This easy mustard pork tenderloin bakes in 30 minutes with 5 simple ingredients. Sweet, tangy, juicy, and perfect for quick weeknight dinners!
The Pork Tenderloin Recipe for Busy Weeknights
Sometimes you need a healthy dinner that comes together with minimal effort, doesn’t require marinating time, and doesn’t use a grill. This brown sugar and mustard pork tenderloin is cooked in the oven without searing — making it the answer to your prayers!
If you feel like you’re stuck in a chicken “rut” for dinner each night, then pork is a great alternative. With a similar mild taste and texture, it’s an easy way to keep the kiddos happy while mixing up the same old routine. If you’ve got a tenderloin stashed away in your freezer, then you can probably skip a trip to the grocery store (hooray!). This easy recipe uses kitchen staples and is such an easy way to prepare a delicious, healthy meal at the last minute.
Absolutely FANTASTIC! This is the best pork I have ever had or made. Easy, juicy, a few ingredients & delicious. Served it with sides of salt potatoes “upstate NY Summer produce”, steamed broccoli & tomato/onion/basil salad. Thank you for an awesome recipe. Love, love your recipes.
– Ferryal
Ingredient Notes and Tips for Success
- Pork Tenderloin: This cut is lean, tender, and quick-cooking. Be sure not to confuse it with pork loin, which is larger and takes longer to cook. Each pork tenderloin is approximately 1 lb. and serves 2-3 people, so you might need to double the ingredients if you’re feeding a larger family.
- Yellow Mustard: Classic yellow mustard gives the glaze its signature tangy flavor. You can substitute with Dijon or spicy brown mustard if you prefer.
- Brown Sugar: Adds sweetness and helps caramelize the glaze for a golden crust. Light or dark brown sugar both work well.
- Line the Baking Sheet: Use foil or parchment paper for easy cleanup and to prevent sticking.
- Use an Instant-Read Meat Thermometer: Pork is done when it reaches an internal temperature of 145°F. Avoid overcooking to keep it juicy. The pork will continue to cook and rise in temperature as it rests, so if you check it and it’s close to 145°F, pull it out and let it finish on the counter.
How to Bake Mustard Pork Tenderloin
- In a small bowl, stir together the mustard glaze by combining the brown sugar, mustard, salt, and pepper. It will look thick at first, but the sugar will dissolve in the mustard as you keep stirring.
- Pat the pork dry and place it on a parchment or foil-lined sheet pan. If using foil, give it a spritz with nonstick cooking spray before adding the pork (to prevent sticking).
- Rub or brush the mustard glaze all over the pork.
- Transfer the pan to a 425°F oven until the meat reaches an internal temperature of 145°F, about 20-25 minutes. Baking it at this high temperature gives the outside of the pork a nice crispy texture (as the sugars in the sauce caramelize), while the inside stays perfectly juicy! After removing it from the oven, tent the pork with foil and let it rest for 5-10 minutes. This helps the juices redistribute and brings the internal temp up slightly (carryover cooking).
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
Mustard Pork Tenderloin
Equipment
- Rimmed baking sheet
- Instant Read Thermometer
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon yellow mustard
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt, plus extra for seasoning the meat
- Dash of ground black pepper, plus extra for seasoning the meat
- 1 (1 lb.) pork tenderloin
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425°F. Line a rimmed baking sheet (or a baking dish) with foil or parchment paper for easy cleanup. If using foil, give it a spritz with nonstick cooking spray to prevent sticking.
- In a small bowl, stir together the brown sugar, mustard, salt, and pepper.
- Pat the pork dry with paper towels. Season the meat with a little bit of salt and pepper. Place the pork on the prepared baking sheet.
- Rub or brush the brown sugar mixture all over the pork.
- Bake the pork until it reaches an internal temperature of 145°F, about 20-25 minutes.
- Remove the pork from oven, tent with foil, and allow the meat to rest for about 5-10 minutes before slicing and serving.
Notes
Nutrition
Serving Suggestions
Serve the mustard pork tenderloin with roasted butternut squash soup, creamy baked mac and cheese, mashed potatoes with sour cream and chives, crispy seasoned roasted potatoes, or au gratin potatoes; Arkansas green beans, southern style green beans, steamed broccoli, broccoli cheese rice casserole, or sauteed asparagus with garlic and lemon; a simple side salad with buttermilk dressing or honey mustard dressing, cucumber tomato onion salad, or coleslaw; 3-ingredient buttermilk biscuits or dinner rolls. Then, add a pear crisp for dessert.
