Honey Pork Tenderloin

This dinner recipe for tangy, easy, and delicious honey pork tenderloin recipe is made with a simple marinade of soy sauce, sesame oil, garlic, and ginger. Then, it’s cooked with a sweet and savory crust of honey and sesame seeds. So delicious! 

One of my favorite types of meat to cook is pork. It's so versatile and used in so many different cuisines. Pork is so mild-tasting that it takes on the flavors that you use in the marinade or rub.

In this dinner recipe, I combined two of my favorite things - pork and Asian flavors. The sweet honey accentuates the zesty umami flavors of the sesame seeds and soy sauce. I actually have a very similar recipe on the blog, except I grilled the Asian pork tenderloin instead of baking it. Either way is delicious. It reminds me a little of this Slow Cooker Honey Garlic Chicken.

I can't wait to share this recipe with you! I am sure it is going to become one of your all-time favorite recipes too.

As long as you can remember to marinate the pork ahead of time (although one hour will suffice), it comes together in under 30 minutes and is a fun twist on dinner that both parents and kids will love.

Key Ingredients In Honey Pork Tenderloin

This honey pork is such a simple recipe and uses ingredients most people regularly keep in their cabinets. This combination tastes delicious as a marinade for chicken or pork chops!

Here is a bit more information about the ingredients, including any substitutions you can make:

• Pork Tenderloin: You can use a pork loin, cut in half for this recipe too. In place of pork, try some boneless and skinless chicken breasts. The only thing that will change is the cooking time.
• Soy Sauce: This gives it the umami flavor that it needs. Another healthy choice is coconut aminos if you are gluten-free.
• Garlic: Make sure only to use fresh garlic for this recipe. Garlic powder does not have the same bold taste as fresh garlic cloves, but it will still work if that is all you have.
• Sesame Oil: There really isn't a replacement for sesame oil, but if you want to use avocado oil, add more sesame seeds to give it that same taste.
• Ginger: Fresh ginger has a potent aroma and taste. Ginger powder won't do as a replacement so try to use fresh ginger or ginger paste if possible.
• Honey: If you want to make this honey pork tenderloin recipe sugar-free, you can use a sugar-free sweetener in place of the honey. I prefer to use raw honey for its health benefits and flavor.
• Sesame Seeds: Make sure to toast the sesame seeds first to bring out their nutty flavor before adding them to the pork.

Note: For a complete list of ingredients and detailed instructions on how to make this pork tenderloin recipe, take a look at the printable recipe card at the bottom of this post!

What To Serve With Honey Sesame Pork Tenderloin

This dish goes great with brown rice or quinoa and some steamed veggies. If you are looking for something a little more exciting, consider making a batch of garlic cilantro brown rice since it has both the robust garlic and the zesty cilantro together. Cabbage fried rice or sesame sugar snap peas will also balance the honey’s sweetness in the pork!

For something a bit more traditional, serve it with some cauliflower fried rice, spaghetti squash, or Asian stir-fried vegetables.

Recipe Tips And Ideas For Soy Pork Tenderloin

Follow these tips to make sure that your pork tenderloin comes out juicy every time!

• Marinate the pork tenderloin in soy sauce, garlic, sesame oil, and ginger overnight. The longer you allow it to marinate, the more flavor it will have.
• Cook the pork until the internal temperature reaches 160 degrees F. Use a meat thermometer to get an accurate internal temperature.
• Completely cover the marinated pork in honey before you bake it. This tip helps the sesame seeds stick to it better!

Frequently Asked Questions About Honey Pork Tenderloin

Here are some questions I often get asked about by some readers…

How do you make this pork recipe sugar-free?

If you are on a low-carb or keto diet, then use a sugar-free honey substitute. It will still taste just as sweet and tangy but without the extra sugar and calories.

How do you store leftover honey pork tenderloin?

Store the leftover pork tenderloin in an airtight container in the refrigerator. It will stay fresh for up to 5 days in the fridge. This tenderloin is fantastic to use in meal-prep, so chop it up and keep it in your meal prep containers.

What are some ways you can use the leftover pork tenderloin?

The leftovers are delicious in a salad (like this Asian noodle salad with almond dressing) or chopped up for Asian-style tacos with cabbage, mandarin orange, and Sriracha.

Tip: If you want to use leftovers, you may need to cook more than one pork tenderloin since it can be hard to find larger ones.

Can you use chicken instead of pork in this dinner recipe?

Yes, you can use chicken breast tenderloins if you aren't a fan of pork. Just be careful about the cooking time to make sure they don't overcook! Chicken tenderloins do not take as long to cook as pork tenderloins do.

More Delicious Pork Recipes You'll Love

• Grilled Pork Chops
• Slow Cooker Balsamic Honey Pork Tenderloin With Pears
• Crispy Baked Pork Cutlets
• BBQ Rubbed Pork Tenderloin
• Slow Cooker Char Siu Pork