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Home » Recipes » Main Dishes

By Kaleigh McMordie - November 5, 2015, Updated July 15, 2022

Perfect Garlic Rosemary Pork Tenderloin

Jump to Recipe·Print Recipe
closeup of sliced pork tenderloin on a cutting board surrounded by rosemary and garlic with text overlay.

Whether for a weeknight dinner or to serve for guests, this easy garlic and rosemary crusted pork tenderloin is sure to impress! It's simple to make with only 5 ingredients and comes out flavorful and tender every time.

rosemary garlic pork tenderloin sliced on a wooden cutting board with garlic and herbs.

Pork tenderloin roasted in the oven is one of our family's easy dinners, especially during the cooler months. Affordable and relatively quick-cooking, pork tenderloin is tender, delicious, and perfect for any occasion from weeknight meals to dinner parties! This recipe is one of my favorite ways to prepare pork tenderloin.

TLDR: Time and Temperature For Baked Pork Tenderloin

Bake at 400°F for 20-30 minutes, or until the internal temperature reaches 135-140°F. Keep reading for more tips for perfect pork tenderloin.

Why You'll Love This Pork Tenderloin

This pork tenderloin is super flavorful thanks to a simple marinade infused with fresh garlic and rosemary. Baked at a high temperature in the oven, the garlic and rosemary form a delicious crust on the outside of the meat, while the inside stays juicy and tender. It's a super easy recipe with only 5 ingredients (not counting salt, pepper and oil) and is a healthy, inexpensive main dish that everyone will love.

Pork Loin vs Pork Tenderloin

It can be confusing to know which cut to buy for certain recipes at times, but pork loin and pork tenderloin are not the same cut. Pork tenderloin is smaller around and more tender, so it's better cooked more quickly. Pork loin (or pork loin roast) is a larger piece of meat that looks more like a roast with a fat cap on the top. It's takes longer to cook and is better roasted or braised more slowly.  The Kitchn has a good article explaining the difference in more detail. A pork tenderloin is what you want for this recipe.

The Ingredients

overhead view of ingredients needed to make rosemary garlic pork tenderloin.
  • Pork Tenderloin - See note above for the difference between pork tenderloin and pork loin.
  • Garlic - Fresh garlic is always best! If you love garlic like me, add an extra clove if you like!
  • Fresh Rosemary - I use about 2 sprigs. If you only have dried rosemary, you can use about 1 tablespoon.
  • Salt and Pepper - I like kosher salt and coarse black pepper to get a good crust.
  • Balsamic Vinegar
  • Worcestershire Sauce - Make sure your sauce is gluten-free, if necessary, as not all brands are gluten-free.
  • Olive Oil

How To Make It

5 image collage showing steps for making rosemary and garlic crusted pork tenderloin.
  1. Optional Step - locate the small piece of silvery looking skin on the pork tenderloin and use a sharp knife to cut off the visible portion.
  2. Finely chop the garlic and rosemary, either with a sharp knife or with a mini food processor.
  3. Coat the outside of the pork tenderloin with the garlic, rosemary, salt and pepper. Place it in a large dish or zipper bag.
  4. Add the balsamic vinegar, worcestershire sauce and olive oil. Turn the pork tenderloin to coat it and marinate in the refrigerator for 1-2 hours. Take it out of the refrigerator while you preheat the oven.
  5. Place the tenderloin in an oiled baking dish or cast iron skillet. Bake at 400°F for 20-30 minutes, or until the internal temperature reaches 135-140°F. Flip the pork loin over halfway through cooking.
  6. Remove from the oven, place on a cutting board, and cover. Allow to rest 10 minutes before slicing.

Tips For Perfect Pork Tenderloin

  • There is one critical thing you must do to avoid drying out pork tenderloin and any other meat. GET A THERMOMETER! Time is not a very good indicator for cooking meat since ovens and the thickness of meat can vary. It's best to invest in a meat thermometer so that you always know exactly when it's done without drying it out! To use it, just insert into the center of the thickest portion of the meat. I pull it from the oven at about 135 to 140°F.
  • Don't skip the resting stage. This gives the juices a chance to redistribute throughout the meat, resulting in a juicer piece of pork. The temperature will also rise about 5 degrees during resting.
closeup view of rosemary garlic pork tenderloin sliced on a wooden cutting board with garlic and herbs.

