Unlock the secret to a perfectly tender, incredibly juicy, and flavor-packed meal with this exquisite Oven-Baked Pork Tenderloin with Potatoes and Carrots recipe. It’s a culinary delight that promises simplicity without compromising on taste, making it an ideal choice for both special holiday gatherings and comforting weeknight dinners. Imagine succulent pork tenderloin, generously coated in a fragrant herb butter, roasting alongside vibrant potatoes, sweet carrots, and savory onions – all coming together on a single sheet pan, allowing your oven to handle most of the work.
This recipe offers remarkable flexibility. Feel free to experiment with a medley of other root vegetables like parsnips, sweet potatoes, or turnips, and don’t hesitate to personalize the seasoning to match your family’s preferences. Its effortless preparation and heartwarming results make it a perennial favorite that’s sure to impress with minimal fuss.
Oven-Baked Pork Tenderloin: A Flavorful and Healthy One-Pan Meal
There’s an undeniable comfort and rustic elegance in a beautifully oven-roasted pork tenderloin served with an array of perfectly tender, caramelized vegetables. This dish isn’t just delicious and incredibly filling; it’s also remarkably healthy and surprisingly easy to prepare using just a handful of straightforward ingredients. Pork tenderloin stands out as one of our most beloved cuts of meat in the kitchen. It’s not only budget-friendly but also famously forgiving, making it virtually impossible to overcook or dry out when handled correctly. This lean cut offers a delicate flavor profile that readily absorbs the aromatic seasonings, resulting in a dish that is consistently tender and moist.
For this particular recipe, we’ve embraced simplicity, opting for a classic seasoning blend that truly enhances the natural taste of the pork and vegetables. Our star seasonings include earthy thyme, fragrant rosemary, warm sage, pungent garlic powder, and subtle onion powder. This combination creates a depth of flavor that is both inviting and incredibly satisfying. There’s no need for elaborate marinades or exotic ingredients; the magic happens with these fresh, potent herbs and spices. If you’re a fan of complex, savory notes, consider adding a pinch or two of an Italian seasoning blend, a touch of smoky paprika, or a hint of exotic cumin to truly elevate the aroma and taste. These optional additions can transform the dish, offering new dimensions of flavor without adding significant complexity to the cooking process.
Should you be looking to explore alternative cooking methods for your pork tenderloin, our sous vide pork tenderloin recipe offers another fantastic way to achieve an exceptionally tender and juicy result. While different in technique, both methods guarantee a delicious pork experience that will keep you coming back for more.
Why This One-Pan Pork Tenderloin Recipe Works
This recipe is a triumph of convenience and flavor, designed to simplify your cooking while delivering maximum taste. The beauty of this dish lies in its “one-pan” approach, which means minimal cleanup and a cohesive flavor profile as all ingredients cook together, allowing their essences to meld beautifully. The pork tenderloin, a naturally lean and quick-cooking cut, becomes incredibly tender and moist when roasted in the oven, especially when protected by our rich herb butter. This butter not only infuses every bite with fragrant herbs and garlic but also helps create a golden, flavorful crust on the meat.
The selection of root vegetables—potatoes, carrots, and onions—is no accident. These hardy vegetables can withstand the oven’s heat, becoming wonderfully soft and sweet as they caramelize. They also release moisture and flavors that baste the pork, contributing to the overall juiciness of the dish. Moreover, preparing everything on one sheet ensures even cooking and allows for the development of deep, roasted flavors that are simply irresistible. Whether you’re a seasoned home cook or a beginner, this recipe offers a foolproof path to a satisfying and nutritious meal that requires very little active time in the kitchen.
Essential Ingredients for Your Perfect Roast
- Pork Tenderloin: Typically, these cuts weigh between 1 to 1½ pounds each. Their slender shape allows them to cook relatively quickly and evenly. This recipe is adaptable; you can easily adjust quantities if you have very small tenderloins or if you wish to double the ingredients for larger cuts, ensuring consistent results.
- Butter: For the herb butter, ensure your butter is softened to room temperature. This is crucial for it to mix smoothly with the herbs and garlic, allowing for easy spreading over the tenderloin to create a flavorful crust.
- Garlic: Freshly minced garlic is highly recommended for its potent aroma and intense flavor, which truly shines in the herb butter. It provides a pungent kick that complements the other herbs beautifully.
- Thyme and Rosemary: Fresh herbs make a significant difference in this recipe, offering bright, aromatic notes. However, if fresh varieties are unavailable, dried thyme and rosemary can be used, though you might use a slightly smaller quantity as dried herbs are more concentrated.
