Baked Pork Tenderloin – The Country Cook

March 18, 2025

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This herb crusted Baked Pork Tenderloin is super tender and has a creamy, must-have homemade sauce that brings so much flavor to your dinner plate!

A JUICY TENDERLOIN RECIPE

I am always looking for different ways to make pork tenderloin. It’s one of my favorite cuts of pork! This time, I thought I’d take the flavors up a notch and I think this is probably one of my favorite pork tenderloin recipes ever! It’s so incredibly flavorful and has the best texture with the pecan crust. The creamy herb sauce that I make with this pork tenderloin really takes it to a whole new level. It’s perfect for drizzling over it before serving or using it as a dipping sauce. This is a delicious dinner that my whole family went wild for!

A fork dipping a slice of Pecan Crusted Pork Tenderloin in a homemade sauce.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS:

Can I make this pork tenderloin in the Slow Cooker?

I suppose you could but you would not end up with a crusty exterior as intended.. I would just use my Slow Cooker Pork Tenderloin recipe instead. It’s already figured out and ready to go!

What if I only want to make one pork tenderloin?

Many pork tenderloins come in a two pack, so I made this recipe to use both of them. If you only want to make one tenderloin, you can halve the recipe and it should work out just fine.

Can I make this without the nuts?

I don’t see why not. I feel that the nuts add a fabulous crunch and flavor but I think it would work okay without them. Neither my Air Fryer Pork Tenderloin or my Slow Cooker Pork Tenderloin recipes use the nuts if you rather check them out.

Do I have to use the sauce?

The sauce is extremely flavorful, for me that sauce is a MUST. It’s kind of like when you have prime rib and you have horseradish sauce on the side, this is along that same kind of idea. If you really don’t want to use it, you don’t have to but you’ll be missing out in my opinion. The sauce is great for drizzling on top or dipping pieces of tenderloin in.

How long are leftovers good for?

Keep leftovers in the fridge for up to 3 days, or keep them longer by storing them in the freezer for up to 3 months. I think it’s best to reheat any leftovers in the oven or air fryer.

A few slices of Herb Crusted Pork Tenderloin on a plate with sides.

INGREDIENTS NEEDED: (SEE RECIPE CARD BELOW FOR THE FULL RECIPE)

chopped pecans – not a fan pf pecans or nuts? Just leave it out.
fresh thyme leaves– I think fresh thyme is key to this recipe. It just elevates the flavor that you just don’t get with dried herbs (besides, if you’re going through all the trouble, why not make the recipe exactly how it is written, right?) – don’t skimp on flavor that can take it over the top. You can use dried thyme if you must but I think you’d really be missing out.
panko breadcrumbs – this adds additional crispiness but you could use regular breadcrumbs.
salt and pepper
pork tenderloin – I got the pack that has two pork tenderloins in it. You can certainly make this with only one pork tenderloin, just cut it in half.
dijon mustard– Do not substitute regular mustard for the dijon. Yellow mustard is far too vinegar-y to be a good substitute. A grainy mustard or even honey mustard might be okay though. And I know mustard might sound a little odd but it just goes so well with pork.
mayonnaise
sour cream – you can substitute with plain Greek yogurt if you need something to use instead of sour cream. If you really don’t love sour cream, or Greek yogurt, I bet you probably already have a substitute that you use in general. You could try Creme fraiche which might even work but it tends to be a little thinner in texture.
apple cider vinegar
honey
garlic powder

Pork tenderloin, thyme, mayo, sour cream, Panko breadcrumbs, olive oil, chopped pecans, salt, pepper, dijon mustard, apple cider vinegar, honey, and garlic powder.

HOW TO MAKE BAKED PORK TENDERLOIN:

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Place the pecans and thyme leaves in a food processor. Processor until the pecans are finely chopped, but not until it forms a paste.

Place this mixture into a baking dish that is long enough to fit the pork loins. Add the breadcrumbs, salt, and pepper, and mix to combine.

A baking dish with the thyme nut mixture and the breadcrumbs, salt, and pepper mixture.

Place the pork tenderloins onto a sheet tray and pat them dry with a paper towel. Brush the pork all over with the Dijon mustard.

Pork tenderloins being dried with paper towels and a pastry brush brushing the sauce over it.

Line a sheet tray with foil and spray with cooking spray. Place the pork into the baking dish with the pecan mixture and press it in until it is coated. Place on the foil-lined baking sheet. Repeat with the other pork tenderloin. There may be a little pecan mixture left, but that’s okay. Bake for 30-40 minutes until an internal temperature reaches 145°F. Allow to rest for 10 minutes before slicing.

Aluminum foil lined sheet pan with a crusted pork tenderloin before and after its baked.

While the pork is cooking, make the sauce. Whisk together the mayonnaise, sour cream, dijon, apple cider vinegar, honey, thyme, garlic powder, salt, and pepper in a medium bowl.

A sauce mixture being whisked in a bowl.

Serve on the side with the pork.

A dinner plate with a few slices of Baked Pork Tenderloin and sides.

CRAVING MORE RECIPES?

A Baked Pork Tenderloin with a few slices on a serving plate.

Preheat the oven to 350°F.
Place 1 1/4 cups chopped pecans and 8 sprigs fresh thyme, leaves stripped in a food processor. Processor until the pecans are finely chopped, but not until it forms a paste.
Place this mixture into a baking dish that is long enough to fit the pork loins.
Add 1/2 cup panko breadcrumbs, 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper to the baking dish and mix to combine.
Place 2-3 pounds pork tenderloins onto a sheet tray and pat them dry with a paper towel.
Brush the tenderloins all over with 4 Tablespoons dijon mustard.
Line a sheet tray with foil and spray with cooking spray.
Place the pork into the baking dish with the pecan mixture and press it in until it is coated.
Place on the foil-lined baking sheet. Repeat with the other pork tenderloin. There may be a little pecan mixture left, that’s okay.
Bake for 30-40 minutes until an internal temperature reaches 145°F. Allow to rest for 10 minutes before slicing.
While the pork is cooking, make the sauce. Whisk together 1/2 cup mayonnaise, 1/3 cup sour cream, 2 Tablespoons dijon mustard, 1 Tablespoon apple cider vinegar, 1/2 Tablespoon honey, 1/2 teaspoon fresh chopped thyme leaves, 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder, 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper in a medium bowl. Serve on the side with the pork.

Please refer to my FAQ’s (Frequently Asked Questions) and ingredient list above for other substitutions or for the answers to the most common questions.
If you don’t have a food processor, put the pecans and thyme into a ziploc bag then hit it with a heavy object (like a rolling pin) until fully crushed.

Course: Dinner, Main Course

Cuisine: American

“The Country Cook” is not a dietician or nutritionist, and any nutritional information shared is an estimate. If calorie count and other nutritional values are important to you, we recommend running the ingredients through whichever online nutritional calculator you prefer. Calories and other nutritional values can vary quite a bit depending on which brands were used.