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I’ve been making pork tenderloin with a method I perfected when I was a newlywed and frustrated with recipes I always seemed to mess up – and I go back to this recipe time and time again because it truly is the Best Baked Pork Tenderloin Recipe with the best flavor!
I perfected a foil-baking method that steams and roasts the seared meat as it cooks – all in a sauce that requires nothing more than some time in the oven. This recipe has become a viral hit since its original publication in 2012.
Don’t want all the extras in a recipe post? We provide a skip to recipe button in the top left corner, as well as a clickable table of contents, just below, to help make this page easier to navigate.
At Sweet C’s, I add lots of tips in all of my recipes – because I am a home cook without any formal training, and I find I am more confident making dishes when I understand why it works, and what each ingredient means to the flavor of a recipe. My goal is for even the most beginner home cook to feel empowered in the kitchen.
Table of contents
How to Bake Pork Tenderloin
When I was first learning how to cook at home for myself, I came up with this foolproof method that will be your next go-to. I didn’t grow up eating a lot of pork because my dad wasn’t a fan of it – so when I got married and I was making more of the food my husband loved, it took me a while to find a Pork Tenderloin Recipe that didn’t make a huge mess, stick to the pan, dry out completely, or just give super bland flavor – so I worked to make the perfect recipe for super tender, juicy pork like I’d get in restaurants.
For a slightly sweeter kick, check out my Teriyaki version.
Ingredients for Foil Pouch Baked Pork Tenderloin
- Extra virgin olive oil – olive oil is a great lightly flavored fat that is perfect for browning pork in before baking. Since our meat doesn’t have much fat, it is helpful to add oil to a pan to help brown it quickly without cooking through, for the best color and extra caramelized flavor!
- Celtic sea salt and fresh cracked pepper – I find using a high quality celtic sea salt not only improves the flavor of foods, but doesn’t have as high a sodium content as table salt, even though it often has a “saltier” flavor. Likewise, we prefer using freshly cracked pepper for the most intense and flavorful heat from peppercorns.
- Pork tenderloin – a fabulous low carb, lower fat meat that has a classic light, clean flavor and juicy texture when baked – the meat is easy to pair with other dishes, doesn’t contain much fat or gristle for picky eaters to fuss over, and is easy to prepare for beginners.
- Butter – butter helps to add flavor and fat to this recipe by acting as a baste for our pork as it cooks in foil after browning, and mixes with pork’s juices and herbs to create a rich delicious garlic butter sauce that is great drizzled over sliced meat when it is done cooking.
- Garlic – garlic has a pungeant, earthy flavor that is a nice addition to pork’s light flavor, making it meatier, and giving a richer, more developed flavor. You can use a couple of teaspoons garlic powder to add even more garlic flavor.
- Basil*
- Oregano*
- Thyme*
- Parsley*
- Sage*
- *OR 2 tbsp Italian Herb Seasoning Blend – you can mix your own Italian Herbs or use pre-mixed herbs, fresh or dried, to flavor pork. Since our meat has a light flavor, we’re going with classic Italian herbs that won’t overpower the pork and make a lovely sauce when mixed with butter as pork bakes. See other herb and flavoring ideas below.
How to Bake Garlic Pork Tenderloin in a Foil Pouch:
Prep
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line baking sheet with aluminum foil. In a small bowl, combine garlic, basil, oregano, thyme, parsley, and sage. Set aside.
Season
Generously season meat with salt and pepper.
Sear
In a large pan, heat oil until shimmery. Add meat to pan, and cook on all sides until dark golden brown.
Add Herbs & Butter
Transfer to baking sheet. Generously coat with herb mix. Place pats of butter on top of the meat.
Bake
Wrap in foil, bake until meat is 145 degrees internally at the widest, thickest part of the tenderloin (about 25 minutes for a 2lb roast).
Rest, Slice, Enjoy!
When pork has come to temperature, remove and let rest, tented with foil, for at least five minutes to lock in juices.
When is Pork Tenderloin Done?
