Air Fryer Pork Tenderloin

This Air Fryer Pork Tenderloin is as simple as it gets. Beautifully seasoned, perfectly juicy, and a dinner winner every time!

I am fully an air fryer convert! While my absolute favorite way to cook food is outdoors over open flames, my air fryer has definitely overtaken my oven in the rankings.

An air fryer is essentially a small, compact convection oven, but it’s more energy efficient, you can use it without preheating, and it’s designed to give food a crispy texture with little oil, which is harder to achieve in a standard oven. Plus, they’re so cute and tiny!

This tenderloin recipe is all you need on those days when it’s just too cloudy and rainy to risk lighting the grill. And when I really need the flavor to counter the doom and gloom outside, I love to marinate my pork tenderloin in Fajita Seasoning or Chili Seasoning for an extra kick!

Is Air Fryer Pork Tenderloin Healthy?

Pork tenderloin is one of the leanest cuts of pork, and is comparable to chicken breast in terms of leanness! It’s high in protein, which helps with muscle maintenance and overall tissue repair.

If you’re looking for a substitute that offers similar nutrition, you can try skinless chicken breasts, which are also lean protein, or lean cuts of beef like sirloin or tenderloin. Just remember that they will all have different cook times compared to pork tenderloin.

Another Cooking Method For Pork Tenderloin

While it is possible to cook pork tenderloin in the oven, the outside won’t crisp up and turn golden brown the same way as in the air fryer. If this is still your cooking method of choice, I would recommend the reverse sear method.

To reverse sear pork tenderloin:

Preheat your oven to 425°F. Once you’ve prepared the pork tenderloin for cooking, heat two tablespoons of olive oil or butter in an oven-safe skillet (preferably cast iron) over medium-high heat.

Sear the pork for about two or three minutes on one side, or until it develops a golden brown crust. Rotate the tenderloin by one-third and sear for another two or three minutes. Turn it again for the final sear of about one minute.

Then, transfer the skillet directly into the preheated oven and roast for about fifteen to twenty minutes, or until its internal temperature reads 145°F. Always let the meat rest before slicing.

Serving Suggestions

Pork tenderloin is one of my favorite protein-packed dinners to serve midweek when standing in the kitchen for more than forty-five minutes seems impossible!

I love to serve it with some Roasted Red Potatoes or some Mashed Sweet Potatoes, alongside plenty of veg like this Mediterranean-Inspired Cucumber Salad, this Avocado Salsa, and this Caesar Salad.

For a low-carb option that is keto-friendly, serve this tenderloin alongside some Cauliflower Rice and Sautéed Green Beans!

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