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    Home » Keto Dinner Ideas » Keto Garlic Pork Tenderloin

    Published: Jun 29, 2021 · Modified: Apr 29, 2022 by Carolyn

    Keto Garlic Pork Tenderloin

    This post may contain Amazon or other affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

    2.7K shares
    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe

    Juicy keto pork tenderloin with a mouthwatering garlic brown “sugar” glaze. This easy low carb dinner recipe takes only 30 minutes to make, start to finish.

    Titled image of slices of pork tenderloin on a white plate, drizzled with garlicky sauce.

    Pork tenderloin has been one of my go-to easy keto meals since before I was even knew what the keto diet was. How is that even possible?

    I’ve been making a garlic rosemary tenderloin recipe since my mid-20s, when my husband and I first moved in together. I was astonished to learn how easy it was to make and how flavorful it could be. And it was the first recipe I ever made for his parents.

    It turned out so well, I felt like quite the gourmet chef. And I earned my place in the food-loving Ketchum family!

    I get my healthy, pasture-raised pork from Wild Pastures. And they’re offering my readers 20% off their first box!

    Top down image of keto garlic pork tenderloin in a cast iron skillet.

    Pork tenderloin nutrition

    Pork tenderloin is an excellent choice for a healthy meal. Unlike chops and pork roasts, it’s very lean, which means it’s high protein without being high fat.

    Although we don’t shy away from animal fats on a keto diet, sometimes we want something a little lighter and less calorie dense. Additionally, many people find that the over-consumption of fat can stall their weight loss. This is particularly true of older women.

    Some lean meats are hard to cook well, as they dry out easily and become tough. But as long as you don’t overcook it, pork tenderloin can be juicy and full of flavor.

    Garlic Brown “Sugar” Glaze

    I don’t often stray from my original recipe but this time I had a little fun creating a sweet garlicky glaze for my keto pork tenderloin. It was over the top good!

    The glaze features plenty of garlic, some mustard, and a brown sugar replacement like Swerve Brown. It’s slathered over the tenderloin prior to baking, and creates a mouthwatering pan sauce for drizzling.

    I gave it a sweet and spicy twist with the addition of some chipotle powder, but that is easily left out if you prefer.

    Slices of keto pork tenderloin on a cutting board with parsley and garlic.

    How to make keto pork tenderloin

    Pork tenderloin is so easy to make. I prefer browning it in a pan and then baking it in the oven. So juicy and flavorful! Here are my best tips for getting it right:

    1. Use an oven-proof skillet: it doesn’t need to be cast iron, just any skillet that can go from stovetop to oven. This way, you don’t need to transfer the tenderloin to a baking dish and dirty two dishes.
    2. Brown on all sides: get the skillet nice and hot so that it sears the outside of the tenderloin. You don’t want to cook it too long, just enough to get a light golden exterior.
    3. Seasonings and glazes: whether you choose to make this easy glaze or simply add some seasonings, make sure to get it all over the meat before baking.
    4. Bake at high temp: it helps seal in the juices and shortens the cook time.
    5. Check the internal temp: pork tenderloins vary in size and thickness. Use an instant read thermometer to know when it’s truly done. 140F or so is perfect as it will continue to cook when it comes out of the oven.
    6. Let rest 5 minutes: this allows the temperature to reach a safe 145F before you cut into it.
    A white plate with slices of keto pork tenderloin arranged in a spiral.

    Frequently Asked Questions

    What if I don’t have an oven-proof skillet?

    You can still make this recipe! Simply transfer the seared tenderloin to a baking dish.

    What if I don’t have brown sugar replacement?

    You have a few options. You can simply use any granular sweetener you like. Or you can use the granular sweetener plus 2 teaspoons of molasses. It will only add a single gram of carbohydrate to each serving.

    My pork tenderloin is less than 2 pounds.

    No problem, you can easily scale back the glaze. Then proceed as directed but check the the temperature of the pork at 15 minutes.

    What if I don’t want it spicy?

    That’s fine, just leave out the chipotle powder or the cayenne. It will still be delicious!

    Do the leftovers reheat well?

    Absolutely! If you don’t think you will eat it all at one meal, slice only what you need and keep the rest whole. The keto pork tenderloin will retain its juiciness better that way. Then simply warm it up in a 300F oven.

    A spoon drizzling garlic sauce over pork tenderloin.

