Mustard Pork Tenderloin
This mustard Pork Tenderloin recipe is a nice alternative to beef or chicken and is perfect for a quick weeknight dinner or an elegant dinner party with friends.
The crispy Panko bread coating adds a nice crunch to the pork, and pairs beautifully with the tangy Dijon wine mustard, whole-grain mustard, and a hint of fresh herbs. The flavor combination is amazing and it’s ready in no time!
The tenderloin turns out really moist with a nice crispy coating of seasoned panko crumbs and pairs beautifully with candied sweet potatoes, scalloped potatoes and a nice green vegetable.
Why this recipe works
My neighbor shared this delicious recipe with me years ago and it’s still a family favorite!Simple ingredients – nothing fancy or gourmet and great for a busy weeknight dinner
- Ready in minutes – pork doesn’t take long to cook at all, and when you oven-bake this cut of pork, the cooking time is minimal; in fact, the entire prep and cook time is less than 30 minutes so there’s no reason for a slow cooker or air fryer
- Easy clean-up – two bowls and a baking sheet. Who doesn’t love a quick and easy sheet pan dinner?
- Pork is “the other white meat”- which is a lean meat-perfect if you’re watching your fat intake or on a low calorie diet. (Does anyone else remember when the National Pork Board ran that advertisement? Seems like it was on every commercial and billboard in the States:)
Here’s what you’ll need
A few simple ingredients are all you need to get this mustard pork tenderloin dinner on the table fast.
- Pork tenderloin– plain, unseasoned. Buy an unseasoned tenderloin if you can. (Sometimes, the grocery store only has pre-packaged ones that come 2 to a pack. If that’s all you can find, get that and freeze the other tenderloin for later.)
- Panko crumbs– Japanese style breadcrumbs made from bread with a crust; usually on the baking aisle at the grocery store
- Dijon mustard– I like Grey Poupon, but I’ve also used the store brand for this recipe; use whichever fits your budget
- Whole grain mustard– this is the coarse mustard in a glass jar; do not use plain yellow mustard
- Oil– vegetable, olive or canola – your call
- Thyme– fresh thyme gives the best flavor, but you can use dried thyme as well
- Garlic powder– if you don’t have garlic powder, you can use garlic salt or finely minced garlic
- Salt and black pepper
How to make it
This crispy baked pork recipe is very easy to make and delicious! The mustards give it a great flavor profile that’s tangy and crunchy!
- Pat pork tenderloin(s) dry with paper towels; lightly salt and pepper; (about a teaspoon of salt and pepper for each tenderloin); if the tenderloin is frozen, see how to safely thaw pork
- Make the mustard marinade: In a small bowl, combine Dijon mustard, whole grain mustard, olive oil, ground thyme, garlic powder,salt and black pepper. Pour the mustard mixture over the tenderloin coating it all the way around.
- You can use a basting brush, but I’ve found it’s easiest to smear it on with my clean hands.
How to coat the tenderloin in breadcrumbs
An easy way to coat the mustard tenderloin in the panko crumbs is to place them in a shallow pan or on a sheet of wax paper on the counter.
Pour the panko crumb/herb mixture onto the wax paper in a thin layer. Roll the mustard-coated tenderloin across the breadcrumbs until the outside of the pork is thoroughly coated with bread crumbs. For me, this is the best way to coat the pork because it’s slippery from the mustard coating.
- Spray a baking dish or sheet pan with a little cooking spray and place the coated white meat in the center
- Give the Panko coated mustard pork tenderloin a light spray with spray oil
- Place on baking sheet and bake uncovered at 375ºF for about 20-25 minutes- until the internal temperature reaches 145ºF degrees and the outside is a nice, crunchy golden brown
- For best results, let the pork rest 5 minutes or so before slicing; this resting period ensures pretty and tender cuts of pork
Recipe Tips
Dijon mustard has a little heat to it from the horseradish, so if you don’t care for a little spice, eliminate the Dijon and just use the coarse-ground “old style” mustard. The only thing I warn you about is don’t use plain yellow mustard. It doesn’t have the depth of flavor the others do and the result is “less than stellar” – don’t ask me how I know this:)
If you substitute with traditional breadcrumbs, you may need to increase the amount because they’re more finely ground than Panko.