What To Serve With It

  • Simple Roasted Sweet Potatoes
  • Basic Rustic Mashed Potatoes
  • Brown Butter Sage Mashed Sweet Potatoes
  • Simple Oven Roasted Rosemary Potatoes
  • Simple Sautéed Green Beans
  • Easy Roasted Delicata Squash
  • Easy Oven Broiled Asparagus
  • Maple Mustard Roasted Butternut Squash with Pecans and Goat Cheese
  • Healthy Kale Caesar Salad with Homemade Dressing
  • Fall Kale Salad With Apples, Pears and Sorghum

Did you make this recipe? Please leave a star rating in the comments!

Print

Perfect Garlic Rosemary Pork Tenderloin

sliced pork tenderloin on a wooden cutting board surrounded by rosemary sprigs and garlic cloves.
Print Recipe

★★★★

3.7 from 3 reviews

Whether for a weeknight dinner or to serve for guests, this easy garlic and rosemary crusted pork tenderloin is sure to impress! It's simple to make with only 5 ingredients and comes out flavorful and tender every time.

  • Author: Kaleigh
  • Prep Time: 15 minutes
  • Marinating Time: 60 minutes
  • Cook Time: 30 minutes
  • Total Time: 1 hour 45 minutes
  • Yield: 3-4 servings 1x
  • Category: main dish
  • Method: baked
  • Cuisine: American

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 pork tenderloin (about 1-2 lb)
  • 3 cloves garlic
  • 2 sprigs rosemary, leaves removed
  • 1 tsp coarse salt
  • 2 tsp fresh cracked black pepper
  • ¼ cup balsamic vinegar
  • ¼ cup worcestershire sauce
  • 2 tbsp olive oil

Instructions

  1. Finely chop garlic and rosemary, either by hand or with a mini food processor.
  2. Rub pork loin with garlic mixture, salt and pepper. Set in a large dish or zipper bag and cover with balsamic, worcestershire sauce and oil. Let pork marinate for 1-2 hours in the refrigerator. Pull 30 minutes before cooking and let it come to room temperature.
  3. Preheat oven to 400° F. Put pork in a greased baking dish or cast-iron skillet.
  4. Bake until it reaches an internal temperature of 140° F, turning once halfway in between. The time it takes will vary, depending on size, but ours usually take around 30 minutes. Start checking around 20 minutes.
  5. Pull pork from oven and cover. Let rest 10 minutes before slicing.

Notes

  • For gluten-free, be sure your worcestershire sauce is gluten-free. Some brands are and some are not.
  • Time is not a very good indicator for cooking meat since ovens and the size of the meat can vary. It's best to invest in a meat thermometer so that you always know exactly when it's done without drying it out!
  • Don't skip the resting stage! This gives the juices a chance to redistribute throughout the meat, resulting in a juicer piece of pork. The temperature will also rise about 5 degrees during resting.
  • Store leftover pork in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.

Keywords: garlic rosemary pork tenderloin, easy pork tenderloin, baked pork tenderloin

Did you make this recipe?

Tag @livelytable on Instagram and hashtag it #livelytable

This post was originally published November 2015 and has been updated.

« Fall Kale Salad With Apples, Pears and Sorghum
Easy, Healthy Pumpkin Risotto »

About Kaleigh McMordie

Kaleigh McMordie, MCN, RDN, LD, is a Registered Dietitian and Licensed Dietitian in Abilene, Texas, as well as a member of the Baby Led Weaning Dietitians Network. Kaleigh can be found at kaleighmcmordie.com.

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Sarah says

    May 04, 2022 at 5:21 pm

    We love this recipe! Sometimes I'll prep and freeze one in the marinade, thaw in the fridge, and have a delicious meal ready to go. 🙂

    ★★★★★

    Reply
    • Kaleigh says

      May 05, 2022 at 1:13 pm

      Great idea - thanks for sharing!

