Instant Pot Honey Garlic Pork Tenderloin & Potatoes

Prep Time 5 minutes
Total Time 40 minutes
Servings 4 servings

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This Instant Pot Honey Garlic Pork Tenderloin and Potatoes is an easy one pot meal made with SIX ingredients and just 5 minutes prep! The honey garlic sauce is perfectly sweet and savory.

instant pot pork tenderloin and potatoes

There’s nothing better than a filling, family-friendly meal made with minimal effort and this recipe for Instant Pot Honey Garlic Pork Tenderloin and Potatoes hits all the right flavor notes.

Don’t let the generous quantity of garlic called for in the recipe deter you — the addition of honey and apple cider vinegar balances out the punch from the garlic. You might even find this sauce making a regular appearance whenever pork or chicken are on the menu. 

Need some inspiration? My recipes for Juicy Instant Pot Chicken Breast or Slow Cooker Chicken Breast are natural pairings for this versatile honey garlic sauce.

The best part about this super-simple Instant Pot recipe for Honey Garlic Pork Tenderloin and Potatoes?

It’s a one-pot meal! The potatoes are cooked alongside the tenderloin so clean-up is minimal — and who doesn’t love that?

Looking for more easy dinner ideas? Check out my ongoing Six Ingredient Supper series for more recipes and inspiration! I share a new Six Ingredient Supper every Monday (like this one!) and we have an ongoing monthly giveaway and cooking challenge in my Facebook group.

instant pot pork tenderloin

If you’re already a fan of my Instant Pot Pork Tenderloin with Garlic Herb Rub or Crock Pot Pork Tenderloin with Cranberry Sauce you’re definitely going to want to give this incredibly tasty pork tenderloin recipe a try.

I love to make this for my family on busy weeknights, it’s also wonderful when served with a green salad and wild rice if you’re entertaining on the weekend! 

What’s the difference between pork tenderloin and pork loin?

When it comes to pork tenderloin and pork loin the only thing that links them is a similar-sounding name and the fact that they come from the same animal.

Understandingly, this can be confusing for home cooks when they’re grocery shopping. Luckily, I’m here to set the record straight!

Pork tenderloin is sometimes labelled as a pork filet or a pork tender and, contrary to its name, it’s a muscle that is located beside the backbone of a pig. Pork tenderloins are boneless and on the small side, typically weighing between ¾ and 1 ½ pounds. 

Pork tenderloin is well-known for its lean white meat, tender texture and relatively quick cooking time.

instant pot pork tenderloin with sauce

Pork loin, also known as a center cut pork loin roast, is a large piece of meat taken from the animal’s back. If you’ve ever had a Frenched rack or crown roast of pork it would have been cut from a pork loin.

This recipe is written only for pork tenderloin.

Because of the similarity in name, double-check that you’ve purchased a pork tenderloin and not a pork loin. A pork loin can weigh anywhere from 2 to 5 pounds and will take significantly longer to pressure cook because of its size.

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How to cook pork tenderloin in the Instant Pot:

Cooking pork tenderloin in the Instant Pot practically guarantees amazing results. The following tips will ensure tender, juicy pork every time.

  • Sear the pork tenderloin first: Searing the pork tenderloin involves browning the tenderloin using the saute function of your Instant Pot. Rub the halved tenderloin with oil, salt, and pepper before adding it to the pot. Give the pork tenderloin lots of room for the best result, you might have to work in two batches if cooking more than one tenderloin at a time.
  • Don’t overcook the pork tenderloin: Using the pressure cooker function of your Instant Pot will help prevent your pork tenderloin from accidentally overcooking. If in doubt, use a meat thermometer — pork tenderloin should be cooked to at least 145° F. 
  • Make sure you have enough liquid in your Instant Pot: A 6-quart Instant Pot should have a minimum of 1 cup of liquid while an 8-quart Instant pot should have a minimum of 2 cups. 

What kind of potatoes can I use in this recipe?

Small Creamer potatoes, baby potatoes and new potatoes (which have a sweeter flavour) are all excellent potatoes to cook in your pressure cooker Larger potatoes should be cut into smaller pieces — but not too small! You might be surprised how quickly they cook in the Instant Pot.

The main concern is uniformity — similar-sized potatoes will cook at the same speed while randomly-sized potatoes can vary in terms of doneness.

