Name: Instant Pot Pork Tenderloin
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 35 min
Ingredients: 1 pork tenderloin ((Note 1)); 1 small onion, thinly sliced; 1/2 cup water; 1 tablespoon olive oil; salt and pepper; 1/2 cup heavy whipping cream ((Note 2)); 1/4 cup finely grated parmesan cheese ((Note 3)); 1 tablespoon dijon mustard

Summary:

Tender and juicy, this pork tenderloin is enjoyed with onions and a creamy mustard sauce. With the Instant Pot, just a single pot is used for browning the meat, pressure cooking, and simmering the sauce.

Instant Pot Pork Tenderloin

4.9 from 33 votes

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Prep: 10 mins

Cook: 15 mins

Natural Release: 10 mins

Yield: 3 servings

INGREDIENTS

Sauce:

▢ 1/2 cup heavy whipping cream (Note 2)
▢ 1/4 cup finely grated parmesan cheese (Note 3)
▢ 1 tablespoon dijon mustard (Note 4)

INSTRUCTIONS

Prepare Pork: Cut pork tenderloin in half, so it is half as long as before. If unseasoned, season all sides with salt and pepper.
Brown Pork: Turn on saute mode on pressure cooker (Note 5) for medium heat. When display reads HOT, add olive oil to coat bottom of pot. Add pork and cook until golden brown on one side, about 5 minutes. Flip and cook other side for a few minutes. Transfer pork to plate.
Cook Onions: Add onions to pressure cooker pot and cook for a few minutes, stirring frequently. Turn off saute mode. Add water, stirring and briefly loosening any brown bits stuck to bottom of pot. Return pork to pot, nestling it on top of onions.
Pressure Cook: Secure and seal lid. Cook at high pressure for 4 minutes, followed by 10 minute natural release (Note 6). Uncover, and insert thermometer into thickest part of tenderloin — it should read 140 to 145 F (Note 7). Transfer pork to cutting board and let rest, where it will continue cooking (Note 8). Do not slice yet.
Make Sauce: Turn on saute mode. With remaining liquid in pot, add heavy cream and mustard, stirring together. Bring to boil. Let sauce boil for 8 to 10 minutes to thicken, stirring frequently. Turn off saute mode and stir for a minute until boiling subsides. Stir in parmesan cheese until melted.
Serve: Slice pork into thin slices and transfer onto serving plates. Pour sauce on top and serve (Note 9).

NUTRITION

Makes 3 Servings

Amount Per Serving:

Calories 540 (52% from fat)
Total Fat 31g	48%
Saturated Fat 14g	72%
Cholesterol 195mg	65%
Sodium 270mg	11%
Net Carb 3g
Total Carb 3.5g	1%
Dietary Fiber 0.5g	1%
Sugars 2g
Protein 57g

Vitamin A 12% · Vitamin C 2% · Calcium 11% · Iron 7%

PHOTOS

NOTES & TIPS

(1) Pork Tenderloin. Weighing 1 to 1.5 pounds, pork tenderloin is a long cut of pork from a muscle along the pig’s spine. It’s the most tender cut, because pigs use those muscles for posture and not for movement. It’s typically very lean with almost no marbling, and cooks quickly because of its small size. U.S. grocery stores often sell pork tenderloin with seasonings, spices, and sometimes even marinades, so take a look at the ingredients label before purchasing. If your pork tenderloin does not come with any seasonings, I suggest rubbing with salt and pepper (or any meat seasoning of your choice) before browning the tenderloin.

(2) Heavy Whipping Cream. If you can’t find heavy whipping cream, some readers have had success substituting with half and half — in Step 5, simmer the sauce a bit longer to thicken.

(3) Parmesan Cheese. This is finely grated parmesan that has a sandy or almost powdery texture (not shredded), available in pre-grated bags in the refrigerated section of U.S. grocery stores. This can be substituted with similar cheeses like pecorino romano or asiago.

(4) Dijon Mustard. I use the brand Grey Poupon. This amount of mustard gives the sauce a distinct mustard taste but isn’t overly strong or overpowering.

(5) Pressure Cooker. I use a 6-quart Instant Pot. You can use a different size of electric pressure cooker as long as all ingredients fit within the maximum capacity line.

