Honey Garlic Pork Tenderloin Recipe

Prep Time 5 minutes
Total Time 25 minutes
Servings 8 servings

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This Honey Garlic Pork Tenderloin Recipe is one of my favorite ways to make pork tenderloin in the oven! It’s made with juicy pork smothered in a sweet and savory honey garlic sauce!

two pork tenderloins in honey garlic sauce in a white baking dish

One thing you may already know about me is that I love honey garlic everything. Baked Honey Garlic Chicken, Honey Garlic Salmon, Honey Garlic Turkey Sloppy Joes…and the list goes on.

Well, this Honey Garlic Pork Tenderloin Recipe is another delicious way to use honey garlic sauce. It’s made with juicy pork tenderloins that are doused in a sweet, savory, and tangy honey garlic sauce, then baked until tender, moist, and insanely flavorful.

This easy dinner recipe takes just 25 minutes to make!

Serve it with Instant Pot Brown Rice, Roasted Green Beans or Air Fryer Broccoli for a well rounded meal.

Pork Tenderloin Recipe Ingredients:

This Honey Garlic Pork Tenderloin Recipe is made with pantry staples, so you likely don’t even have to leave the house to whip this up!

ingredients needed to make honey garlic pork tenderloin
  • Pork Tenderloins: you’ll need two pork tenderloins equalling about 2-2.5 pounds. Be sure they’re both trimmed and ready to go.
  • Oil: adds moisture and helps the seasonings stick.
  • Seasoning Salt: seasoning salt is a simple way to add a ton of flavor to the pork.
  • Honey, Chicken Broth, and Soy Sauce: a sweet, salty, and super flavorful base for our honey garlic sauce.
  • Garlic: use freshly minced garlic for the best garlicky flavor.
  • Apple Cider Vinegar: the bright, tanginess of cider vinegar cuts the sweetness from the honey.
  • Salt: enhances other flavors within the sauce.
  • Cornstarch: helps thicken the honey garlic sauce.
  • Red Pepper Flakes: optional, but highly recommended for a kick of heat!
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How to Make Honey Garlic Pork Tenderloin Recipe in the Oven

This baked pork tenderloin recipe makes the perfect easy weeknight dinner. It’s ready in just 25 minutes and it’s always a hit!

  1. Prep the tenderloins: Place the tenderloins into a lightly greased 9×13″ baking dish, brush them with oil, then season with seasoning salt.
  2. Make the sauce: In a bowl, whisk together honey, broth, soy sauce, garlic, vinegar, salt, cornstarch, and red pepper flakes.
  3. Bake: Pour the sauce around the tenderloin, then bake until 140ºF.
  4. Drizzle the thickened sauce over the finished tenderloin.

Baked Pork Tenderloin FAQs

What temperature should I cook pork tenderloin?

I find 400ºF to be the perfect temperature for baking pork tenderloin. It’s hot enough that it can brown on top, but not so hot that it burns before the insides are tender and juicy.

How long to roast pork tenderloin:

Mine usually cook all the way through in anywhere from 15-20 minutes, but this depends on the thickness of the tenderloins you’re using. The best way to tell if your pork tenderloin recipe is done is to use a meat thermometer. Check at 15 and add time as needed until they reach 140ºF.

How to store pork tenderloin:

Leftover Baked Pork Tenderloin will last in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days or in the freezer for 4-6 months. To reheat, thaw overnight in the fridge if frozen, then warm either in the microwave or in the oven until heated through.

Can I use pork loin for this recipe?

The short answer is no, because a pork loin is so much larger and the cook times will be way off.
If you do try it, you may want to leave the honey garlic sauce off until the last 20 minutes of bake time so that it doesn’t burn.

Can I use chicken in this recipe?