Remove from oven at 140 degrees. Cooking to 145 means removing meat from the oven at 140 degrees – as it will carryover cook the additional 5 degrees in the foil as you let it rest.
Pork is done cooking at 145 degrees. The USDA set the guideline of 145 degrees as a safe temperature for pork consumption. This might look a touch pink – pink pork is no longer an indicator of “doneness”, or that the tenderloin is unsafe to eat, as long as it has reached 145 degrees. Don’t overcook out of fear and turn your dinner tough and dry!
Is it Better to Cook Pork Tenderloin at 350 or 400 Degrees?
While it is often better to cook pork quickly at 400, this recipe involves cooking in a foil pouch – so the moisture from the pork and butter will circulate to help cook it faster, without drying out. If skipping the foil pouch, cook at 400.
Should I Sear Pork Before Baking?
Brown before roasting. Get a good sear in a cast iron or heavy pan before baking. Getting a good sear first helps seal in the juices from the pork and brings a rich, caramelized flavor that makes this recipe irresistible! Searing meat before baking also helps it look less gray, giving it a much more appetizing appearance.
Pork Loin vs Tenderloin
I get a lot of questions on this recipe on whether to use a tenderloin or loin – and what the difference is between the two since they are similar cuts from the pig, and can both be used in this recipe. The two cuts are from similar areas (off the back of the pig), and are both leaner and respond to the same cooking methods, but a tenderloin is much longer and skinnier.
- Loins tend to be much fatter, much heavier, and over 3 lbs – while a tenderloin will be longer, skinnier, and around 1-2 pounds.
- For this recipe, I am calling for a Pork Tenderloin – but a loin will also work with the modification for time below. If you’re going for a one-pot pork loin dinner, please check out my knockout Garlic Herb Butter Pork Loin and Potatoes recipe!
- To make this recipe with a loin, which is larger and thicker than a tenderloin, continue with the recipe exactly as called for below, but plan on an additional 20-30 minutes (this will vary depending on your loin – I always advocate for cooking off temperature, rather than time, when cooking meat, but this time-frame should help you plan your dinner around.)
My Pro Tip
Recipe Tip
Be sure to select a pork tenderloin, not a pork loin, when making this recipe. A loin will work – but it needs to roast in the oven longer.
Since both are lean cuts of meat, the method is basically the same, just with different timing. Always use an instant-read thermometer to gauge your progress!
How to Get Perfect Baked Pork Tenderloin
These tips for how to cook tenderloin in the oven will help you get a perfect dinner, no matter what herbs or marinades you use with it!
See our web story here or an updated story here.
How to store leftovers. If you love this easy recipe, but can’t eat it all, never fear – it is beautiful and delicious as leftovers.
- In the fridge. Place all leftovers in an airtight container and keep in refrigerator for up to three days.
- In the freezer. To freeze so you can eat later, place in a plastic bag or wrap in plastic wrap and keep in freezer for up to three months. Try to freeze in small batches – ideally, you will freeze in individual servings, or the amount you will need to reheat. If you freeze a large tenderloin and go to thaw and reheat it, you shouldn’t freeze again afterwards – so try to freeze only as much as you will be eating again when reheating in each freezer bag.
How To Reheat Leftovers. Let frozen leftovers thaw naturally in the refrigerator overnight, and bake at 350, wrapped in foil, until piping hot when ready to serve. If reheating from the refrigerator, bake at 350 in a foil pouch until piping hot. You can also pan-fry slices of tenderloin in a bit of butter or olive oil – simply cook on medium until very hot – and serve. Of course, you can always microwave to piping hot, too.
Marinate before cooking. Marinating or brining meat before cooking will always help to soften the meat and keep it from drying out. I love using a bottle of simple Italian Dressing or a cup of olive oil with some lemon juice, salt, and pepper for an easy overnight marinade. I’m not calling for marinade in this specific recipe because we’re wrapping it in foil and slathering it in butter so it cooks in its own sort of gravy (I designed this recipe to taste great even if you didn’t remember to marinate) – if you’d like to kick your dinner up a bit, or are trying a different technique, marinating makes this recipe taste even better.
