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This easy Air Fryer Pork Tenderloin recipe is ultra juicy, tender, and flavorful through and through. The key to the best flavor and texture? A simple homemade marinade that wins every time. Only 15 minutes of total cook time!
What is the easiest way to cook pork tenderloin while maintaining amazing results? Air fryer!
I’m all about cutting corners in cooking, provided there’s no sacrificing the quality of outcome. For me, air frying often checks all of the boxes, and such is true when preparing pork tenderloin.
You end up with a lovely little crisp around the outside with a magically tender inside. Because I marinate the pork ahead of time, it is remarkably flavorful all the way through!
The best part is air frying pork tenderloin requires less time than grilling or baking in the oven.
While I do recommend marinating the pork for many hours, the actual cooking time is minimal at only around 15 minutes. This allows you to spend 10 minutes prepping the recipe the day before and hardly any time when it comes time to prepare dinner.
Ingredient Notes:
Pork Tenderloin: Pick up a pork loin from the grocery store. Most pork tenderloins weigh between 1 and 1.5 pounds. You can use any weight for this recipe.
Avocado Oil: Every great marinade begins with a quality oil. I like using avocado oil because it is a good source of omega-3 fatty acids and it is ideal for cooking at high temperatures. It is my preference over olive oil, as olive oil tends to burn at a fairly low temperature.
Low-Sodium Soy Sauce or Liquid Aminos: Rich umami flavor comes from soy sauce or liquid aminos, and it accounts for the majority of the flavor in the marinade. The salt helps tenderize the meat, which is why I recommend marinating for a long period of time (ideally 12 hours or longer) for the best results.
Fresh Garlic: Minced garlic cloves provide a big boost of savoriness which intensifies the flavor of the meat.
Pure Maple Syrup: Here to counterbalance the savory flavor, pure maple syrup adds the tiniest touch of sweetness so that the marinade is complex rather than one note. Swap it for brown sugar if you prefer.
Rice Vinegar: Adds tanginess for a touch of sour flavor.
Italian Seasoning: Brings in some fresh herb flavor. Feel free to increase the amount to your personal taste or leave it out altogether.
Black Pepper: A little kick of spice.
Recipe Customizations:
- If you want to make the recipe last minutes without taking the time to marinate, you can use a dry rub. I recommend combining garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, sea salt, and some Italian seasoning for a lovely dry rub. If you go this route, I recommend coating the pork loin with a light coat of Dijon mustard so that the seasonings stick well.
- To save time, marinate the pork in store-bought teriyaki sauce.
How to Make Air Fryer Pork Tenderloin:
Remove the pork tenderloin from its packaging. If it contains a silver skin, remove the silverskin. Many tenderloins come pre-trimmed of the silverskin.
Compare the length of your tenderloin to the size of your air fryer. If need be, cut the tenderloin in half. My air fryer is relatively small, so I cut my tenderloin in half.
In a measuring cup or a small bowl, mix together the avocado oil, liquid aminos, rice vinegar, pure maple syrup, minced garlic, Italian seasoning, and black pepper.
Pour the pork marinade into a large zip lock bag with the pork tenderloin. Seal the bag and refrigerate for at least 2 hours, ideally overnight.
When you’re ready to cook, preheat the air fryer to 400 degrees F for 3 minutes.
Use tongs to place the pork tenderloin in the air fryer basket. Air fry at 400 degrees F for 12 minutes.
Flip and air fry for another 3 to 5 minutes, or until the pork tenderloin reaches 145 degrees F. Insert a digital thermometer into the thickest part of the meat to check its internal temperature.
Do note that the exact cooking time depends on the weight of the tenderloin, and larger tenderloins may require more time. For this reason, I recommend using a meat thermometer to test for doneness.
Let the meat rest for 10 minutes before slicing.
Slice the pork tenderloin into rounds on a cutting board using a sharp knife. Serve with your favorite side dishes, and enjoy!
I like serving pork with a green salad or green beans for a lighter meal, or I’ll include a pasta salad, rice pilaf, corn bread, or mashed potatoes if I feel a starch is necessary.
Store leftover pork tenderloin in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
Oven Instructions:
If you don’t own an air fryer or you prefer preparing pork in the oven, here’s what you do!
