With this simple honey garlic Dijon pork tenderloin marinade, you’ve got a healthy, make-ahead meal for any busy weeknight. Best of all, the easy dinner only requires 10 minutes of prep before leaving it to marinate in the fridge. Finish the meat on the grill or in the oven!
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If you love pork tenderloin as much as we do, be sure to try this honey dijon roasted pork tenderloin, a Dutch oven pork tenderloin with gravy, this Crock Pot pork tenderloin, pork tenderloin with apples, and this grilled pork tenderloin, too!
How to Make Pork Tenderloin Marinade | 1-Minute Video
Pork tenderloin can be bland. This marinade makes it sing. My husband isn’t crazy about pork but really loved this. What a hit!
– Susan
Why You’ll Love this Recipe
- Easy. You can’t beat the ease of a simple pork tenderloin marinade, which comes together in about 5 minutes and creates the most flavorful, tender, and juicy meat.
- Healthy. Pork tenderloin is a great alternative lean protein to chicken breasts. It offers numerous health benefits, is an excellent source of protein, thiamin, vitamin B6, phosphorous, and niacin, as well as a good source of potassium, riboflavin, and zinc. It’s relatively low in calories, yet stays tender and juicy — especially when marinated.
- Versatile. I’ve included directions for grilling and roasting the marinated pork tenderloin, but you can also use the same easy marinade for pork loin, pork chops, and chicken.
The Difference Between Pork Tenderloin and Pork Loin
Pork tenderloin, a smaller cut that generally weighs about 1 pound, does not come from the same part of the animal as the larger pork loin. Since pork tenderloin is naturally lean and tender, it does well when cooked quickly at high temperatures. By contrast, pork loin lends itself well to slower roasting or grilling techniques. For more details about these two different cuts of meat, check out this article.
Today, we’re focused only on the pork tenderloin! This recipe calls for a single tenderloin; however, you can certainly add a second tenderloin to the marinade. This is also a great pork loin marinade; however, the cooking directions for that cut of meat are different.
Ingredients
Here’s a quick overview of the simple ingredients that you’ll need for the best marinade for pork tenderloin. As always, specific measurements and complete cooking instructions are included in the printable recipe at the bottom of the post.
- Honey: adds a nice sweetness to the marinade, while the sugars also help to create a nice char on the outside of the meat.
- Dijon mustard: works as an emulsifier to bring the marinade ingredients together, and adds a nice “zippy” flavor to the sauce.
- Soy sauce: salty, umami flavor that’s essential for this delicious pork. I typically use a reduced-sodium variety.
- Garlic, salt, and pepper: more flavor! If you don’t have fresh garlic you can substitute with about ¾ teaspoon garlic powder.
- Rosemary and thyme: I prefer fresh herbs when available, but you can also substitute with dried herbs when necessary.
Directions
You can season a pork tenderloin with a spice rub, or give the meat plenty of flavor from a quick marinade. The best pork tenderloin marinade recipe will tenderize the meat, add flavor, and caramelize the outside. You’ll find detailed directions in the recipe card below, but here’s the quick version:
- Whisk together the marinade.
- Season pork on all sides with salt and pepper.
- Marinate the pork in half of the marinade in a large Ziploc freezer bag or dish, reserving the other half of the marinade for later. Ziploc bags are great for marinating because they don’t take up much space in your fridge. Marinate the pork for a minimum of 30 minutes to allow the flavors to soak into the meat, or up to 24 hours in the refrigerator. Yes, it’s possible to marinate the tenderloin for too long, since the enzymes in the meat start to break down and the cooked pork can have a mushy texture.
- Grill or bake the marinated meat. The tenderloin is ready to come off the grill or out of the oven when it reaches an internal temperature of 140-145°F. The temperature will continue to rise as it rests. Anywhere between 140°F and 160°F is fine; however cooking it more towards medium (145°F) will produce juicier pork. At this stage, the pork will have a slight touch of pink in the center.
- Tent the tenderloin with aluminum foil and let it rest for a few minutes before slicing and serving with the reserved marinade. This allows the juices to redistribute.
Serving Suggestions
The perfect dish for busy weeknights, entertaining guests, or cozy Sunday dinners! Serve the flavorful pork tenderloin with delicious side dishes like a house salad with candied pecans or a green salad with honey mustard dressing, tomato cucumber onion salad, 3-ingredient buttermilk mashed potatoes, Jiffy cornbread with creamed corn, Charleston red rice, Southern-style green beans, succotash, Southern squash casserole, or okra and tomatoes.
I made this recipe last night for dinner. My husband, who is rather picky, loved it. He commented all evening that this was the best roast pork he had ever eaten and I agree. It was fantastic.
– Dianne
Preparation and Storage
- Prep ahead! The tenderloin can be trimmed and marinated up to 24 hours in advance. Remove from the refrigerator 30-60 minutes before cooking so that the meat has time to come to room temperature. You can also put the pork in the marinade and freeze for up to 3 months before cooking. Thaw frozen pork in the fridge overnight before cooking.
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days or in the freezer for up to 2 months. Sliced tenderloin is delicious on sandwiches the next day.
