Chimichurri Pork Tenderloin

Chimichurri pork tenderloin marinated in fresh herbs! It’s elegant enough for company and easy enough for any night of the week. Low carb, bold flavors, and a 25 minute cook time.

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You guys, can we talk about how pork tenderloin is basically the superhero of weeknight dinners? I’m standing in my kitchen at 5 PM, staring at this beautiful piece of meat that I marinated this morning (because morning-me occasionally makes good decisions), and I’m realizing this might be the tastiest dinner I’ve thrown together all week. And it’s about to be ready in 25 minutes.

The star of tonight’s show?

This vibrant cilantro chimichurri that transforms ordinary pork tenderloin into something that looks like I’ve been cooking all day. Spoiler alert: I haven’t.

Also yes, I know it’s very green and that tends to freak kids out, but if you can convince them to try it, they’re almost guaranteed to love it. If not, just serve the extra chimichurri on the side for dipping.

What Makes This Recipe Special

Here’s the thing about chimichurri – it’s like the magic sauce that makes everything taste more expensive, more gourmet, more fancy than it actually is.

Traditional chimichurri is usually made with parsley, but I’ve gone rogue and added cilantro because I’m sort of obsessed with it right now. (And if you’re one of those people who thinks cilantro tastes like soap, I see you, and you can just go ahead and use parsley here.)

This sauce is bright, garlicky, and has just enough kick from the jalapeño to keep things interesting.

The best part? Half of it becomes your marinade, and the other half becomes your finishing sauce. So you get this incredible depth of flavor that penetrates the meat, plus that fresh, vibrant taste when you drizzle it on top.

Ingredient Notes:

Pork Tenderloin – These generally come 2 to a package and are somewhere around 1 1/2 to 2 pounds total. This may seem like a lot, but the leftovers reheat well or you could freeze one for another day.

Cilantro – The star of the show is the vibrant cilantro. Adds such a fresh flavor! You can swap this for extra parsley if you don’t enjoy cilantro.

Garlic & Onion – These get added to the processor or blender with the other chimichurri ingredients to make the marinade.

Jalapeno – This adds just a touch of heat. Nothing too spicy today.

Other – You’ll also need fresh flat-leaf parsley, salt, vinegar, and olive oil.

Step by Step Instructions for Chimichurri Pork Tenderloin:

Add the parsley, cilantro, garlic, jalapeno, onion, salt, 4 tablespoons olive oil, and vinegar to a food processor or blender and process until nearly smooth. No food processor? Just chop this by hand.

Add the pork tenderloin to a large zip top bag and add the remaining half of the chimichurri to the bag. Coat the pork in the sauce, seal bag, and refrigerate for at least 4 hours.

Sear the pork on all sides in a hot cast iron skillet, about 3 minutes per side.

Transfer the skillet to a 425 degree oven and bake for about 15 minutes, until it reaches 145 degrees. Rest, slice, and serve!

Swaps & Tips

For the herbs: Don’t love cilantro? You can use all parsley instead – it’ll be more traditional and just as delicious. Fresh herbs are really important here though, so don’t try to substitute dried.

Heat level: Want more kick? Leave some seeds in the jalapeño. Want it milder? Use half a jalapeño or swap it for a bit of bell pepper for sweetness without heat.

Marinating time: While 4 hours is the minimum, this pork can marinate for up to 24 hours. Just don’t go longer than that or the acid in the marinade will start to break down the meat texture.

No food processor? You can absolutely make this chimichurri by hand. Just mince everything very finely and whisk in the oil and vinegar. It’ll be a bit more rustic but equally delicious.

Searing tips: Make sure your pork is at room temperature before searing, and don’t move it around too much. Let it develop that crust before flipping.

Storage

Fridge life: Leftover pork keeps for up to 4 days covered in the refrigerator. The chimichurri stays fresh for about a week and actually gets better as the flavors meld.

Reheating: Slice the pork and reheat gently in a skillet with a splash of broth, or eat it cold sliced over salads (honestly, it’s incredible this way).

Make-ahead magic: You can marinate the pork up to 24 hours ahead, and the chimichurri can also be made in advance. Perfect for meal prep or entertaining.

Freezer situation: The cooked pork freezes okay for about 3 months, but the chimichurri doesn’t freeze as well. Make the chimichurri fresh for the best flavor.

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