    Suggested sides

    Want some side dish ideas to go with this delicious keto pork tenderloin? Here are a few you might enjoy:

    • Super Creamy Mashed Cauliflower
    • Keto Brussels Sprouts Casserole
    • Roasted Delicata Squash
    • Cauliflower Risotto
    • Twice Baked Spaghetti Squash
    • Hasselback Turnips
    • Smothered Cabbage
    Titled image of slices of pork tenderloin on a white plate, drizzled with garlicky sauce.

    Keto Pork Tenderloin

    Juicy keto pork tenderloin with a mouthwatering garlic brown "sugar" glaze. This easy low carb dinner recipe takes only 30 minutes to make, start to finish.
    4.85 from 13 votes
    Print Pin Rate
    Course: Main Course
    Cuisine: American
    Keyword: keto pork tenderloin
    Prep Time: 5 minutes
    Cook Time: 25 minutes
    Total Time: 30 minutes
    Servings: 6 servings
    Calories: 225kcal

    Ingredients

    • ¼ cup Swerve Brown
    • 6 garlic cloves pressed
    • 3 tablespoon avocado oil divided
    • 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
    • 2 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
    • 1 teaspoon paprika
    • ¼ teaspoon chipotle powder or cayenne (optional)
    • 1 ½ teaspoon salt
    • ½ teaspoon pepper
    • 2 lb pork tenderloin
    US Customary – Metric

    Instructions

    • Preheat the oven to 425F.
    • In a medium bowl, whisk together the brown sugar replacement, garlic, 2 tablespoons of the avocado oil, mustard, vinegar, paprika, and chipotle powder until well combined. You will end up with a thick paste.
    • Heat the remaining 1 tablespoon oil in an ovenproof skillet over medium heat. Pat the tenderloin dry and sprinkle all over with salt and pepper.
    • Brown the tenderloin on all sides, about 4 minutes. Then spread all over with the garlic brown "sugar" paste.
    • Place the whole pan in the oven, uncovered, and cook 18 to 25 minutes or until the internal temperature of the pork reaches 140F.
    • Remove from the oven and let rest 5 minutes before slicing.
    Nutrition Facts
    Keto Pork Tenderloin
    Amount Per Serving (1 serving = ⅙th of recipe)
    Calories 225 Calories from Fat 108
    % Daily Value*
    Fat 12g18%
    Carbohydrates 2g1%
    Fiber 0.4g2%
    Protein 32.9g66%
    * Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
    2.7K shares

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    Nutritional Disclaimer

    Please note that I am not a medical or nutritional professional. I am simply recounting and sharing my own experiences on this blog. Nothing I express here should be taken as medical advice and you should consult with your doctor before starting any diet or exercise program. I provide nutritional information for my recipes simply as a courtesy to my readers. It is calculated using MacGourmet software and I remove erythritol from the final carb count and net carb count, as it does not affect my own blood glucose levels. I do my best to be as accurate as possible but you should independently calculate nutritional information on your own before relying on them. I expressly disclaim any and all liability of any kind with respect to any act or omission wholly or in part in reliance on anything contained in this website.

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    Comments

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      Recipe Rating




    1. Cynthia Baugh says

      February 05, 2023 at 3:33 pm

      5 stars
      Made this for lunch today. The only changes I made was to use smoky paprika and double the chipotle because those flavors are a favorite. We loved it. Thanks again for another winning recipe. Easy to make and delicious.

      Reply
      • Carolyn says

        February 05, 2023 at 6:50 pm

        Excellent!

        Reply
    2. Linda Walker says

      January 23, 2023 at 8:33 am

      Hi, I have a similar recip that has brown sugar, garlic, a little chili powder and tobacco sauce, I use mild, I have made a few times and so good, but last time I used brown swerve, and it had a terrible taste and seemed to cause a hard crust. My son and daughter in law are keto, and they weren’t coming for dinner but I thought they would love this like I do. Any idea what happened?

      Reply
      • Carolyn says

        January 25, 2023 at 10:54 am

        No idea since I don’t know that recipe… however, that doesn’t happen with this recipe so why don’t use try it? 🙂

        Reply
    3. Nita Kalso says

      January 17, 2023 at 5:26 pm

      5 stars
      This is the best pork tenderloin recipe I’ve made. It will be a regular!!

      Reply
    4. Barbara says

      January 14, 2023 at 2:45 pm

      5 stars
      This goes on sale in my area all the time and I’ve cooked it just to have something on hand to eat. Blah.
      This recipe is an absolute keeper! It’s a great mix of sweet, tart (I love vinegar!), and a little spicy (I like the cayenne). I’ll definitely be adding this to my rotation. Thanks as always Carolyn!!

