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!
Table of Contents
- Pork Tenderloin Recipe Ingredients:
- How to Make Honey Garlic Pork Tenderloin Recipe in the Oven
- Baked Pork Tenderloin FAQs
- What temperature should I cook pork tenderloin?
- How long to roast pork tenderloin:
- How to store pork tenderloin:
- Can I use pork loin for this recipe?
- Can I use chicken in this recipe?
- Recipe Tips and Notes
- Serving Suggestions for this Honey Garlic Pork Tenderloin Recipe
- More Pork Tenderloin Recipes You’ll Love
- Honey Garlic Pork Tenderloin Recipe Recipe
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!
- 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!
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!
- Prep the tenderloins: Place the tenderloins into a lightly greased 9×13″ baking dish, brush them with oil, then season with seasoning salt.
- Make the sauce: In a bowl, whisk together honey, broth, soy sauce, garlic, vinegar, salt, cornstarch, and red pepper flakes.
- Bake: Pour the sauce around the tenderloin, then bake until 140ºF.
- 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.
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!
More Pork Tenderloin Recipes You’ll Love
Honey Garlic Pork Tenderloin Recipe
written by Ashley Fehr
Ingredients
- 2 pork tenderloins (trimmed — 1-1¼ lbs each, about 2-2½ lbs total)
- 1 teaspoon oil
- 1 teaspoon seasoning salt
- ⅔ 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
- 1½ 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
- 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.
- 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.
Nutrition Information
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Dot B says
Amazing flavor! Added a few of my favourite spices to the meat, and a few pieces of pineapple to the sauce, and it was superb!! Beautiful flavor, this recipe is a keeper!
Love, love, love that I don’t have to sear it first!
The Recipe Rebel says
Hi Dot B! So glad to hear you had success with the recipe! THANK YOU!
Ann says
Excellent recipe. Follow the directions exactly and it came out perfect. Thank you so much!
The Recipe Rebel says
Hi Ann! So glad to hear you had success with the recipe! THANK YOU!
Not Cranky like that guy says
Hey cranky pants. Clearly this is not the recipe you attempted. It is far from bland. Maybe wake up on the right side of the bed before cooking any meal at all.
Hayley says
Took about an hour to cook my two 1 pound tenderloins. Tastes good but the cook time is WAY off!!!
The Recipe Rebel says
Hi Hayley! Glad you were able to enjoy it! Sorry to hear you had trouble with the recipe! The timing has worked well for myself (and others) so I wished it would of worked well for you too! At which point did the pork hit 140 degrees F? The pork is cooking to between medium-rare and medium.
Darlene Rykowski says
Make sure it’s not a pork loin, they look similar, but pork loins take longer to cook. Made that mistake a while ago 🙂 Trying this recipe now, will let you know how it comes out.
Darlene Rykowski says
Just made it and people are right. It took about 45 minutes to cook. It was delicious though! 🙂
The Recipe Rebel says
Sorry to hear you had trouble with the recipe! The timing has worked well for myself (and others) so I wished it would of worked well for you too! At which point did the pork hit 140 degrees F? The pork is cooking to between medium-rare and medium.
Mark says
Always like a good pork tenderloin and this recipe did not disappoint. Very easy to make and it turned out great. Thanks!
The Recipe Rebel says
Hi Mark! So glad you enjoyed the recipe! Thank you for this kind review!
Lori says
You must have been cranky and having a bad day when you left these comments. Please revise, as you surely don’t want us all to think THIS badly of you.
Alex says
You almost got it. The method needs some work. May I suggest, browning tenderloin on a hot skillet first, for flavor development, finishing it with the sauce in a oven (hold back the starch) and while the tenderloin rests, thicken the sauce with starch and poor it over sliced tenderloin.
The Recipe Rebel says
It’s pretty perfect for myself (and others)!
Stephen Lanham says
I took a different approach to this recipe. Seared the meat in cast-iron skillet with salt pepper and light garlic powder. Covered and cooked with juice (excluding the corn starch) at 325 for 50 minutes. Pulled from oven separating tenderloin and honey garlic juice from dish. Adding corn starch now mixing with a hand mixer. Pour sauce in skillet. Bringing it to a boil to thicken up then adding everything back together at 350 for another 20 minutes. Then brushed the top with glaze and broil for 5 minutes. Wazzam!! ! (Internal temp was 150.)
The Recipe Rebel says
Glad it worked out for you Stephen!
Susan S. says
Soooo good! Followed the recipe exactly, but added freshly cut pineapple chunks and added some of the fresh pineapple juice. Crazy good! Will definitely make this again.