Preparation and Storage Tips
- How to Prep Ahead: You can baste the pork with the sauce in advance and keep the pork covered in the refrigerator until you’re ready to pop it in the oven. This is a great option if you’re entertaining guests.
- How to Store: Cool leftovers, then store in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days.
- How to Freeze: Wrap tightly and freeze for up to 2 months. Thaw in refrigerator overnight.
- How to Reheat: Gently reheat the sliced pork in the microwave or in a 300°F oven until warmed through.
Recipe Variations
- Swap yellow mustard for Dijon mustard or spicy brown mustard for a slightly sharper, more zesty flavor.
- Add ¼ teaspoon garlic powder or onion powder to the rub for extra seasoning. Herbs are also a nice addition to the dish. You can mix about 1 teaspoon of finely chopped fresh herbs or a pinch of dried herbs into the glaze before baking, or sprinkle fresh herbs on top after roasting for a bright, aromatic finish. Good options include rosemary, thyme, tarragon, parsley, sage, and oregano.
- Stir in a teaspoon of apple cider vinegar for a bit more tang.
- Brush the pork with a little honey or maple syrup before baking for extra sweetness.
- For an even crispier, charred exterior, place the pork under the broiler for the final 1-2 minutes. Don’t use parchment paper, though! Line the pan with foil if you plan to try this.
Made this for dinner tonight and it was delicious! Flavor was slightly sweet and mustard tanginess was balanced by the brown sugar. We both loved it!
– Anita
More Popular Pork Tenderloin Recipes
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Honey Garlic Dijon Pork Tenderloin Marinade
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Dry Rub for Pork Tenderloin
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Originally published in December, 2017, this post was updated in August, 2025.
I definitely get stuck in that chicken rut and my husband always loves pork, so this looks perfect! You sold me on five ingredients and five minutes of prep time. Another winner for dinner, Blair! Love your photos, too!
Thanks, Gayle! No chicken ruts allowed! 🙂
I made this dish tonight and it was absolutely delicious! My husband loved it and I will definitely be making it again.
Hi, I really want to try this re ile but I’m afraid yellow mustard would be too strong because its only yellow mustard and same amount of brown sugar, does it taste to musterdy lol please let me know? Thank you
Hi, Patty! I’ve never found it to have too strong of a mustard flavor (in fact, my kids eat it, and they don’t normally like yellow mustard). It’s definitely a matter of personal preference, though. 🙂
I was worried about this too. I added a teaspoon of ketchup to cut the mustard a bit. Delicious!
I’ve made this 2 times with no changes. Simple ingredients and nice flavors. Part of my regular rotation now.
That’s wonderful, Jude! Thank you for taking the time to leave a note!
Blair: This looks wonderful! I served your beef tenderloin with the bourbon glaze for Christmas dinner this year, and it was a huge hit so I know this one will rank right up there. I also enjoy fixing turkey tenderloins quite often. Would this mustard and brown sugar glaze work with turkey? Love your photos of the beautiful Virginia countryside!
Hi, Stephanie! Thanks so much for your note! I’m glad that you enjoyed the beef for Christmas! We had it that evening as well, and it’s always a hit in our house. 🙂
Yes, I think the mustard and brown sugar glaze would be delicious on chicken or turkey as well! Enjoy!
The first time I used this recipe I had a turkey tenderloin I’d pulled from the freezer. It was excellent!
Love the idea of using the turkey tenderloin, Sally. Great tip!
I’m not much of a ,eat eater but I think I’d love this because it seems like it’s so full of flavour! Yum!
Yes, it’s a WINNER! 🙂
This sounds delicious and pork tenderloins are on sale this week so we are in! Just a quick question can I use dijon or another mustard without changing flavor too much? My hunny just does not like yellow 🙁 Or do you think with the brown sugar he won’t even notice? Thanks, so glad I found your page you have awesome recipes
Hi, Licia! Yes, you can definitely use the Dijon if that’s his preference.
