftovers: Store leftover baked pork tenderloin in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
- To reheat: Wrap sliced pork tenderloin in foil and heat in a 350° F oven until steaming hot, 15-20 minutes.
- Be sure to use pork tenderloin, not pork loin in this recipe. Pork tenderloin is long and thin and cooks up very tender, as the name suggests. A pork loin is larger around and not as tender. If you have a pork loin, try my Pork Loin Roast Recipe or Instant Pot Pork Loin.
