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Creamy Pork Tenderloin Medallions

Published: / Updated: / 71 Comments

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This creamy pork tenderloin medallions recipe is so simple yet elegant! It's ultra comforting, quick to make, and has the most delicious cream sauce.

You may also enjoy this Easy Baked Pork Tenderloin recipe next for another quick family meal.

a cast iron skillet with pork tenderloin medallions in a creamy sauce

Why you'll love it

These pan seared pork tenderloin medallions are coated in a mouthwatering creamy herb sauce from scratch. Maybe the best part is that this easy pork recipe only takes about 30 minutes to make with few ingredients. It's an elevated weeknight meal that's definitely worthy of company!

Pork is so underrated. When cooked right, it's melt-in-your-mouth tender and juicy. None of that dry nonsense you remember from your childhood. It's more flavorful than chicken, and this cozy and creamy pork recipe seems way fancier than it actually is. It's sure to impress everyone!

What you'll need

  • Pork tenderloin - it's extra lean and cooks fast. Note that it's not the same thing as pork loin. They're two separate cuts of meat and cannot be swapped.
  • Flour - after seasoning with salt & pepper, we're dredging the meat in flour to get a great crust
  • Olive oil and butter - for sautéing
  • Garlic - use even more than suggested if you're a big fan
  • Dijon mustard - it's an old trick to add another savory note. It gives dimension but doesn't make it taste mustard-y.
  • Chicken broth - for the base of the sauce and depth of flavor
  • Herbs de Provence - it's a jar of blended herbs including rosemary, thyme, and then a touch of lavender. I buy McCormick brand, and it's available in most major grocery stores. You can sub with Italian seasoning if unable to find it, though!
  • Heavy cream - to give the sauce its luscious quality
  • Parsley - for a pop of freshness
ingredients for creamy pork tenderloin in prep bowls

Pro tips

  • These days it is acceptable to have a bit of pink when you cut into pork. The recommended internal temperature is 145F if you use a meat thermometer. Take care not to overcook it because it will end up dry and chewy!
  • It's totally fine if your sauce ends up more pale than in the photos. I seared the pork in two batches, creating a lot of browned bits. You'll also likely end up with a lighter colored sauce if you use non-stick cookware.

How to make pork tenderloin medallions

This is an overview with step-by-step photos. Full ingredients & instructions are in the recipe card below.

dredging pork in flour and pan searing in a cast iron skillet

Slice the pork tenderloin into 1" rounds. Season them on both sides with salt & pepper and dredge in flour. Working in batches, brown the meat in oil and butter for about 3 minutes per side until golden, and remove from the skillet.

making creamy herb sauce for pork tenderloin in a cast iron skillet

Add the garlic, mustard, broth, and Herbs de Provence to the pan. Return it to the heat and cook for a minute, and deglaze by scraping up the tasty browned bits from the bottom. Stir in the cream.

adding pork back into a skillet and finishing cooking it

Let it bubble for a couple of minutes, then return the pork to the skillet. Cook for about five minutes until the pork reaches 145F internally and the sauce thickens. Sprinkle on the fresh parsley, and season with salt & pepper if needed.

Tools for this recipe

Check out Natasha's favorite kitchen essentials, gadgets, and cookware!

  • Don't have a garlic press yet? It makes it so simple to mince garlic. No need to peel the cloves first.
  • An instant read thermometer is very useful to get the pork to that perfect temperature without overcooking it.
  • I use my trusty Le Creuset skillet to make this recipe.

Substitutions and variations

  • If you happen to have some, you can use fresh herbs instead of dried ones.
  • Feel free to swap out the chicken broth and use a dry white wine instead for a fancy touch. Sauvignon blanc or pinot grigio would be my picks.
  • I don't recommend substituting the heavy cream for a lower fat alternative. The sauce won't thicken up the same way or taste as intended.

What to serve with creamy pork tenderloin

Leftovers and storage

  • Store leftovers of these creamy pork fillet medallions in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days.
  • When reheating anything with a creamy sauce, low and slow in a saucepan until warmed through is best.
  • I wouldn't recommend freezing this one due to the dairy content.

