Get ready to transform your weeknight dinner routine with this incredible Creamy Dijon Pork Tenderloin recipe. This dish delivers a restaurant-quality experience with minimal effort, featuring perfectly seared, juicy pork tenderloin medallions smothered in a rich and tangy dijon mustard sauce. It’s an elegant meal that comes together in under 40 minutes, making it perfect for both busy evenings and impressing guests. If you’re searching for a recipe that is packed with flavor and surprisingly simple, you’ve found it.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Quick & Easy: This entire meal is ready in less than 40 minutes, ideal for a satisfying weeknight dinner.
- Incredibly Flavorful: The combination of savory pork, tangy Dijon mustard, and rich cream creates a complex and addictive sauce.
- One-Pan Meal: Everything cooks in a single skillet, which means easy cleanup and more time enjoying your meal.
- Elegant & Impressive: While simple to make, this dish looks and tastes sophisticated enough for a dinner party or special occasion.
Ingredients You’ll Need
This recipe uses simple, easy-to-find ingredients to create its signature flavor. Here’s what you’ll need:
- Pork Tenderloin: The star of the show. It’s a lean and tender cut of meat that cooks quickly.
- Olive Oil & Butter: A combination for the perfect sear and rich flavor base.
- Shallot & Garlic: Essential aromatics that build the foundation of the sauce.
- Dry White Wine: Used to deglaze the pan, adding a crucial layer of acidity and depth. Use something you’d enjoy drinking, like a Sauvignon Blanc or Pinot Grigio.
- Chicken Broth: Forms the liquid base of the sauce.
- Dijon Mustard: Provides the signature tangy, sharp flavor. Use a quality brand for the best results.
- Heavy Cream: This is what makes the sauce luxuriously creamy and rich.
- Fresh Parsley: Adds a touch of freshness and color to finish the dish.
- Salt & Black Pepper: To season the pork and the sauce.
How to Make Creamy Dijon Pork Tenderloin
Follow these simple steps to create a perfect meal.
- Prepare the Pork: Pat the pork tenderloin dry with paper towels. Slice it into 1-inch thick medallions. Season both sides generously with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
- Sear the Pork: Heat olive oil and butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Once the butter is melted and foaming, add the pork medallions in a single layer. Sear for 3-4 minutes per side, until golden brown and cooked through. The internal temperature should reach 145°F (63°C). Do not overcrowd the pan; work in batches if necessary. Remove the pork from the skillet and set it aside on a plate.
- Sauté Aromatics: Reduce the heat to medium. Add the minced shallot to the skillet and cook for 2-3 minutes, until softened. Add the minced garlic and cook for another minute until fragrant.
- Deglaze the Pan: Pour in the white wine to deglaze the pan, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the skillet with a wooden spoon. Let the wine simmer and reduce by about half.
- Build the Sauce: Stir in the chicken broth and Dijon mustard. Bring the mixture to a simmer and cook for 4-5 minutes, allowing the sauce to thicken slightly.
- Make it Creamy: Reduce the heat to low and slowly whisk in the heavy cream. Continue to cook gently for 2-3 minutes until the sauce is heated through and has a creamy consistency. Do not let it boil after adding the cream. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Combine and Serve: Return the seared pork medallions and any accumulated juices to the skillet. Spoon the sauce over the pork and let it warm through for a minute. Garnish with fresh chopped parsley and serve immediately.
Tips for the Perfect Pork Tenderloin
- Don’t Overcook the Pork: Pork tenderloin is very lean and can dry out quickly. Use a meat thermometer to ensure it reaches an internal temperature of 145°F, then remove it from the heat. It will continue to cook slightly as it rests.
- Get a Good Sear: Make sure your pan is hot before adding the pork. This creates a beautiful golden-brown crust that seals in the juices and adds immense flavor.
- Let it Rest: Allowing the cooked pork to rest for a few minutes before returning it to the sauce lets the juices redistribute, ensuring every bite is tender and moist.
What to Serve with Your Creamy Dijon Pork Tenderloin
This versatile dish pairs wonderfully with a variety of sides. For a truly comforting meal, serve it over egg noodles, mashed potatoes, or creamy garlic parmesan orzo. It’s also fantastic with a side of sautéed vegetables or steamed asparagus to round out the plate. For a simple and delicious starter, consider a light soup like our Ginger Garlic Chicken Noodle Soup.
Storage and Reheating Instructions
Store any leftover pork and sauce in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. To reheat, gently warm the pork and sauce in a skillet over low heat until heated through. Avoid using the microwave, as it can overcook the pork and cause the cream sauce to separate.
Frequently Asked Questions
For a dairy-free version, you can substitute the butter with a dairy-free alternative or more olive oil, and replace the heavy cream with full-fat canned coconut milk or a dairy-free cooking cream. The flavor profile will change slightly, but it will still be delicious.
You can, but the cooking time will be longer as pork loin is a larger, tougher cut. We recommend sticking with tenderloin for this recipe as it’s more tender and cooks much faster, making it ideal for a quick meal.
To prevent the sauce from curdling or separating, make sure you reduce the heat to low before slowly whisking in the heavy cream. Do not allow the sauce to boil after the cream has been added. Using full-fat heavy cream also provides more stability than lower-fat alternatives.
If you prefer not to use wine, you can substitute it with an equal amount of chicken broth. To replicate the acidity, add a small squeeze of fresh lemon juice (about 1 teaspoon) to the sauce.
The USDA recommends cooking pork tenderloin to an internal temperature of 145°F (63°C). Use a meat thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the medallion. After it reaches temperature, let it rest for a few minutes before serving.
Enjoy This Delicious Dinner!
This Creamy Dijon Pork Tenderloin recipe is a true game-changer for weeknight dinners. It’s a dish you’ll find yourself making again and again. We hope you love it as much as we do! If you make this recipe, please leave a comment below and let us know how it turned out. We’d love for you to share it on Pinterest!
Creamy Dijon Pork Tenderloin Recipe
Creamy Dijon Pork Tenderloin (Quick & Easy Recipe)
Ingredients
Equipment
Instructions
- Pat the pork tenderloin dry and slice it into 1-inch thick medallions. Season both sides generously with salt and pepper.
- Heat olive oil and butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the pork medallions and sear for 3-4 minutes per side, until golden brown and cooked to an internal temperature of 145°F (63°C). Remove the pork and set aside.
- Reduce heat to medium, add the minced shallot and cook until softened, about 2-3 minutes. Add the minced garlic and cook for 1 more minute until fragrant.
- Pour in the white wine to deglaze, scraping up any browned bits. Simmer until reduced by half. Stir in the chicken broth and Dijon mustard. Simmer for 4-5 minutes to thicken.
- Reduce heat to low and whisk in the heavy cream. Cook gently for 2-3 minutes until heated through (do not boil). Season with salt and pepper.
- Return the pork medallions and any juices to the skillet. Spoon the sauce over the pork. Garnish with fresh parsley and serve immediately.
Notes
Tip 2: Ensure the heavy cream is at room temperature before adding it to the sauce to prevent it from curdling.