      Reply
  2. Erin says

    April 22, 2022 at 4:58 pm

    Okay to used minced garlic?

    Reply
    • Kaleigh says

      April 23, 2022 at 2:40 pm

      Yes!

      Reply
  3. Betsy says

    December 13, 2021 at 10:19 am

    Nope. This was edible and the meat was tender & juicy, but we found the Worchestershire sauce taste overwhelming. Won't be making this one again

    ★

    Reply
  4. Rachel Geith says

    November 12, 2021 at 5:19 am

    In a little nervous about trying this recipe as I am not a fan of balsamic vinegar and it's sweetness. Any recommendations?

    Reply
    • Kaleigh says

      November 12, 2021 at 6:18 am

      Hi Rachel, You can leave it out and marinate with just the olive oil and worcestershire sauce.

      Reply
  5. Anonymous says

    April 10, 2021 at 4:43 pm

    This tenderloin was delicious. I was a bit Skeptical using the soil in the voice Chester sauce and vinegar I had never use a combination but oh my word so delicious thank you so much for this recipe I’m sure I’ll share it I need to use it often thank you so

    Reply
  6. KF Vogel says

    September 08, 2020 at 8:01 pm

    We made this on the spur of the moment with two Aldi pork tenderloins. Put everything in a gallon plastic bag to marinate for 2 hours. Turned out perfectly! Super tender and flavorful!

    ★★★★★

    Reply
    • Kaleigh says

      September 09, 2020 at 11:02 am

      So glad you liked it!

      Reply
  7. Shauna Hart says

    November 07, 2018 at 7:01 pm

    I have made this TWICE in the last 3 days! We had a very large pork loin which I cut in half. I was scared of balsamic so I only used 1/2 of what it called for and accidentally used 1/4 cup of soy instead of the worcestershire sauce. It turned out great though, we loved it, well the adults did.
    When I went to share the recipe with friends I discovered my mistake. So I did the full amount of Balsamic, 1/4 cup of soy and a bit more than 1/4 cup of W sauce since it was the very end of our bottle. It turned out so good and less salty than Monday nights dinner. Though I baked it at 350 for 45 minutes instead of 400 @ 30 minutes. Bf said it was tougher, I didn't notice.
    Overall this was so great, I loved it so much, we didn't have much in way of leftovers either night. For sure will make it into our rotation. Both nights I made it with roasted veggies (carrots and zuchinni) and potatoes that went in and came out at the same time as the pork and were seasoned with salt, pepper, garlic powder, rosemary and olive oil. The pan juices from the pork were delish on top of the sliced pork and veggies.
    Thank you for a simple yet yummy recipe!!!!

    Reply
    • Kaleigh says

      November 08, 2018 at 6:07 am

      Hi Shauna, I'm so glad you enjoyed the recipe! Thanks for stopping by!

      Reply
  8. shelbystennes says

    August 22, 2018 at 2:31 pm

    How many pounds would you say constitutes using the instructions for a “large” tenderloin?

    Reply
    • Kaleigh says

      August 22, 2018 at 3:46 pm

      It actually depends on the cut. A pork loin is a different cut (sometimes called a pork loin roast) and is much larger around. It can be anywhere from 2-6 or so lb. That would use the larger pork loin instructions. Hope that helps!

      Reply
  9. Jenn says

    March 01, 2018 at 9:25 am

    Hello! I'm going to try this for a dinner party. Do you cover it when it's in the oven? Thanks!

    Reply
    • Kaleigh says

      March 01, 2018 at 9:39 am

      Hi Jenn,
      No, I normally do not cover it while it's in the oven. Enjoy!

      Reply
  10. Hannah says

    February 05, 2018 at 5:01 pm

    Do you pour the leftover marinade over the pork before cooking?

    Reply
    • Kaleigh says

      February 05, 2018 at 5:35 pm

      Hi Hannah,
      I usually don't but you could if you want to to add a little more moisture!

      Reply
  11. Susan Walker says

    January 25, 2018 at 7:27 pm

    This is the most delicious pork tenderloin we have had!

