Honey Balsamic Pork Tenderloin (Printable)

Succulent pork tenderloin glazed with honey and balsamic, roasted with vibrant rainbow carrots for a colorful meal.

# What You Need:

→ Pork

01 - 1.5 lbs pork tenderloin, trimmed
02 - 1 tablespoon olive oil
03 - 1 teaspoon kosher salt
04 - 0.5 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

→ Glaze

05 - 3 tablespoons honey
06 - 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
07 - 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
08 - 2 garlic cloves, minced
09 - 1 teaspoon dried thyme or 1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves

→ Vegetables

10 - 1 lb rainbow carrots, peeled and halved lengthwise
11 - 1 tablespoon olive oil
12 - 0.5 teaspoon kosher salt
13 - 0.25 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

# How-To:

01 - Preheat oven to 425°F. Line a large rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper or foil. Place rainbow carrots on prepared sheet, drizzle with 1 tablespoon olive oil, sprinkle with 0.5 teaspoon salt and 0.25 teaspoon pepper, toss to coat. Arrange carrots in single layer along pan sides, leaving center space for pork.
02 - Pat pork tenderloin dry with paper towels. Rub all over with 1 tablespoon olive oil, 1 teaspoon salt, and 0.5 teaspoon black pepper. Place pork in center of baking sheet.
03 - In small bowl, whisk together honey, balsamic vinegar, Dijon mustard, minced garlic, and thyme. Brush half of glaze over pork tenderloin.
04 - Roast for 15 minutes. Remove pan from oven and brush remaining glaze over pork.
05 - Return to oven and roast for additional 10 to 15 minutes, or until pork reaches internal temperature of 145°F and carrots are tender and caramelized.
06 - Transfer pork to cutting board and let rest for 5 minutes before slicing. Serve with roasted carrots and pan juices.

# Expert Hacks:

01 -
  • It's genuinely a one-pan dinner, which means your cleanup is measured in minutes, not the better part of an evening.
  • The glaze tastes like you fussed over this for hours when it actually comes together faster than you'd believe.
  • Those rainbow carrots get caramelized and tender, making even vegetable skeptics go back for seconds.
02 -
  • Check the pork temperature with a meat thermometer at the thickest part; 145°F is the sweet spot where it's cooked through but still has a hint of blush inside and stays tender.
  • Don't skip the resting period—I learned this the hard way when I sliced into a tenderloin straight out of the oven and all the juices ran onto the board instead of staying in the meat.
03 -
  • Bring the pork to room temperature for 10 minutes before cooking so it cooks evenly and stays more tender throughout.
  • If your balsamic vinegar is particularly thick and syrupy, thin it with a splash of water so the glaze brushes on smoothly instead of clumping up.
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