A Southwest seasoning mix and easy stove to oven roasting technique creates this tender, incredibly flavorful Southwestern Pork Tenderloin. This quick method has dinner on the table in about 30 minutes!
This roasted pork is delicious on a Cuban Sandwich or served as a main course for an easy dinner.
Pork tenderloin has long been one of my favorite cuts of meat. It is super lean and low calorie, cooks quickly, and is dependably tender. It’s very mild in flavor but this is a good thing because it can take on a completely different flavor profile depending on how you cook it.
This Southwestern Pork Tenderloin is smoky, herby, garlicy, with a touch of heat. The flavors are incredible! The stove to oven roasting technique guarantees a perfectly tender result with a crisped, beautifully browned crust. This quick cooking method gives you just enough time to cook your side dishes to round out your meal.
Serve this pork tenderloin for dinner and use the leftovers to make seriously delicious sandwiches the next day. It is delicious cold from the fridge and fantastic for meal prep.
Ingredients
- Pork tenderloin typically comes packaged two per pack with a total weight of 2 1/2 to 3 pounds. This should be enough to comfortably serve 6 to 8 for dinner. This may be more than you need for one meal but this is one of the things I love most about this recipe. Cook it once and you get multiple meals out of it.
- The Southwest Seasoning Mix is made up of dry spices you can easily keep stocked in your pantry.
How to Make Southwestern Pork Tenderloin
- Pat the tenderloins dry with paper towels. You can cut them in half, if needed, to fit your pan.
- Drizzle each tenderloin with olive oil.
- Combine the Southwest Seasoning Mix and sprinkle the mixture over the pork, including all sides and the ends.
- Heat oil in a large skillet or sauté pan over high heat until it is hot and shimmering. Add the pork (it should be sizzling) then turn off the heat under the pan and immediately transfer the pan to a preheated 475 degree F oven (without flipping the pork).
- After 10 minutes, reduce the oven temperature to 400 degrees F and use tongs to flip the pork over.
- Return the pan to the oven and cook for an additional 10 minutes or until the internal temperature of the thickest portion reads 145 to 150 degrees F when tested with an instant read thermometer.
- Transfer the pork to a cutting board.
- Tent loosely with a sheet of foil and allow the pork to rest for 10 minutes before slicing.
Serving Suggestions
- Try it with rice like my Almond Rice Pilaf, Salsa Rice, or Broccoli Cheese Long Grain and Wild Rice.
- Potatoes pair perfectly with pork. Great choices include Crock Pot Baked Potatoes, Grandma’s Special Hash Brown Casserole, or Lemon and Garlic Roasted Potatoes.
- Round out the meal with simple roasted vegetables of your choice. Sweet Chili Garlic Roasted Brussels Sprouts or Sweet Spiced Roasted Butternut Squash would be delish. Depending on the season, I love this with my Skillet Corn with Jalapeno or Sweet Baked Acorn Squash.
- Slice up one of the tenderloins for your meal and refrigerate the second for amazing sandwiches for the days ahead. The chilled tenderloin will be easier to thinly slice for deli style sandwiches.
Storing Cooked Pork Tenderloin
Immediately cover and refrigerate any leftovers. Refrigerated fully-cooked pork tenderloin should be consumed within 3 to 4 days.
If you plan to make this in advance for sandwiches, allow the pork to cool and then wrap it tightly in foil. Refrigerate immediately and use within 3 to 4 days.
More Tasty Pork Recipes
- Roasted Pork Tenderloin with Balsamic Glaze
- Smoked Pork Tenderloin
- Chipotle Pork Tacos
- Grilled Pork Tenderloin with Cheesy Vegetable Rice
- Skillet Braised Pork Chops
- Crock-Pot Pork Sirloin Tip Roast with Creamy Mushroom Gravy
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Southwestern Pork Tenderloin
Ingredients
- 2 ½ to 3 pounds pork tenderloin, 1 package with 2 tenderloins
- 3 tablespoons olive oil, divided
Southwest Seasoning Mix
- 1 tablespoon chili powder
- 1 tablespoon smoked paprika
- 2 teaspoons cumin
- 2 teaspoons oregano
- 1 ½ teaspoons kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon granulated garlic or garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- ½ teaspoon cayenne, optional
Instructions
- Allow pork to sit out at room temperature in the packaging for 30 minutes to take the chill off. Preheat oven to 475 degrees F. Set a large deep skillet or braising pan nearby (cast iron works great).
- Remove the pork from packaging and pat dry with paper towels. If the tenderloins are too large to fit well in your pan, cut them in half. Drizzle pork with olive oil (1 tablespoon per tenderloin).
- Combine all ingredients for the Southwest Seasoning Mix in a small bowl. Sprinkle the mixture over the pork, including all sides and the ends.
- Add remaining 1 tablespoon oil to the pan and place over HIGH heat until the oil is hot and shimmering. Add the pork (should be sizzling), then turn off the heat under the pan and immediately transfer the pan to the preheated oven (without flipping the pork). Cook for 10 minutes. Reduce the oven temperature to 400 degrees F and use tongs to flip the pork over. Cook for an additional 10 minutes or until the internal temperature of the thickest portion reads 145 to 150 degrees F. Transfer the pork to a cutting board and tent loosely with a sheet of foil. Allow the pork to rest for 10 minutes before slicing.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated using generic ingredients, and is an estimate not a guarantee. For more accurate results, please refer to the labels on your ingredients at home.
Adapted from The Kitchn
More Delicious Pork Recipes
I loved everything about this recipe, in particular the cooking method. It’s my favorite pork tenderloin recipe now. I browned it on 2 sides for 1.5 minutes each on high. Not sure if the timing was right for this part as it really caramelized the crust. That said liked the crust and the tenderloin was cooked perfectly moist throughout. The timing and method were spot on. Thank be you.
I love this one too! And, it’s great cold from the fridge for sandwiches. Thanks so much for your comment and rating. 🙂
This was a very a very flavorful seasoning for the pork . I will use it again!