- Sage: Dried sage works wonderfully, lending a warm, earthy quality to the butter. If opting for fresh sage, remember to use approximately double the amount of chopped fresh leaves compared to dried for equivalent flavor.
- Onions: Yellow onions are our go-to for their balanced sweetness when roasted, but white or red onions can also be used, each contributing a slightly different flavor profile.
- Carrots: Peel and cut carrots into roughly 2-inch pieces. This ensures they cook evenly and become tender-crisp alongside the pork and potatoes, adding natural sweetness and vibrant color.
- Potatoes: Fingerling, red, or Yukon Gold potatoes are excellent choices for roasting. Their texture holds up well, and they absorb the delicious pan juices. A mix of varieties can also add interesting textures and flavors.
- Parsley: Freshly chopped parsley serves as an optional garnish. It adds a pop of fresh color and a clean, herbaceous finish to the dish just before serving.
How to Master Pork Tenderloin With Potatoes: A Step-by-Step Guide
- Preheat Your Oven and Prepare the Pork: Begin by preheating your oven to a steady 400 degrees Fahrenheit (200°C). This ensures the oven is at the optimal temperature for roasting as soon as your dish is ready to go in. Lightly spray a 9″ x 13″ baking dish with a non-stick cooking spray to prevent sticking and make cleanup a breeze. Carefully unwrap your boneless pork tenderloin and place it in the prepared baking dish. Using a paper towel, thoroughly pat the pork tenderloin dry. This crucial step helps create a beautiful sear and crisp exterior. Season generously with salt and freshly ground black pepper on all sides, ensuring even coverage for enhanced flavor.
- Craft the Aromatic Herb Butter: In a small mixing bowl, combine the softened, room-temperature butter with the majority of the minced garlic (reserving 1 teaspoon for the vegetables), fresh thyme, fresh rosemary, dried sage, and onion powder. Use a fork to thoroughly mash and blend all these ingredients until they form a cohesive, fragrant herb butter mixture. With a spatula, meticulously spread this aromatic butter evenly over the entire surface of the pork tenderloin. This butter not only infuses the pork with incredible flavor but also helps keep it moist and tender during roasting.
- Prepare and Arrange the Flavorful Veggies: In a separate, larger bowl, add your prepared yellow onions, carrots, and potatoes. Drizzle generously with avocado oil and add the reserved 1 teaspoon of minced garlic. Toss all the vegetables together until they are well coated with the oil and garlic. Arrange these seasoned vegetables around the pork tenderloin in the baking dish, creating a vibrant bed of goodness. Spreading them evenly ensures they roast perfectly and develop delightful caramelization.
- Roast to Perfection: Carefully place the baking dish into your preheated 400-degree F oven. Roast for approximately 35-40 minutes. The most accurate way to determine doneness for pork tenderloin is by using an instant-read meat thermometer. Insert it into the thickest part of the pork, ensuring it doesn’t touch any bone. The pork is safely cooked when it reaches an internal temperature of 145 degrees F (63°C). If the top of your pork isn’t as golden brown as you’d like by the time it reaches the target temperature, you can briefly broil it for 1-2 minutes, watching carefully to prevent burning, until it achieves a beautiful golden hue.
- Rest, Slice, and Serve: Once the pork tenderloin reaches 145 degrees F, remove the baking dish from the oven. It’s essential to let the pork rest for about 10 minutes before slicing. This allows the juices to redistribute throughout the meat, ensuring a more tender and flavorful result. To serve, spoon any delicious pan juices from the bottom of the baking dish over the sliced pork. Slice the pork into 1-inch thick pieces, garnish with freshly chopped parsley for a fresh burst of color and flavor, and serve alongside the tender roasted vegetables. This complete meal is ready to be enjoyed with any of your favorite complementary sides.
Frequently Asked Questions About Pork Tenderloin
While exact cooking times can vary based on the size and thickness of your pork tenderloin, as well as the calibration of your specific oven, a general guideline for roasting at 400 degrees Fahrenheit (200°C) is about 35-40 minutes for a 1-1.5 pound tenderloin. If you have a larger tenderloin, such as a 3-pound cut, it might take approximately 90 minutes. However, it is always paramount to rely on the internal temperature of the meat rather than just the clock. A meat thermometer is your best friend in the kitchen to ensure perfect doneness and food safety.
For optimal safety and deliciousness, pork tenderloin should be cooked until its internal temperature reaches 145 degrees F (63°C). Use a reliable meat thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the cut, making sure it doesn’t touch any bone if you’re working with a bone-in cut. It’s perfectly acceptable, and even desirable, for the center of the pork to have a slight pink tint, indicating a juicy and tender result. This temperature ensures the meat is both safe to eat and retains its moisture.
