This Pork Tenderloin Recipe is one of my favorite ways to make pork tenderloin in the oven! It only takes a few minutes to prep and is covered in a sweet and savory honey garlic sauce!
Love honey garlic everything? Try this Baked Honey Garlic Chicken, this Honey Garlic Salmon, this stovetop Honey Garlic Chicken recipe or this Sheet Pan Honey Garlic Chicken Dinner.
Honey and garlic is one of my favorite flavor combinations (I just can’t resist a savory recipe with a bit of sweet thrown in).
We love how quick this Pork Tenderloin Recipe is to put together! 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!
Honey Garlic Pork Tenderloin 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.
- 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.
- 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. Check the recipe card for complete instructions.
- 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.
Recipe Tips and Notes
- Check the temperature. 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!
What to serve with Pork Tenderloin:
This Honey Garlic Pork Tenderloin are delicious over a pile of Baked Rice 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 or a slice of No Knead Artisan Bread too!
Honey Garlic Pork Tenderloin Recipe
written by Ashley Fehr
Ingredients
- 2 pork tenderloins,, trimmed (1-1¼ lbs each)
- 1 teaspoon oil
- 1 teaspoon seasoning salt
- ⅔ cup honey
- ½ cup low-sodium chicken broth
- 2 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce
- 6 cloves garlic, (finely minced)
- 1½ tablespoons cornstarch
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¼-½ teaspoon red chili flakes
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400℉. Lightly grease a 9×13" baking dish.
- Place the pork in the prepared baking dish, brush with oil, and season all over with seasoning salt.
- In a bowl, whisk together the honey, broth, soy sauce, garlic, cornstarch, vinegar, salt, and chili flakes (use more or less according to your tastes). Pour the sauce around pork in the dish.
- Bake, uncovered, for 15 to 20 minutes, until a meat thermometer inserted into the pork reaches 140°F.
- Remove from the oven, cover, and let rest for 10 minutes.
- Slice the pork and serve with the sauce.
Video
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
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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Tag @thereciperebelWhat 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.
Can I make this pork tenderloin recipe in the crockpot?
Absolutely! Check out my Slow Cooker Honey Garlic Pork Tenderloin recipe for all the details.
Emma says
This recipe did not work for me. Followed it exactly, but the tenderloin was only at 120 degrees and the sauce burnt after 20 min.
The Recipe Rebel says
Sorry to hear that you had trouble with the recipe, Emma. The amounts, flavorings and timing have worked well for myself (and others) so I wished it would have been a hit for you too! I know it can be so disappointing to try a new recipe and it does not turn out for you.
Sharon White says
Thank you so very much for this gourmet recipe! So very tender and the flavor is delicious! Makes me feel like the family chef! Super yum!
The Recipe Rebel says
Hi Sharon! So glad you enjoyed the recipe! Thank you for this kind review!
Gay Flowe says
I have made this pork loin recipe several times and it turns out perfect every time ! It’s wonderful.
The Recipe Rebel says
Hi Gay! So glad you enjoyed the recipe! Thank you for this kind review!
Jenny says
I’m going to assume you didn’t use 2 -1lb tenderloins and probably did a 2 lb tenderloin or 2-2lb tenderloins.
Donna says
I have not made this yet. Was thinking about making tonight. I always read people’s comments first. I know from experience a pork tenderloin Will not cook that quickly. I make them often. If making this recipe, I would separate the two pieces of tenderloin and brown on all sides first. Then I would put the glaze around it. I will still take 30-40 minutes to cook through at that temperature.
The Recipe Rebel says
Hi Donna, we make them pretty often as well and this method works correctly every time. I think will depend on how you like your pork. It can range from medium-rare to well-done, just like beef. Enjoy!
Terri RaFalik says
No way the tenderloin was near finished cooking in 20 minutes. I added another 20 and it reached 140 degrees. Now the sauce smells burnt. The meat didn’t brown either. The recipe for the sauce sounds good but probably need to cook separately.
The Recipe Rebel says
Sorry to hear that you had trouble with the recipe, Terri. The timing has worked well for myself (and others) so I wished it would of been a hit for you too!
