You will love this perfectly roasted pork tenderloin with apples. Our recipe guarantees juicy pork. Plus, since it roasts on a bed of apples and onions, it’s absolutely delicious!
We’re calling this pork tenderloin with apples a vintage Inspired Taste recipe, originally shared in 2013. Since then, it’s become a favorite among home cooks and has been shared countless times on websites across the internet. I see why! It is genuinely such a thoughtful and delicious recipe.
For more easy pork recipes, see our apple stuffed pork chops, this pork tenderloin with peppers, and these highly-rated skillet pork chops!
Key Ingredients
- Pork Tenderloin: I use two pork tenderloins (or pork fillet if you’re in the UK) for this recipe. If you see silvery skin on the meat, trim it with a knife. This recipe also works nicely with thick pork chops.
- Mustard and Thyme: After searing the pork in a skillet, I brush it all over with a mixture of Dijon mustard, fresh thyme leaves, salt, and pepper. This mustard rub adds so much flavor that complements the apples and onions.
- Apples and Onions: I roast the pork on a bed of sliced apples and onions. I prefer sweet, crisp apples like Honeycrisp or Pink Lady because they hold their shape well during baking.
- Stock: I use either store-bought or homemade chicken stock to create a simple, flavorful pan sauce for the pork.
- Butter: Swirling in a bit of butter at the end makes the pan sauce rich and velvety. It’s a small step, but it really makes a difference.
How to Make Roasted Pork Tenderloin with Apples
I use the same method for cooking pork tenderloin as this pork tenderloin recipe. I sear the tenderloins in a skillet on the stovetop first for color. Then, I slide them into the oven to roast and finish cooking. I love this method so much that I do the same when baking pork chops and even the steak added to this steak salad.
The difference with this recipe is that before I slide the seared pork into the oven, I brush over Dijon mustard and season with salt, pepper, and fresh thyme leaves, creating a delicious mustard crust as it roasts in the oven.
Then, I place the mustard-rubbed pork on top of apples and onions. As the pork roasts, its juices fall over the apples and onions, making them even more delicious. The recipe is such a keeper!
Use an internal thermometer to check to see if your pork is ready to come out of the oven. I look for my pork to be between 145°F and 150°F in the center, which means it will be juicy inside. It also means the meat will be slightly pink in the middle, which we don’t mind. If you’re not a fan of the pink, cook a little longer, but be careful not to overdo it.
This pork dish is so flavorful you don’t need much extra effort to make it a complete meal. I especially love a side of mashed potatoes or this lower-carb mashed cauliflower. It’s also really delicious with a side of mashed sweet potatoes!
Perfect Pork Tenderloin with Apples
- PREP
- COOK
- TOTAL
I love this easy pork tenderloin with apples. The trick to this recipe is searing the tenderloins before rubbing them with mustard and roasting them on a bed of apples and onions. One note, “pork tenderloin” and “pork loin” are two different cuts of meat. Pork tenderloins are much thinner and take less time to cook.
Watch Us Make the Recipe
You Will Need
2 pork tenderloins, about 1 ½ pounds each
2 tablespoons avocado oil, plus more as needed
1 ½ teaspoons fine sea salt, plus more as needed
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard or whole ground mustard
1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme leaves
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
2 apples, cored and sliced
2 onions, sliced into wedges
1 cup chicken stock, see our homemade chicken stock
1 tablespoon butter
Directions
1Preheat your oven to 425°F (220°C). Set aside a wide oven-safe skillet, like a cast iron pan. Use a regular skillet and a baking dish if you do not have one.
2Trim each tenderloin of any silver skin (this can be tough when cooked). Use a small, sharp knife, sliding the blade underneath the silver skin and then outward to remove it.
3Pat the pork dry with paper towels and rub it with one tablespoon of the oil and 1 1/2 teaspoons of salt.
4Heat a tablespoon of oil in the skillet over medium heat.
5When the oil is hot and shimmers, add the pork tenderloins and cook, occasionally turning, until evenly browned all over, about 12 minutes. Transfer to a large plate or cutting board. (The pork will not be cooked through.)
6Keep the pan used to sear the pork on the stove over medium heat. Check the pan. If it looks dry, add two to three teaspoons of additional oil. (If there is fat left in the pan from cooking the pork, there is no need to add extra oil).
7Add the apples and onions, then cook, tossing them around the pan until lightly browned around the edges, about 5 minutes. Stir in 1 teaspoon of thyme.
8Use a pastry brush (or your fingers) to rub the seared pork all over with the mustard, 2 teaspoons of thyme, and black pepper.
