Herb-Rubbed Pork Tenderloin with Fingerling Potatoes

4.75 from 4 votes

Herb-Rubbed Pork Tenderloin with Fingerling Potatoes

Flavorful pork tenderloin is rubbed with dried herbs and spices and roasted with tender potatoes in this crowd-pleasing sheet pan meal. Top it all off with lemony pan sauce.

Prep Time20

Cook Time40

Total Time1

Course: Main Dish

Keyword: kid-friendly, one pan meal, pork, sheet pan meal

Servings:

Author: Jess Smith via Inquiring Chef

Cost: $10.00

Equipment

Half Sheet Pan
Skillet

Ingredients

Spice Rub:

2 teaspoons Dried Thyme
2 teaspoons Dried Basil
1/2 teaspoon Garlic Powder
1/2 teaspoon Dried Mustard
1/2 teaspoon Kosher Salt
1/2 teaspoon Paprika
1/2 teaspoon Black Pepper
Pinch of Red Pepper Flakes
Pinch of Ground Cinnamon

Pork and Potatoes:

1 1/2 pounds Pork Tenderloin, trimmed (see note)
1 1/2 pounds Fingerling Potatoes, halved lengthwise (sub any small potatoes)
3 Tablespoons Cooking Oil, divided (olive oil, avocado oil, or grape seed oil)
1/2 teaspoon Kosher Salt
1/2 teaspoon Dried Oregano
2 Tablespoons Butter
2 Tablespoons finely minced Shallots
1 Tablespoon Flour
1 cup Low-Sodium Chicken Stock or Water (you’ll get more flavor with stock, but water will work in a pinch)
1 teaspoon Lemon Juice
1/2 teaspoon Dijon Mustard
1 Tablespoon finely chopped Parsley, for serving (optional)

Instructions

Preheat oven to 500°F / 260°C.
In a baking dish or bowl that is large enough to hold the pork, mix together all ingredients for spice rub.
Rub pork tenderloin with 1 Tablespoon oil (this will help the spices to stick). Roll pork in spices until evenly coated. Refrigerate until ready to use.
When oven is heated, toss potatoes with 1 Tablespoon oil, salt, and dried oregano. Spread out on a large sheet pan and cover tightly with foil.
Roast potatoes, covered, for 15 minutes.
While potatoes roast, heat 1 Tablespoon oil in a large skillet over medium heat.
When oil is shimmering, add pork and sear on all sides until golden brown.
Move skillet off the heat but keep it on the stove (you’ll use it for the pan sauce).
Remove potatoes from the oven and remove foil. (Reserve the foil for tenting the pork later.)
Turn oven’s heat down to 425°F / 218°C
Flip potatoes with a spatula and move them out to the sides of the baking sheet. If the potatoes stick to the bottom of the pan, drizzle with a bit more oil as you toss them.
Nestle pork in the center of the potatoes.
Return sheet pan to the oven and continue baking together until the potatoes are tender and the pork reaches an internal temperature of 145°F. They should finish cooking at around the same time, 12 to 20 minutes more.
While pork and potatoes roast, make the pan sauce. Add butter to the skillet you used to sear the pork. Move it back over medium heat. When butter melts, add in shallots and cook until tender, 2 to 3 minutes. Sprinkle flour over top and stir until no dry spots remain. Slowly add in stock or water while scraping up any browned bits on the bottom of the pan. Bring to a simmer. Simmer sauce until thickened, about 5 minutes.
Move sauce off heat and whisk in lemon juice, mustard, and parsley.
When pork is done cooking cover it with foil and let rest for 8 to 10 minutes. (This is the key to juicy, tender pork - don’t skip this step.)
Slice pork and serve with potatoes. Serve sauce over top.

Notes

Pork Tenderloin vs Loin - This recipe uses pork tenderloin which is a thinner piece of pork than than pork loin. Pork loin can take 45 to 50 minutes to cook. If using pork loin, remove potatoes when they are done cooking (set aside, covered, to keep warm) and roast the pork loin on its own until it reaches an internal temperature of 145°F.

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