- To reheat pork tenderloin: Place the pork on a sheet pan and warm in a 325 degrees F oven just until heated through (about 10-15 minutes). Be careful not to overheat, or the tenderloin will become dry. You can also reheat individual portions of pork in the microwave for 1-2 minutes.
Recipe Variations
- Make it spicy by adding crushed red pepper flakes or sriracha hot sauce to the marinade.
- Use other fresh herbs, such as parsley, oregano, or basil.
- Add some toasted sesame oil, cilantro, or fresh lime juice to really highlight the soy sauce and give the marinade some Asian flare.
- Enjoy this simple marinade on chicken or pork chops, too.
- Pork Loin Marinade: use this same marinade for a pork loin, but follow these cooking instructions.
Expert Tips
- A single pork tenderloin is typically just 1 lb. of meat, making it an appropriate amount of food for 2-4 people (depending on the size of your appetite). If you’re feeding a larger family of 4-5, add a second tenderloin to the marinade. You should have enough marinade for both pieces of meat.
- Use a meat thermometer to ensure that your tenderloin is cooked perfectly every single time. The total cooking time will vary depending on the size and thickness of your pork, as well as the temperature of your grill.
- Garnish the cooked meat with fresh lemons, a squeeze of fresh lemon juice, or chopped fresh herbs for a bright, flavorful finishing touch.
Made this last night and it was so amazing! We basted the pork while grilling with the marinade and it formed such a sweet savory bark on it! We make a lot of pork tenderloin and this was a welcome addition to our recipes. Thank you!
– Meghan
More Pork Tenderloin Recipes to Try
Garlic Brown Sugar Pork Tenderloin
40 minutes mins
Bacon Wrapped Pork Tenderloin (4 Ingredients)
40 minutes mins
Best Grilled Pork Tenderloin Recipe
1 hour hr 28 minutes mins
Did you make this recipe?
If you enjoyed this recipe, please leave a comment with a 5-star review at the bottom of the post. Thank you!
Watch How to Make It
Honey Garlic Dijon Pork Tenderloin Marinade
Ingredients
- 1 pork tenderloin (about 1 lb.)
- ½ cup honey
- ½ cup Dijon mustard
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce (or substitute with tamari or coconut aminos for gluten-free option)
- 1 tablespoon minced garlic
- Leaves from 2 sprigs fresh rosemary, minced (can substitute with about ½ teaspoon dried rosemary)
- Leaves from 2 sprigs fresh thyme, minced (can substitute with about ½ teaspoon dried thyme)
- Kosher salt and ground black pepper, to taste
Instructions
PREPARE THE MARINADE
- In a bowl or large measuring cup, whisk together honey, Dijon mustard, soy sauce, garlic, rosemary, and thyme.
MARINATE THE PORK
- Season pork on all sides with salt and pepper, to taste.
- Place pork in a large zip-top plastic bag. Pour half of the marinade over the pork and toss to coat. Seal the bag and refrigerate the pork in the marinade for at least 30 minutes, or up to 24 hours. Rotate the pork occasionally so that the marinade touches all sides. Set aside the remaining ½ of the marinade in a separate bowl, cover, and refrigerate for later.
GRILL THE PORK (PREFERRED METHOD)
- Remove pork from the marinade and allow to come to room temperature while you heat the grill. Discard bag with the marinade.
- Heat the grill to medium heat. Place pork on the grill and cover. Cook for about 12-15 minutes, turning every few minutes, until pork reaches an internal temperature of 140°F – 145°F. Allow pork to rest for 10 minutes before slicing. Serve with reserved marinade.
ALTERNATE OVEN METHOD
- Remove pork from the marinade and place in a baking dish that has been coated with cooking spray. Discard bag with the marinade. Allow pork to come to room temperature while you preheat the oven.
- Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C).
- Cover with foil and bake for 25 minutes.
- Remove cover, brush with reserved marinade, and place under the broiler for about 5 minutes (or until a crispy crust forms on top), and pork reaches an internal temperature of 140°F – 145°F. Remove from oven and allow pork to rest for about 10 minutes before slicing. Serve with reserved marinade.
Notes
- A single pork tenderloin is typically just 1 lb. of meat, making it an appropriate amount of food for 2-4 people (depending on the size of your appetite). If you’re feeding a larger family of 4-5, add a second tenderloin to the marinade. You should have enough marinade for both pieces of meat.
- Use a meat thermometer to ensure that your tenderloin is cooked perfectly every single time. The total cooking time will vary depending on the size and thickness of your pork, as well as the temperature of your grill.
- Tent the tenderloin with aluminum foil and let it rest for a few minutes before slicing and serving. This allows the juices to redistribute.
- Enjoy this simple marinade on chicken or pork chops, too.
- Garnish the cooked meat with fresh lemons, a squeeze of fresh lemon juice, or chopped fresh herbs for a bright, flavorful finishing touch.
Nutrition
This recipe was originally published in March, 2017. It was updated in May, 2024.
Blair Can I marinade & freeze to use at a later date.
Hi, Mike! Yes, that will work really well!
