Air Fryer Pork Tenderloin Recipe - Enjoy Juicy Pork in 25 Minutes!

Name: Air Fryer Pork Tenderloin
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 25 min
Ingredients: 1.5 pounds pork tenderloin; 2 cloves garlic (minced 2 teaspoons minced); 2 tablespoons olive oil; 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning (homemade or your favorite blend); 1 teaspoon lemon juice; ¼ teaspoon sea salt (or more/less, to taste); ¼ teaspoon black pepper (or more/less, to taste)

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This air fryer pork tenderloin recipe will forever change your weeknight dinner routine! With only 25 minutes for prepping and cooking, it’s quick enough to make, even on the busiest of days. The Italian-seasoned pork is juicy and delicious!

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Close up of cooked air fryer pork tenderloin plated and served with roasted broccoli florets.

Why this recipe will be a favorite

Pork tenderloin is a fantastic cut of lean meat. It’s very low in fat, mild in flavor, and budget friendly. It also cooks quickly, making it perfect for busy weeknights!

Even though oven roasted pork tenderloin is wonderful, air frying is a faster solution to making it juicy and moist every single time.

Because the air fryer cooks food using convection, it cooks pork tenderloin evenly and gently, without drying out the meat.

Free Air Fryer Cook Time Printable

Learn how to cook anything in your air fryer with our free cook time chart!

If you don’t already have one, grab my printable Air Fryer Cook Times Chart.

The flavors in this air fryer pork tenderloin come from homemade Italian seasoning, and honestly, it smells just as good as it tastes.

Happy Kitchen Secrets

Here are my important mom-tested cooking tips for making air fryer pork tenderloin! I tested this recipe countless times to save you from a failed attempt.

Be sure to dry off the meat before adding the seasoning. If the tenderloin is wet with juices, you’ll have a hard time getting the Italian seasoning to stick.
The tenderloin may not fit perfectly in the basket. Don’t be afraid to bend the meat a little so it fits inside of the air fryer basket, or cut it in half if you need to.
Be sure to use a meat thermometer to take the internal temp of the pork. To be safe to eat, pork needs to reach 145°F.
For the juiciest pork, let the meat rest for 5 minutes before slicing and serving.

Ingredient Notes

You only need a few simple seasonings (and the meat, of course) to make pork tenderloin in the air fryer.

Labeled recipe ingredients laid out on a white cutting board: pork tenderloin, olive oil, garlic cloves, Italian seasoning, and lemon slices.

Pork Tenderloin. Pork tenderloin is a long, lean cut of pork, perfect for quick cooking! Important note: It is a different, much smaller and leaner cut of meat than pork loin. They require different cooking methods and times, so do not substitute one for the other.
Garlic. Nothing brings more flavor to the party than garlic! You can use as much or as little as you like in this recipe to customize for your personal tastes. I always keep frozen garlic on hand to cut down on prep work.
Italian Seasoning Blend: This is a beautiful blend of herbs and spices, made with basil, oregano, rosemary, parsley, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and pepper. You can use the my homemade Italian seasoning or substitute your favorite store bought mix.

Quick Tip

Pork tenderloin is almost always sold in packages of two. If you would like to air fry both of them, double the amount of oil and seasonings, and air fry them separately.

How to Make Pork Tenderloin in the Air Fryer

Whether you’re new to cooking with the air fryer or a seasoned pro, you’ll want to follow the steps to totally nail this pork tenderloin recipe. Here’s how to do it!

This is a summary of the steps involved. Scroll down to the recipe card for the full step by step instructions! ⬇️

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Before you start, preheat the air fryer. This usually takes a few minutes, depending on your air fryer. If your model doesn’t have a preheat setting, just set it to 350°F. about 10 minutes before you want to start air frying.

While it’s heating, mince the garlic and pat the pork tenderloin dry with a few paper towels.

One pork tenderloin coated with oil and Italian seasonings on a gray platter.

Uncooked and seasoned pork tenderloin in air fryer basket.

