This Instant Pot Pork Tenderloin has a garlic herb rub that gives it INCREDIBLE flavour! Simply cook it in the pressure cooker with some chicken broth or add an easy 4 ingredient honey balsamic glaze to make it extra special. An easy dinner recipe that is healthy, too! Cook from fresh or frozen.
Table of Contents
- Ingredients needed to make this Instant Pot Pork Tenderloin:
- How to make Instant Pot Pork Tenderloin:
- Tips and tricks for cooking Pork Tenderloin in the Instant Pot:
- Variations on this Instant Pot Pork Tenderloin:
- More instant pot recipes you’ll love!
- Instant Pot Pork Tenderloin with Garlic Herb Rub Recipe
I’m back to the basics this week with this Instant Pot Pork Tenderloin!
I love that pork tenderloin so easy to cook (always tender!) and a great lean source of protein. The garlic herb rub on this tenderloin gives it such incredible flavour, that the honey balsamic glaze is totally optional!
We love sauce on everything, so I wanted to add an easy glaze that’s made right in the Instant Pot on saute after you take the pork out to rest. It only takes a few minutes and 4 ingredients to whip up, and is a nice touch if you’re serving the pork with rice or mashed potatoes.
If you’re looking for more ways to cook pork tenderloin in the Instant Pot, check out my Instant Pot Honey Garlic Pork Tenderloin & Potatoes.
No Instant Pot? You’ll love this Slow Cooker Pork Tenderloin, this Roasted Pork Tenderloin and this Honey Garlic Pork Tenderloin Recipe!
Ingredients needed to make this Instant Pot Pork Tenderloin:
- Chicken broth: Chicken broth provides the thin liquid we need to create pressure in the pressure cooker, and also adds more flavor than water. Be sure to use low sodium chicken broth or you may find your sauce is too salty!
- Balsamic vinegar: Balsamic vinegar gives our sauce depth and some brightness from the acidic flavor — paired with the honey, it gives us the perfect sweet and tangy blend.
- Pork tenderloin: it is easy to confuse pork tenderloin with pork loin. A pork tenderloin is long and skinny and usually weighs about 1 pound. A pork loin is very large, and will not cook in the same amount of time. Be sure that you have a pork tenderloin for this recipe.
- Seasonings: the seasonings are simple and pair well with a variety of flavors. Feel free to get creative here and use what you have on hand!
- Honey: honey adds a bit of sweetness and balances out the balsamic vinegar.
- Ketchup: ketchup adds sweet, savory, and tangy flavor and completes our sauce.
- Water + Corn Starch: a little water and corn starch slurry stirred into the sauce on saute thickens the sauce and makes it come together.
How to make Instant Pot Pork Tenderloin:
- Add the liquids to the Instant Pot and add the trivet. You can skip the trivet if you want to cook the pork in the liquid, but I find that it does wash away some of the seasonings.
- Prep the pork tenderloin by trimming the silver skin (here is a helpful video to show you how), cutting in half (to fit in the pot) and seasoning.
- Put the lid on and pressure cook on high for 3-7 minutes (depending on how done you like it!)
- Let the pressure release naturally (this means you do not touch the valve until the pin has drops) for at least 10 minutes before removing the lid.
- Remove the pork tenderloin to a cutting board and let rest while you make the glaze on saute.
Tips and tricks for cooking Pork Tenderloin in the Instant Pot:
- If you prefer, you can season and sear this pork tenderloin in a bit of oil on saute before adding the liquid for the sauce. Just be sure to deglaze and remove any brown bits from the bottom of the pot so that you don’t get a burn message.
- You can absolutely cook frozen pork tenderloin in the Instant Pot, but if the exterior of the tenderloin is completely frozen, the rub won’t adhere well, which is why I recommend letting thaw a few hours if possible (I give cook times for all below in the recipe).
- Pork tenderloin is one of those meats that you can eat medium or medium well, but it’s always best to check the internal temperature with a meat thermometer. You are looking for around 145-150 degrees F before resting, depending on your tastes.
- You can absolutely cook more than one tenderloin in your Instant Pot — stack them up and it shouldn’t take any longer unless they are frozen right together. Try to stagger them so they do not overlap completely (crisscrossed works great!).
Variations on this Instant Pot Pork Tenderloin:
- Leave the sauce out (you still need the water or broth to come to pressure), cook your pork tenderloin in the pressure cooker, and then toss with barbecue sauce for a summery spin.
