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This honey garlic pork tenderloin recipe is as simple as it gets! It’s a quick weeknight dinner with juicy pork and a sweet and savory sauce that’s made with pantry ingredients.
You may also enjoy my Honey Garlic Salmon or Honey Mustard Pork Tenderloin next.
Why you’ll love it
Pork tenderloin is inexpensive and lean, making it an excellent protein whenever you want a change from chicken. Nutrition-wise, it’s almost exactly the same as chicken. It’s also easy to prep and cook, especially when paired with a simple Asian-inspired honey garlic sauce!
Honey and garlic are a classic combo that just works. The hint of sweetness makes this easy pork tenderloin a kid-friendly recipe, but it’s perfectly balanced with savory flavors of garlic and soy sauce! That means everyone in your family will enjoy the irresistible sauce.
What you’ll need
- Pork tenderloin – note that it’s not the same cut as pork loin, and they’re not interchangeable
- Honey – for a sweet note
- Chicken broth – the base of the sauce
- Soy sauce – we’re using low sodium. It adds another savory dimension.
- Lemon juice – a touch of acidity further balances all the flavors
- Garlic – it pairs so well with honey
- Cornstarch – to thicken the sauce
- Olive oil and butter – for pan searing
- Scallions – these mild green onions add a pop of freshness and contrast
Pro tip
Pork tenderloin is done when it reaches 145F and has a little pink remaining in the middle. It’s totally safe to eat and stays tender that way! Pork isn’t meant to be chewy and dry. Use an instant read thermometer.
How to make honey garlic pork tenderloin
This is an overview with step-by-step photos. Full ingredients & instructions are in the recipe card below.
Prep the tenderloin, and cut it into rounds. In a bowl, whisk the sauce ingredients until combined. Pan sear the pork in a skillet with the oil and butter until golden on both sides.
Pour in the sauce ingredients, and cook until the pork reaches 145F internally and the sauce has thickened up further. Add a splash of water if it’s too thick. Garnish with the scallions.
Tools for this recipe
Check out Natasha’s favorite kitchen essentials, gadgets, and cookware!
- Mince garlic with very little effort using a garlic press. It’s even easy to clean. Store the rest of the garlic in a cute garlic saver.
- I like using a cast iron skillet to get a good sear on the meat.
- These angled measuring cups make it easy to measure out liquid ingredients.
Substitutions and variations
- This recipe has quite a sweet sauce! If you need to, cut the honey down by a tablespoon and/or squeeze some lemon juice over top prior to serving.
- Try adding in some minced or grated ginger and/or crushed red pepper flakes if you want it to have a little zing.
- If you are craving chicken instead, make my Honey Garlic Chicken.
What to serve with honey garlic pork tenderloin
- I like rice (especially jasmine rice) to spoon the sauce over. Your favorite noodles work too like ramen or Udon.
- Even some Mashed Potatoes would be great!
- Steam some green beans or broccolini to round out the meal.
Leftovers and storage
- Store any leftover for 3-4 days in the fridge in a covered container.
- Reheat slowly over a low heat so as not to overcook the meat.
- You can freeze it for up to 3 months, but keep in mind that the pork may dry out a bit and the sauce may change texture.
If you made this pork tenderloin with honey garlic sauce, leave a star rating and review below! I love hearing from readers. You can also tag me on Instagram with your creations.
Honey Garlic Pork Tenderloin
Ingredients
- 1 pound pork tenderloin
- Salt & pepper to taste
- 1/4 cup honey
- 1/4 cup chicken broth or water
- 1/4 cup low sodium soy sauce
- 1/2 tablespoon lemon juice or apple cider vinegar
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 1/3 cup chopped scallions or to taste
Instructions
- Trim any fat and silver skin off the pork tenderloin and then cut into 3/4" thick rounds. Season with salt & pepper.
- Whisk the sauce ingredients together (honey, chicken broth, soy sauce, lemon juice, garlic, cornstarch).
- 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 so as not to crowd the pan) and cook for about 3 minutes/side until golden.
- Reduce the heat to medium-low and then pour the sauce into the skillet and cook for another 1-3 minutes or until the pork is cooked through and the sauce has thickened. If the sauce thickens up too much, stir in a splash of water.
- Take the pan off the burner, then sprinkle chopped scallions over top prior to serving.
Notes
- This sauce is quite sweet. If you prefer it to be a bit less sweet, use 3 tablespoons of honey and/or squeeze some lemon juice over top when serving.
- Pork is safe to eat at 145F and a little pink inside.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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I made this for dinner last night and it was absolutely delicious. I made it exactly as the recipe said.
That’s great to hear, Janet! 😀 Thanks for your review!
Absolutely delicious! We cooked the tenderloin in our air fryer to 145-155 degrees, let it rest a few minutes then thinly sliced it. While the tenderloin was resting, I mixed the sauce ingredients together in a small sauce pan until it thickened. (I only used 3 tablespoons of honey to make the sauce less sweet.) I then spooned the sauce over the meat and topped with the chopped scallions. So easy and so delicious! I’ll definitely make this again!!
Awesome!!
The pork was very flavorful and tender! I like pairing the pork with mashed potatoes and green beans! I love all your recipes 🙂
Thank you, Marlen!! I’m thrilled you enjoyed it!
This was sooo delicious! Followed the suggestion in the notes and added 3 tablespoons of honey instead of 1/4 cup and it was sweet enough. Prepared exactly as written along with mashed potatoes and veggies … this recipe is a keeper!
Thank you, Karen!
This was great! The most tender pork we’ve eaten! Pretty much followed the recipe as stated but did do a bit less honey and did a full teaspoon of lemon juice to make it less sweet. Served with jasmine rice and roasted broccoli. Delicious and will make again!
I’m so happy it was a hit, Katrina!! Thank you!!
It looks positively delicious and good I will definitely make it later on this week and let you know.
Thank you, Natasha.
Thank you, John!! Yes – definitely update me if you make it. 😀
Love this although I did add ginger to the sauce. It gives a nice Chinese flavor and a little more taste. It is sweet so I did reduce the honey and add more lemon. Served with a lemon and parsley basmati rice and steamed vegetable it is great. Thank You for Your Recipes.
You’re very welcome, Pam!