      Reply
      • Carolyn says

        January 14, 2023 at 6:23 pm

        Wonderful!

        Reply
    5. Terrence says

      December 08, 2022 at 9:31 am

      5 stars
      Delicious! Made it last night and it was amazing. Served it with roasted radishes, onions, peppers and broccoli
      Thank you for the recipes

      Reply
    6. Dewey says

      December 05, 2022 at 10:18 pm

      5 stars
      The tenderloin was flavorful and moist after cooking on high heat. The glaze was killer! I have to make more for the leftovers. Thanks for the recipe.

      Reply
    7. Kerri says

      November 16, 2022 at 8:50 pm

      5 stars
      This pork tenderloin was delicious! The spicy part was fantastic. I love pork tenderloin but usually just season with salt pepper and steak spice which is ok but this really hit the spot when I was looking for something a bit more flavourful. I did not have the brown swerve so used a granulated monk fruit that I had on hand.

      Reply
      • Carolyn says

        November 17, 2022 at 7:55 am

        Glad you enjoyed it!

        Reply
      • Anu says

        December 24, 2022 at 6:45 pm

        4 stars
        This method of cooking tenderloin is fantastic, thank you so much! The glaze was very interesting, but a unfortunately too sweet for our taste, so next time I wil cut down the sweetener significantly, or maybe even skip it. The chipotle, paprika, garlic and vinegar by themselves make a scrumptious sauce and I’d love to try this again with that alone. Thank you again for a simple, hands-off recipe.

        Reply
    8. Melissa says

      November 06, 2022 at 11:20 pm

      Could I put this I a crockpot on low? I would skip the browning in the pan. Thank you so much

      Reply
      • Carolyn says

        November 07, 2022 at 7:41 am

        Probably but I don’t much like tenderloin cooked in a crockpot. So you will have to experiment to see how you like it.

        Reply
    9. Laura says

      June 11, 2022 at 2:18 pm

      Thanks for the recipe…..I am going to try this with thick cut pork chops. Hopefully it will turn out good ????

      Reply
    10. Deb Maxwell says

      May 17, 2022 at 6:06 pm

      5 stars
      I made this tonight and it was quite the hit with hubby! I loved it too! Nice and easy, with common ingredients. I didn’t have the Swerve Brown but I used regular granulated Swerve and it was great! Thank you!

      Reply
    11. Betsy says

      January 27, 2022 at 8:44 am

      Would this work with a turkey tenderloin that I bought by mistake ?
      Love your recipes !

      Reply
    12. Karen Laster says

      January 15, 2022 at 10:37 am

      4 stars
      Sounds great. I hope I don’t cook it too long and it gets dried out. I’ve been a follower for a couple of years and with your recipes and doing a keto diet, I have lost over 70 #’s in 11 most. BS is down to 5.9. Thanks, Carolyn, for your help and inspiration.

      Reply
      • Carolyn says

        January 15, 2022 at 2:37 pm

        Congrats!

        Reply
    13. Joce Humbert says

      September 12, 2021 at 10:04 am

      I asked a question about which sweetener to use to make chutney but haven’t heard back
      Kind regards Joce

      Reply
    14. Laura Nelson says

      July 28, 2021 at 8:33 pm

      Can I make this in the InstAnt Pot?

      Reply
      • Carolyn says

        July 28, 2021 at 8:41 pm

        This is not an instant pot recipe.

        Reply
    15. Kate says

      July 27, 2021 at 4:00 pm

      This is so delicious! The paste seemed a little sweet at first, but once it cooked on the pork, it was just a lovely undertone to the other ingredients. It’s not particularly garlicky, either. Another keeper, for sure.

      Reply
    16. Kellie says

      July 23, 2021 at 10:47 am

      5 stars
      Sooooo amazing! And easy to make. The entire family loved it….will be making again!

      Reply
    17. Katie says

      July 23, 2021 at 9:32 am

      5 stars
      This has so much flavor, I forget that I don’t need bbq sauce!

      Reply
    18. Beth says

      July 23, 2021 at 8:03 am

      5 stars
      We absolutely love pork tenderloin and I’m so glad I have found this keto recipe! We were so pleased with how this recipe turned out and I can’t wait to make this lovely pork tenderloin again!

      Reply

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