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Sweet and savory with a touch of heat, this simple Asian Pork Tenderloin Marinade transforms a basic cut of meat into a rich, flavorful meal. Whether grilled outside or baked in the oven, you’ve got a healthy and easy recipe with just 10 minutes of prep!
Table of Contents
- Easy Asian Pork Tenderloin Marinade Ingredients
- How to Make Juicy Asian Pork Tenderloin
- Four Cooking Methods for Asian Marinated Pork Tenderloin
- What to Serve with Asian Pork Tenderloin
- Asian Pork Tenderloin Recipe Tips and Variations
- More Top-Rated Pork Recipes to Try
- Sweet & Spicy Asian Pork Tenderloin Marinade Recipe
This quick Asian-inspired marinade has a delicious sweet and savory flavor, thanks to ingredients like soy sauce, rice vinegar, sesame oil, and Sriracha ketchup! It’s an easy way to create a moist, tender, perfectly cooked pork tenderloin with so much flavor in just a few minutes. This pork marinade recipe is perfect for the summer grilling season or as a flavorful weeknight dinner.
This quick marinade has a delicious Asian profile thanks to ingredients like soy sauce, rice vinegar, sesame oil, and Sriracha ketchup! It’s an easy way to create a moist, tender, and perfectly charred pork tenderloin in minutes. Perfect for summer grilling season or busy weeknight dinners!
Easy Asian Pork Tenderloin Marinade Ingredients
You only need a few simple ingredients to make this sweet and spicy Asian marinade. The marinade can also be used on different cuts of pork prepared using different cooking methods! It’s a simple recipe for an easy weeknight meal. Below is an overview of the ingredients needed. You can find detailed instructions in the recipe card below.
- Soy Sauce: the base of the marinade, with a salty, umami flavor. Low-sodium soy sauce is always a good choice to control salt in a recipe.
- Rice Wine Vinegar: for subtle acidity.
- Sriracha Ketchup: the secret ingredient – tangy, sweet, and spicy!
- Sesame Oil: gives this marinade that iconic Chinese flavor in any recipe – do not swap it for another oil!
- Garlic & Ginger: zesty and savory aromatics. Fresh ginger and garlic cloves are always preferred, but both can be substituted for garlic powder and ground ginger if needed.
- Pork Tenderloin: you can use either two small pork tenderloins or a larger pork loin.
- Cornstarch: a simple cornstarch slurry will thicken the excess marinade to use as a sauce.
- Green Onions: as a garnish, sliced green onions are the perfect fresh finishing touch.
The Secret Ingredients in Asian-Inspired Marinated Pork Tenderloin
Two key ingredients in this Asian-flavored marinade give it tons of flavor – the sweet and spicy Sriracha ketchup and sesame oil.
Thanks to the addition of hot chili sauce, the ketchup balances the marinate with a perfect touch of sweet heat! If you don’t have (or can’t find) the same Red Gold Sriracha ketchup that I use in this tasty sauce, you can make your own by mixing ketchup with plain Sriracha sauce. You can also substitute with plain ketchup, or even honey mixed with crushed red pepper flakes for that same touch of sweet heat.
Another key ingredient in the marinade is sesame seed oil, which gives the sauce a warm, nutty flavor that you can’t replicate with other oils. Don’t skip it!
How to Make Juicy Asian Pork Tenderloin
This easy meal takes minimal prep time. Simply whisk the flavorful marinade together, marinate the tenderloin, and prepare it however you choose! This pork tenderloin recipe can be prepared on the stovetop, oven, on the grill, or even in the slow cooker. It’s a quick, easy, tasty meal the whole family will enjoy!
- Whisk together the marinade ingredients in a measuring cup or small bowl.
- Place the pork tenderloin in a resealable plastic bag or sealable container, then pour the marinade over the pork.
- Marinate the pork for at least 30 minutes or up to 24 hours in the fridge.
- Cook the marinated pork tenderloin by your preferred cooking method.
