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 1625 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 230cal

Ingredients

  • 2 pork tenderloins (trimmed — 1-1¼ lbs each, about 2-2½ lbs total)
  • 1 teaspoon oil
  • 1 teaspoon seasoning salt
  • cup honey
  • ½ 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
  • ¼-½ 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: 230cal | Carbohydrates: 26g | Protein: 25g | Fat: 3g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Trans Fat: 0.03g | Cholesterol: 74mg | Sodium: 575mg | Potassium: 512mg | Fiber: 0.2g | Sugar: 23g | Vitamin A: 19IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 17mg | 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. Jill says

    Pretty tasty! Followed recipe, sauce did not thicken – my tenderloins may have been a bit thicker, so they took about 10 minutes longer to reach temperature – very tender. Served it with rice and green beans. Everyone wound up spooning some of the sauce over both the rice and green beans. Truly the sign of a good flavor!

  2. Anna says

    I’ve made this recipe a few times now. I make it with an Asian inspired bok choy and mashed potatoes and I double the sauce. It’s amazing!!

  3. Keith Hammond says

    WOW! OK, I “never” measure ingredients… it’s a taste thing. Also, I have a family member that requires me to sneak soy sauce into things. I did not have apple cider vinegar, but subbed in Balsamic, lemon juice, chicken stock and white vinegar. Red Pepper flakes were a great add, and the fresh garlic also, minimal honey used as the corn starch would act as a thickening binder.

    I actually basted 30 minutes in, smelled amazing (so I tasted it:-))
    15 minutes later, pulled from the oven to allow it to rest, and to start the water for pilaf… took the dogs for a quick walk, and by the time I returned my wife and daughter had already eaten half of it!!
    “What is this?” my daughter asked… “…it’s amazing…”

    So good job!

  4. Larine Kwolek says

    This is delicious. I’ve tried many pork tenderloin recipes but the flavor never seems to get into the pork leaving a bland dish. This was super easy to put together and the sauce made the dish. Followed directions exactly except I used less honey, (I ran out). The pork was so tender. I did use the hot peppers and I recommend adding them, gave a little zing without overpowering the sauce. Served over rice pilaf. Love that it’s one pan too. Thank you! A definite keeper

    • The Recipe Rebel says

      Hi Michelle! I haven’t tried it myself, but other readers have with great success. If you decide to experiment, let me know how it goes!

  5. Barb Merrill says

    This was delicious! The meat was very tender. I seared it before I baked in the oven. Next time, I would reduce the honey to 1/4 -1/2 cup.

  6. Susan Dewey says

    Sounded so good, because we love all the ingredients, but this was not for my family – the honey/soy sauce tasted off. Perhaps it was the proportion or type of honey (although I just used basic honey.). Glad others enjoyed it.

  7. Trixie says

    Yay! Haven’t tried it yet, but I’ve been making my pork roast the same way for forever, and it looks like a great recipe to mix things up! Thank you!

  8. Donna says

    Hi, I’m wondering if I could make this with just one tenderloin instead of two. It’s just my husband and me and 2 would be to much. What do you recommend? Would there be any changes in the amount of ingredients and better to bake or crock pot. Thank you in advance.

  9. Stephanie says

    Great flavors but I substituted 3 Tbsp all-purpose flour for the cornstarch and I think that was a mistake. The sauce came out so thick it was no longer a sauce consistency, more like a paste and it burned a bit on the edges after 15 min (and the pork wasn’t even done yet). What else can I use to thicken the sauce instead of cornstarch? But the meat itself came out perfectly! So tender 🙂

  10. cathy G says

    Made this today since I needed a quick meal. My husband whom is not a rice lover raved about how good this pork loin was and even liked the rice. I will definitely make it again.

  11. LuAnn says

    Was very tasty! Next time I would put foil in the bottom of the pan. Once the sauce cooks down it’s very sticky and once it hardens, pretty tough to clean up. It did take longer than 15-20 minutes at 400, but worth the wait.
    Mine came out a bit salty so I would reduce that a bit. I wish I had seared the filet first as I think it would have improved the flavor, but overall a winner and I will make it again. Thank you for posting the recipe.

    • The Recipe Rebel says

      Sorry to hear you had trouble with the recipe, Ray. The timing has worked well for myself (and others) so I wished it would of been a hit for you too. Glad you still enjoyed it!

  12. Paige Rock says

    Awesome recipe! It was SO easy to make and incredibly tasty. My family loves it….I will definitely be making this yummy recipe again!
    Thank you so much for sharing 😊

  13. Gina Marie says

    I use something like this sauce on many other things so I knew this would be easy inspiration. I used salt, pepper, onion and garlic powder to season meat..heated a dash of oil in the cast iron. Seared on all sides getting it the nice flavorful crust…put the tenderloin in the oven and made the sauce. The adjust ingredients I did : I used 1 tablespoon rice vinegar instead of apple..added 3 tablespoons of soy, 2 tablespoons garlic, 1 tablespoon grated ginger, 1 teaspoon high quality sesame oil and the rest of the ingredients listed..half way through I poured the sauce in the cast iron and Stirred it around the meat..pulled out of oven sliced the meat put it on top of rice and drizzled the sauce everyone loved it

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