I recommend you use plain (not seasoned) Panko crumbs for this easy pork tenderloin recipe.
For best results, use a serrated knife or a super sharp knife to slice the mustard panko tenderloin into 1-2″ inch slices
FAQ
Panko crumbs are a Japanese-style breadcrumb made from bread with a crust. Traditional breadcrumbs are made from crustless bread and are smaller and finer than Panko-style breadcrumbs.
Panko crumbs offer a thicker bread coating and a little more crunch.
This recipe calls for Panko, but traditional breadcrumbs will work as well. Since traditional breadcrumbs are finer, you might need to use more traditional breadcrumbs to thoroughly coat the pork tenderloin.
Generally speaking, pork tenderloin should bake at 350ºF about 20-minutes per pound. Use this as a guideline and confirm with an instant-read thermometer. or accurate internal meat thermometer.
The middle of the pork tenderloin should register a minimum of 145ºF and the outside is done when a nice crust forms.
Some pork tenderloins come 2 to a pack; if you’re cooking two tenderloins, you may have to increase the cooking time a little (one cooks for a shorter amount of time than two).
This recipe calls for a combination of two popular French mustards: Maille brand Old Style coarse-ground whole-grain mustard, (also known as deli mustard) and creamy Grey Poupon Dijon mustard. (Does anybody remember that commercial? “Pardon me, would you have any Grey Poupon?”)
Storage and reheating
Store the mustard pork tenderloin in an airtight container or wrap it in aluminum foil in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. When ready to reheat, I’ve had the best results using the oven.
Set oven temperature to 350ºF, place cooked pork tenderloin on ungreased baking sheet covered with aluminum foil. Cook 10-15 minutes or until meat is re-warmed thoroughly.
I do not recommend reheating pork in the microwave because it continues to cook and the result is not a tender, but a rubbery piece of pork.
What to serve with mustard pork tenderloin
The tanginess of the mustard is relatively mild in this pork recipe, so I recommend pairing this tender pork with a sweet side, like candied sweet potatoes, or a savory side, like seasoned wild rice. You can never go wrong with steamed Brussels sprouts, fresh asparagus or broccoli!
This mustard pork tenderloin with Panko crumbs is super easy and will become a family favorite for sure!
Related recipes:
- Easy Burgundy Mushrooms
- Perfect Beef Tenderloin
- Easy Pork Schnitzel
- Beef Tips with Rice and Gravy
- Chicken Cordon Blue
If you make this recipe, please scroll down and leave a rating and comment! I love to hear from you!
Mustard Pork Tenderloin Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 whole pork tenderloins (about 2 lbs. total)
- ¾ cup Old Style Ground Mustard , coarse mustard with visible mustard seeds
- ¾ cup Dijon Mustard
- 2 cups Panko breadcrumbs
- 1 tablespoon oil
- 3 teaspoons fresh thyme See Recipe Notes
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- spray oil
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350ºF
- Lighly oil oven-safe baking dish
- In a small bowl, combine Old Style coarse mustard and Dijon Mustard; combine well; set aside¾ cup Old Style Ground Mustard, ¾ cup Dijon Mustard
- In another bowl, combine panko crumbs, oil, salt, pepper, thyme and garlic powder; pour this mixture in a single layer onto the wax paper2 cups Panko breadcrumbs, 1 tablespoon oil, 3 teaspoons fresh thyme, ½ teaspoon salt, ½ teaspoon black pepper, 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- Pat tenderloins dry with paper towel; lightly season with salt and black pepper; set aside2 whole pork tenderloins
- Coat tenderloins in mustard mixture
- Place sheet of wax paper on counter; pour the breadcrumb mixture evenly onto the wax paper
- Roll the mustard coated tenderloin across the breadcrumb mixture and place tenderloin on lightly oiled shallow roasting pan; lightly spray tenderloins with spray oilspray oil
- Bake uncovered until internal temperature reaches a minimum of 145ºF (about 20-25 minutes, depending upon your oven)
- Remove from oven; place foil tent over baked tenderloins for 5 minutes
- Slice with sharp knife or serrated knife and serve
