Our Pork Tenderloin recipe is seared to perfection, finished in the oven, and then topped off with a decadent garlic butter sauce. Would you believe this recipe is ready in about 30 minutes and it’s naturally low in carbs?
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I snagged a couple of pork tenderloins at the grocery store the other day. They were on sale and I’m all in for pork, so I couldn’t pass them up.
Of course, I had no idea what I was going to do with the pork tenderloin when I got it home, but I figured an idea would come to me.
It didn’t. That’s the way my brain works – I’m full of ideas until I need them. 😉
I asked the husb what he was feeling for dinner one night and he said he wanted something extra buttery and extra garlic-y, so I just went for it, you guys.
Garlic Butter Pork Tenderloin. Can you handle this amount of goodness?
This looks and tastes like a fancy restaurant meal, but it was one of the easiest things I’ve made in a long time and it was ready in about 30 minutes.
Ingredient Notes:
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Pork Tenderloin – This is a long, narrow, boneless cut of meat that’s from near the backbone. Tenderloin is a tender cut of meat.
Seasoning – You’ll season the tenderloin with some Italian seasoning as well as salt and pepper and any other seasonings you might want to add.
Avocado Oil – We sear the pork tenderloin in avocado oil. It has a high smoke point and is perfect for searing.
Garlic Butter Topping – This topping is easy to prepare and adds lots of great flavor that complements the pork. It’s a mix of melted butter, minced garlic, onion powder, and parsley!
- We love garlic butter in this house and it really adds something special to this pork tenderloin recipe.
- The pork turns out moist, tender, and drenched in flavor.
- You can make this in one skillet – sear the tenderloin in your favorite cast iron and then transfer the whole thing to the oven.
karly’s tips & Tricks:
Keep these simple tips & tricks in mind when preparing this pork tenderloin recipe to get the best possible results!
- Pork Tenderloin Vs. Pork Loin – These are actually different cuts of pork. Make sure you use the tenderloin which is a longer, skinnier cut. A pork loin, or a pork roast, are much larger and not the same cut as a pork tenderloin.
- Don’t Overcook – This seems like an obvious thing but a pork tenderloin can become very dry if it’s overcooked. Use a meat thermometer to make sure you aren’t overcooking. A slight pink center is okay as long as it reaches 145.
- Sear – Get your cast iron skillet good and hot and put a nice sear on the tenderloin before roasting to create a nice crust with the seasoning.
- Silver Skin – This tough white skin is sometimes not removed by the butcher/grocery store. If it’s still on the pork tenderloin you’ll want to remove it yourself. It’ll be tough and chewy and not very palatable if you leave it on.
I am making this for the fourth time tonight. It is now one of my family’s favorites! Thank you so much for sharing this recipe! 🙂
How To Make Pork Tenderloin:
- Prepare – First up, grab a heavy bottomed, oven safe skillet. I used cast iron. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.
- Season – This oven pork tenderloin starts off with a little Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper. Just sprinkle it all over on both sides.
- Sear – Add some olive oil to your hot skillet. Once the oil is hot, sear the pork on both sides.
We’re locking in the juice and adding a ton of flavor by searing the meat before putting it in the oven. Don’t skip this step!
For baked pork tenderloin, we’re going to need to do a little oven time.
- Bake – Pop the whole skillet into the hot oven and let it cook for about 15 minutes, depending on the level of doneness you prefer. Did you know that pork isn’t required to be cooked to well done?
I like to cook my pork until it’s just oh so slightly pink in the center, so I pull it from the oven at 145 degrees and let it rest for about 5 minutes before cutting.
You can safely pull your pork anytime after 145 degrees and up to 160, if you like it well done. Just allow the pork tenderloin to rest for at least 5 minutes before slicing.
I love using this meat thermometer for making sure the meat is fully cooked! Easy for beginners & absolutely worth the low cost. Just stick it in the thickest part of the meat to check for doneness. This thermometer is also magnetic so it’s easy to store right on the side of the fridge or oven for easy access! Get it on Amazon.
How To Make Garlic Butter Topping:
- Combine – We’ve already seasoned the pork with a little Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper, but now we’re going big and bold with garlic butter!Once your pork is cooked and rested, melt together a little butter, a lot of garlic, some onion powder, and fresh parsley.