Michelle says
I really appreciate the easiness of this recipe. The whole family loved the taste which is a bonus since we find pork to be rather bland.
The Recipe Rebel says
Hi Michelle! So glad you enjoyed the recipe! Thank you for the kind review!
John Thomason says
The cooking time says “Bake, uncovered, for 15-20 minutes until a meat thermometer reads at least 140 degrees F.” It was only 120 degrees in the center at 20 minutes, and these were less than a pound each. Then the recipe says, “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.” Last 15-20 minutes? It was only 15-20 minutes to begin with, and I suspect that was an error, given the low temp after that amount of time at 400 deg. Also, I let the tenderloins out of the fridge to come up to room temp before I baked them.
Krista Allison says
Same here. Took them out still pink in the middle. Put them back in without the sauce for another 20 mins so the sauce wouldn’t burn
The Recipe Rebel says
I’m sorry to hear you had problems with the recipe, Krista. It has worked well for myself (and others), so not sure why it didn’t work for you either.
Donna Wilburn says
This was so good that my family was begging for more. I made this on Easter and I think it was devoured in 2.5 seconds and I cook two tenderloins. I made it just like they said and I added the red pepper flakes to it as well. I have a request for it to need made again this week. Thank you for sharing this.
The Recipe Rebel says
Hi Donna! So glad you enjoyed the recipe! Thank you for this kind review!
Steve says
I made this last night and it was so good. The only thing that threw me off was the “clear honey”. I’m a beekeeper and I got a chuckle out of that one. The color is dictated by the bees pollen source. I used some of my local wildflower honey which is darker and it worked fine. This recipe is a KEEPER. Thank you so much for sharing this one.
The Recipe Rebel says
Hi Steve! So glad you enjoyed the recipe! Thank you for this kind review!
Shannon Gregorek says
This is such a flavorful dish. My very picky eater gobbles this up. I love how quick and easy this is to prepare with a minimal ingredient list.
The Recipe Rebel says
Hi Shannon! So glad you enjoyed the recipe! Thank you for this kind review!
AN says
Not sure what I did wrong, but my sauce did not thicken to a nice glaze as in video.. any advice?
Donna Wilburn says
Did you use corn starch to help thicken it?
The Recipe Rebel says
Hi AN! I’m not sure why it wouldn’t thicken if using cornstarch.
Hannah says
This was really delicious! I only used 1/2 c honey and doubled all other sauce ingredients. To me, this was the perfect balance of sweet and savory. I put red bell pepper, onion, and carrots in with the sauce and tenderloins. Served with brown rice. So so yummy!
The Recipe Rebel says
Hi Hannah! So glad you enjoyed the recipe! Thank you for this kind review!
Sierra says
This was absolutely delicious! We had been craving Chinese food and decided to make this in hopes of satisfying that craving. It was a job well done! Craving satisfied. Tender, moist, juicy, sweet and spicy is how I describe this meal. Thanks for sharing this recipe.
The Recipe Rebel says
Hi Sierra! So glad you enjoyed the recipe! Thank you for the review!
Michelle Mcgrew says
The whole family loved it.. even the picky ones!
The Recipe Rebel says
Hi Michelle! So glad you enjoyed the recipe! Thank you for the review!
Jackie Neumann says
Sounds wonderful. Will it work if I cut the recipe in half?
Sierra says
Yes! However, I will say, we put the sauce on our rice as well and it gave it an extra boost of flavor. So it all depends on how much sauce you want.
The Recipe Rebel says
It should work! Enjoy!
Tim says
Made this in a Ninja Foodie and it came out great. Thanks.
The Recipe Rebel says
Hi Tim! So glad you enjoyed the recipe! Thank you for the review!
Gary says
Excellent! Great flavor with many different accents.
The Recipe Rebel says
Hi Gary! So glad you enjoyed the recipe! Thank you for this kind review!
Northern Belle says
Gosh, that doesn’t sound rude or racist at all! It’s possible to not like a recipe and simply say you didn’t enjoy the seasoning level without being a horrible person. But I’m doubting whether you even made it.
The Recipe Rebel says
I’m sorry to hear you had trouble with the recipe. What was the temperature when you pierced it the first time? The pork is cooking to between medium-rare and medium.