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Easy Baked Ranch Pork Tenderloin and Gravy is the easiest way to make pork tenderloin and its own thick ranch dressing gravy in a foil pouch – delicious tender oven baked ranch pork tenderloin covered in ranch flavor for a dinner everyone will love!
Pork is one of my hands down favorite meats to bake or grill for an easy, quick, and delicious weeknight dinner. Pork tenderloin is lean, has a light meaty flavor that kids love, and has less gristle or fat for picky eaters – making properly cooked pork tenderloin a dish that should be at the top of your list to make often!
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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 Make Easy Baked Ranch Pork Tenderloin and Gravy
I’m including tons of tips to help you cook perfect, flavorful, and juicy pork tenderloin in Ranch gravy – all in one foil pouch – that is perfect baked in the oven, or grilled for an out of this world weeknight dinner, or fantastic meal prep option that won’t dry out when reheating at school or work.
Baked Pork Tenderloin Ingredients
- Sea salt (1 tsp) – Sea salt enhances the natural richness of the pork while helping all the ranch and buttery flavors shine.
- Pepper (1 tsp) – Fresh cracked pepper adds a warm, savory kick that balances the creamy ranch gravy perfectly.
- Olive oil (2 tbsp) – Olive oil helps keep the pork tender and juicy while helping the seasonings coat evenly.
- Pork tenderloin (3 lb) – Pork tenderloin is a lean, tender cut that cooks quickly and stays juicy when baked in the flavorful ranch gravy.
- Ranch dressing mix packet (1 oz) – Ranch seasoning brings bold herby, garlicky flavor that creates the signature savory gravy for this recipe.
- Butter (4 oz) – Butter melts into the sauce to create a rich, silky gravy that keeps the pork moist and flavorful.
- Lemon juice (1) – Fresh lemon juice brightens the rich ranch and butter flavors while adding a fresh pop of acidity.
- Cilantro or parsley (¼ cup) – Fresh cilantro or parsley adds color and a burst of fresh flavor that finishes the dish beautifully.
Steps to Make Ranch Pork Tenderloin
Once you have assembled the ingredients, use this method:
Season. Generously season pork tenderloin with salt and pepper. (UNLESS YOUR PORK IS PRE-BRINED OR DRY BRINED. DO NOT ADD EXTRA SALT IF IT IS.)
Brown. In a large, heavy pan, heat olive oil until it is shimmery. Brown pork tenderloin on all sides – about 2-3 minutes per side.
Make Gravy. While pork browns, make gravy by combining melted butter, ranch dressing mix packet, and the juice of one lemon. Stir well to dissolve ranch dressing packet powder.
Assemble. Lay a sheet of foil on a baking sheet and place pork tenderloin in pouch. Drizzle ranch dressing gravy over pork tenderloin.
Bake. Close foil pouch and bake for 30 minutes, checking temperature with a digital meat thermometer at about 25 minutes.
Rest. When pork has reached 145 degrees internal temperature, remove from oven, keeping foil pouch closed. Let rest for at least 10 minutes to continue carryover cooking to the newly recommended 150 degrees internal temperature for pork. Garnish with cilantro, parsley, or green onions.
Tips and Tricks for Baked Ranch Pork Tenderloin
Dry. Pat the pork dry before seasoning so the ranch mixture sticks better and creates more flavor.
Butter. Melt the butter completely before mixing the gravy ingredients to help create a smooth, lump-free sauce. Fresh lemon juice gives the gravy a brighter, richer flavor than bottled juice and helps balance the richness of the butter and ranch.
Seal. Seal the foil pouch tightly to trap steam and keep the pork extra moist while baking. Use a meat thermometer and cook pork to 145°F for perfectly juicy tenderloin instead of dry, overcooked pork.
Rest. Let the pork rest for 5-10 minutes before slicing so the juices stay inside the meat. Slice the pork against the grain for the most tender texture.
Stir. Stir the gravy well before serving to combine all the flavorful juices from the foil pouch.
Add Veggies. Add vegetables like baby potatoes, carrots, mushrooms, or green beans directly into the foil packet for an easy one-pan dinner.
