This herb-crusted pork tenderloin can make a simple weeknight dinner feel like a fancy weekend feast without any of the fuss.
Pork tenderloin is one of the easiest cuts of pork to prepare, so it makes a perfect weeknight meal. If you are looking for a simple dish, and are fed up with your typical chicken and salmon routine, pork tenderloin is the perfect alternate plan. Pork tenderloin, sometimes calls pork loin or pork fillet, is the most tender cut of meat on the animal and one of the leanest as well, making it a great source of protein. There are many ways to cook this crowd-pleasing herb-crusted pork tenderloin as it can be grilled, roasted, or stuffed, and it retains a lot of moisture and flavor when well cooked.
This recipe makes enough to serve 4-6 people, depending on the size of your pork loin, so it is perfect for a family dinner or a simple meal with lots of leftovers.
More Healthy Pork Recipes:
- Spice-Rubbed Pork Tenderloin
- Roasted Pork Chops with Spiced Apples
- Grill Pork Chops with Peach Salsa

Herb Crusted Pork Tenderloin
This herb-crusted pork tenderloin recipe calls for fresh herbs but you could also use dried and they would work just as well.
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Prep Time: 10 minutes
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Cook Time: 20 minutes
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Total Time: 30 minutes
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Yield: 4 servings 1x
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Category: Mains
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Method: Baked
Ingredients
- 1–1.5 lbs pork tenderloin
- 8 springs fresh thyme
- 2 sprigs fresh rosemary
- 2 tablespoons grainy mustard
- 1/4 teaspoon sea salt
- 1/8 teaspoon ground pepper
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1/4 cup water
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400°F.
- Remove herbs from woody stems, and roughly chop into small pieces. Place pork tenderloin on a cutting board or tray, and gently pat try to remove any excess moisture.
- In a small bowl, combine mustard, herbs, salt and pepper to create a rub.
- Using your hands, gently rub the mustards mixture all over all sides of the pork tenderloin, ensuring it is well coated.
- In an oven-proof skillet on medium add the olive oil and sear tenderloin on all sides until golden brown. This should take about 3 minutes per side, for a total of 6 minutes.
- Once roast is seared and golden on all sides, transfer dish to the oven for 10-15 minutes until internal temperature reaches 150°F.
- Once cooked, remove from the oven, transfer to a cutting board or plate and cover with aluminium foil, and allow to rest 5 minutes. This is done to ensure the juices do not run when the roast is cut.
- While the pork rests, add the pan back to the element and deglaze it with a little bit of water or broth. Turn the heat to medium, add a ¼ cup of water, and using a wooden spoon or spatula scrape up any crispy bits from the bottom on the pan. Cook for 3-5 minutes until liquid has reduced and a thick glaze texture forms. This can be used to drizzle over the meat when served.
- Once rested, slice the roast into ½ inch thick rounds and serve with potato and vegetable of choice, and a drizzle of juice.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 203 calories
- Sugar: 0 grams
- Fat: 11 grams
- Carbohydrates: 2 grams
- Fiber: 1 gram
- Protein: 25 grams
Keywords: healthy, easy
Hi Stephanie. I see that you use olive oil in the oven at 400. It is my understanding that olive oil is not intended for high heat and becomes carcinogenic. Would you set me straight once and for all on this? I am now using avocado or grape seed oil for higher temperatures. Thanks
Hi Deborah,
Great question! Olive oil in the oven for roasting or cooking is fine, what you want to avoid is deep frying with it or really bubbling the oil. If you are concerned about it, avocado oil does have a higher heat point which also makes it a great choice.
If you want, I actually have a blog post about cooking oils which you can find here: https://kaynutrition.com/2016/09/best-cooking-fats-oils/
Let me know if that helps!