Absolutely! Pork tenderloin can be wonderfully adapted for slow cooking, yielding incredibly tender and succulent results. While this specific recipe focuses on oven roasting, many slow cooker pork recipes would work exceptionally well with pork tenderloin, often requiring less hands-on effort throughout the cooking process. It’s a versatile cut that performs beautifully in various cooking environments.
Pork tenderloin and pork loin are distinct cuts of meat and, as such, require different cooking approaches. Pork tenderloin, a long, thin, and very lean cut, comes from a muscle located along the pig’s spine. Because this muscle is rarely used, the tenderloin is exceptionally tender and juicy when cooked properly. In contrast, pork loin, which is thicker and wider, is cut from the back of the pig and often includes some bone or fat cap. It’s a larger cut that benefits from longer cooking times and is excellent for roasts or chops, offering a different texture and flavor profile than its leaner counterpart. Understanding this difference is key to selecting the right cut for your recipe and achieving the best culinary results.
More Delicious Pork Recipes You’ll Love
- Smoked Pulled Pork
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Rating: 5 out of 5 stars (12 votes)
Pork Tenderloin and Potatoes Recipe
Author: The Carefree Kitchen
This oven baked Pork Tenderloin and Potatoes is tender and juicy, packed full of flavor and oh-so-easy. Simply slather in a delicious herb butter alongside potatoes, carrots and onions and let the oven do the work.
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 1 hour 30 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour 40 minutes
Yields: 8 people
Ingredients
- 2½ pounds boneless pork tenderloin
- 1½ teaspoons salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- ⅓ cup butter, room temperature
- 2 tablespoons minced garlic (divided)
- 2 teaspoons fresh minced thyme
- 2 teaspoons fresh minced rosemary
- ½ teaspoon dried sage
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 2 medium yellow onions, peeled and quartered
- 3 whole carrots, peeled and cut into 2″ pieces
- 2 pounds red potatoes (or Yukon Gold, fingerling)
- 2 tablespoons avocado oil
- 1 tablespoon fresh chopped parsley, for garnish (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200°C).
- Spray a 9″ x 13″ baking dish with nonstick cooking spray. Unwrap the pork tenderloin and place it in the baking dish. Use a paper towel to pat dry, then season with salt and pepper.
- In a small bowl, combine the room temperature butter, all but 1 teaspoon of garlic, thyme, rosemary, sage, and onion powder and use a fork to mash and combine all of the ingredients. Using a spatula, spread this butter mixture evenly over the top of the pork.
- In a separate bowl, add the onions, carrots, potatoes, avocado oil, and 1 teaspoon of reserved minced garlic. Stir until well coated, then arrange the veggies around the edge of the pork in the baking dish.
- Roast in a preheated oven for 35-40 minutes, or until an internal thermometer reads 145 degrees F (63°C). If the pork isn’t golden brown on top, broil in the oven for a minute or two until golden.
- Once the pork has reached 145 degrees F, remove from the oven and let rest for about 10 minutes. To serve, spoon juices from the bottom of the baking dish over the meat. Slice the pork into 1″ pieces, garnish with freshly chopped parsley, and serve with some of the roasted vegetables. Enjoy!
Notes
- If the skin or top of the pork is browning too quickly before it has reached 145 degrees F, cover the pork with foil to prevent over-browning while it finishes cooking.
- This recipe is very versatile. You can easily use smaller pork tenderloins or double the ingredients to accommodate very large cuts.
Nutrition
Calories: 251kcal | Carbohydrates: 4g | Protein: 24g | Fat: 15g | Saturated Fat: 7g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 6g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 94mg | Sodium: 419mg | Potassium: 508mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 370IU | Vitamin C: 4mg | Calcium: 24mg | Iron: 1mg
Disclaimer: Nutritional values were calculated using a third-party tool and are provided as an estimation only.
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: American
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Even More of Our Favorite Pork Recipes
- Crockpot Mississippi Pot Roast
- Spicy Italian Meatballs
- Slow Cooker Pulled Roast Pork
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In conclusion, this Pork Tenderloin with Potatoes and Carrots recipe is a testament to the fact that wholesome, flavorful meals don’t have to be complicated. With minimal effort, you can create a delicious and filling dish that is perfect for any occasion. The simple act of slathering the pork in a savory herb butter and letting the oven do its magic transforms humble ingredients into a memorable culinary experience. We hope you enjoy preparing and savoring this delightful one-pan roast!