- This pork tenderloin is naturally gluten free and dairy free, just be sure to double check all of your ingredients.
- Don’t have an Instant Pot? Check out my Slow Cooker Pork Tenderloin with Honey Balsamic Glaze or this easy Roasted Pork Tenderloin recipe!
More instant pot recipes you’ll love!
- 30+ Instant Pot Soup Recipes
- Instant Pot Whole Chicken (Fresh or Frozen)
- Instant Pot Brown Rice — the perfect side dish for this pork tenderloin recipe!
- Instant Pot Shredded Chicken
- Instant Pot Teriyaki Chicken & Rice Recipe (pressure cooker)
(Yes, more!) Instant Pot recipes
Instant Pot Pork Tenderloin with Garlic Herb Rub
Ingredients
- 1 cup low sodium chicken broth
- 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
- 1 lb pork tenderloin
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon dried parsley
- 1/2 teaspoon seasoning salt
- 1/4 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
To Make the Glaze:
- 2-3 tablespoons honey
- 1 tablespoon ketchup
- 1 tablespoon water
- 1 tablespoon corn starch
Instructions
- Place trivet in the Instant Pot and add chicken broth and balsamic vinegar. Add the trivet to the Instant Pot.
- Trim silver skin from the side of the tenderloin. Cut in half crosswise (so that it fits).
- In a small bowl, combine garlic powder, parsley, seasoning salt, onion powder and black pepper. Sprinkle over all sides of tenderloin and place on the trivet in the Instant Pot.
- Place lid on Instant Pot and turn the valve to sealing. Select Manual, high pressure (the default), and set timer to 7 minutes for fresh pork (10 minutes for partially frozen, or 13 minutes for frozen) — for medium-well. If you like your tenderloin more on the rare side, 3-5 minutes is sufficient for fresh pork.
- When the cook time is done, turn the Instant Pot off and let pressure release naturally for 8-10 minutes. Open the lid and remove the trivet with the pork on it and let rest for 5-10 minutes while you make the glaze. Do not drain the liquid.
To Make the Glaze:
- Turn the Instant Pot to saute and add the honey and ketchup. Stir together the water and corn starch and whisk into the Instant Pot. Let simmer for 2-3 minutes until thick and bubbly. Taste and adjust seasoning or sweetness to taste.
- Slice tenderloin and serve with glaze as desired.
Nutrition Information
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Ashley Wiley says
I wish I could edit previous comments, I just saw where it said times from frozen. Is there somewhere that says how many servings is how much weight?
Ashley Fehr says
Hi Ashley! No problem 🙂 I don’t know how much one serving is in weight unfortunately, as it will depend on the exact size of your tenderloin. But if your tenderloin is 1lb as the recipe calls for, then the serving size is 1/4 lb of meat and 1/4 of the sauce. I hope that helps!
Ashley Wiley says
I meant to add that my instant pot has the “egg, meat/stew, soup/broth, cake, saute, rice, multigrain, porridge, steam, slow cook, adjust, delay start, manual, and keep warm/cancel” buttons. It is 6 QT
It says IP-Lux on front if that helps
Ashley Wiley says
I really need a “how-to” guide for my instant pot. I have the manual, but I need a “if you want to make this dish from frozen, push this…” and very specific steps on when to add ingredients. Also “if you want to make it from thawed…” Any good sites?
Ashley Wiley says
I am still trying to learn about IP, I realize there are different ones with different buttons, but how do I thaw a little before cooking? I saw you cooked it from partially frozen for 10 minutes, but how do I cook from completely frozen and/thaw first? What buttons do I push to get it to defrost some?
Colleen says
Can I make red potatoes in the same pot at the same time?
Ashley Fehr says
Yes! You just won’t want to cut them too small so they are cooked in roughly the same amount of time
Marilyn says
Put them into a tinfoil pack and place on top of the meat. Did that yesterday and they were perfect…they don’t mush up in the juices. I used baby potatoes and the large beef roast was set for 3/4 of an hour. Cut the potatoes up if you are doing a lot less time.
Ashley Fehr says
That’s a great idea!
Karl says
Delicious and easy, thanks! Went for 8 minutes and it was perfect for our liking.
Ashley Fehr says
THanks Karl!