(6) Natural Release. Once the timer beeps to signal the end of pressure cooking, let the pot stand for 10 minutes to naturally release pressure. You don’t need to press any buttons. Wait the full 10 minutes, even if pressure is completely released before 10 minutes have elapsed. Once that’s done, turn the release knob to the venting position and uncover the pot.

(7) Pork Temperature. After a 10 minute natural release, the thickest part of the tenderloin should be about 140 to 145 F (medium rare). Pork tenderloin is best when cooked to this temperature, resulting in incredibly tender meat. Since tenderloins vary in size and shape, I recommend using an instant-read thermometer to verify its temperature instead of guessing. If it’s under 140 F, return the tenderloin back to the pot when the liquid is boiling during the sauce thickening step, and take the tenderloin out when it reaches 145 F.

(8) Carryover Cooking. As the tenderloin rests, its core temperature will continue to rise due to carryover cooking, which refers to redistribution of retained heat.

(9) Serving / Leftovers. This pork tenderloin makes for a fabulous main entree. Pair it with a side of roasted vegetable medley, creamy mashed cauliflower, or a refreshing Mediterranean salad. Leftovers can be covered and stored in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. Reheat in the microwave or on the stovetop until warmed through.

More Mains: Pork

Mexican Slow Roasted Pork

Instant Pot Pork Chops

Pork Stir Fry

Roasted Pork Tenderloin

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Elizabeth

I don’t think I’ve ever left a comment on the blog of someone I don’t know, to be honest, but I feel strongly about this recipe. It is AMAZING. I don’t enjoy pork, but I needed a fast keto meal using pork tenderloin. This recipe popped up. I’ve been eating the leftovers for a few days, hiding them in the back of the fridge so my family doesn’t find them. I sneak it out when no one is looking.

This pathological behavior has been previously reserved for desserts. There’s a first for everything. MAKE THIS. If you have a soul, you won’t regret it.

jeff

used white wine to deglaze, chicken stock instead of water……slightlly more cream and way more parm. large onion not small…….worked out great but would reduce cook time by 25% both on pressure and release cycles next time for a 1lber…

Julie

Tried it tonight! I was pretty pleased up until I added the parmesan, which I ended up not liking. My SO loved the sauce, though, so it’s a personal taste thing. Next time I won’t add it, but will sprinkle some on his and see if he’s ok with it that way. I have an 8 quart IP, used a cup of liquid for two tenderloins that I left whole, and I got distracted so I only came back when it read 17 minutes of natural release. By then the red thing had dropped. I took out the meat and let it sit while I finished the sauce, and when it came time to slicing, it was tender with just a hint of pink. Absolutely perfect. I was worried about trying tenderloin in the IP, but this was an amazing experience! Thanks for the recipe! 😀

Shawna

I just made this tonight & it was perfect! My 3 kids, who never seem to agree on dinner, raved about this pork. Generally my 10 year old avoids condiments & sauces on everything & he loved the sauce! I used both pieces of the tenderloin, sauteed in batches, & increased the liquid in the pressure cooking phase and the rest of the sauce ingredients by 50%. This recipe is a keeper, for sure! Thanks for another great meal for my IP.

Natalie

Fantastic! I did season my pork the night before I cooked it, and I added minced garlic! This recipe made it to our “keeper” list!! Thank you for the recipe!

Mickeykoz

I also used dried minced onions. I made extra sauce and dipped my roasted cauliflower in it. This was one of the best tasting recipes I have ever made!

Lydia C

Made tonight for hubby and guest. They both loved it. Only changes/additions I made was to add a bit of white wine to liquid to deglaze pot and sauce needed to be thickened a bit with cornstarch slurry. I probably rushed the sauce and didn’t allow it to reduce. This will definitely go in my regular rotation.

Tracy

I’m a vegetarian so cooking meat doesn’t come easy for me. Made this in my 8qt exactly as written and my husband LOVED it.