9Place the seared pork tenderloins on top of the apples and onions, and then slide them into the oven. If your skillet is not oven-safe, transfer everything to a baking dish and roast in the oven.
10Roast for 10 to 15 minutes or until an internal thermometer inserted into the thickest part registers between 145°F and 150°F. Transfer the pork to a large plate and cover with aluminum foil. Let rest for about 10 minutes.
11While the pork rests, return the pan with apples and onions to the stove and turn the heat to medium. Add chicken stock and scrape the pan with a wooden spoon, lifting any brown bits from the bottom. Bring to a simmer and cook until reduced by half. Add butter and stir until melted.
12To serve, slice the pork into 1-inch slices and serve on a bed of apples and onions with pan sauce drizzled on top.
Adam and Joanne's Tips
- Update: Some reviewers felt the apples became too soft in this recipe. We don’t mind since they become a lovely sauce, but if you are concerned, use firmer apples like Honeycrisp and Fuji. You can also cook the apples and onions separately from the pork. This way, you can roast the pork until done while at the same time cooking the apples and onions until you’re happy with their texture—possibly a few minutes less than stated above.
- The nutrition facts provided below are estimates.
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This was easy to make and the family loved it. Thanks
This was absolutely delicious and a surprise too. I know well that apples and onions are great in combination, and I love all forms of mustard, but thyme has never rung my bell–nothing against it, just indifferent. So it was a surprise how the apples, onions, salty Dijon mustard and herbs combined in the chicken stock to make a unique flavor. It’s so good, in fact, that it’ll go fast, so make plenty of extra fixns’. My only minor gripe is that 15 to 20 minutes, even at 425, isn’t nearly long enough unless your idea of searing is to cook it till it’s half done. It was 45 minutes before the meat was “slightly pink in the middle”, which I don’t mind either.
Yum! My husband really liked this. Will make a great dish for company.
WOW! We just finished this for dinner and it was an overwhelming success! My 17 year old, who has hated pork chops for years, DEVOURED his and asked me to make them again soon. That’s a huge win because I’ve tried dozens of ways to change his mind and it never worked until now. They were delicious and super juicy! Thank you for this amazing recipe. It’s going to be an excellent addition to our dinner rotation.
I’ve never left a review for a recipe before but this one was too good. We just went apple picking & found your recipe as I was searching for things to do with all these apples. I did add a little heavy cream to the apples & onions at the end to make the sauce a little creamy. This was delicious.
Thank you
Yay! We are so thrilled that you loved it and took the time to come back to let us know. That really means a lot to us 🙂
This recipe was delicious and very easy. It’s one I’ll turn to regularly. Great for company as well!
Excellent, easy and delicious recipe!
That’s wonderful, Sharon. Thanks for coming back and letting us know.
Tried your recipe on November 30, 2022. Put a splash of cognac in the apples and onions at the initial cooking stage and that seemed to provide enough liquid for the sauce, so I didn’t add the full measure of chicken stock. Perhaps I didn’t brown the tenderloin as long as recipe would like, just until I got a nice crust all over, but that entailed a little longer in the oven. Thermometer provided a good gauge on doneness, however, and meat was still pink and juicy. Very nice dish. Thank you.
Delicious. I halved the recipe. Cut the tenderloin in half and browned in cast iron. Added a little dry muscatel wine and flour to the apple and onion and fresh thyme sauce. sauce. Served with Italian potato croquettes and salad. Huge hit. Will be a regular dish now. Might even use the second pork tenderloin tomorrow as it was so perfect.
I made this recipe tonight. It was done in a snap and turned out delicious. Had a bit of a problem removing the silver skin, probably because the knife wasn’t sharp enough. Seasoned with salt and pepper as suggested and seared the two pieces in a cast iron skillet. Added the apples and onions, placed on low while I prep the pork for the oven. Seasoned with Rosemary, Thyme, Sage and Garlic. Did the same, but lightly to the apples and onions. Pork went back over the vegs in the skillet and into the oven for exactly 10 minutes. Removed and covered everything with foil. Instead of a pan sauce made a gravy using 1/3 chicken broth, 1/3 cider and 1/3 wine. Used Wondra flour to thicken. It came out perfect to serve over the pork, apples, onions and baked potatoes. The gravy was good, but a bit on the sweet side. Next time will use less cider. Thanks for the tips.
Such a hit! My kiddos normally complain about meat dishes. They inhaled this and asked for more. Added thin potato slices to the dish, and substituted beef stock for chicken (didn’t have any). Still delish!