My little boys don’t like mustard at all, but they gobble up this pork (so your guy might not even really notice it). 🙂
Thanks so much Blair, It is my meal plan for the evening. I have saved many of your recipes this past 24 hours! This week is definitely covered by you.
Wonderful! I’m so glad that you’ll be enjoying our recipes this week, Licia! 🙂
How could anyone not like mustard? Must be Aliens!
🙂
My husband and I love this recipe as is. Simple, delicious and moist. Easy for weeknight and good enough for guests.
Thank you! I appreciate you taking the time to leave me a note!
I don’t like yellow mustard either, but when my husband cooks with it like in this recipe, I have no problem. Cooking it like this changes the flavor, try it without telling him and he will probably never know it’s in there.
I agree, Nathalie. 🙂 My kids won’t touch yellow mustard on its own, but they like this pork!
What would you serve with this? It sounds delicious
Hi, Rebecca! This is one of those great entrees that pairs nicely with just about anything! Oven roasted potatoes or baked potatoes would be good, a loaf of French bread or some dinner rolls would be good, or rice or buttered pasta would work. Basically, whatever your family enjoys! Veggies are flexible, too — I often just go with a simple green salad, but you can also serve roasted broccoli, roasted asparagus, peas, roasted carrots, etc. Just use the search bar on my site (in the righthand side bar) to search for specific recipes or use the drop down menu under “Recipes” to search for the “Sides” category. Hope that helps!
Well Blair you’ve done it again…another easy and delicious recipe ! I went online to look for some different pork tenderloin ideas and the one l decided on happened to be one of your awesome recipes ! I didn’t change anything and it was so moist and not dry at all ! I served it with boiled red mini potatoes/butter , parmesan cheese , sour cream and diced green onions as well as kernel corn .. l had never cooked a roast uncovered and was pleasantly surprised with the end result .. This recipe is definitely a keeper and l will be making it often….everyone really enjoyed it ! I’ve tried and enjoyed so many of your recipes…keep them coming !! 🙂
Yay! You totally made my day! That meal sounds delicious. Thanks for letting me know! 🙂
Hello! Just wondering if you use light or dark brown sugar for the sauce.
Hi, Mary! I always use light brown sugar. 🙂
This is the first recipe I’ve tried of yours, as I just discovered you. Having made this a few times, I added garlic powder instead of salt this last time, and it upped it to another dimension. I’ve intentionally made extra sauce each time, and done two loins after the first go round, just for the leftovers. Take a little extra rub, mix with a tad of butter or mayo, and mix in a bit of commercially prepared ground horseradish. Perfect sandwich spread on homemade sourdough for the best sandwiches ever. My entire family seems to come over for pork night when I use your recipe, so I easily have to get the tenderloins at Costco for everyone to have enough, and for me to have leftovers for a sandwich or two ( I have to hide the extra).
Now I have to discover more of your recipes.
I’m so happy to hear that! Thank you!!
Thanks! Trying this one tonight. I love to use dry mustard & brown sugar for pork loin, but I’m out! This sounds delicious!
I’m excited to try this! Do you think it could be prepared in a slow cooker instead of the oven?
Hi, Rachelle! Yes, I do! It will obviously have a different texture, but the flavor will still be great. I normally cook pork tenderloin in the Crock Pot on LOW for 6-8 hours or on HIGH for 3-4 hours. It will be fall-apart tender when it’s done (you might even just prefer to shred it with two forks like pulled pork). Hope that helps!
Hi, thinking about making this week. You mentioned the texture would be different slow cooking it in a crock pot, instead of the oven. What would be the difference?
Hi, Deborah! I find that when you slow cook pork tenderloin for a long time (7-8 hours on low), it becomes fall-apart tender and can basically be shred with two forks — kind of like pulled pork barbecue. It works well and tastes good, but it’s just a different texture than when you bake it in the oven just until it’s cooked through.
If you cook pork tenderloin for a shorter amount of time in the slow cooker, it can be challenging to get it just right so that it’s still a little pink (while still fully cooked) and can be easily sliced. Every slow cooker is different, so if you want it slice-able, you need to keep an eye on it and remove it from the Crock Pot when it reaches an internal temp of 145 degrees F.
Hope that helps!