Cheryl Werry says
Do I empty pit broth before making glaze
Ashley Fehr says
Nope 🙂
Debbie k. says
It was outstanding ?. I added a bit more basalmic because I love it so much. Ate it with baby red potatoes. . Picky hubby even agreed
Ashley Fehr says
Thanks Debbie! I’m so happy to hear that!
Rita says
I’m going to cook this tomorrow morning for a pot luck lunch I am going to. I have a 2 pound “tenderloin” but from what I read on your site this may be a loin. Two questions: 1. If loin how long should I cook it? 2. Should I increase any of the ingredients? Thanks,
Ashley Fehr says
Hi Rita! For a 2lb pork loin or tenderloin, I would increase the cook time by 5 or so minutes, but it really depends on what you’re looking for. If you want to shred it, you’ll want to cook it even longer, but to slice, then a few extra minutes should be sufficient.
Kristy says
Per my 14-year-old daughter – “the glaze is AMAZING-can you put that on all of our food?” So I would say it was definitely a success. I always know when the instant pot meal has won my family over – they go back for seconds.
Ashley Fehr says
That makes me so happy! I’m so glad you liked it!
Danielle Beltran says
I’m new to IP cooking. I tried this recipe tonight, so happy I did & my husband was VERY impressed. I love the basic ingredients too. Some recipes require so many spices that I don’t have in my rack. The middle of the tenderloin was a little pink but I put it in the oven for a few minutes while I made the glaze. That glaze was soooo tasty! The honey didn’t overpower the flavor like other recipes that use honey. I made baby potatoes with veggies on the side. Perfect meal! Thank you!
Ashley Fehr says
Thanks Danielle! I’m so glad you liked it! I like my tenderloin just a touch pink in the middle, but you can definitely add a minute or two for a more well-done tenderloin if you prefer!
Sara says
Made this today and my husband and I both enjoyed it! Easy to make and tasted great. Love the sauce! We will make this again!
Ashley Fehr says
Thanks Sara! I’m so happy to hear that!
Ruth Guthrie says
I made this dish last night. Both my husband and I loved it. And, it was so easy! I used a pork loin (about 1 3/4lb) because the store I was shopping at didn’t have any tenderloin. I ended up cooking it for about 25 minutes and it was done perfectly. I’ve had a Fagor LUX Multi-Cooker for about a year now and have seldom used it. I’m sure I’ll start using it a lot more now. Thanks!
Ashley Fehr says
Thanks Ruth! I’m so happy to hear it worked out well for you and thank you for including your cook time tips for a pork loin!
Sarah says
Hi! I have a 2.5-3 lb pork tenderloin. How should I adjust cooking times?
Ashley Fehr says
I would say a chunk of pork that large is actually a pork loin as most tenderloins fall between .75lb and 1.5 lbs. The cook time you’d need would depend on if you want to slice or shred it — if you want to shred it, I would cook it 60-90 minutes.
Sherry says
Made this tonight as my VERY FIRST Instant Pot effort. Turned out great! It took a good bit longer than I expected to let it release pressure naturally, about 20-25 minutes. That’s ok, though. Next time I’ll anticipate it and wait to start my sides a bit later. Otherwise, the family loved it – it’s right in line with our Keto mealplanning. Thanks!
Ashley Fehr says
Thanks Sherry! I’m so glad you liked it! I don’t always let it naturally release the pressure completely, sometimes 10-15 minutes is just fine!
Mike says
My Insta Pot states 20 minutes per pound for Pork Loin. Is 7 minutes per pound more accurate?
Ashley Fehr says
20 minutes per pound for pork loin is likely accurate. This recipe is for pork tenderloin so anywhere from 4-7 minutes per pound is just right depending on how well you like it done 🙂
Diana says
I just did one pork tenderloin and cooked it for 5 mins. It was perfect.
Ashley Fehr says
I’m so happy to hear that!
Eliza says
I made this and we enjoyed the flavor. I used 2-1lb pork loins that were partially frozen and I cooked for 11 minutes. The loin on the bottom was a bit overcooked while the one on the top was just about right (barely pink in the center). Next time I would reduce the cooking time by 1 to 2 minutes. The glaze was super tasty.
Thanks for a good and FAST recipe.
Ashley Fehr says
Thanks Eliza! I’m glad you enjoyed it!
Allison Bressler says
I just made this! It was very easy and very delicious. I needed to make my pork tenderloin that was thawed and I looked for a recipe that I had all of the ingredients already. This was a winner!! My boyfriend asked me to put it in regular rotation! Thank you!