The Recipe Rebel says
Hi Susan! So glad you enjoyed the recipe! Thank you for this kind review!
Jaimee c says
Made this dish tonight and my family loved it.
The cooking time was way off- my 2 small tenderloins needed about 44-50 minutes before cooked to 140degrees. Other than that, highly recommended. Would go good over rice.
The Recipe Rebel says
Thanks for the feedback Jaimee!
The Recipe Rebel says
I’m sorry to hear this recipe wasn’t to your taste, Matt. Myself (and others) have enjoyed the recipe, so I wished you would have too.
Monique says
Haven’t tried it yet, but normally when bake pork tenderloin always sear it on stove first til all sides browned before baking. Locks in juices and jump starts the cooking process.
The Recipe Rebel says
Hi Monique! This works perfectly just the way it is. ENJOY!
Ethan says
Am I missing something or is this recipe saying that we’re supposed to serve with the sauce that raw pork was sitting in? Because that don’t sound right.
Ruth H says
The sauce has cooked in the oven too.
The Recipe Rebel says
Hi Ethan! It’s all been cooked but if you have an issue with it, feel free to not use it.
J Stricklin says
I seared the pork tenderloins before adding them to the baking dish with the sauce and then baked as instructed. Delicious!
The Recipe Rebel says
Thanks for the feedback J!
Orli says
Ethan, you need a basic grammar course. “Because that don’t sound right” …. Oh Ethan, had you stayed awake in your 3rd grade grammar class, you would have known that what you should have written was, “Because that doesn’t or does not sound right”.
Hence, your review loses all credibility.
Christine says
This looks really good please send me the website thank you
The Recipe Rebel says
Hi Christine! You can find all of my recipes here on this site! Hope you enjoy them!
Yvette Owens says
Not yet cooking it today but I have a ?can I prepare this recipe ahead of time and keep it in the fridge till I cook it
The Recipe Rebel says
Hi Yvette! To make ahead I would make the sauce separately and then just pour over before baking. I think you could add it a couple hours before but I maybe wouldn’t do it for a whole day just because I don’t know how much the vinegar would break down the pork.
Carol Minot says
I was very intrigued by this recipe, so I had to try it. Huge hit with my husband, cooked as recipe specified and it came out perfect. Thank you for such a wonderful, simple recipe!
The Recipe Rebel says
Hi Carol! So glad you enjoyed the recipe! Thank you for this kind review!
Beth Chien says
This recipe has great flavor. I would make this again. Unfortunately, the cooking time did not work the same for me. I had 2 pieces of tenderloin (2 lbs total) and mine were severely undercooked after a total of 23 min. So I put the temp up to 450 for another 10min. Then, I covered and let set for another 10min. It turned out great. This is going to be awesome over some vermicelli noodles for a Vietnamese inspired noodle salad. And the hubs wants to put his in some spring rolls. I’m making a note to adjust the temp and timing for my next batch. Thank you!
The Recipe Rebel says
Hi Beth! Thanks for the feedback!
Laurie Raspantini says
Delicious but the cooking time was off it was nearly raw after 15 and even at 20 not done more like 30-35 they weren’t huge, average size
The Recipe Rebel says
Hi Laurie, glad you enjoyed it! What was the internal temperature? When you say they were average size, were they bigger than 1-1¼ lbs each?
Claire says
I agree about the cooking time. Mine too were not huge, same size that the recipe called for. Took much longer to cook. No way done in 20 minutes. Mine took at least an hour. After the fact, I thought maybe you meant 20 minutes per pound. I googled and most everything I read said about 20-25 minutes per pound to cook pork tenderloins. Otherwise, taste was good and they were tender. I would say to adjust the cooking time in the recipe.
The Recipe Rebel says
Glad the flavor was good for your Claire! Sorry to hear you had trouble with the recipe. The timing has worked well for myself (and others).
Tonya says
Tried the Honey Garlic pork tenderloin it did not cook in time frame that recipe recommended, it was of course tough!
The Recipe Rebel says
Hi Tonya, what was the internal temperature when you checked it?
Maryann says
Hello, This is my first time on here and I really like the pork recipe but why is it that I can’t print this recipe?
Maryann G
The Recipe Rebel says
Hi Maryann! I just tested it and it worked for me! Are you hitting the print button in the recipe card?
Jill says
Meant to add: we used the leftovers (the rice, the beans, the pork) and made an awesome fried rice the next night; just added some ginger, onions and carrots and a few other flavorings (soy sauce, etc). The honey/garlicky pork added a great flavor to the fried rice. We’ll repeat this recipe and definitely hope for leftovers again. Any meal that can be transformed into something completely different the next night is a win win win.