Remove silver skin. If your meat has a large sliver skin (the tough, white membrane that is often trimmed off and removed by many grocers, but is sometimes still left on), you can remove it by making a small slit with a sharp knife and pulling the membrane off the tenderloin to remove before marinating and cooking. This process is just like removing silver skin from ribs.
Let rest. Let meat rest for 5-10 minutes after removing from the oven to lock in the juices – don’t cut too early, or they will all run out!
Try other herbs & spices. Add a couple teaspoons garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, rosemary – even some mustard – to customize your own flavors! You want 1-2 tablespoons of seasoning total, so you can mix and match your favorites as you’d like.
Make gravy. Combine pan sauce drippings with a simple roux in a pan with some broth to make a rich, decadent gravy. Simmer on the stove at medium-high heat, whisking frequently, until thickened.
My Pro Tip
Go by Temp, Not Time
I get a lot of comments from readers saying they loved the recipe, but it took longer or shorter. ALWAYS go by the temperature from an electronic meat thermometer, rather than your clock. Meat size and shape can vary wildly – so go by temp, not time.
The time in the recipe is simply a guideline – do not use it as the rule!
What to Serve With This recipe
What Wine to Serve With Pork Tenderloin
If you’re looking for wines that compliment pork without overpowering it, try some of my favorite wines to pair with this dish:
- Chardonnay: A buttery, oaked Chardonnay complements the rich, garlicky flavors and the tender texture of the pork. Look for one from California or Burgundy.
- Viognier: This aromatic white wine with floral and stone fruit notes pairs beautifully with the garlic butter, adding a nice contrast to the savory dish.
- Sauvignon Blanc: If you prefer a lighter white, a Sauvignon Blanc (especially from New Zealand or the Loire Valley) has enough acidity to cut through the richness while highlighting the garlic.
- Pinot Noir: A light-bodied red like Pinot Noir has the right balance of acidity and red fruit flavors to complement the pork without overpowering it.
- Grenache: This versatile red has a soft, fruity profile with mild tannins, making it an excellent match for garlic and herbs.
- Gamay: Known for its light and fruity profile (think Beaujolais), Gamay works well with pork tenderloin, offering a fresh and lively contrast to the richness of the dish.
- Provence Rosé: A dry rosé from Provence is a great middle ground, offering freshness and fruitiness to balance the garlic butter flavors.
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Best Easy Baked Pork Tenderloin
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 bottle Italian Salad Dressing, optional marinade
- 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 1 tbsp sea salt
- ½ tsp fresh cracked pepper
- 2 lb pork tenderloin
- 4 tbsp butter, sliced into 4-6 pats
- 2 tbsp diced garlic
- 1 tsp dried basil*
- 1 tsp dried oregano*
- 1 tsp dried thyme*
- 1 tsp dried parsley*
- ½ tsp dried sage*
- *OR 2 tbsp Italian Herb Seasoning Blend
Instructions
- (Optional) Place pork tenderloin in a Ziplock bag or bowl and cover in the Italian Dressing, marinate for 12-24 hours.
- Preheat oven to 380 degrees.
- Line baking sheet with aluminum foil.
- In a small bowl, combine garlic, basil, oregano, thyme, parsley, and sage. Set aside.
- Generously season meat with salt and pepper.
- In a large pan, heat oil until shimmery.
- Add meat to pan and quickly sear on all sides until dark golden brown.
- Transfer to baking sheet.
- Generously coat with herb mix.
- Place pats of butter on top of the pork.
- Wrap in foil, bake until meat is 145 degrees internally at the widest, thickest part of the tenderloin (about 30 minutes for a 2lb roast)
- When pork has come to temperature, remove and let rest, tented with foil, for at least five minutes to lock in juices.
- Slice against the grain and serve immediately.
- To store leftovers, place in an airtight container and keep in refrigerator for up to three days.
- To freeze leftovers, place in a plastic bag or wrap in plastic wrap and keep in freezer for up to three months.
