If you haven’t quite honed your kitchen skills, but still need a recipe to impress, this Herb Roasted Pork Tenderloin is for you. It’s ridiculously simple and pretty much fool proof. Just mix up some garlic, herbs, and oil, smear it on the pork, and throw it in the oven. THE END. It’s really that easy.
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What Herbs Go Best with Pork?
Pork is a very mild meat, like chicken, so it goes well with a wide variety of herbs and spices. The blend I used in this recipe is a classic mix of basil, thyme, and rosemary that can be used as an all-purpose meat seasoning (chicken, beef, anything). I added a little garlic to give the mix “body” and a little black pepper to make it pop. If you want to kick it up another notch, you can even add a little bit of crushed red pepper.
Salt is also a very important component of the seasoning for this pork. Without the proper amount of salt, you will not be able to taste the full flavor of the herbs. So don’t skip the salt!
How Do I Know the Pork Tenderloin is Done?
Cooking meat can be tricky. Every cut is a slightly different size and requires a slightly different amount of cooking time. Using an instant read meat thermometer is the best way to take the guesswork out of cooking meat, and it’s one of the first tools you should purchase for your kitchen. I currently use this digital thermometer, which is very affordable.
To test the pork tenderloin for doneness, insert your digital thermometer in the thickest part of the tenderloin. The temperature should read at least 145ºF, although I prefer my tenderloin cooked to about 155ºF (don’t judge). You can read more about safe cooking temperatures for pork here.
What Cut of Pork is Best for This Recipe?
I originally made this recipe with a smaller piece of a pork loin, but have revised it to use pork tenderloin. Although they have similar names, they’re actually two different muscles and are quite different. Pork loins are quite large and a bit more tough than the small, delicate tenderloin muscle. I definitely prefer the pork tenderloin for this recipe. If you do happen to use a pork loin, be aware that if it is larger than 1.5 lbs., which most are, it will require a longer cook time (and probably more herb rub).
Pork tenderloins are often sold in packs of two. You can either double this recipe (just make sure the two cuts of meat are not overcrowded in the dish), or freeze one tenderloin for the next time you’d like this for dinner!
I garnished with a little fresh parsley and served with my Balsamic Roasted Vegetables. You could also make some balsamic glaze to drizzle over top! This pork would also go great with something like Baked Barley with Mushrooms, Wild Rice Pilaf, or Parmesan Risotto on the side.
Herb Roasted Pork Tenderloin
Servings 4Ingredients
- 2 cloves garlic ($0.16)
- 1 tsp dried basil ($0.10)
- 1 tsp dried thyme ($0.10)
- 1 tsp dried rosemary ($0.10)
- freshly cracked black pepper ($0.05)
- 1/2 tsp salt ($0.02)
- 2 Tbsp olive oil ($0.32)
- 1.33 lbs. pork tenderloin ($4.68)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400ºF. Mince the garlic. Add the dried basil, thyme, and rosemary to a small dish. Use your hands to crush the dried rosemary slightly. Add the garlic, olive oil, salt, and some freshly cracked black pepper to the bowl and stir to combine.
- Place the pork tenderloin on a baking sheet or baking dish. Rub the oil and herb mix over the entire surface of the pork, including the underside.
- Place the baking dish in the preheated oven and roast the pork for about 35 minutes, or until the internal temperature reads at least 145ºF. Allow the pork to rest at room temperature for 10 minutes before slicing and serving.
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Equipment
- Meat Thermometer
Nutrition
Have you tried this recipe?Mention @budgetbytes or tag #budgetbytes on Instagram!How to Make Herb Roasted Pork Tenderloin – Step By Step Photos
Preheat the oven to 400ºF. Mince two cloves of garlic. Add 1 tsp dried basil, 1 tsp dried thyme, and 1 tsp dried rosemary to a small bowl. Use your hands to kind of crush the herbs. Add the minced garlic, 2 Tbsp olive oil, 1/2 tsp salt, and some freshly cracked black pepper to the bowl with the herbs and stir to combine.
Place a 1.3-1.5 lb. pork tenderloin in a baking dish or on a baking sheet and rub the garlic herb oil mixture over the entire surface.
Roast the pork in the preheated oven for about 35 minutes, or until the internal temperature reaches 145ºF (I prefer it at about 155ºF). Roasting times will vary with the size of your pork tenderloin and your oven, so for best results use a meat thermometer.