    Reply
    • Kaleigh says

      January 26, 2018 at 11:07 am

      Hi Susan, I'm so glad you enjoyed the recipe! Thanks for stopping by!

      Reply
  12. Mary B says

    November 18, 2017 at 12:29 pm

    When using a pork loin, do you turn this over half way through?

    Reply
    • Kaleigh says

      November 18, 2017 at 2:46 pm

      Hi Mary,

      You can turn during marinating if you'd like. Yes, I would turn halfway through cooking for a pork loin. Enjoy!

      Reply
  13. Mary B says

    November 18, 2017 at 9:48 am

    Do you turn the tenderloin over when marinating to be sure it marinated the whole loin?

    Reply
  14. Mark says

    September 09, 2017 at 6:54 pm

    Made this for my daughter. She loved it!

    Reply
    • Kaleigh says

      September 10, 2017 at 9:11 am

      Hi Mark,

      I'm so glad your daughter enjoyed it. Thanks for stopping by!

      Reply
  15. Amanda says

    August 14, 2017 at 4:31 pm

    Trying this right now, I didn't have the Worcestershire sauce but I'm trying it with hoisen and balsamic glaze (wish me luck!)

    Reply
    • Kaleigh says

      August 15, 2017 at 8:48 am

      Good luck! 🙂

      Reply
  16. Ashley says

    August 02, 2017 at 4:29 pm

    Do you discard the marinade prior to cooking or do you cook the pork in the marinade?

    Reply
    • Kaleigh says

      August 04, 2017 at 3:17 pm

      Yes, discard the marinade. Thanks for stopping by Ashley!

      Reply
  17. Diana says

    August 01, 2017 at 8:20 pm

    Would it be ok to let this marinade all day? I usually don't get home from work until 6pm and I wouldn't be able to marina it for the 1-2 hours required. Thanks!

    Reply
    • Kaleigh says

      August 01, 2017 at 9:02 pm

      Hi Diana, I think that would be okay to let it marinate while you are at work!

      Reply
  18. florence coutts says

    June 04, 2017 at 8:19 pm

    Delicious. Thank you.

    Reply
    • Kaleigh says

      June 05, 2017 at 4:42 pm

      I'm glad you liked it. Thanks for stopping by, Florence!

      Reply
  19. shakeryayaAmy says

    May 11, 2017 at 8:19 pm

    Made this for a girls night dinner and it was a huge hit! Made wonderful left over sandwiches! Delicious. Going to visit my kids for Mother's Day and I'm making it again.

    Reply
    • Kaleigh says

      May 14, 2017 at 1:40 pm

      I'm so glad you loved it! Have a happy mother's day!

      Reply
  20. Pam Scott says

    April 06, 2017 at 12:49 pm

    Thanks for sharing this recipe!!! I had a very similar recipe and lost it when we moved. I am making this next weekend for my kids. I know already they will love it!

    Reply
    • Kaleigh says

      April 06, 2017 at 12:58 pm

      Hi Pam, thanks for stopping by! I hope you and your family enjoy!

      Reply
  21. L. says

    January 12, 2017 at 6:41 am

    Looks like you used a pork TENDERLOIN, which is different from a pork LOIN. A pork loin would not be as tender and you would need more baking time. But your recipe looks delicious and am anxious to try it.

    Reply
    • Kaleigh says

      January 12, 2017 at 10:20 am

      You're right, I'll make changed to reflect the cooking times of each!

      Reply
  22. Teresa says

    January 07, 2017 at 10:51 am

    The ingredients doesn't call for oil but the directions does. How much oil?

    Reply
    • Kaleigh says

      January 07, 2017 at 11:41 am

      Hi Teresa, the recipe calls for 2 tbsp, it's at the bottom of the ingredient list! Have a great day!

      Reply
  23. choppedchutney says

    December 23, 2016 at 11:14 am

    Can this recipe be used for a tenderloin?

    Reply
    • Kaleigh says

      December 24, 2016 at 12:37 pm

      Yes, absolutely!

      Reply

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