If you’re looking to use chicken breasts instead of pork tenderloin, I recommend checking out my Crock Pot Honey Garlic Chicken or Honey Garlic Chicken recipes.

spoon drizzling honey garlic sauce over pork tenderloin

Recipe Tips and Notes

  • Pour the sauce around, not on. When you add the sauce to the pork tenderloin, pour it around them as opposed to on them. If you pour the sauce on top of the pork it will prevent them from browning.
  • Check the temp. As always, the best way to tell that meat is done is to use a meat thermometer. Pork tenderloin should be 140-145ºF!
  • Don’t overcook. Since pork is a lean meat, it can dry out more easily than other types of meat. Be sure to take it out of the oven as soon as possible after it reaches 140-145ºF.
  • Let it rest. Resting the meat for 10 minutes before slicing into it is the key to juicy pork.
  • Stocked up on pork tenderloin? Try my Pork Tenderloin Marinade or Honey Balsamic Pork Tenderloin next!

Serving Suggestions for this Honey Garlic Pork Tenderloin Recipe

These Honey Garlic Pork Tenderloins are delicious over a pile of quinoa or Instant Pot Jasmine Rice and with a side of roasted vegetables. I love Green Beans with Bacon, Honey Glazed Carrots, or this Easy Broccoli Salad for a prep ahead option.

We always have to have basket of Mom’s Homemade Buns too!

close up image of five slices of pork tenderloin on plate with green beans

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Honey Garlic Pork Tenderloin Recipe

4.95 from 1621 votes
This Honey Garlic Pork Tenderloin Recipe is one of my favorite ways to make pork tenderloin in the oven! It's made with juicy pork smothered in a sweet and savory honey garlic sauce!
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 25 minutes
Cuisine American
Course Main Course
Servings 8 servings
Calories 240cal

Ingredients

  • 2 pork tenderloins (trimmed — 1-1¼ lbs each, about 2-2½ lbs total)
  • 1 tablespoon oil
  • ½ teaspoon seasoning salt
  • cup clear honey
  • ¼ cup low sodium chicken broth (or sub water)
  • 2 tablespoons low sodium soy sauce
  • 2 tablespoons minced garlic
  • 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • tablespoons corn starch
  • ⅛-¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional – highly recommended!)

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F and lightly grease a 9×13" baking dish.
  • Place tenderloins in baking dish, brush with oil and season all over with seasoning salt.
  • Whisk together honey, broth, soy sauce, garlic, vinegar, salt, corn starch and red pepper flakes.
  • Pour sauce around pork tenderloin in pan — avoid pouring on top of pork as it will prevent it from browning.
  • Bake, uncovered, for 15-20 minutes until a meat thermometer reads at least 140 degrees F. Remove from the oven and cover to rest for 10 minutes.
  • Slice pork tenderloin and serve with sauce.

Notes

Tips:
  • Size matters: this recipe will not work with a pork loin which is much larger and requires a longer cook time. In the time it takes the loin to cook, the sauce will burn. If your tenderloins are larger than 1.25 pounds each, you may want to add the sauce for the last 15-20 minutes of cook time.
  • Check the temp. As always, the best way to tell that meat is done is to use a meat thermometer. Pork chops should be 140-145ºF!
  • Don’t over-cook. Since pork is a lean meat, it can dry out more easily than other types of meat. Be sure to take it out of the oven as soon as possible after it reaches 140-145ºF.
  • Let it rest. Resting the meat for 10 minutes before slicing into it is the key to juicy pork.
 
Substitutions:
  • Slow cooker: you can make this recipe in the slow cooker! Simply add the tenderloins and sauce and cook on low for 3 hours or until done.
  • Pork loin: I don’t recommend pork loin for this recipe because they are so much larger and require so much more bake time. If you want to serve the sauce with a pork loin you are cooking, simply simmer it on the stove top until thickened.
 
Storage:
Leftover Pork Tenderloin will last in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days or in the freezer for 4-6 months. To reheat, thaw overnight in the fridge if frozen, then warm either in the microwave or in the oven until heated through.

Nutrition Information

Serving: 113grams | Calories: 240cal | Carbohydrates: 26g | Protein: 24g | Fat: 4g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 74mg | Sodium: 416mg | Potassium: 497mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 23g | Vitamin A: 1IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 15mg | Iron: 1mg
Keywords baked pork tenderloin, pork tenderloin recipe

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Meet Ashley

My name is Ashley Fehr and I love creating easy meals my family loves. I also like to do things my way, which means improvising and breaking the rules when necessary. Here you will find creative twists on old favorites and some of my favorite family recipes, passed down from generations!