Let the pork rest at room temperature for about 10 minutes before slicing and serving (this will help keep it moist).
So juicy and herby and delicious!
I’m cooking for 150 people if I put 2 in the same oven would I cook it differently? How about using roasters?
Hmm, unfortunately I’ve never tried to cook two at once or cook for that large of a crowd. It may depend a lot on the power of your particular oven to hold temperature.
Do you think I could bake this and use it for meal preps? If so, should I cook it for a less time to allow for reheating in the microwave?
I’m not sure I would under bake it since it’s hard to control the cooking when reheating. You might get some areas that heat through while others don’t, and you don’t want to chance under cooking it. I suggest cooking it to the required internal temp and then when reheating just make sure to not over heat it. If that makes sense! Ha. :)
How long would I need to cook if it were a 5lb loin? 425 degrees for an hour??
Unfortunately I’ve never cooked a pork loin that large, so I’m not sure. You’ll probably need to lower the temperature some to prevent the outside from overcooking before the internal temperature reaches a safe level.
Do you put this on a baking sheet ????
Yes, you can do it on a baking sheet or in a large casserole dish (no lid).
I love this recipe and it has become a staple in my rotation for a few years now. So simple but very delicious!
Would I cook this on center of oven?
Yes
Fantastic recipe. I’ve been intimidated to cook pork, so I was shocked when this recipe turned out perfectly. :) My fiancée was very impressed with the juiciness of the pork, it wasn’t dry at all. Thanks Beth!
FANTASTIC! I could probably eat this everyday! Semi wrapped pork and places red potatoes and green beans on either side with same oil mixture. Can’t wait to make this again!
Made it tonight! Loved it! I prepped two recipes from one pork Loin- so with this half I rubbed with seasoning, wrapped with Saran Wrap and refrigerated for about 6 hours. I think letting it marinade was a good move! It was so delicious!
In the herb roasted pork loin
It states not to buy a pre seasoned loin
But the picture which is showed is a preseasoned enhanced pork loin filet
The photo used isn’t a pre-seasoned filet .. it is what the pork tenderloin should look like *after* you season it with the herb mixture.
The meat should come UN-seasoned in a bag, and it’s usually 2 tenderloins, at least that was my experience.
The instructions advise to “rub the garlic herb oil mixture over the entire surface” of the meat … then you put it in the roasting pan/dish. Then you roast it. It’s really that easy (in Beth’s words, and it is).
I must’ve only seen the revised recipe from 2019, but after re-reading it a few times, I could not find a reference to avoid buying a pre-seasoned loin. I saw Beth mentioned she changed this recipe to use pork *tenderloin* instead of *pork loin* since it works better. Maybe it was an assumption to think people know the meat should be unseasoned, and maybe it was an oversight to not include photos of every step, from showing all the herbs that go into the mixture to showing her rubbing it on the tenderloin.
If you can find a pre-seasoned pork tenderloin (I don’t know if they even exist) you cut out several steps, making this even easier, and eliminating the need for this recipe.
Can I use fresh herbs instead of dried one?
Yes, that would be delicious.
Could I make this mixture and use it on Pork Chops? If so how long would you bake it for and would you still set your oven for 425*?
I’ve never baked pork chops without covering them with something really saucy, so I’m not sure if they would dry out or what the cooking time and temp would be. I prefer to do pork chops in a skillet so they cook quickly and don’t dry out.
We love this herb mix/rub for pork roasts! So easy and yummy! Thanks for the recipe!
I’m curious, is there a reason why you suggest cooking the roast at 425-degrees? I usually see 350-degrees recommended for pork loin roasts. I was scared to roast at the higher temp. Do you find 425 to work better? Curious because I’ll definitely be making this again :)
I haven’t tried it at a lower temperature, but with a lean type of meat like a tenderloin it’s better to cook it quickly at a high temperature rather than slower and lower, which can dry it out.
Thanks for your reply! My roast turned out really nice and moist at 350 degrees for a longer time, I’ll try it at 425 next time like you recommend. I do suspect you probably got a little bit better crust with the higher temp!
This looks delicious! Do you trim the fat off the pork or leave it on?
I just leave it on. There was barely any to begin with. :)
I made this delicious pork dish tonight. It was amazing. It was juicy and well flavored. My boyfriend ate two servings!!