Yes thank you! I’ve decided to do this in the oven tonight. I’ll post again, how it turned out! 🙂
I cooked this in the oven Monday night and it was fantastic. Now I’m making it for a friend, but I need to use the crockpot. Do I add water if cooking in the crockpot?
Hi, Kerri! No, I wouldn’t add liquid unless you want to shred the pork at the end and stir it into a sauce. The slow cooker will naturally create a lot of liquid in the pot from condensation as it cooks, so you shouldn’t need any extra liquid. Hope that helps!
Best pork loin recipe I have ever made. I bought a 1.88 loin so I had to roast it for 45 minutes to get to 145-147. Rested for 7 minutes until my sweet potato’s were done. Will definitely make this again.
Sounds perfect, Ann! I’m so glad that you loved it! 🙂
Hi, I am making this today for the second time. My husband and I loved it! I cooked it in my crockpot and it turned out moist and delicious. Thank you so much!
I have now added it to favorites. (Evidently, I failed to do so last time, so I had to scour the net this morning to find you again, haha)
Hi, Cindy! I’m so glad that you found the recipe again! 🙂 I’m also glad to know that it works well in the slow cooker. How long do you usually cook it in the Crock Pot? On low or high? Enjoy!
Just found your site and want to try this tonight. Think I could add minced garlic and it be ok?
Absolutely! Sounds like a delicious addition. Enjoy!
How long for a 5 lb loin?
Hi, Karen! A large pork loin will need a little bit different cooking method than the tenderloin. I would recommend following this recipe for your 5-lb roast, but you may need to increase that time to up to 70 minutes: https://www.theseasonedmom.com/4-ingredient-pork-loin-roast/
If you still want to use the mustard and brown sugar called for in this recipe, that’s fine. Just double the amount that you use, and add it to the pork during the final half of baking. Hope that helps, and enjoy!
Than recipe is incomplete. I see in the picture a very watering dressing that it seems that should have more ingredients. also I see some herbs that are no mentioned.
Hi, Iris! All of the ingredients are included in the recipe. The herbs are merely an optional garnish, never required or necessary for the recipe itself. Hope you get to try it — it’s delicious! 🙂
Hello
Could I use dark brown sugar and Dijon mustard
In this recipe ?
Thanks
Patricia
Hi, Patricia! Yes, those should work fine. Enjoy!
Will the pork cook at this temperature to medium with some pink ….. always afraid of over cooking pork ?
Really appreciate your help !!
Patricia
Hi, Patricia! Yes! However, if you’re unsure, it’s always best to use a meat thermometer to test the temperature of your pork. That way you can pull it out of the oven when it reaches the point that you prefer. The USDA’s minimum recommended temperature for pork is 145 degrees F, so that will give you a safely cooked meat without over-cooking it. 🙂
Made this today and it was SUPERB! I used my slow cooker and made extra sauce so that I could add in a thickener 30 min before serving and get a gravy. Hands down the best pork tenderloin I have ever eaten!
Wonderful! Love the idea of making the gravy, Hannah! Thank you. 🙂
Looks amazing! Can I substitute veal shoulder for the pork tenderloin?
Hi, Karen! Yes — I think that should work fine! 🙂
So you might not get this in time but… We always buy loins/tenderloins when they are on sell and slice them to grill. I’m going to sear them tonight but normally how would I use this recipe if they are already chopped? THANKS A MILLION!
Hi, K! If you’re using chopped pork tenderloin, you could toss the pieces in the mustard and brown sugar mixture to coat. Then bake or pan-sear, as desired!
Made this tonight but since I can’t leave a recipe alone I added some horseradish sauce. Wonderfully balanced and so good! Makes sense since one would do this with a ham! Was really delicious and will do this again! Thanks
Sounds perfect! Thank you! 🙂
How long would I have to bake two 2 1/2 pound tenderloins?
Are they tenderloins or are they pork loins? I just haven’t seen a tenderloin that weighs 2.5 lbs., so it makes me think it might be a loin? If it’s a pork loin, I would suggest roasting at 350 degrees For about 20-25 minutes per pound. The best way to know when the meat is done is to use a meat thermometer. You know that the pork is ready when it reaches an internal temperature of 145 degrees F. Enjoy!