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Comments

  1. KarenTheCondimentQueen says

    Excellent! So good I make extra sauce & keep it in the fridge! My husband wants this every week! I make it in the slow cooker, 1 1/2 pounder 4 hours on low. Perfection!

  2. Maureen rogerss says

    The 15-20 minutes cooking time is not enough
    I used not quite 2lbs tenderloins and was still very undercooked

    • The Recipe Rebel says

      Hi Maureen, could you tell me what the internal temperature was? The timing has worked well for myself (and others).

  3. Ruth says

    I tried this recipe tonight. Sauce is delicious. I only used 1 pork tenderloin and added 5 minutes to the baking time. I checked it at 20 minutes and then spooned some of the sauce over the meat and let it cook 5 more minutes. I used the full sauce recipe for one Tenderloin. If I were to cook 2 I would double the sauce.
    We like lots of sauce to spoon over meat & rice. Served it with steamed rice and stir fry vegetables.

  4. Kathy says

    This is, by far, the best pork I’ve ever had. Pork has a tendency to be dry, even when it’s not overcooked. But this is tender, and very juicy. I didn’t have a tenderloin, all I had was a pork loin, which was very thick. I cut it in half and proceeded with the recipe exactly. Because it was still thick, it took an hour to reach 170°. About halfway through the cooking, I turned it over. The glaze was thick and delicious. I served it with English peas and Au Gratin potatoes and we have enough left over for tomorrow night!
    I highly recommend this recipe!

  5. Karrie says

    Not much flavor got into the meat. I did sear it first, maybe that’s why. I would marinate next time, otherwise it’s just a piece of pork with sauce on it.

    • The Recipe Rebel says

      Hi Karrie, this recipe doesn’t call for searing the meat, which is probably why it didn’t turn out for you. The method as worked great for myself (and others) so I would encourage you to try it this way!

  6. Judi says

    The flavor was great but I would sear it in a cast iron pan add the sauce and put the whole thing in the oven. 1.5 lbs took 30 minutes.

  7. Gina says

    My son has a soy allergy, therefore I cannot add the soy sauce. Have you ever made it without soy sauce or can you recommend a substitute?

  8. Pat Miller says

    Made this for dinner tonight and the family loves it. Easy to make and I already had all the ingredients. Will definitely be making it again. Sauce would go great with chicken as well.

  9. Jana Bruce says

    Delicious recipe! My tenderloin was 2 lbs. Used a meat thermometer and took it out at 160° but was definitely not cooked through after waiting 7 minutes to rest. I cut into slices and stuck it back in the oven for about 5 minutes and came out moist and juicy. I agree the red pepper flakes are a plus!

    • The Recipe Rebel says

      Hi Kelley, I haven’t tried it myself but I’d start checking the internal temperature of the chops around 12 minutes. It will all vary depending on the thickness of them.

  10. Melanie C says

    I made this tonight! It turned out great. I omitted the chili flakes because one of my guests doesn’t like spice, and it was still super good!

  11. Lisa Leonard says

    I made this for dinner tonight. It was delicious! I really loved the sauce and it was so easy to cook. It did take 10 minutes longer to cook but at 30 minutes, that’s still a quick meal. This recipe is definitely going in the permanent cookbook!

      • Frank says

        Hi I made this for dinner today. I made one change I seared the meat on the stovetop first and used the same pan to put in the oven. Came out fantastic

  12. Louise says

    Excellent. Took about 5 min longer for the bigger piece. So tender and delicious. Family loved it. Thank you. Will serve again.

  13. Doe says

    This is a lovely recipe, but for the life of me, I don’t understand why you don’t sear the tenderloins off before roasting in the sauce. I did it first without searing and found the meat lacking, but with a good sear first and then roasted in that sauce, divine flavour, and tender! Thank you for this recipe.

  14. Rachel says

    My pork tenderloin is 2.25 pounds. I don’t have a meat thermometer.How long should I cook it, and should I wait to add the sauce until the last 15 minutes so it won’t burn?

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