You're going to love this juicy Instant Pot pork tenderloin that cooks up with a sweet and sticky soy ginger sauce. It's never dry, always super flavorful, and ready in under 25 minutes! Spoon the soy ginger sauce over the pork, rice, or veggies.
The thing I love about the Instant Pot is how tender and juicy certain cuts of meat become. I love cooking chicken breast, pulled pork, and even a whole chicken in the Instant Pot.
This Instant Pot pork tenderloin comes out perfectly juicy each and every time, and with a sweet and sticky sauce that is perfect for spooning over perfect, fluffy rice, broccoli (or your fave veggie), and the pork tenderloin itself.
Skipping the sauté step does not impact flavor one bit with this recipe, and means that you can have dinner on the table in 25 minutes (or less!).
Reasons you’ll ♡ Instant Pot pork tenderloin
- there's no sauté step, which means you can get the pork cooking in just 10 minutes
- it comes out perfectly juicy and tender each and every time
- the sweet and sticky soy ginger sauce is perfect for spooning over
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Ingredients you'll need
- pork tenderloin- not to be confused with pork loin, pork tenderloin is lean and cooks quickly. You can make this recipe with one or two pork tenderloins of approximately 10 oz (300 g)
- soy sauce- I highly recommend using reduced sodium; swap for liquid aminos or tamari if you are gluten-free
- water- needed to thin out the sauce and increase the volume of the sauce to help the Instant Pot come to pressure
- brown sugar- balances out the saltiness of the soy sauce; may be swapped for maple syrup; I have not tried honey
- ginger- freshly grated ginger (use a box grater or a microplane to get it fine and not chunky); or swap for 1 teaspoon powdered ginger
- garlic- 1 clove, minced
- sesame oil- toasted or untoasted are both fine; this adds depth and dimension to the sauce
- cornstarch- added after cooking through to thicken the sauce. May be swapped for arrowroot powder (use half the volume)
Skip the sauté step for easy prep
Most Instant Pot pork tenderloin recipes call for a sauté step. The main purpose is to build flavor on the surface of the pork tenderloin as the Maillard reaction occurs. It can also improve the texture of pork tenderloin by giving it a bit of a crust on the outside.
This recipe skips the sauté step as it does not enhance the flavor of the pork tenderloin; we get so much flavor from drizzling with the umami-rich soy ginger sauce afterwards!
With that being said, if you are craving the texture that you get from sautéing pork tenderloin first, you are welcome to do so. Make sure you properly deglaze the pan (scrape any bits off the bottom), and reduce the cook time to account for this step. I have not tried, but would probably start with a cook time of 3 minutes.
Natural pressure release for tender + juicy pork
After cooking our pork tenderloin in the Instant Pot for 5 minutes, we allow a 7 minute natural pressure release.
Why a natural pressure release? Because a quick pressure release can lead to enhanced evaporation of liquid from the meat, leading to dry, dense pork tenderloin. Gently allowing the pressure to release prevents this accelerated evaporation from occurring, leading to much juicier pork.
Cook to 145°F
After naturally releasing the pressure for 7 minutes, we release the rest of the pressure. Using a digital thermometer, ensure that your pork tenderloin has reached an internal temperature of at least 145°F. If your pork tenderloin has not reached that temp, sautee it in the sauce for a few extra minutes until it reaches that temperature.
Rest the tenderloin
Just like when we bake pork tenderloin, when we cook it in the Instant Pot, the resting step is also crucial. Resting the meat ensures that the juices settle properly. If you cut into the pork tenderloin immediately after cooking, those delicious juices will run out all over your plate, resulting in dry, tough pork tenderloin.
Rest this Instant Pot pork tenderloin for 5 minutes while you make the soy ginger sauce. You can cover with a baking pan, or let it sit on a cutting board.
Making the sauce
Once the pork tenderloin is resting, the final step is to make the soy ginger sauce. Simply select the 'saute' function of your Instant Pot and stir together a cornstarch + water slurry. Mix the slurry into the pot, and simmer for 1-2 minutes, until the sauce has thickened.
Prep ahead + storage tips
Pork tenderloin is best served fresh, but you can meal prep this recipe in a few different ways:
Freezer packs:
Assemble the pork tenderloin with the sauce ingredients (skip the cornstarch), and freeze in a silicone or plastic freezer bag for up to 3 months.
- thaw completely before cooking as directed in the recipe card
Leftovers:
Leftovers may be stored in the fridge for up to 4 days. Store sliced up with as much sauce as possible to keep the pork moist.
- reheat in a covered frying pan over low heat until warmed through.
More Instant Pot recipes
- 7 Instant Pot Chicken Breast Recipes
- Instant Pot Quinoa
- Instant Pot Chickpeas (no soak)
- Perfect Instant Pot Sweet Potatoes
- Instant Pot Steel Cut Oats
Did you make this? Tag me on social @sweetpeasandsaffron and be sure to leave a comment and rate the recipe!
Instant Pot Pork Tenderloin with Soy Ginger Sauce
Ingredients
- 10 oz pork tenderloin (300 g; see note 1)
- ⅓ cup soy sauce (reduced sodium recommended)
- ⅓ cup water
- ¼ cup brown sugar (see note 2)
- 2 tablespoons ginger (finely chopped or grated on a box grater; see note 3)
- 1 clove garlic (minced)
- 1 tablespoon sesame oil
After cooking
- 2 teaspoons cornstarch
Garnish
- sesame seeds
- green onion
Instructions
- Stir together all the sauce ingredients in the base of your Instant Pot.
- Add the pork tenderloin, and set the steam release handle to 'sealed'. Cook on high pressure for 5 minutes, then allow the pressure to naturally release for 7 minutes. If there is any pressure remaining, release it.
- Check that your pork tenderloin has reached an internal temperature of 145°F using a digital thermometer. If it is ready, remove the pork tenderloin from the Instant Pot and set aside to rest. If not, set the pot to 'sautee' and simmer the pork tenderloin for a few minutes, until 145°F is reached.
- Stir together the cornstarch with 2 tablespoons of cold water, then add to the sauce in the Instant Pot. Press the sautee button and allow to cook, stirring frequently, until thickened.
- Using oven mitts, remove the pot from the Instant Pot and set aside so your sauce doesn't burn.
- Serve with rice and veggies, spoon the sauce over everything.
Tips:
- reheat in a covered frying pan over low heat until warmed through
- thaw completely before cooking as directed in the recipe card
Nutrition Information
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Hi, I'm Annie. With a Bachelor of Science degree, a minor in nutrition and nearly 20 year of both classical training, and self-taught experience, I've spent my career proving that home cooking can be practical, delicious and inspiring. What started in 2013 as one food blog has grown into a full-time business. Today, my husband Clayton and I run five food websites that connect with millions of home cooks every month.
When I'm not in the kitchen or behind the camera, I'm using fueling my love of travel, or chasing down new ideas that keep food fun and fresh.
Gioia says
I googled pork tenderloin in instant pot and this pooped up. So glad! Great flavor, tender and juicy. I paired it with calrose rice (made in the rice cooker). I made a little pad of rice, three or 4 medallion of pork then topped it with left over green beans, wax beans, carrots and pan fried potatoes. It was excellent! Sadly, I didn't have green onions but sesame seeds were great. I kept eating the sauce over rice after I was "done" eating, ha. Love the flavor! Thank you. Will now follow you.