- Boil the remaining marinade in a saucepan until thickened to create a sauce for serving with the cooked pork tenderloin.
Is it safe to make a sauce from reserved marinade?
While the meat is cooking, I love to make a sauce from the excess marinade used to flavor the pork tenderloin. Don’t worry — it’s safe to use the marinade that touched the raw meat so long as you bring the sauce to a boil for a few minutes before consuming. If you still don’t feel totally comfortable with that, reserve some of the marinade or make a second batch to cook into a sauce.
To thicken the sauce, add some cornstarch and cold water to the marinade, boil for a few minutes, and you’ll have a thick, sweet, and zesty sauce to serve with your pork.
Four Cooking Methods for Asian Marinated Pork Tenderloin
This easy pork tenderloin recipe can be prepared multiple ways – on the stovetop, in the oven, on the grill, or in the slow cooker. Cooking times vary across cooking methods, but each will result in juicy, tender, flavorful pork with sweet and spicy Asian flavors. Here are some of our preferred cooking methods:
- Oven-Baked Pork Tenderloin: bake the tenderloin in a baking dish or on a baking sheet in a 425-degree F oven for 20-30 minutes.
- Grilled Pork Tenderloin: heat your grill or grill pan to medium/medium-high heat and cook the pork for about 15-20 minutes, turning every few minutes.
- Stovetop Skillet Pork Tenderloin: cooking pork tenderloin on the stovetop is easiest when you cut the pork into medallions and pan-fry them for 2-3 minutes on each side. Since it’s a thicker cut of pork, cooking the smaller pieces is more efficient and will help avoid uneven cooking.
- Slow Cooker Pork Tenderloin: cook the pork tenderloin and the marinade in your slow cooker on LOW setting for 2-3 hours or on HIGH setting for about 1 – 1 ½ hours.
Pork must be cooked to an internal temperature of 145 degrees F (tested in the thickest part of the pork). It’s always best to use an instant-read thermometer to ensure thorough cooking, no matter which cooking method you choose.
What to Serve with Asian Pork Tenderloin
Since this pork has an Asian twist, it’s delicious served with similar sides. I love to serve Asian marinated pork tenderloin over white rice with a roasted vegetable (like green beans, yellow squash, or Brussels sprouts) on the side. You could also pair it with egg rolls, dumplings, or another simple Asian-inspired side, like:
- 10-Minute Oven-Roasted Sesame Broccoli
- Sesame Ginger Snap Pea Salad
- Chinese Chicken Salad with Cashews (omit the chicken and serve with the pork instead)
- Ramen Noodle Salad (Chinese Coleslaw)
- Quick and Easy Vegetable Lo Mein
Can I freeze this Asian pork tenderloin marinade?
Yes! This is a great freezer meal because you can place the raw pork in a Ziploc freezer bag with the marinade and keep it in your freezer for up to 3 months. When ready to cook, thaw the pork in the bag in the refrigerator overnight. Then grill or bake according to the recipe instructions below.
Asian Pork Tenderloin Recipe Tips and Variations
- Cooking just for two? Cut the ingredients in half and use just one pork tenderloin instead of two. The cooking instructions remain the same, although one small tenderloin will likely need only 20 minutes or so in the oven (or 12-14 minutes on the grill).
- How long can pork tenderloin marinate? I recommend leaving the pork in this marinade for at least 30 minutes. If it’s more convenient, you can prepare the marinade in advance and marinate the pork in the refrigerator for up to 24 hours.
- If you don’t have Sriracha ketchup, you can substitute it with regular ketchup or honey, adding crushed red pepper flakes for a spicy kick.
- Instead of ketchup, use an equal amount of honey or brown sugar for a sweet marinade without any heat.
- Cooking time will vary depending on the size and thickness of your meat. A probe meat thermometer is the best way to tell when the pork tenderloin is done. The pork should reach an internal temperature of 145 degrees F before you take it off the grill (or out of the oven).