- To reheat, let thaw naturally in the refrigerator overnight, and bake at 380, wrapped in foil, until piping hot when ready to serve.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Recipe FAQs
What temperature should I cook pork Tenderloin at?
This recipe calls for baking/roasting at 380 degrees in a foil pouch.
While this is lower than many roast recipes, it works with the pouch to keep your pork from drying out and staying tender and juicy!
We have in the past called for 350 degrees for this recipe, but after reader feedback have adjusted the recipe to be 380 degrees – high heat, but not so hot the outside cooks and dries out while the middle takes longer to come to temperature.
It’s important to use a meat thermometer to ensure that the pork reaches an internal temperature of 145°F (63°C) in the center before eating.
This recipe will result in juicy, tender pork medallions – for a steak – so we are cooking it fast, like a beef steak.
This recipe is great in a slow cooker, too – but will have a different texture. The outside sear won’t be as crisp, and the meat will have a softer texture.
You can use either fresh or dried herbs in this recipe.
If using fresh, you might want to add a bit more, since dried herbs are more intense.
Pork can be slightly pink and fully safe to eat as long as it has reached 145 degrees internal temperature.
Remove the meat from the oven at 140 degrees, opening a small bit of the foil pouch to release steam, rest, and carry over cook until the meat is 145 degrees internally after a 10-15 minute resting period.
Meat can be reheated in a foil pouch, baked in the oven at 350 degrees until it reached 140 degrees F.
It can also be pan fried with a little butter, or microwaved, to reheat. Use or reheat pork within 3-4 days.
If your meat has a large silver skin, you may remove it. However, if you don’t want to remove the silver skin, this method will give you tender results, regardless.
Dear Courtney,
Thanks for the great recipe. I’m a 37 year old that has never had to cook for myself or anyone else. This was my first time attempting to cook a proper meal that doesn’t come out of a package. I thought that was a good thing to do as a present to my wife for our 10 year anniversary. I know, I know not a huge thing for most people to simply just cook a meal but as I try to evolve as a person and expand my knowledge it helps to have a well laid out instruction manual to help a person like myself. In a year from now I have to move away from my family for schooling and I need to learn how to cook so I just wanted to thank you for the help. P.S. the meal turned out good, very tasty but when I make it again one day it will probably turn out better with more practice in the kitchen. I lack some of the basic knowledge that will come with time.
Hi Eric,
Great post and great confidence. Follow recipes closely and pay attention to detail as every time you make something it usually turns out a little better each time, especially as you may want to add some of your own touch on certain recipes. And as for the wife, you’ll be preparing many more meals and she will like it and I bet you will too…
Wow! This was such a great tasting recipe and I, for one, like to read the tips that lead up to the recipe as it always gives insight into things I may not have thought of. I’ve been cooking for 40+ years and can never have too much information. As for those who were too lazy to hit the “Jump to recipe” button, you might want to think about making toast for supper or maybe your finger is too tired to scroll because you’ve been pointing it too much? Also, if you’re such a great cook, why are you looking up recipes for pork tenderloin?
Thank you. Just had it tonight. It was delicious. I can’t understand why someone would complain that you are writing a lot of interesting information. It took me about 19 seconds to scroll down. 19 minutes! Hmmm.
Ive been cooking for close to 50 years so I know my way around a kitchen, but I do appreciate the comments and advice from the cook who is experienced with the recipe. Many times there are tips and tricks to a recipe to make it the best and I appreciate those. Sometimes if I’m too busy I use the “skip to recipe” button. The snarky comments made on this site have once again shown us people who are inconsiderate and disrespectful. Your grace in handling them is a testament to your obvious good character. I’m excited to make this recipe and will be back to check out other ones from your website.
I need to cook 3 pork tenderloins…should I cooke separately, or an I cook all at once?
You can cook all at once – it might take a bit longer but it will be fine! I’d wrap them in their own pouches of foil otherwise all will be the same!