More easy pork recipes

a plate with creamy pork tenderloin, mashed potatoes, and green beans

Made this pork tenderloin recipe, or have any questions not answered in the post? Leave me a comment below. As always, tag me #saltandlavender on Instagram so I can see your creations!

a cast iron skillet with pork tenderloin medallions in a creamy sauce

Creamy Pork Tenderloin Medallions

This creamy pork tenderloin medallions recipe is so simple yet elegant! It's ultra comforting, quick to make, and has the most delicious cream sauce.
4.87 from 23 votes
Print Recipe Pin Recipe Save
Prep Time 15 mins
Cook Time 15 mins
Total Time 30 mins
Course Main Course
Cuisine American
Servings 4
Calories 433 kcal

Ingredients
 

  • 1 pound pork tenderloin cut into medallions
  • Salt & pepper to taste
  • Flour for dredging
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 2 tablespoons butter
  • 2 cloves garlic minced
  • 1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard
  • 1/4 cup chicken broth (or dry white wine)
  • 1/4 teaspoon Herbes de Provence (or Italian seasoning)
  • 1 cup heavy/whipping cream
  • 1/2 tablespoon fresh parsley chopped

Instructions
 

  • Trim off excess fat and slice the pork tenderloin into about 1" thick pieces (rounds).
  • Season the pork with salt & pepper and coat each piece in flour.
  • Add the oil and butter to a skillet over medium-high heat. Once the pan is hot, add the pork (you may need to do this in batches) and cook for about 3 minutes/side or until they're lightly golden. Take the pan off the heat and remove the pork from the pan.
  • Stir in the garlic, Dijon mustard, chicken broth, Herbes de Provence, and then return the pan to the heat. Scrape up any brown bits. Let the sauce cook for about a minute.
  • Stir in the cream and let it bubble for about 2 minutes. Add the pork back in and cook for 5 minutes (you may need to turn the heat down a bit) until the pork is cooked through and the sauce has thickened to your liking.
  • Sprinkle the fresh parsley over top and season with extra salt & pepper if needed.

Notes

  • You can definitely use fresh herbs if you have some on-hand. I'd use about a tablespoon of chopped fresh herbs (use whatever you happen to have or your fav combo) plus the chopped parsley.
  • Nutritional information is provided as a courtesy only and should be construed as an estimate rather than a guarantee. Ingredients can vary and Salt & Lavender makes no guarantees to the accuracy of this information.

Nutrition

Calories: 433kcalCarbohydrates: 4gProtein: 25gFat: 35gSaturated Fat: 19gCholesterol: 170mgSodium: 193mgPotassium: 502mgSugar: 1gVitamin A: 1092IUVitamin C: 3mgCalcium: 48mgIron: 1mg
Keyword creamy pork recipe, creamy pork tenderloin, pork tenderloin medallions recipe
Author Natasha Bull

This recipe was originally published on February 9, 2020. It's been updated with new photos and better instructions but is the same great recipe!

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  2. Pam says

    5 stars
    OMG, this was so delicious made exactly as written! I never would have thought that adding Dijon mustard and Italian seasoning would make this dish so flavorful. You can't tell they're included but the richness is unmistakable! Thank you SO much for yet another winner of a recipe!!

    Reply

  3. Caroline Dalton says

    5 stars
    Have made this several times now, and will be making again. Absolute winner. Great dinner party supper dish, just have to make sure dinner guests are OK with blue cheese. Although to me it's not too strong in this dish.

    Reply

    • Natasha says

      Hi Caroline! I'm confused as there's no blue cheese in this recipe. I am not sure if you meant to comment on something else?

      Reply

    • Natasha says

      Yes teaspoon because I don't like it overly herby. It's just supposed to be a hint in this particular recipe. However, as with any recipe, feel free to adjust to your own tastes.

      Reply

      • Michael says

        4 stars
        Okay, I just wanted to check before I made it. I halved the garlic to one clove (but it was a reasonably large clove), and doubled the herbes de Provence, and I used pinot gris rather than chicken stock.

        I found the hint of garlic sufficient and that it was not overly herby.

        I will be making it again. Nice.

        Reply

  7. Lisa Bove says

    5 stars
    This is a great way to use a tenderloin. I often overcook pork, so it's not really my kids favorite. This was a hit! Affordable and I had all of the ingredients on hand.

    Reply

  8. Jan Treuter says

    I'd love to try some of your "creamy" recipes, but my husband's cardiac condition does not allow it. Do you think another "milk" could be used instead of the heavy cream? I was thinking maybe oat milk.

    Reply

    • Natasha says

      Hi! Honestly, I wish there was a good sub, but oat milk isn't it. It's watery and the flavor just isn't the same. I know some readers have used Silk's dairy-free whipping cream with good results.

      Reply

  10. Susan says

    5 stars
    I made this with your super easy Instant Pot Mashed Potatoes. Both were excellent and easy! They are both excellent as leftovers as well! Very solid 5 stars!

    Reply

  12. Lindsey says

    5 stars
    This was amazing!!! I only made three little adjustments. First, after removing the pork, I deglazed the pan with about two tablespoons of Sherry. Highly recommend. I also used rosemary as my herb. Finally, I added anchovy past alongside the Dijon mustard. I could eat this every night!

    Reply

  16. Eleanor says

    5 stars
    This is very tasty and not difficult to make. I had never heard of Herbs de Provence, but found McCormicks Organic at my store. I served the medallions over bow pasta. Will make again.

