Baked Pork Tenderloin
This Oven Baked Pork Tenderloin is coated in a quick spice rub, baked until juicy and tender, and finished under the broiler for a golden top — just $2.00 a serving and on the table in 40 minutes.
Servings: 6
Cost: $11.98, $2.00 per Serving
Ingredients
- 2 pound pork tenderloin
- 1 Tbsp olive oil
- ½ tsp paprika
- 1 tsp Italian Seasoning
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp pepper
- 1 Lemon (juiced)
- 4 Tbsp butter
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400°F.
- Place the pork tenderloin in the center of a large piece of foil on a baking sheet.
- Rub the olive oil evenly over the pork.
- In a small bowl, combine the paprika, Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper.
- Season the pork evenly with the mixture, then drizzle the lemon juice over the top.
- Cut the butter into slices and arrange them on top of the pork.
- Wrap the foil around the pork and seal it securely.
- Bake for 25–30 minutes, until the pork reaches an internal temperature of 145°F.
- Carefully open the foil and broil for 3–4 minutes, until lightly browned.
- Let the pork rest for 5–10 minutes before slicing and serving.
Video
Notes
Variations Ideas
- For the Oil - Any cooking oil that you prefer will work in this recipe.
- For the Seasonings - I love the combination of the paprika, Italian seasoning and lemon in this recipe. But you can easily switch it out for your favorites. Oregano, thyme and basil would all be delicious on the baked pork tenderloin.
- For the Butter - The butter is very important in this recipe as it makes the pork moist and tender. I do not recommend leaving it out. But if you must, then I recommend adding more oil to keep the pork moist.
- Add Garlic - If you love garlic, you can easily add 1 tsp of minced garlic or 1/2 tsp of garlic powder or garlic salt to add a slightly garlic flavor to this recipe.
- For the Citrus — try lime or orange juice instead of lemon, or a mix of all three, for a different citrus profile each time you make it.
Recipe Tips
- Foil - We use heavy duty foil to wrap the pork tenderloins so that the foil does not easily rip. I find that wrapping the pork helps it not to dry out and makes clean up very easy too.
- Baking Pan - Since we wrapped the pork first, we cook it on a baking pan but you can cook it in a roasting pan as well.
- Searing Pork Tenderloin - Many recipes call for searing the pork in a pan before baking it. I do not like getting another pan dirty, so I skip that step and boil a few minutes after the cook time to brown the pork slightly. You can pre-sear the pork prior to baking it if you prefer.
- Meat Thermometer - Make sure to use a meat thermometer to ensure that the pork has been cooked to a safe temperature before eating it.
- Rest Pork - Let the pork sit for 5 minutes before cutting it to make sure that the juices stay inside of the pork to keep it moist.
- Cooking Time - Cook times can vary more than you'd expect with pork tenderloin. A thicker or larger tenderloin (or an oven that runs cooler) can take significantly longer than the times listed here — that's completely normal. Always rely on a meat thermometer and pull the pork at 145°F regardless of how long it takes to get there.
Nutrition
Calories: 276kcal | Carbohydrates: 2g | Protein: 32g | Fat: 15g | Saturated Fat: 7g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 6g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 118mg | Sodium: 534mg | Potassium: 634mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 330IU | Vitamin C: 10mg | Calcium: 23mg | Iron: 2mg