Grill It. If grilling instead of baking, place the foil packet over indirect heat so the gravy doesn’t burn. For extra ranch flavor, sprinkle a little additional ranch seasoning over the pork before sealing the packet.
Thicker Gravy. Let the foil packet rest uncovered for a few minutes after baking so the sauce naturally thickens slightly.
Don’t overbake – pork tenderloin is very lean and cooks quickly. Leftovers reheat beautifully because the gravy helps keep the pork moist.
More Favorite Pork Recipes
Try some of my other pork favorites like Garlic Butter Pork Chops, Slow Cooker Pork Steaks, Tuscan Baked Pork Tenderloin, Greek Pork Souvlaki, Baked Garlic Pork Tenderloin, Lemon Garlic Pork Chops with Asparagus, Herb Roasted Pork Tenderloin and Brussels Sprouts, Alsace Braised Pork, and Tuscan Pork Chops.
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Baked Ranch Pork Tenderloin in Gravy
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 tsp sea salt
- 1 tsp pepper, fresh cracked
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 3 lb pork tenderloin
- 1 oz ranch dressing mix packet
- 4 oz butter
- 1 lemon juice
- ¼ cup cilantro or parsley, to garnish
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees. If grilling, turn gas grill to high or start charcoal and heat until grill is 375 degrees.
- Generously season pork tenderloin with salt and pepper. (UNLESS YOUR PORK IS PRE-BRINED OR DRY BRINED. DO NOT ADD EXTRA SALT IF IT IS.)
- In a large, heavy pan, heat olive oil until it is shimmery.
- Brown pork tenderloin on all sides – about 2-3 minutes per side.
- While pork browns, make gravy by combining melted butter, ranch dressing mix packet, and the juice of one lemon. Stir well to dissolve ranch dressing packet powder.
- Lay a sheet of foil on a baking sheet and place pork tenderloin in pouch.
- Drizzle ranch dressing gravy over pork tenderloin.
- Close foil pouch and bake for 30 minutes, checking temperature with a digital meat thermometer at about 25 minutes.
- When pork has reached 145 degrees internal temperature, remove from oven, keeping foil pouch closed.
- Let rest for at least 10 minutes to continue carryover cooking to the newly recommended 150 degrees internal temperature for pork.
- Garnish with cilantro, parsley, or green onions.
- Slice into thin slices and serve immediately or store in an airtight container for lunch meal prep.
Video
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Ranch Pork Tenderloin FAQs
You can, but pork loin is much larger and less tender, so the cooking time will need to be increased significantly. Pork tenderloin works best for this quick recipe.
Use a meat thermometer and remove the pork when the thickest part reaches 145°F. Let it rest before slicing.
Yes! You can assemble the foil pouch several hours ahead and refrigerate until ready to bake.
Absolutely. Homemade ranch seasoning works great and lets you control the salt level.
Yes! Keep the foil pouch tightly sealed and cook over indirect medium heat until the pork reaches 145°F.
Yes. Store sliced pork and gravy together in an airtight container and freeze for up to 3 months.
Leftovers keep well for about 3-4 days refrigerated in a sealed container.
Ranch seasoning mix works best because it creates the thick, flavorful gravy texture without making the sauce too thin.
How about a formula for Air Fry cooking?
Thanks
Do you mean information about how to use an airfyer?
Can you use a pork loin with this recipe?
Yes! It will cook longer, but the recipe is the same. Use a digital meat thermometer, and you’ll be great!
I made it with a spice rub that had turmeric, garlic and some other spices plus I added a couple of asparagus spears to the packet. Served it over polenta cakes and had a tomato mozzarella salad to accompany. I would not add the asparagus spears if i make this again. They were really mushy and didn’t need as much time as the pork to cook. It was very tasty and I’d use this technique again for pork tenderloin cutlets.
The flavor of the meat is wonderful, but I wouldn’t call the liquid “gravy.” It is more a buttery herb broth. Even though the meat is browned, it comes out of the foil a pale color that is not very appetizing. With that said, the meat was flavorful and tender.