This Easy Balsamic Rosemary Roasted Pork Tenderloin is one of those good, pretty, cheap and easy mains! This makes it ideal for when you have guests over and perfect for Holiday meals like the upcoming Christmas! It’s incredibly quick to put together and it’s truly delicious. The tanginess and sweetness of the balsamic vinegar pairs so well with the earthiness of the rosemary, mustard and garlic. Serve it with some roasted potatoes, crunchy on the outside and soft in the center, they are always a success.
I’ve been making this Easy Balsamic Rosemary Roasted Pork Tenderloin recipe for years, ever since I moved to England and grew my first urban herb garden on the balcony. One day, the butcher we always shopped from, Mr Finn, gave us some pork tenderloins. I personally love them with a sort of roast beef sauce and roasted apple, but my partner isn’t into cooked fruit, so I had to think of something else.
I still remember this first time, it was Saturday, we had arrived from doing the groceries and in the afternoon we had an appointment with friends. We didn’t have much time so we wanted to make something quick but tasty and with what I had in the pantry (and my herb garden on the balcony :P) this Balsamic Rosemary Roasted Pork Tenderloin came out. Rosemary aside, I bet you too have the rest of the ingredients this recipe calls for in your fridge or pantry.
My partner helped me cut the potatoes while I prepared the marinade entirely eyeballed. I then tossed the potatoes with some of the marinade and used the rest of it for the pork tenderloins. While the potatoes were in the oven, the pork marinated and finally I put it in for just 10-15 minutes and lunch was ready. The next time I cooked it it was for some friends and I took notes, the rest is history.
Some Notes on the Balsamic Rosemary Marinade
You may already have all the ingredients to make this Easy Balsamic Rosemary Roasted Pork Tenderloin at home, except perhaps for the fresh rosemary. In any case, if you are missing something, it will be very easy to find it in any supermarket, even during the holidays season. As usual though, please let me share a couple of notes about the ingredients in case they can help you.
- Balsamic Vinegar: the acidity of the vinegar helps make the meat even more tender. In addition, its strong, aromatic and sweet flavour pairs perfectly with pork and Mediterranean ingredients such as garlic, rosemary and bay leaf.
- Garlic: you can always add more or less to taste (sometimes the variety of garlic also makes it more or less intense). Since the marinade is going to cook in the oven, this time I use raw garlic but you can use garlic confit or roasted garlic if you prefer.
- Dijon mustard: I use wholegrain dijon mustard because it has a little more intensity of flavour than the smooth one, but you can use the smooth one if it is the one you prefer or the one you have at home already.
- Aromatic herbs: I think strong flavours such as rosemary and bay leaf go great with pork. Sage would also be a perfect idea. As for the bay leaf, I use it dried because it is the one I always have on hand but you can replace it with fresh bay leaves, adding 2 or 3 more, and vice versa with the rosemary. If you can’t find fresh rosemary, you can use 3 tablespoons of dried rosemary (dried herbs have a more concentrated flavour than fresh ones).
Pork Tenderloin vs Pork Loin
Although pork loin and pork tenderloin may sound quite similar, there is a world of difference between them! Pork loin is a much thicker cut of meat. This means that it takes a lot longer for the flavours of the marinade to soak into it and to cook. Today we use pork tenderloin because it cooks faster, it’s more tender and it better absorbs the aromas of the marinade in less time.
How to Tell When the Pork Tenderloin is Done
As it is a thin cut of meat it can cook very quickly. If cooked up to a well done stage it can feel pretty dry and form a ball in your mouth when chewed. I always prefer to leave it rare and if someone likes it more done I can always pan-sear it.
That said, the best way to check if it’s cooked to a certain point is through using a meat thermometer (the kind with a needle to poke into the meat). Ideally, it should read around 62ºC-65ºC (medium-rare) when you take it out of the oven because it will continue cooking while resting (up to about 68ºC-70ºC). If you don’t have a meat thermometer, you can make a cut with a knife. So that the cut is not noticeable when serving it, you can always serve the pork tenderloin sliced.
What to Serve This Easy Balsamic Rosemary Roasted Pork Tenderloin with
In addition to serving it with roasted potatoes, you can serve it with a delicious salad or vegetables. A good mashed potato side would also be an ideal option. Here you have some ideas:
- Garlicky Lemony Crispy Roasted Asparagus
- Roasted Broccoli with Serrano Ham Toasted Breadcrumbs
- Dairy-Free Green Bean Casserole
- Spinach Salad with Capers Vinaigrette
How to Store this Balsamic Rosemary Roasted Pork Tenderloin
Store the roasted pork tenderloin leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge and preferably eat it within 3-4 days. If possible, save it uncut. This will help to keep the pork from drying out and ensure a juicier centre after reheating it. You can reheat it in the microwave, oven, or even on a skillet.
You can also freeze it in an airtight container, although it will lose some of its flavour and tenderness. Keeps well for 3 months. To enjoy it again, thaw it in the fridge overnight and reheat it in the microwave, oven or on a skillet.
More Ideal Holiday Mains
If you make this Balsamic Rosemary Mustard Pork Tenderloin recipe, be sure to leave a comment and rate it. Hearing from you is everything! Oh, and don’t forget to tag me on Instagram, I absolutely love seeing your creations. Happy cooking!
Easy Balsamic Rosemary Roasted Pork Tenderloin
Ingredients
- 2 pork tenderloins - of 400 g each
- 80 ml olive oil
- 40 ml balsamic vinegar
- 6 garlic cloves - skin off
- 4 tbsp wholegrain Dijon mustard - you can substitute it with regular Dijon mustard
- 20 g fresh rosemary leaves - plus extra to garnish
- 4 bay leaves
- 1/2 tbsp salt
- 600 g potatoes - peeled and cut in similar-sized chunks
Instructions
- Remove the meat from the fridge 1-2 h before cooking it so it gets to room temperature.
- Preheat the oven to 200ºC
- In a blender or food processor, combine the olive oil, vinegar, garlic, mustard, rosemary, bay leaves and salt. Blend until you get a homogeneous paste.
- Place the pork tenderloins on a baking tray and rub them with 3/4 of the paste on all sides, set aside.
- In another baking tray, combine the remaining paste with the potatoes.
- Bake the potatoes for 35-40 minutes (they should look golden but shouldn’t be completely roasted), give them a toss, and place them back into the oven in the top third rack.
- Place the pork in the middle rack of the oven. Bake everything for 15 minutes (you’ll get a medium-rare meat in the centre). Bake up to 25-30 minutes if you like it well done. If you have a meat thermometer, bake it until the centre is at 62ºC-65ºC for a medium/medium-rare point in the end (it will continue cooking with the residual heat while it rests. The final temperature should be between 68ºC-70ºC).
- Remove the pork from the oven, cover it and let it rest for 10 minutes so the juices settle. You can use this time to continue roasting potatoes if they needed a few more minutes to get crispier and crunchier.
- Serve the pork tenderloin sliced, surrounded by the potatoes and topped with some fresh rosemary as garnish. If there are any juices from the meat, pour them over the pork when serving it.
Did you make this recipe?
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