    Reply

  17. Cindy says

    5 stars
    This was delicious! The smell of it alone made want to jump into the pot! Such flavor. I cut some red potatoes and cooked them with the pork. You can't go wrong with this recipe!

    Reply

  18. Toria says

    This recipe looks and sounds delicious and I will be making it soon (I don't rate recipes I haven’t actually, hence no stars yet - will add them once I have), but my family and I absolutely detest mustard (I can't even handle the smell). What do you recommend I use instead to replace it's umami qualties? Thanks!

    Reply

  19. Lceazy says

    5 stars
    I have made this twice and it was amazing both times. The pork was so tender and flavorful. I highly recommend it.

    Reply

  20. Christine Z. says

    5 stars
    I never give a recipe 5 stars on any site. That changed tonight. I just finished this pork tenderloin entree and it is perfect. Surprisingly, it was not too much garlic. The sauce wil be used on fish (I don't really care for fish) and chicken, too. Decadent and delicious. I ususally cook slightly more intricate recipes but I'm going to rethink that now because this recipe is lovely in every way. Do not overcook the pork. Thank you!

    Reply

  21. Rachel Henry says

    4 stars
    it was good! i didn't have heavy cream or half and half, so i used milk. it honestly came out delicious, though i do think i could have probably cooked the pork for less time at the start. the sauce was divine, however i imagined there would be more of it! so i had cooked linguine noodles and steamed broccoli thinking i could toss it all together, which didn't quite work out. so i put a teaspoon of olive oil on the noodles, dumped a bunch of parmesan cheese and some garlic salt on them, then placed the pork loins on top of that! plus broke the steamed broccoli into smaller pieces and just threw that on top, and even added a touch of shredded mozzarella. hubs ate the whole thing in about 2 minutes. it was very tasty! but i'd love if i could yield more sauce out of it.

    Reply

  25. Robert Langlie says

    5 stars
    Saw this on Instagram and made this tonite. It was fantastic. 145° is perfect pink and tender. I added mushrooms and onions and deglazed with white wine (an excuse to finish the wine with dinner). Creamy goodness and the Herb we Provence was on point. Thanks!

    Reply

  26. Jayne says

    5 stars
    Fantastic flavor and so easy to make. My husband was over the moon!
    Served over mashed potatoes with arugula lemon pine nut salad. Better than any restaurant.

    I cook extensively but had never used Herbs de Provence. I was gifted some and fell in love with the flavor. Thanks for sharing.

    I did not have any fresh parsley but took a page from Persian cooking and reconstituted a tablespoon of dried parsley in a little hot water. Voila! Fresh parsley flavor. Perfect touch.

    Reply

  27. Marianne says

    Sounds delicious! Could this Creamy Pork tenderloin Medallion recipe be prepared in an Instant Pot? I love your recipes.

    Reply

  28. Danielle says

    5 stars
    I recently discovered Salt & Lavender through Instagram and have never looked back. So many easy, yet amazing recipes!

    My fiance and I made this one the other night and it was beyond amazing! I love pork tenderloin and love that this recipe is easy, fast and something different. The sauce was the best part; savory, rich and delicious. There's a 100% chance we will be making this again!

    Reply

  29. Sandy says

    This was delicious! The pork was very tender and the kids asked for more “sauce” next time. I am always looking for new recipes for pork tenderloin. This one will be added to my collection! Thank you for an awesome supper!!

    Reply

  30. Lane says

    5 stars
    This was absolutely delicious!! The pork is tender and the sauce is fabulous. The sauce is so good on mashed potatoes too. My husband and two boys raved about it and I wanted to pat myself on the back! I am making your loaded baked potato soup tomorrow. I’m so glad I found your site! Thank you for allowing me to get out of my dinner rut.

    Reply

  31. Brette says

    The remark about how pink is now considered acceptable in pork is a reminder of a restaurant experience I had in the Czech Republic. My pork arrived more than pink, more like red in the middle. Remembering the old rule that pork should be cooked to an internal temperature of 140 degrees, i was shocked to see rare pork. I had the waiter send it back. Probably out of revenge, the insulted chef nuked it in the microwave and sent me back an inedible piece of leather. They offered me a free dessert as consolation, but by then, I had lost my appetite. When in the Czech Republic, it’s best to opt for the pasta. That aside, the pork medallions look delicious.

    Reply

  32. Joanne says

    Oh this is delicious, a very easy but tasty and indulgent dinner, I made it with potato cakes and asparagus, super yum x

    Reply

  34. Mary Ann | The Beach House Kitchen says

    5 stars
    This looks so delicious Natasha! Tom and I love pork and enjoy it at least once a week. Adding this to our menu soon.

    Reply