If you can’t get enough Instant Pot Potatoes try my recipe for Garlic Herb Instant Pot Potatoes!

instant pot pork tenderloin and potatoes with honey garlic sauce

How to store leftover Instant Pot pork tenderloin:

Leftover Instant Pot Honey Garlic Pork Tenderloin and Potatoes can be stored for up to 3-4 days in the fridge. Keep the leftover tenderloin in a sealed container or in foil.

You can freeze leftover pork tenderloin for up to six months by tightly wrapping it in plastic or foil. Store in a freezer bag or sealed freezer-safe container for best results. Potatoes do not freeze well and I don’t recommend storing them this way.

Allow frozen cooked pork tenderloin to thaw in the fridge for at least five hours before using.

How to use leftover Instant Pot pork tenderloin:

If you have leftover honey garlic pork tenderloin don’t worry, there are plenty of creative ways to repurpose this versatile recipe!

  • Add thinly sliced pork tenderloin to sandwiches and grilled cheese sandwiches (it’s especially tasty paired with a smoked aged cheddar).
  • Cube the pork tenderloin and add it to a crunchy apple, broccoli, and walnut salad with greens.
  • Make pork tenderloin tacos! Add shredded or sliced pork to warm soft tacos and top with all your favorite taco fixings.
  • Make a clean-out-the-fridge stir fry on a hectic weeknight. Stir fry the veggies and warm the leftover pork tenderloin with the sauce.

Check out more meal-in-one Instant Pot recipes:

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Instant Pot Honey Garlic Pork Tenderloin and Potatoes

5 from 27 votes
This Instant Pot Honey Garlic Pork Tenderloin and Potatoes is an easy one pot meal with just 5 minutes prep and completely ready in 40 minutes! The honey garlic sauce is perfectly sweet and savory.
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 6 minutes
Total Time 40 minutes
Cuisine American
Course Main Course
Servings 4 servings
Calories 405cal

Ingredients

  • 1 pork tenderloin, trimmed (1-1.5lb)
  • salt and pepper
  • 1 lb Creamer or baby potatoes (about 15-20) large ones halved

Honey Garlic Sauce

  • 2/3 cup liquid honey
  • 1/2 cup water
  • 2 tablespoons low sodium soy sauce
  • 2 tablespoons minced garlic
  • 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/8 teaspoon black pepper
  • corn starch and water, equal parts *optional

Instructions

  • Heat Instant Pot (mine is a 6 quart) on saute and spray with non stick spray.
  • Cut your pork tenderloin in half crosswise, rub with oil, then season with salt and pepper.
  • Cook on saute just until browned on both sides, about 2 minutes per side.
  • Remove pork from the Instant Pot and turn off.
  • Whisk together the sauce: honey, water, soy sauce, garlic, vinegar, salt and pepper. Pour into the Instant Pot and scrape the bottom to remove any stuck on bits of pork.
  • Add the pork back into the Instant Pot with the sauce.
  • Drizzle potatoes with a small amount of oil and season with salt and pepper. Add potatoes to Instant Pot: you can place them on the trivet or in a steamer basket if you want to keep them separate from the pork, but this is not necessary.
  • Put the lid on, turn the valve to sealing and select Manual or Pressure Cook on High Pressure, and set the cook time to 2 minutes.
  • It will take about 15 minutes for the Instant Pot to come to pressure and begin counting down. When the cook time is up, turn the Instant Pot off and let the pressure release naturally for 12-14 minutes.
  • Open the valve and remove the lid. Remove the pork from the Instant Pot and slice to serve with potatoes and sauce.
  • OPTIONAL: to thicken the sauce, combine equal parts corn starch and water in a small bowl. Add to the sauce in the Instant Pot, turn to Saute and bring to a boil to thicken. Serve.

Nutrition Information

Calories: 405cal | Carbohydrates: 68g | Protein: 30g | Fat: 3g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 82mg | Sodium: 650mg | Potassium: 1093mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 48g | Vitamin C: 12mg | Calcium: 35mg | Iron: 3mg
Keywords honey garlic, honey garlic pork, instant pot pork tenderloin

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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. Susan says

    I just made this, and it was delicious! I did add some grated ginger since I had a little that I needed to use. The potatoes were cooked perfectly, too. We’ll be making it again very soon. Thanks!

  2. Augustine says

    Loved this instant pot honey garlic pork lion my son made it first so he shared the recipe with me. It was absolutely a hit, highly recommend.

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