Making this for company tomorrow night and wondering if I need to sear the tenderloin before putting it in the oven as directed. Other recipes direct you to sear the meat first. I made this once before but can’t remember what I did. TIA!
Hi, Anne! You don’t need to sear the meat before it goes in the oven. That said, if you’re willing to take a little extra time to do so, searing will give the exterior of the meat nice color, a crispier outside, and may lock in the juices even more. Just keep a close eye on the temperature of the pork once it goes in the oven, since searing the meat will reduce the total baking time. Hope you and your guests enjoy!
I have made this recipe a number of times now and so I felt I should leave a comment. I will add that I have loved it, even while making no changes, until this time… I was planning to make this for supper last night and then had to change gears at the last minute due to circumstances. So, the meat marinated for 24+ hours. AMAZING! I consider myself a fairly decent home chef and this is a fabulous recipe. The sweetness and tanginess just work so well together. Thanks very much Blair! A+++
Thank you, Ainslie! Glad to know that it worked so well — especially after the longer marinating time. 🙂
I made this recipe for the first time & no left overs- next time I’ll use 2 tenderloins Thank-you
Awesome! Thank you, Sonja. Glad it was a hit!
I love this marinade. It says to set 1/2 of marinade aside? Do you use that for sauce or another time you marinade?
Hi, Liddy! In Step 4, it says to brush the pork with the reserved marinade (just before you put it under the broiler). If you choose the grilling method, it says to serve the pork with the remaining marinade (as a sauce). You can do either! 🙂
Absolutely DELICIOUS! I followed the recipe exactly- with the exception of cutting it in half (just me and my husband) and it was amazing! Thank you again for sharing your expertise! I am a committed follower of your recipes! Looking forward to the next delicious recipe!
Thank you so much, Kathy! We truly appreciate it and hope you continue to enjoy our recipes!
Good day. Ready to make your Cream Cheese Pound Cake…why .does it call for 3 sticks of SALTED butter, or is that an error? The recipe also calls for additional salt to be added. Can I substitute with UNSALTED or do half and half of each? I am serving to folks with high blood pressure issues.
Thanks,
Clara
Hi, Clara! I prefer to bake with salted butter, since that’s what I have in my fridge and we like the flavor that it adds. The salt balances the sweetness in the cake. If you prefer to bake with unsalted butter, that’s no problem. I would typically suggest that you add extra salt to the recipe to make up for the lost salt in the unsalted butter; however, it sounds like you’re looking to cut back on salt for special dietary concerns. You can feel free to use unsalted butter and not replace it with extra salt — just know that the cake will have a different taste. You’re the baker, though, and you can prepare it however you like!
Quite good marinade but I would definitely sear my pork on all sides next time and I had to cook my small tenderloin for 35 minutes.
Thank you for the feedback, Beverlee!
I can’t remember if I’ve commented before, page isn’t loading right today, BUT…. Even if I did it needs saying again. This recipe is amazing, I LOVE using it not just for tenderloin (have to make 2 for my family of 5 and we have no leftovers. Ever) but also use it on grilled pork chops. Making it this very second so I can see how it does in my convection oven tomorrow with some nice thick pork chops, and I’m sure we won’t be disappointed!! Thank you!!
Thank you so much, Hope! We truly appreciate your feedback and are so glad you enjoy this recipe.
This was just perfection. It hit all the right notes. The herbs really sealed the deal on this delicious marinade. This is a keeper!
Thank you, Bill! We’re so glad you enjoyed it.
I followed the recipe and it turned out nicely. I do have a couple suggestions. Check the meat thermometer prior to the 25 minutes. Mine was close to overdone, after I put it in the broiler. The marinade was very good, but it could have used less rosemary. Next time I’ll use one sprig and check the meat at 20.
Thanks, Ruth!
Your blog site continues to be an important read in my everyday routine!
Thanks, Adrianna!
This was absolutely delicious!!
Thank you so much, Karen!
This was delicious! And a win with my picky husband and 4 year old. I was skeptical of the marinade at first, but so glad I tried it. I chose the baking method and was happily surprised with how tender and juicy it came out. Another one of your recipes goes into our regular rotation. Thank you, Blair!
Thank you, Carolyn! We’re so glad you and your family enjoyed it.
Hi Blair,
Pork tenderloin is one of our favorite weeknight dinners, so I was so excited to try this recipe! I followed the recipe almost exactly except I cooked the pork in our air fryer for greater convenience. The pork came out tender and flavorful, with a nicely caramelized crust. We will definitely be making this again!
Thanks and have a great day!
Kim
Hi Kim,
Thank you for trying it out and taking the time to leave a review. We truly appreciate it and are so glad you enjoyed the recipe! We hope you continue to enjoy others on the site.
Have a great day as well!
So wonderful! Simple, delicious flavor, moist, and tender. AND I forgot to reserve the 1/2 cup of marinade to glaze it later in the recipe (whoops)! Can’t wait to make this again correctly – ha! This is a keeper of a recipe!
Yay! Thanks, Carolyn Joyce. I’m so glad that it was a hit!