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    Pistachio Crusted Pork Tenderloin with White Wine Dijon Sauce

    August 30, 2023

    Whether you’re looking for a stand out holiday recipe to anchor your Christmas dinner, or just a special supper for a weeknight, this pistachio-crusted pork tenderloin recipe is sure to hit the spot.

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    Pistachio Crusted Pork Tenderloin with White Wine Dijon Sauce on a plater with herbs and extra sauce in a dish

    An Easy Pork Tenderloin Recipe, Just in Time for the Holidays

    Ultra tender and flavorful, a big, beautiful roasted pork tenderloin doesn’t need much help to be incredibly delicious. In other words, pork tenderloin is really easy to roast to perfection and is, therefore, ideal for serving as a meaty centerpiece at your next holiday meal! It feels celebrational, in the way only a large, somewhat spendy cut of meat can, but it’s a lot easier to make—and cook in the oven to buttery perfection—than something like prime rib or a whole turkey. Because tenderloin is so naturally tender, we don’t even bother with a marinade, which saves time and effort. A snazzy, creamy white wine-mustard sauce on the side dresses the finished pork tenderloin up a bit, as does a crisp, rich crust of pistachios. Whether you’re looking for a stand out holiday recipe to anchor your Christmas dinner, or just a special supper for a weeknight, this pork tenderloin recipe is sure to hit the spot.

    Pistachios pulsed in a food processor
    Pistachio Crusted Pork Tenderloin in a roasting pan

    Everything You’ll Need To Make This Easy Pork Tenderloin Recipe

    Nothing fancy or hard-to-find here, this is a trusty, simple roast pork tenderloin recipe that could knock it out of the park on a weeknight as easily as it could show off at a fancy Christmas dinner! When you’re buying pork tenderloin, note that they often are sold in packages of two, which is fine! Just check the weight—we’re calling for three pounds total in our pork tenderloin recipe, so as long as you’re close to that poundage, you’ll be good to go. Here’s what you’ll need:

    • Pork tenderloin
    • Pistachios
    • Mustard powder
    • Fresh thyme leaves
    • Fresh garlic
    • Black pepper
    Pistachio Crusted Pork Tenderloin with White Wine Dijon Sauce

    Pork Tenderloin + Creamy Mustard Sauce = A Super Deluxe Situation

    Mustard makes an appearance in the delicious, simple pistachio crust that we use to coat the pork tenderloin before roasting, and it lends its lovely sharpness to this creamy sauce that you’ll serve with the finished tenderloin, too. Pork and mustard are a classic combo that we just love, and so we’re leaning into it with abandon. Trust us on this one, OK? Lean into this luxurious mustard sauce. Everyone around your table will thank you! You’ve already got garlic and fresh thyme from making the tenderloin itself, so here’s everything else you’ll need to make the sauce to go with it:

    • Butter
    • Shallot
    • Dry white wine
    • Chicken stock
    • Dijon mustard
    • Whole grain mustard
    • Heavy cream
    Pistachio Crusted Pork Tenderloin with White Wine Dijon Sauce

    How to Cook Pork Tenderloin

    Tenderloin wants to be, well, tender. It’s hard to mess up, all you need to do is not overcook it. The only thing to remember is to check the internal temperature—when you get a reading of 145°F on an instant read thermometer, that pork is done! Pull it out of the oven right away. Here’s how to cook pork tenderloin in the oven:

    1. Make the pork crust by blitzing the pistachios, ground mustard, thyme, garlic and pepper in a food processor.
    2. Roll the pork tenderloin (or pork tenderloins) in the crust until it’s well-coated.
    3. Roast! About 30 minutes at 375° F, but don’t go by time alone! Check that temp.
    4. Whip up the creamy wine-mustard sauce.
    5. Pull the pork from the oven, let it rest for just a couple of minutes. Then, slice and serve!
    Pistachio Crusted Pork Tenderloin with White Wine Dijon Sauce on a plater with a carving knife

    More Pork Recipes to Try

    Tools You’ll Need

    Pistachio Crusted Pork Tenderloin with White Wine Dijon Sauce on a plater with a knife and fresh herbs

    An Easy Show-Stopper Holiday Recipe, For Real? For Real!

    We love recipes like this—easy, beautiful, smart, crowd-pleasing. And we especially love them at the holidays, when we all need a little more ease in our lives. If you try it, let us know, OK? Share a photo and tag us on Instagram using @themodernproper and #themodernproper so that we can see your stuff! Happy eating!

