Instant Pot Pork Tenderloin

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Instant Pot Pork Tenderloin with a lickable sweet/tangy sauce is a quick and easy way to cook this lean cut of meat.  Serve it with your favorite easy sides for a simple, family-friendly meal.

Not to play favorites, but the pork tenderloin just might be my favorite cut of pork. (Oh, hi there Pork Tenderloin Medallions with Apricot Sauce.) It's lean and tender and goes well with so many flavors.

My FAVORITE flavors to go with pork tenderloin are the sweet and tangy types.  Add a side of some type of fruit (pineapple!) and I am one happy girl.

Being the huge fan of crispy, burnt bits that I am, I typically lean toward grilling pork tenderloin, but I wanted to see if the Instant Pot could deliver me an equally joyful result.

Minus the burnt bits, this pressure-cooked pork tenderloin is now one of my favorite ways to prepare this cut!  It's tender, it's juicy, and I don't have to stick a probe in it 20 times over a hot grill to see if it's done in the center yet.

Combined with this irresistible marinade/sauce (which I use for chicken as well), it's a big home run in my book.

WHY YOU WILL LOVE INSTANT POT PORK TENDERLOIN

• EASY PEASY:  Marinate the pork, throw it in the pot, and walk away.  Of course, if you're feeling extra awesome, you can brown it before you start pressure cooking it, but let's save that tip for “super mom” days.
• VERSATILE:  The pork and sauce go so well with just about any side dish.  My favorite is rice or quinoa, roasted broccoli, and pineapple.  Drizzle it all with the extra sauce and it's a beautiful marriage of flavors and texture.
• FOOLPROOF:  We only cook it for 4 minutes, then let the carry-over heat do the rest.  This will give you a tender chew every time!
• MARINADE BECOMES THE SAUCE:  No need to whip up an extra sauce on the side, the marinade cooks with the meat, then gets thickened at the end to become the tasty sauce you get to dunk every bite of pork in.

HOW TO MAKE PORK TENDERLOIN IN THE PRESSURE COOKER

1. Marinate the pork in a bag overnight
2. Pressure cook the pork for 4 minutes plus a natural pressure release
3. Thicken the sauce and serve!

SEE RECIPE CARD BELOW FOR DETAILED COOKING INSTRUCTIONS

TIPS FOR SUCCESS

• USE PORK TENDERLOIN:  I tried a pork loin and it was just too tough.  Pork tenderloin is tender, juicy, and soaks up marinade flavors like a dream.
• CUT INTO SMALLER CHUNKS:  This ensures even cooking and max flavor.
• MARINATE OVERNIGHT:  If you want max flavor here, plan ahead!
• TO BROWN OR NOT TO BROWN:  Browning the pork for 4-5 minutes before you pressure cook it will give it extra flavor and better color, but I'll be the first to admit that this marinade is so tasty that I skip the browning step more often than not.
• REPURPOSE THE MARINADE AS YOUR SAUCE:   You might be tempted to discard it, but I promise you that the couple of minutes it takes to thicken it is well worth it.  Plus, it will do the work of tying your entire dish together, whatever veggie/grain/fruit you decide to add.
• IF YOU SKIP THE SAUCE:  The pork is VERY versatile without the sauce since it won't have the intense sweet/tangy flavor without it.  Serve it with Mashed Potatoes or Mashed Sweet Potatoes, slice it up for a sandwich, dice it up for a salad, etc.

HOW TO STORE, REHEAT, AND FREEZE

• Store:  Cool leftovers and store meat in the fridge in a sealed container for up to 3 days.
• Reheat:   Reheat slices gently in a sauté pan on the stovetop.  You can also reheat it in the microwave, but be careful to not dry it out.
• Freeze:  Cut pork into slices and freeze in a freezer-safe container for up to 3 months.  Thaw overnight in the fridge and reheat as directed above.

MAKE AHEAD TIPS 

The marinade can be mixed up a few days in advance.  Place the tenderloins into the marinade the night before serving.

WHAT TO SERVE WITH PORK TENDERLOIN

• GRAINS:  White Rice, Brown Rice, Quinoa, etc.
• VEGETABLES:  Roasted veggies, Vegetable Medley, Lemon Kale, Mashed Potatoes, Mashed Sweet Potatoes, etc.