Pauline Flanders

Thank you for the wonderful recipe which was so easy to make! I also appreciated the extensive notes at the bottom that didn’t interfere with reading the recipe. My husband and I both thought the pork tenderloin was fantastic, especially the gravy. I have an 8 qt. IP and when I cooked as directed but with double the meat, and checked the temp of the meat, it was about 190 degrees! I think the larger pot takes longer to pressurize so the meat may cook more than with a 6 qt. But the meat was still pretty tender and this recipe is definitely a keeper with some adjustments – will try 5 minutes instead of 10 on the natural release next time. I also used chicken broth and white wine instead of water as others have suggested, and didn’t have Dijon mustard so used a honey mustard that also tasted just fine. I also only had the grated off-the-shelf Parmesan, and it worked. I added more broth, cream, and cheese to make more gravy because we like to drown our meat and potatoes/rice in gravy! Nothing worse than having meat and no gravy! 🤣 Thanks again for a great recipe!

Barb West

This is a mouthwatering meal. We actually got 2 meals for 2 people out of this recipe.
We will be making it again. Thank you Julia!!!

Michelle

Love this recipe. I brine my pork first and it adds an extra bit of flavor and tenderness!

Angela Zeiter

I absolutely love this recipe and so does my fiancé! I substitute the water for homemade beef or chicken broth however. One time I forgot the heavy whipping cream and did a cornstarch slurry instead and it still turned out wonderfully. Every time my fiancé would lick the plate if I’d let him! I tell all of my Instant Pot friends about this recipe. Thank you so much!

Karen

It was an instant favorite. we magically didn’t have parmesan so I used Muenster instead and it was amazing. Doing it again tonight, I’m adding some steamed broccoli as a side for the extra sauce. Thank you for sharing!

Jeannette

My daughter made this for our dinner tonight, subbing dried minced onions for the fresh, because we didn’t have any fresh. Just delicious. She served it with roasted cauliflower & sautéed spinach. Looking forward to having it again soon. The cooking directions were perfect.

Willie Langley

Super easy and delish. The family loved it.

Britt

What do you recommend for cooking time if the pork is frozen??

Janis

I made this without the sauce when I was in a big hurry. Made quinoa in the broth left after cooking the pork. I reheated the leftover pork on top of the quinoa by steaming in the IP, 3/4 cup of water, set on steam for 0 minutes, natural release. Worked great.

Kimmi

TBH, this is the ONLY recipe I make in my IP. And I make it at least once per month! It’s quick and easy compared to many “Instant” Pot recipes out there. Thank you very much for the recipe! It’s lick-the-plate delicious!

Anita

I cook a lot, and this recipe makes it into the permanent rotation for sure! Husband loves it! Tastes amazing over wild rice.

Diane

I added quartered potatoes and carrots to the pot before cooking. Everything was great.

David

My grated Parmesan melted in the sauce and separated into a big gooey glob on the bottom of the Instant Pot, rather than being incorporated into the sauce and thickening it as I expected. What did I do wrong? It was still tasty, but the sauce ended up runny rather than creamy.

Julia

I think it’s key to melt the parmesan cheese gradually as you stir it into the sauce so that it melts evenly. To do this, sprinkle a small amount of grated parmesan over the sauce, while stirring at the same time, until it’s completely melted and incorporated into the sauce before adding more parmesan. Keep going until all of the parmesan has been added. Also, it’s easiest if you use very finely grated parmesan (like a sandy, powder-like consistency) because it melts faster. Hope that helps!

Christina M Simmons

Excellent recipe, love the sauce. Husband had seconds.

Sarah C

I made this with a 24oz Hormel lemon garlic pork loin. (I am not sure if it was a tenderloin or just a pork loin – I read on other websites that there is a big difference between the two but this cooking method worked perfectly, so… Shrug.) It was a little salty but I think that was Hormel’s fault. 🙂 Next time I’m trying it with a plain, unseasoned tenderloin. I made a few mods but am confident this would be amazing as written. My mods were: 1/4 cup white wine to deglaze and 1/4 cup chicken stock instead of the 1/2 cup of water. And, to tie into the flavor of the pork loin, I added the zest of one lemon to the sauce. OMG! The sauce was amazing and the pork was perfectly tender. Definitely company worthy! Thanks for the great recipe.

Kathleen

This turned out fabulous. The gravy makes it. I served it with rice and peas and apple sauce. Huge hit at my house. 💕

Anne Sullivan

if you add two pork tenderloins do you also double to cook time?

The pressure cooking time remains the same.

Instant Pot Pork Tenderloin