- Top – Pour it right over the top of your tenderloin.
Can’t you just smell it when you look at the photos? So. Good. Maybe sprinkle some Parmesan cheese on there too? More flavor!
Pork Tenderloin Substitutions & Variations:
This garlic butter pork tenderloin has all kinds of savory flavor but it’s not the only way you can enjoy this tender, juicy cut of pork. Try some of these other popular seasonings, rubs, and marinades!
- Herbs: You can use a simple herb rub or add some other fresh herbs and spices to this garlic butter recipe. Rosemary, thyme, oregano, sage, and tarragon are just a few that’ll pair well with pork tenderloin.
- Spices: A good Cajun or Creole seasoning (We love Tony Chachere’s!) is a great way to spice up pork. Chili powder, red pepper flakes, and smoked paprika are also great choices.
- Glazes: A Balsamic glaze is a good choice for pork. A low carb maple syrup substitute and Dijon mustard are a great combo too!
- Marinades/Sauces: I’d suggest a good low carb teriyaki sauce or marinade. Srichacha sauce will add lots of great spicy flavor and heat! A chili-lime marinade would also work well with the roasted pork.
What To Serve With Pork Tenderloin:
There are so many delicious low carb side dishes that would work with this pork tenderloin!
My fried radishes are a great sub for potatoes and I think they work perfectly with this tenderloin recipe.
Keto coleslaw is always a win with any type of meat.
Brussels sprouts and bacon would make a lovely side dish and so would this cauliflower mac and cheese.
You could also keep it simple with a fresh green salad or some zoodles tossed in a little sugar-free marinara.
FAQ’s:
The pork tenderloin cooking time may vary depending on the size of the tenderloin you are cooking, but generally it’ll take just a few minutes to sear it and about 15 minutes to bake at 425 degrees!
It needs to reach an internal temp of 145 degrees to be safe.
I’m using a mix of Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper. It’s simple but it works, and most of the flavor is coming from all that garlic butter topping anyways. You can use any spices or seasonings you’d like!
If you have leftover garlic butter pork tenderloin you can keep it stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for about 3 to 4 days. It can be reheated in the oven or the microwave.
MORE KETO PORK RECIPES!
- Mississippi Pork Roast
- Bacon Wrapped Pork Chops
- Breaded Baked Pork Chops
- Air Fryer Pork Tenderloin
- Lemon Pepper Pork Chops
- Keto Pulled Pork
Garlic Butter Pork Tenderloin
Ingredients
- 1 ½ pounds pork tenderloin
- 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon pepper
- 2 tablespoons avocado oil
- ¼ cup melted butter
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- 1 tablespoon chopped parsley
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
- Season all sides of the tenderloin with Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper.
- Heat oil in a large heavy-bottomed skillet, such as cast iron, over high heat.
- Add the pork to the skillet and sear for 2-3 minutes per side.
- Transfer skillet to the oven and bake for 15 minutes or until the pork reaches an internal temperature of 145 degrees.
- Remove from oven and let rest for 5 minutes.
- While pork is resting, whisk together the butter, garlic, onion powder, and parsely.
- Pour the garlic butter over the pork.
- Slice pork into 1-inch thick slices and serve.
Camaraye C. says
Just made this and it turned out really good, very quick and easy too! It has really good flavor, will make again.
Gale says
Made this tonight and it was a big hit! Came out perfect! Just a heads up. Your recipe says avocado oil in the ingredients but it says olive oil in the instructions. I don’t have avocado oil so I used olive oil.
Karly Campbell says
Thanks for the heads up!
Chris says
Oh my goodness, this was delicious!! My usual pork tenderloin dishes are too sugary for low carb, so I needed something new. This was fantastic!!! I didn’t have any fresh parsley on hand, so I just added a little more Italian seasoning to the garlic butter. Served this with roasted asparagus and shredded brussels sprouts sauteed with a little more garlic and some pine nuts. Very satisfying!
Doug says
Have made this twice. Very tasty and easy both times. Thanks for sharing.