Ashley Fehr says
Yay! That makes my day! Thanks Allison 🙂
Andrea says
I have a question about the silver skin. Do you just mean the fat on either side? I had a tough time getting it all off.
Ashley Fehr says
Not the fat, but there is a silver skin that runs along one side. It may be easier to see if you search for a youtube video. It’s okay if you don’t get all of it and just get as much as you can!
Scott says
Great flavor, but mine turned out badly overcooked. I’m someone who likes rare meat and this came out extra well done, so almost inedible if it werent for the amazing flavor of the juices. I cooked a 1.25 lb fresh tenderloin for 7 minutes sealed on high, around 10 min natural vent release. If cooking fresh, consider cooking for 5 min only, and/or releasing immediately after.
Ashley Fehr says
Thanks for your comment Scott! And I am one of those people who prefers my meat medium-well, so I will make a note about the cook time in the recipe to clarify.
Nancy Hall says
How long should I cook the pork tenderloin if I want it to be well done?
Ashley Fehr says
7-8 minutes and a long natural release will be pretty close 🙂
Cheryl says
I wanted to love this recipe but it gave me hassles from the start. I got the “burn” notification after 15-20 minutes, all the broth had evaporated before pressurizing. Opened & added another cup of broth & closed quickly to restart & got “burn” notification again after 15 minutes or so. Never got it to pressurize & trying to time my side (roasted broccoli) with it was awful. After 2nd “burn” notification, I checked internal temp & it was cooked so we ate instead of waiting another round. I’m certain it wasn’t nearly as good as yours turned out but it wasn’t bad considering.
I just wouldn’t want to make it again since it took almost an hour all in all.
Ashley Fehr says
Hi Cheryl! There is pretty much no way that could happen if the Instant Pot is sealed. I would check your sealing ring and make sure the valve is totally sealed, and you shouldn’t have the same problem again 🙂
Jess curtis says
So good. It was a crowd pleaser tonight. Thank you
Clyde Prince says
Great dish and the glaze was wonderful.
Ashley Fehr says
I’m so happy to hear that!
Ashley Fehr says
I’m glad to hear it Jess!
Alison K says
Hi! I am going to make this tonight with rice on the side. I prefer not cooking rice o the stove top.. if I truly use one pot, how much extra liquid would be needed? I have a fear of the instant pot, this will only be my third try, haha! I want to make sure to do it the right way. Thanks!
Ashley Fehr says
Hi Alison! I’m not sure that it would work well to cook rice at the same time as the rice might need a longer cook time than the pork tenderloin and might not be done, or you risk the pork being overcooked. I’ve never experimented much with adding sides to this recipe so I’m sorry I can’t help more!
Julie Soyez says
I made this with a 3 lb pork loin from one of the Big Box stores so I doubled the rub and liquid portions, I did not need to double the liquid, sense it was 3 lbs I tripled the cook time but still cut the loin in half. You guys this was so amazing and so easy! Love Love it, this is now in my wheelhouse for good.
Ashley Fehr says
I’m so happy to hear that!
L aura says
Wonderful ! Made 2 small pork tenderloins ( about 2 pounds total weight) , cooked longer at 45 minutes which was over-kill I’m sure – nonetheless, the meat fell apart like shredded pork , moist , good flavor – added bit more honey to sauce
Ashley Fehr says
I’m so glad you enjoyed it!
bee says
Hi 🙂 i tried this for the first time last week and it turned out amazing! it was so good i went to make it again tonight. followed the instructions to the T – and BURN came up on the screen!!! i had to cancel, and when i opened the lid there was no liquid. Has this happened to you? Not sure why it happened since i didn’t change a thing!
Ashley Fehr says
That is so strange! With the valve on sealing you shouldn’t lose any moisture. Do you think it might have been open a crack? Did you notice any steam escaping?
Reggie says
Can I do this without the trivet? I don’t have an instapot, I have a NuWave pressure cooker, but I have no attachments. Thank you!
Ashley Fehr says
Yes you can! It will be fine 🙂
Tasha says
This is what happened with mine 🙁 so disappointed. It went from smelling so good to burnt in minutes
Ashley Fehr says
Considering the tenderloin isn’t browned, and it sits on the trivet, and there is only clear liquid in the bottom there’s almost no way you could get a burn notice. I would make sure your valve is sealed so you aren’t losing any moisture.