- The pork will be flavorful, tender, and juicy — even without the finishing sauce. If you prefer to skip that step and serve the grilled pork without the thickened sauce, that’s fine, too!
More Top-Rated Pork Recipes to Try
Balsamic Glazed Pork Loin
50 minutes mins
10-Minute Hoisin Pork Loin
40 minutes mins
4-Ingredient Pork Loin Roast
1 hour hr 25 minutes mins
Roasted Pork Tenderloin with Mustard Sauce
1 hour hr 45 minutes mins
Sweet & Spicy Asian Pork Tenderloin Marinade
Ingredients
- ¼ cup less sodium soy sauce
- 3 tablespoons rice vinegar
- 2 tablespoons Sriracha ketchup
- 2 tablespoons sliced green onions plus extra for garnish
- 1 tablespoon sesame oil
- 1 tablespoon minced or smashed garlic (or 1 teaspoon garlic powder)
- 1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger (or ¼ teaspoon ground ginger powder)
- 1 large pork loin filet or 2 small pork tenderloins (about 2 lbs. total)
- ½ cup cold water
- 2 teaspoons cornstarch
Instructions
- In a large measuring cup or bowl, whisk together soy sauce, rice vinegar, sesame oil, ketchup, green onions, garlic, and ginger.¼ cup less sodium soy sauce, 3 tablespoons rice vinegar, 2 tablespoons Sriracha ketchup, 2 tablespoons sliced green onions, 1 tablespoon sesame oil, 1 tablespoon minced or smashed garlic, 1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger
- Place pork in a large zip-top plastic bag. Pour the marinade into the bag, seal and toss gently to coat pork in marinade. Refrigerate pork and marinate for 30 minutes (or up to overnight), turning a couple of times.1 large pork loin filet or 2 small pork tenderloins
- Remove the pork from the marinade. Reserve the marinade.
TO BAKE THE PORK IN THE OVEN:
- Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Place the pork in a roasting pan. Bake, uncovered, for 20-30 minutes, or until the meat reaches an internal temperature of 145 degrees F. Allow the pork to rest while you prepare the sauce.
TO GRILL PORK:
- Heat an outdoor grill or an indoor grill pan to medium heat. Place pork on the grill and cover. Cook for about 15-20 minutes, turning every few minutes, until pork reaches an internal temperature of 145 degrees F. Allow the pork to rest while you prepare the sauce.
PREPARE THE SAUCE:
- Place the reserved marinade in a small saucepan. In a small bowl, whisk together cornstarch and cold water. Add the cornstarch mixture to the saucepan. Boil for at least 2 minutes, whisking frequently, until the sauce thickens.½ cup cold water, 2 teaspoons cornstarch
- Slice the pork and serve with the sauce. Garnish with additional sliced green onions, if desired.
Notes
- Cooking just for two? Cut the ingredients in half and use just one pork tenderloin instead of two. The cooking instructions remain the same, although one small tenderloin will likely need only 20 minutes or so in the oven (or 12-14 minutes on the grill).
- How long can pork tenderloin marinate? I recommend leaving the pork in this particular marinade for at least 30 minutes. If it’s more convenient, you can prepare the marinade in advance and marinate the pork in the refrigerator for up to 24 hours.
- If you don’t have Sriracha ketchup, you can substitute with regular ketchup and add some Sriracha sauce or crushed red pepper flakes for a spicy kick.
- Instead of ketchup, try using an equal amount of honey or brown sugar for a sweet marinade without any heat.
- Cooking time will vary depending on the size and thickness of your meat. That’s why a probe meat thermometer is the best way to tell when the pork tenderloin is done. The pork should reach an internal temperature of 145 degrees F before you take it off the grill (or out of the oven).
- The pork will be flavorful, tender and juicy — even without the finishing sauce. If you prefer to skip that step and serve the grilled pork without the thickened sauce, that’s fine too!
My family loved this, I served it with your oven roasted broccoli + rice and it was a great meal
That’s awesome, Erin! Thank you so much!