Air Fryer Pork Tenderloin
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My air fryer pork tenderloin is perfectly seasoned, and the meat turns out so juicy and tender. It cooks in about 20 minutes and an easy weeknight dinner recipe.
My family loves a juicy pork tenderloin, but we used to enjoy it only on occasion- until I started experimenting with my air fryer. It’s now become an almost weekly dinner favorite.
The pork is perfectly seasoned, and the meat is juicy and tender. I’ve tested this recipe many times to ensure it’s never dry, rubbery, or overcooked. Seriously, you’ll start cooking this cut of pork more often after trying it.
Why I love cooking pork tenderloin in the air fryer
- Quick and easy. No marinating is needed, so the entire cooking time is under 20 minutes!
- Versatile. Pork tenderloin is super easy to customize. You can use my seasoning blend or toss it in a marinade or sauce.
- Healthy. Pork loin is lean and high in protein, and cooking it in the air fryer means no excess oil!
Ingredients needed
Find the printable recipe with measurements below:
- Pork tenderloin. Not to be confused with a pork loin, the tenderloin is longer, thinner, and has a slightly silver skin when cooked. I prefer to get mine from a butcher, but you should be able to find it at any mainstream grocery store.
- Olive oil. Just a little oil helps the seasoning stick and traps the juices, leaving you with super juicy meat.
- Dijon mustard. Mustard is the perfect pairing with pork, and coating it with some of it takes the flavor to another level.
- Honey. Adds a sweet and sticky element to the pork, balancing out the savory flavors. It also gives it gorgeous caramelization. If you prefer a granulated sweetener, brown sugar will work, but you will need to increase the oil by an extra tablespoon to compensate.
- Spices. I like to keep things simple to let the pork shine, so I use paprika, chili, kosher salt, black pepper, and garlic powder.
How to cook pork tenderloin in the air fryer
Step 1- Season. Remove the skin of the pork and rub some oil over it. Mix all the seasonings, mustard, and honey in a bowl. Rub the spice mixture over the pork to coat well.
Step 2- Air fry. Place the tenderloin in the air fryer and cook for 18 minutes, flipping it halfway through. Remove from the air fryer once the exterior is sticky and glistening and when the internal temperature reaches at least 145°F.
Step 3- Rest for 5 minutes before serving.
★★★★★ REVIEW
“I had never tried cooking raw meats in my air fryer before and was a little nervous. This was the first recipe and won’t be the last! The tenderloin was beautiful when it came out! After setting aside for 5 minutes, I spooned juices over the cut meat. It was tender, moist, and flavorful. Delicious!” – Patricia
Recipe tips
As a culinary school grad, I’ve learned how to work with lean cuts of meat, and here are my top tips for success:
- Let the meat rest for 5 minutes before slicing and serving. My #1 non-negotiable tip. This will trap the juices inside longer, resulting in a juicier pork tenderloin.
- Do not stuff your tenderloin in the air fryer; otherwise, the pork won’t cook evenly. If my tenderloin won’t comfortably fit in the air fryer, I slice it in half and cook it in two batches.
- Always use a meat thermometer to ensure the pork is cooked through. A fully cooked pork tenderloin requires an internal temperature of 145°F.
- Adjust the cooking time. My 1 1/2 pound pork tenderloin takes precisely 18 minutes to cook in the air fryer. Smaller pork tenderloins will cook more quickly, and larger ones will require more time.
Storage instructions
To store: Place leftover pork in an airtight container and refrigerate for up to five days.
To freeze: Place the cooked and cooled tenderloin in a ziplock bag and store it in the freezer for up to 6 months. Thaw it overnight in the fridge before heating it up.
Frequently asked questions
Yes! Frozen pork tenderloin works very well in the air fryer. Just be sure to thaw the meat thoroughly before seasoning it. Then, pat dry any excess moisture so that it doesn’t dry out the pork as it air fries.
