Pork tenderloin has long been one of my favorite keto dinner recipes. It’s so easy to prepare that it makes a perfect meal for busy weeknights. And now that I prioritize high protein recipes, I find myself making it even more often.
I made my first garlic pork tenderloin recipe in my mid-20s, when my husband and I first moved in together. I was astonished to discover how easy it was and how flavorful it could be. I was so pleased with the results that I made it again when his parents came to visit.
It turned out so well, I felt like quite the gourmet chef. And I earned my place in the food-loving Ketchum family. Which is no small feat, let me tell you. You can’t be part of this family and not be a good cook!
Why we love this recipe
- High protein: Pork tenderloin is an excellent choice for a healthy meal. Unlike chops and pork roasts, it’s very lean, which means it’s high in protein without being high fat.
- Juicy and succulent: 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. Make sure you check out all of my pointers in the Tips for Success!
- Flavorful recipe: The glaze features plenty of garlic, some mustard, and a little kick of spice. It’s slathered over the tenderloin prior to baking, and creates a mouthwatering pan sauce for drizzling.
- Quick and easy: This delicious meal takes only 5 minutes of prep and 25 minutes to cook. It’s a great recipe for busy weeknights!
Reader’s Thoughts
“This is a fabulous recipe. Quick, easy, and everyone loved it. It also warms up well. This is a keeper. Thank you!” — Becki
Ingredients you need
- Pork tenderloin: This recipe uses two pounds pork tenderloin. Most pork tenderloins come with two pieces, with a total weight of 1.5 to 2 pounds. If yours is smaller than 2 pounds, it may cook through faster so adjust the time accordingly.
- Sweetener: I use a little bit of brown sugar replacement to give the glaze a light sweetness.
- Garlic: Fresh garlic is critical to the flavor so don’t try to sub with garlic powder.
- Avocado oil: Use any neutral flavored oil.
- Dijon mustard: This brings a little tanginess to the glaze.
- Apple cider vinegar: You could also use red wine vinegar.
- Seasonings: Salt, pepper, paprika, chipotle powder or cayenne pepper.
Step by Step Directions
- Prepare the garlic paste: Combine the brown sugar replacement, garlic, avocado oil, mustard, vinegar, paprika, and chipotle powder until well combined. You will end up with a thick paste.
- Season the meat: Pat the tenderloin dry and sprinkle all over with salt and pepper.
- Brown the tenderloin: Heat the remaining 1 tablespoon oil in an ovenproof skillet over medium heat. Brown the tenderloin on all sides, about 4 minutes, then spread all over with the garlic paste.
- Bake in the oven: Place the whole pan in the oven, uncovered, and cook at 425ºF for 18 to 25 minutes or until the internal temperature of the pork reaches 140F.
- Let it rest: Remove from the oven and let rest 5 minutes before slicing.
Tips for Success
Pork tenderloin really is easy. I love this two step method of pan-searing and then oven-baking, as it ends up juicy and flavorful. Don’t skip the step of browning the tenderloin all over, as it creates a lovely golden-brown exterior.
Check the internal temp: Pork tenderloins vary in size and thickness. Using an instant read thermometer helps you identify the perfect temperature. Even better, use a probe that can go into the oven with the meat.
I recently received a RFX Wireless Meat Thermometer from Thermoworks and used it in this recipe as a trial run. I’ve used their Thermopen for years now, but the RFX takes cooking precision to a whole new level! I didn’t need to keep checking the meat, as I could monitor it right from the app on my phone.
Let rest 5 minutes: 140ºF is an ideal temperature at which to remove the tenderloin from the oven. Resting for 5 minutes allows the temperature to reach the recommended 145ºF before you cut into it.
Frequently Asked Questions
You have a few options. You can simply use any granular sweetener you like. Or you can use the granular sweetener plus 1 teaspoon of molasses. It will add less than a of carbohydrate to each serving.
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.
This keto pork tenderloin recipe has 2.0g of carbs and 0.4g of fiber per serving. That comes to 1.6g net carbs per serving.
Keto side dishes
Want some side dish ideas to go with this delicious keto pork tenderloin? Here are a few you might enjoy:
RFX Meat Thermometer
This amazing wireless meat thermometer helps you pinpoint the perfect temperature every time. Better than bluetooth, it relies on sub-GHz RFX technology for long range transmission. No need to stay tethered to your kitchen or your grill! The probes can also be submerged water, and you can use the RFX system with your instant pot or slow cooker.
Keto Pork Tenderloin
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp (45.5 g) brown sugar replacement
- 6 garlic cloves, pressed
- 3 tbsp avocado oil, divided
- 1 tbsp Dijon mustard
- 2 tsp apple cider vinegar
- 1 tsp paprika
- 1/4 tsp (0.25 tsp) chipotle powder, or cayenne (optional)
- 1 1/2 tsp (1.5 tsp) salt
- 1/2 tsp (0.5 tsp) pepper
- 2 lb (907.18 g) pork tenderloin
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425ºF.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the brown sugar replacement, garlic, two tablespoons of the oil, the 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 the garlic mixture all over the pieces of tenderloin.
- Place the whole pan in the oven, uncovered, and cook 18 to 25 minutes or until the internal temperature of the pork reaches 140ºF.
- Remove from the oven and let rest 5 minutes before slicing.
Nutrition
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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This is the best pork tenderloin recipe I’ve made. It will be a regular!!
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!!
Wonderful!
Delicious! Made it last night and it was amazing. Served it with roasted radishes, onions, peppers and broccoli
Thank you for the recipes
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.
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.
Glad you enjoyed it!
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.
Could I put this I a crockpot on low? I would skip the browning in the pan. Thank you so much
Probably but I don’t much like tenderloin cooked in a crockpot. So you will have to experiment to see how you like it.
Thanks for the recipe…..I am going to try this with thick cut pork chops. Hopefully it will turn out good ????
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!
Would this work with a turkey tenderloin that I bought by mistake ?
Love your recipes !
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.
Congrats!
I asked a question about which sweetener to use to make chutney but haven’t heard back
Kind regards Joce
Can I make this in the InstAnt Pot?
This is not an instant pot recipe.
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.
Sooooo amazing! And easy to make. The entire family loved it….will be making again!
This has so much flavor, I forget that I don’t need bbq sauce!
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!