Joell says
Fabulous! Quick, easy and delicious! Will definitely make this again and again!
Kathryn says
This was so simple and so delish! You can pair it with anything, quite versatile! Thank you so much!
Vicki says
Wow very impressed!!! I have just flipped most of my tenderloin recipes out for this one. My autistic grandson who is 12 yrs old is very hard to please with food, but he really enjoyed this dinner, and asked me to make it again soon.
So thank you very much. I will be trying more recipes of yours again very soon!
Karly Campbell says
Glad you guys enjoyed! 🙂
Kristen says
So yummy! I wonder if I could make this on the grill? What do you think?
Karly Campbell says
Yep, I think it’d be great on the grill!
Sherri says
I don’t often cook pork as I usually am not a big fan, but this was fantastic. It was enjoyed by all, and will be added to my recipe rotation!
Deb says
Delicious! Just one tweak…before slicing, I glazed the pork with Thai Sweet Chili sauce.
Serve it with some veggie egg rolls and guests will rave.
Joyce says
Best recipe ever – thank you for sharing. Really delicious. Have made this time and time again and my household just loves it.
LuluT says
Amazing!! I have recipe fails all the time, to the point where I just go back to cookbooks buttttt this is fantastic. Honestly best pork tenderloin I’ve ever had, easy to make! And I get to use my cast iron skillet!
LeeAnn says
Utterly amazing in every way! Didn’t change a thing and it was a HUGE hit with everyone! A+++
Rob says
I did not fully read the instructions before starting and did not have all the ingredients but it worked very, very well.
First I had a small tenderloin of less than a pound. I used olive oil in a heated up pan but I only seared it 15-20 seconds a side until it was white but not cooked much. Flipped it four times… entire thing was whitened.
Then having not read the actual recipe just the intro and only having 2 table spoons of butter… Before I seared it I shook a bit of salt, quite a bit of pepper and a couple of pinches of mixed fine herbs. Then I melted the butter and mixed in 2 tablespoons of refridgerated minced garlic, plus a few drops of a mild honey habenero sauce. Then I covered the pork tenderloin in the melted butter and garlic mix. Before baking. It was not a lot and I covered one side, flipped it over and most of it stayed on or under the tenderloin.
I baked it around 25 minutes at 425 degrees. And it was just the tiniest bit pink in the thickest spot only. Perfect.
I am sharing it because it worked so well and was so moist and this way you likely end up eating less butter. And I used a fraction of the salt recommened. One of the juiciest I have ever made. Even compared to a slow cooker literally cooking it in liquid. I tasted the garlic. Next time I might add more hot sauce. I barely noticed it, i did not want it spicy or hot, just a little extra zest and in trying not to overdo it I likely should have added 2-3 times as much to get even a mild kick.
Lisa Lindahl says
Delicious! Best pork tenderloin I’ve ever made or tasted!
Sierra says
Made this with your brussel sprouts with bacon and some mac and cheese and the family absolutely loved it!!! Definitely repeat make and I’ve been asked to share the family’s appreciation for a bomb dish
Karly Campbell says
So glad you enjoyed! 🙂
Diane says
I was looking for a low carb menu and recipe for pork tenderloin to make for friends we were hosting for dinner. I was happy to come upon your site-( it looks great btw) and the pictures of this almost made it possible to SMELL the deliciousness! We had a 4lb pork tenderloin that we cut into two pieces and I marinated it a bottle of Italian dressing the day of. I followed your directions exact- and did the searing and cooking in our cast iron pans. THIS WAS THE BEST PORK TENDERLOIN I’VE EVER MADE!! Our friends were absolutely blown away and raved about the meal. I served it with roasted honey acorn squash topped with butter/brown sugar and a few toasted pecans along with steamed green beans.
Karly Campbell says
Yay! So glad this was a hit! Your whole menu sounds amazing!
Kristen Tremblay says
Is it best to use fresh garlic you mince or is the jar of minced garlic ok?
Karly Campbell says
I use them both all the time. Either will be fine. 🙂
Melissa Meidt says
Wow! Delicious and easy to prepare!
Lisa says
Wondering if anyone has tried this in the instapot?
You can sear it and cook all in one pot