I always treat pork as the primary protein source of family dinners and add side dishes around that. Air fryer baked potatoes are always popular, along with some greens (my little ones love sautéed brussels sprouts or sauteed broccolini!). During the holiday period, I like to serve it with more hearty sides, like a butternut squash casserole or cauliflower mashed cauliflower.
More air fryer dinners
If you tried this Air Fryer Pork Tenderloin recipe, please leave a star rating and comment. It helps others thinking of making this.
Air Fryer Pork Tenderloin
Video
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 pounds pork tenderloin
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon pepper
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- 1 teaspoon honey
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon chili optional
Instructions
- Preheat the air fryer to 400°F (200°C).
- If the pork hasn't been trimmed, remove the silver skin. Season the pork with salt and pepper.
- In a small bowl, whisk the olive oil, Dijon mustard, honey, garlic powder, smoked paprika, and chili. Coat the exterior of the pork tenderloin with it.
- Add the pork into an air fryer basket and air fry for 18 minutes, flipping halfway through. The pork tenderloin is fully cooked when it reaches an internal temperature of 145°F.
- Let the pork rest for 5 minutes before slicing and serving.
Notes
- Silver skin: This can easily be removed using a sharp knife. If you forget to remove it, don’t worry- you can cut it off once the pork is cooked.
- Leftovers: Place leftovers in an airtight container and store it in the refrigerator for up to five days.
- Reheating: You can reheat in the microwave for 20-30 seconds or in a preheated air fryer.
This is a keeper! However, I had to cook mine longer…maybe b/c it was a thicker cut? Regardless, the flavor is spot on!
These came out so good, and so easy in the air fryer, i’m loving this thing haha.
Wow! This was so good! I am confused about why my honey almost seized up when I whisked everything together. Required a little finagling, but I was able to spread the mixture around pretty well. We will for sure be making this again!
So good.. It was juicy and perfect.
Pork tenderloin is the same as chicken. I like it so much really.
Thank you for this recipe. This is the first time my pork tenderloin has ever come out, moist, juicy and appetizing.
Love to hear that, Kelly!
I had never tried cooking raw meats in my air fryer before and was a little nervous. This was the first recipe and won’t be the last! The tenderloin was beautiful when it came out! After setting for the 5 minutes I spooned juices over the cut meat. It was tender, moist and flavorful. Absolutely delicious!
Thanks, Patricia!
Very easy recipe with excellent result!!
Absolutely love this recipe. I used the course Dijon mustard and a little extra honey. Didn’t have smoked paprika but it still was amazing. Tender, moist and a hit with everyone.
The instructions listed above in [Step 3] for air frying temperature seem to have a typo. My wife asked about the cooking temperature which is written as [200F/400F] but I think it is meant to read 200C/400F. It seems that the Fahrenheit was listed twice with two [F]’s instead of one temperature listed as being Celsius with one [C].
Sorry I will fix it!
I did not realize my full name would be published when I sent a message about a typo-error.
Could you kindly delete my name and comment after you have corrected the error?
thanks
Made this three times already. Super easy and fast.
Do you cook it at 200F or 400F?
400f!
This is tasty, and very easy to cook! I had to adjust my cooking time as I expected to 18 minutes to reach 137f, resting to about 149f. But that was because of the size of my cut of meat. Thank you Arman, another great recipe!
Thanks, Arman. I’ll try this soon.
Tried this last night. It was great and so easy. The entire family loved it. I had to adjust cooking time to 23 minutes. Mind you the meat came straight from the fridg to air fryer. Moist with a nice coating.
Quick question, do you preheat the air fryer at 400 for 5minutes or just straight put it in at 400? I want to make this tonight. Thanks
Sounds great. I’ll try it. The recipe calls for “chili” but I’m not sure what you mean: chili powder? cayenne powder? chili sauce? Let me know and I’ll put pork tenderloin on my grocery list for sure! Thanks.
Hi! sorry, chilli powder 🙂