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    Pistachio Crusted Pork Tenderloin with White Wine Dijon Sauce

    Updated on August 30, 2023

    • Serves:  8
    • Prep Time:  20 min
    • Cook Time:  35 min
    • Calories:  516
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    Ingredients

    • 3 lbs pork tenderloins or 2 (1.5 lb) tenderloins
    • 8 oz roasted, salted, shelled Pistachios
    • 1 tsp kosher salt
    • 1 tbsp mustard powder
    • 1 tbsp fresh thyme leaves
    • 2 cloves of garlic, roughly chopped
    • 1 tsp black pepper, freshly ground

    White Wine Dijon Sauce

    • 2 tbsp unsalted butter
    • 1 medium shallot, minced (roughly ½ cup)
    • 4 cloves garlic, minced
    • 1/2 cup dry white wine
    • 1 cup chicken stock
    • ½ tsp kosher salt
    • ½ tsp black pepper, freshly ground
    • 1 tbsp dijon mustard
    • 1 tbsp whole grain mustard
    • 1 tbsp fresh thyme, minced
    • 1 tsp fresh sage, minced, optional
    • 1 tsp fresh rosemary, minced, optional
    • 1 cup heavy cream

    Method

    1. Heat oven to 375° F. Trim the fat from the pork tenderloin, set aside.
    2. In a food processor, pulse the pistachios, salt, mustard powder, thyme, garlic and pepper until incorporated, about 20-30 times.
    3. Pour the pistachio mixture out onto a large piece of parchment paper or baking sheet. Place the tenderloin onto the pistachio mixture and gently roll to coat all sides. Place the coated tenderloin into a parchment lined baking dish or baking pan and roast for 30-35 minutes or until the internal temperature reaches 155° F on an instant read thermometer.
    4. For the sauce, heat the butter in a medium sized skillet over medium heat until just beginning to bubble. Add the shallots and cook for 3 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute longer.
    5. Deglaze the pan by adding the white wine. Simmer for 3 minutes, until slightly reduced. Add the chicken stock, salt, pepper, dijon and whole grain mustard, and fresh herbs. Simmer the sauce until reduced by half, about 5-7 minutes. Add the heavy cream and simmer for 5 more minutes until sauce has thickened slightly.
    6. Serve the pork sliced on a platter with the white wine dijon sauce.

    Nutrition Info

    • Per Serving
    • Amount
    • Calories 516
    • Protein 42 g
    • Carbohydrates 13 g
    • Total Fat 35 g
    • Dietary Fiber 4 g
    • Cholesterol 161 mg
    • sodium 566 mg
    • Total Sugars 4 g

    Pistachio Crusted Pork Tenderloin with White Wine Dijon Sauce

    Questions & Reviews

    Join the discussion below.

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    • Cara

      Ideas on sides to serve with this for Thanksgiving?

      Check out our "40 Best Thanksgiving Sides" Posts it has all of our favorite thanksgiving sides! Our Classic Mashed potatoes, glazed carrots, parker house rolls and endive salad would be especially good with this pork. Hope you have a great thanksgiving Cara! You can search any of those titles on our site.

    • Elizabeth

      There is a contradiction between the recipe directions and the introduction 'how-to' regarding cooked temp (145 vs 155). I believe 145 to be the optimal temp (how-to), not 155 (recipe)

      I can't wait to make this for my guests.

      The National Pork Board recommends cooking pork to an internal temperature between 145° F. (medium rare) and 160° F. (medium), followed by a 3 minute rest so whatever temperature you like best in that range will be safe. Hope you enjoy!

    • Jeanette

      Can you make the sauce a few days before serving?

      It might get pretty thick in the fridge. Best to make it same day. Hope you enjoy!

    • Angus

      I have now made this 4 times, making slight adjustments each time.

      This recipe is, at most, medium difficulty (trimming silver from the tenderloins) and there are many simple vegetables that one could serve with it -- from potato/pasta/etc to green beans, carrots... I suggest the starch/veg is served as a simple background (butter, pepper, salt/Herbamare are good.

      I like to follow it with a sweetish dessert like Crème Caramel (and recently did.)

      My suggestions for consideration are all for the tasty White Wine Dijon Sauce.
      1 - It's fine to substitute white vermouth for white wine.
      2 - I don't normally use any salt in the sauce as I find that most chicken stock can be salty.
      3 - Fresh thyme is beautiful, especially as the ONLY herb. I used the optional sage with the thyme and it was too much. It might be possible to also add the optional rosemary. I might try that next without telling my partner. Ha!

      PS: Just had friends for dinner and they are asking for the recipe.

      Thanks Angus, we are so happy that you love this recipe and have made it so many times. It's very fun to hear of the ways you like to experiment with it!

    • Scott

      This recipe was the bomb! Reduced the time to 25 minutes on the meat and it was perfect! Did mashed potatoes and grilled veggies to go with it.

      Thanks Scott, so happy you loved it!

    • Caroline

      OH. MY GOSH. This was unbelievably delicious. My husband and I made this last night for Valentine's Day dinner and it did not disappoint. Very approachable in terms of ingredients and instructions. Beautiful presentation, silky, creamy, bright flavors. Would highly recommend this for your next special (but easy) meal.

      Thank you so much Caroline! We are so happy the two of you loved it!

    • Rachel

      LOVED this recipe !! Like several reviewers said, it feels special/festive but is simple to make - it is just as beautiful as the pictures make it look. I will also reduce the salt in the sauce next time, and will take the tenderloin out of the oven once it reaches 145 temp. Otherwise, it was perfect!

      Thank you Rachel, we are so glad you loved it!

    • Kristine

      I made this recipe last night for Sunday dinner. It was fantastic. Easy enough for a weeknight meal but special enough for a fancy dinner. A true 5 star recipe.

      Thank you so MUCH Kristine!! So glad you loved it!