Loved this recipe! The time took me longer than it said which means I need to figure that out and the hubs said to sear it longer however, all in all we loved it. Flavor was in point very herby and tender. Since we are eating less carbs we paired it with asparagus but man some mashed potatoes or yams would have gone so good with these.
Thanks for adding all the tips before, that helps so much and for the negative comments, take it for a grain of salt. Negative comments help but I find some people have nothing better to do than spread just that…negativity.
I cook pork tenderloin frequently… My kids love it and it honestly it’s a cheaper cut of meat and lean! I sear my tenderloins in a cast iron pan on the two fattest sides for three minutes each and then the other two edges for one min each. This probably would reduce the cooking time some in the oven. I use this method pretty much all the time and change the meat flavor by doing different glazes or using different herbs. It is a great fast weekday meal once you perfect the technique!!
On point! Can’t wait to make this again and again! Thank you so much for the extra tips. I have NEVER made a pork loin so the tips helped me a lot!
I am not new to cooking, been cooking family dinners since I was 9. I am now 70 and one of my hobbies us reading recipes in n books, magazines and on the net. I don’t often cook a recipe untweeked I saw this recipe and thought YES!
I normally cook one new recipe on average every week and so many I think, ‘nice, but wouldn’t make again’. Not this one, this is now my firm favourite. Thank you. My husband and I loved it. The only changes I made is that I used fresh thyme and sage.
Never got to the recipe. Too much scrolling! I don’t want to read a book, I want to see the recipe! Good lord!
there is a “skip to recipe” button, and the table of contents is clickable, so you don’t have to read a book or scroll.
I love the table of contents feature. VERY helpful!
I realize not everybody wants the extra information – and some do. So glad you found it useful!
Yeah, well the “skip to recipe” button needs to be like 5 times bigger because it is so easy to miss. The recipe was good though once I found it.
There is also a clickable table of contents where you can click on what section of the post, including the recipe, you’d like to get straight to.
Maybe glasses would help you out. Don’t use this site if it is not set up so you can easily see the skip to recipe button. Such pettiness instead of appreciation for good tasting food.
It’s in the oven now and the house smells WONDERFUL! Thank you for this easy recipe and yes, I read through the whole thing and it was very informative! Thank you! Smothered some fresh Savoy cabbage to go with it, and a pot of rice and using the juices to pour over… yum yum!
No kidding! No button to skip either so I’ll just skip the recipe all together. What a terrible website!
There is a skip to recipe button at the very top of this post. There is a clickable Table of Contents right underneath that will take you to any part of the post you’re looking to get to – INCLUDING THE RECIPE. All of the stuff you think is terrible is information people have asked for to help make a better meal for their family and I am happy to help with. If you think that’s terrible, and I’m terrible for both providing it AND a way to bypass it, I don’t really know what I can do to make you happy.
I’m making this right now! Smells delicious! I’m so excited to have found this! I’ll check back later!
Wonderful Nancy. I will take your place.
Sad as it was one of the best I have cooked in a while.you missed a truly delicious recipe. Your loss.
I’m not sure if you understand how blogs work. You are getting this recipe for free. It took a lot of time for the blogger to create and post about it. The site makes money on ads and scrolling is what allows that to happen. Buy a cookbook at the store if you don’t like it.
Yes there is a skip button. Maybe you were in such a crazed and frenzied rush that you didn’t allow the page to load fully? It’s really disrespectful to come here and specifically make a snide comment that a button isn’t there when it absolutely is there. Maybe you should slow down just a tad before you have a heart attack.
That’s unfortunate. Reading about the recipe is one of my favorite parts and the reason I and most “read” blogs
That doesn’t help with whether the recipe is good or not which is what people are interested in. You could have just hit “Jump to Recipe” button she so kindly added.
Hey Missy. – guess you didn’t bother to read the SKIP TO RECIPE button – perfect for important people who don’t have time to read directions. ?
That’s what the “skip to the recipe” button is for. I guess you didn’t read that part either! Personally I find all that information very useful.
It would be nice to censor or refuse to publish comments with foul language and inappropriate comments. There is already too much of that around!
Jo