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This Instant Pot pork tenderloin recipe is fast and makes deliciously tender and juicy pork. The honey garlic sauce is very family friendly! Ready in about 30 minutes.
I think you’ll also enjoy my Crockpot Pork Tenderloin next with a homemade seasoning rub.
Many people search for Instant Pot pork tenderloin recipes, so naturally I needed to get one on here. When I first tried cooking pork tenderloin in my Instant Pot, I found out pretty fast that it’s very easy to overcook pork in there. So, I got out my meat thermometer and set out to do some testing. This recipe gets the pork to medium-well (at least 10 degrees past what’s considered safe for pork these days).
I’m not sure everyone understands exactly how a pressure cooker works (I know I had to learn when I got my Instant Pot), so if it’s a mystery to you, let me explain. It basically boils the heck out of anything that’s in there. The high pressure raises the boiling point of water, and so your food is cooking in an extremely hot environment (the steam is trapped in there). This leads to much faster cooking time.
Pork tenderloin does not need long. There’s even some recipes out there that recommend a 0 minute cooking time (yes, you can actually set the Instant Pot to cook for zero minutes), and I admit I was skeptical before I did some testing of my own and reminded myself that pressure cooking is no joke.
I come from a generation where pink pork was still a no-no, so I am not one of those people who likes her pork rare. I do, however, despise tough, leathery pork. Pink pork is fine. I like mine to be a little bit pink, but not overcooked. You can see the pork in the photos is a bit overcooked, but I liked the photos so yeah. 😛
You may also like my Instant Pot Pulled Pork recipe.
Instant Pot pork tenderloin cook time
First, we sear the pork, which partially cooks it. For it to be medium-well (around 155-160F when tested with a meat thermometer and still a bit pink inside), for a 1 pound pork tenderloin you cook it for 1 minute on high pressure, and let the pressure release naturally for 10 minutes. For a 1.5 pound pork tenderloin, give it 3-4 minutes with a 10 minute natural pressure release. I suggest following my guidelines and if the pork is still too pink for you, you can simply cook it for a bit longer in the sauce after you’ve cut it up (the sauté button on the Instant Pot is super handy!). If you like your pork on the more rare side, I suggest doing a quick pressure release after about 3-5 minutes or so.
At what temperature is pork safe to eat?
Pork is safe to eat at 145F (medium rare). Use an instant read thermometer to test doneness.
Can I cook more than one pork tenderloin in the Instant Pot?
Yes. Keep the cooking time the same. The Instant Pot will take longer to come up to pressure (so they will cook for longer). You can easily cook two pork tenderloins at the same time (but I’d brown them in batches). I don’t recommend stacking like three or four in there, but cooking a couple at a time is totally fine.
Recipe notes, tricks, and tips:
- There is a difference between pork tenderloin and pork loin. Pork tenderloin (filet) is much easier to overcook. It’s also much smaller (you probably won’t see them much larger than 2 pounds). I have not tested this recipe with pork loin, but cooking time will be longer, so I can’t really speculate on cooking time since that’s a different recipe.
- I always keep a piece of fresh ginger in my freezer so it’s much easier to grate and I never have to worry about not having any. I use my handy Microplane grater to grate it.
- An instant read thermometer is super easy to use and a total game-changer if you’re unsure if your meat is cooked properly or overdone. Here’s a reasonably priced meat thermometer from Amazon.
What to serve with pork tenderloin
Try mashed potatoes, rice, or steamed vegetables.
Other pork tenderloin recipes you may like:
- Creamy Pork Tenderloin Medallions
- Creamy Balsamic Pork Tenderloin
- Dijon Pork Tenderloin
- Vietnamese Lemongrass Pork Tenderloin Skewers
Made this Instant Pot pork tenderloin recipe? Questions? Leave me a comment below!
As always, tag me #saltandlavender on Instagram so I can see your creations.
Honey Garlic Instant Pot Pork Tenderloin
Ingredients
- 1 (1 pound) pork tenderloin
- Salt & pepper to taste
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 cup chicken broth
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 1/2 tablespoon soy sauce
- 1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger
- 3 tablespoons honey
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch + 1 tablespoon cold water
Instructions
- Trim off excess fat from the pork. Season it with salt & pepper. If it's particularly long, cut it into 2 pieces so it fits easily into the Instant Pot (IP).
- Add the olive oil to the IP and press the sauté button. Once it's hot, add the pork and sear it for about 3 minutes/side (do two sides). If the pork is sticking, let it cook a little longer. Once the pork has been seared, take it out of the IP and set it aside.
- Add the chicken broth and scrape up any brown bits that are sticking to the bottom. Add the pork back in, close the lid, make sure the valve is set on "sealing", and then cook on high pressure for 1 minute.
- Meanwhile, add the sauce ingredients (garlic, soy sauce, ginger, honey) to a small bowl.
- Once the countdown has finished, simply let your IP sit for 10 minutes prior to taking the lid off. The pressure will naturally release by then, and the pork will continue to cook. For a 1-pound pork tenderloin it'll cook it to medium-well (155-160F and a little pink in the middle) assuming you seared the pork for the amount of time suggested.
- After the 10 minutes is up, take the pork out of the IP and let it rest for about 5 minutes prior to cutting it. Leave the chicken broth in your IP. Add the sauce ingredients and the cornstarch slurry to the IP. Hit the sauté button and let the sauce thicken up for a few minutes.
- Slice the pork into medallions and add it back into your IP to coat it with the sauce. If you cut into the pork and it's too pink for your liking, slice it up and cook it for a few more minutes in the sauce.
Notes
- Please read the blog post regarding more tips on how to tell when pork is done if you have any doubts about pink pork or cooking time. Pork is safe to eat at 145F (medium rare).
- For a 1.5 pound pork tenderloin, I recommend 3-4 minutes on high pressure.
- Many people mix up pork tenderloin and pork loin due to their similar names. Tenderloins are smaller, very lean, and much easier to overcook. This recipe is NOT for pork loin.
- Use low-sodium chicken broth if salt is a concern for you.
- This is the Instant Pot that I used to make this recipe.
- 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
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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Some of us do not have this pressure cooking pot. Would have liked you to give an alternative cooking recipe. I love your recipes, by the way.
Hi Mary! I’m glad you’re liking my recipes. Unfortunately, not every recipe I post will be suitable for every single kitchen. There are many people who own Instant Pots and search Google for Instant Pot recipes, so they’re an important part of my audience. 🙂
Such an amazing recipe, thank you!
You’re very welcome! So glad you liked it!!
Great meal – love using in the Instant Pot!!! This is a must do again recipe and I’ll will be adding this to my file!
Thank you!! So glad you liked it, Terry!
Super easy & good! Tenderloins are so touchy and end up dry, but followed your recipe and it turned out very tasty and tender!
I’m so happy it worked out for you, Kim! 🙂