VARIATIONS

• Maple Mustard Pork Tenderloin: This is my favorite version from my cookbook.  Use 1/3 cup maple syrup, 1/4 cup Dijon mustard, 2 tablespoons soy sauce and apple cider vinegar, salt and pepper.  Cook directions stay the same.  It's amazing!

So what do you think?  Are you a pork tenderloin fan too?  I think you'll love this simple, no fuss, big flavor meal.

Report back if you make it!  I'd love to hear what you and your loved ones think!

MORE INSTANT POT PORK TENDERLOIN RECIPES

• Paprika Pork Tenderloin Pita
• Pork Medallions with Apricot Sauce
• Thai Green Coconut Curry, Pork, and Lime Risotto
• Thai Pork Tacos with Sriracha Coleslaw

TOOLS/INGREDIENTS USED TO MAKE INSTANT POT PORK TENDERLOIN

• Instant Pot

Instant Pot Pork Tenderloin

Print Recipe

Easy, flavorful, versatile Instant Pot Pork Tenderloin in a sweet and tangy sauce.

• Author: Marci
• Prep Time: 10 minutes
• Cook Time: 4 minutes
• Total Time: 30 minutes
• Yield: 6 servings 1x
• Category: Entree
• Method: Pressure Cooker
• Cuisine: American

Ingredients

Scale 1x2x3x

• 2 – 3 pounds pork tenderloin (look for the packages in the meat department that contain 2 1-2 pound tenderloins)

 

For the marinade

  

• ½ cup low-sodium soy sauce
• ¼ cup orange juice
• ¼ cup pineapple juice
• 2 tablespoons maple syrup or honey
• 2 teaspoons liquid smoke (optional, but it adds a nice “grilled” flavor)
• 1 tablespoon freshly grated ginger
• 3 garlic cloves, minced

For serving: diced pineapple, rice or quinoa, steamed broccoli

Instructions

1. Cut each tenderloin into 3 chunks and place in a ziptop bag.
2. Add marinade ingredients, seal shut, and give it a good toss to mix all of the ingredients.  For best flavor, let the meat marinate in the fridge for at least 8 hours, or up to 24.  Make sure the meat is fully immersed in marinade.
3. After the meat has marinated, pour all of the bag’s contents into the pressure cooker pot.  Arrange pork so it is in a flat layer on the bottom of the pot.
4. Secure the lid and turn pressure release knob to a sealed position.  Cook at high pressure for 4 minutes.  
5. When cooking is complete, allow for a full natural release of the pressure.  This will ensure the pork is cooked through, but not overcooked.
6. Optionally, if you’d like a sauce: Set meat aside.  Combine 1 tablespoon of cornstarch and 1 tablespoon of cool water.  Use the sauté function to bring marinade to a simmer.  Whisk while adding cornstarch slurry and continue simmering until it thickens, about 1-2 minutes.
7. Slice pork and serve.  See note for serving ideas.

Notes

• Marinating the meat gives it extra flavor, but a pressure cooker does a good job of infusing meat with flavor, so in a pinch you can skip that step.
• To add an extra layer of flavor and color to the pork, remove it from the marinade and dab it dry with a paper towel.  Add a little oil to the pressure cooker pot and get it shimmering hot.  Brown at least two sides, then add the remaining marinade and pressure cook as directed above.
• Thickening the sauce is optional; the meat is juicy and flavorful without it.
• Since this sauce has a teriyaki-type flavor, I like to serve the pork with rice, broccoli, and pineapple to really soak up the sauce.   Without the sauce, the pork pairs well with mashed or roasted potatoes, bread, steamed or roasted veggies, etc.

Keywords: Instant Pot Pork Tenderloin, Teriyaki Pork, Easy Pork Tenderloin

Marci

Welcome! I’m Marci, wife to my motorcycle dream man and mother of 3. I have a passion for creating and cooking delicious masterpieces in my kitchen and am ecstatic to share my discoveries on TIDBITS! I like my food tasty, wholesome, memorable, and always, ALWAYS followed by dark, salty chocolate.

I love to see what you're cooking from my blog! Show me your creations on Instagram using hashtag #MARCITIDBITSFor more TIDBITS food talk, join me on Instagram, Facebook, Pinterest, and YouTube