- Follow the instructions for marinating the pork. You can leave the tenderloin whole.
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit
- Add some cooking oil to a large skillet (preferably a cast iron) and sear the pork tenderloin for 2-3 minutes per side, until each side is golden brown.
- Transfer the seared pork to an oven-safe dish and bake for 15-20 minutes, or until the internal temp reaches 145 degrees F.
- Allow the meat to rest for 10 minutes before slicing and serving.
The next time pork is on the menu, whip up this easy recipe!
You’ll love the ease of preparation and how quickly dinner is served.
If you’re a big fan of cooking in the air fryer, also try some of my other air fryer recipes!
More Air Fryer Recipes:
- Air Fryer Chicken Breasts
- Sesame Garlic Air Fryer Salmon Bites
- Air Fryer Steak Bites
- Lemon Garlic Air Fryer Boneless Chicken Thighs
- Air Fryer Cream Cheese Stuffed Mini Peppers
Pork Tenderloin
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 to 1.5 pound pork tenderloin
- 3 Tbsp avocado oil
- ⅓ cup liquid aminos
- 2 Tbsp rice vinegar , or fresh lime juice
- 1 tsp pure maple syrup
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tsp Italian seasoning
- ¼ tsp black pepper
Instructions
- Remove the pork tenderloin from its packaging. If it contains a silver skin, remove the silverskin. Many tenderloins come pre-trimmed of the silverskin.
- Compare the length of your tenderloin to the size of your air fryer. If need be, cut the tenderloin in half. My air fryer is relatively small, so I cut my tenderloin in half.
- In a measuring cup or a small bowl, mix together the avocado oil, liquid aminos, rice vinegar, pure maple syrup, minced garlic, Italian seasoning, and black pepper.
- Pour the pork marinade into a large zip lock bag with the pork tenderloin. Seal the bag and refrigerate for at least 2 hours, ideally overnight.
- When you’re ready to cook, preheat the air fryer to 400 degrees F for 3 minutes.
- Use tongs to place the pork tenderloin in the air fryer basket. Air fry at 400 degrees F for 12 minutes.
- Flip and air fry for another 3 to 5 minutes, or until the pork tenderloin reaches 145 degrees F. Insert a digital thermometer into the thickest part of the meat to check its internal temperature.
- Do note that the exact cooking time depends on the weight of the tenderloin, and larger tenderloins may require more time. For this reason, I recommend using a meat thermometer to test for doneness.
- Let the meat rest for 10 minutes before slicing.
- Slice the pork tenderloin into rounds on a cutting board using a sharp knife. Serve with your favorite side dishes, and enjoy! I like serving pork with a green salad or green beans for a lighter meal, or I’ll include a pasta salad, rice pilaf, corn bread, or mashed potatoes if I feel a starch is necessary.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Like this recipe? Rate and comment below!
Frequently Asked Questions:
At 400 degrees Fahrenheit, pork tenderloin takes about 15 to 20 minutes total. You can flip the tenderloin halfway through, or cook it for 10-12 minutes prior to flipping.
For the best results, check the internal temperature using an instant read thermometer. Pork should be cooked to 145 degrees to higher for food safety, and it turns out the most tender at 145.
While this is a matter of opinion, I believe the result is objectively better in the air fryer.
First and foremost, it only takes 15 to 20 minutes to cook pork tenderloin in the air fryer at 400 degrees, whereas, it takes about 25 to 30 minutes in the oven.
In addition, a nice crust forms in the air fryer, which you don’t get in the oven.
And finally, I find pork tenderloin turns out juicier when prepared in the air fryer. All of this to say, if you own an air fryer, the decision is easy.
Cooking at 400 degrees is the better option because it forms a crust on the outside of the meat and seals in the juices. At 350, the pork requires slightly more cook time, which inevitably drains some of the juice and no crust is formed on the outside.
While I always advocate for doing what you have time for, I do think the best result is achieved when you marinate the entire tenderloin. It is a lean cut of meat, which means it benefits greatly from any wet brine or dry brine so that you end up with the juiciest result.
The flavors of the marinade seep all the way through the meat, whereas a seasoning blend only really flavors the outside of the tenderloin. Plus, to me, a homemade marinade requires minimal effort to prepare (5-10 minutes tops), so the decision is clear.