Season the pork. Just stir together the oil and seasonings in a small bowl. Then, use your hands or a basting brush to cover all sides of the pork tenderloin.

Set the pork tenderloin in air fryer basket. Depending on the size, you may need to bend it a bit to fit in the basket. If you need to cut it in half, that’s fine.

A perfectly cooked pork tenderloin in air fryer basket.

Air fry for 20 minutes, then check the internal temperature with a meat thermometer. Pork tenderloin is safe to eat when the internal temperature reaches 145°F. at the thickest portion of the meat.

Transfer pork tenderloin from air fryer to a cutting board. Let it rest for 5 minutes so the juices inside can redistribute.

Slice and serve. That’s it! You’ve got a fabulous, crowd pleasing pork dinner ready to go, and almost no dishes to wash. Double win!

Slices of Italian pork tenderloin on a wooden cutting board with a chef’s knife beside it.

Air Fryer Pork Tenderloin FAQs

Is it safe to eat pink pork?

Yes, pink colored pork is safe to eat. Despite the marketing campaign telling you otherwise, pork is actually a red meat, so it’s perfectly normal for the pork to appear a little pink on the inside. In fact, it usually means the pork will be juicy and tender!

Remember to always use a meat thermometer to check that the internal temperature of cooked pork has reached at least 145 degrees Fahrenheit.

How do I store cooked pork tenderloin?

Cool any leftover pork tenderloin to room temperature, then refrigerate it in an airtight container or on a plate covered tightly with plastic wrap or foil. Reheat and serve it again within 4 days.

Close-up of pork tenderloin, sliced and seasoned on a wooden cutting board, highlighting the cooked exterior and slightly pink interior.

Serving Suggestions

Pork tenderloin tastes great with almost any seasonal vegetables and/or grains.

For a vegetable side, I suggest making air fryer garlic mushrooms, oven roasted broccoli, or air fryer zucchini.

Grain side dishes like roasted potatoes, air fryer sweet potatoes, and air fryer frozen French fries are all delicious with pork.

Do you plan to make this recipe?

I’d love to hear about your experience after you make it! Please leave a comment and rating below!

Close up of sliced pork tenderloin on a white plate with roasted broccoli.

Air Fryer Pork Tenderloin

Total Time 25

Air fryer pork tenderloin is a weeknight game changer! Ready in just 25 minutes, the Italian seasoned pork comes out tender, juicy, and seriously delicious.

4.91 from 10 votes

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Prep Time: 5

Cook Time: 20

Total Time: 25

Servings: 4 servings

Author: Laura Miner

Equipment

Air Fryer

Ingredients

▢ 1.5 pounds pork tenderloin
▢ 2 cloves garlic minced 2 teaspoons minced
▢ 2 tablespoons olive oil
▢ 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning homemade or your favorite blend
▢ 1 teaspoon lemon juice
▢ ¼ teaspoon sea salt or more/less, to taste
▢ ¼ teaspoon black pepper or more/less, to taste

Video

Instructions

Set the air fryer to preheat at 400℉ (204℃). *If your air fryer doesn't have a preheat function, just turn it on and set it at 400℉ about 10 minutes before you want to use it.
Meanwhile, mince the garlic and add it to a small bowl with olive oil, Italian seasoning, lemon juice, salt and pepper. Stir to combine.
Use a few paper towels to pat the pork tenderloin dry. Use your hands or a basting brush to apply the seasoning to all sides and ends of the pork tenderloin.
Transfer the pork to the air fryer basket, bending it slightly, or even cutting it in half if necessary to make it fit. Air should be able to circulate around the pork on all sides.
Close the basket and air fry pork tenderloin for 20 minutes. Open the basket and use a meat thermometer to take the internal temperature at the thickest part of the tenderloin.
When the internal temp reaches 145℉ (63℃), use tongs to transfer the pork from the air fryer to a cutting board.
Let the meat rest for at least 5 minutes (so the juices can redistribute) before slicing and serving.

Notes

Pork tenderloin is almost always sold in packages of two. If you would like to cook both of them, double the amount of oil and seasonings.

To store leftovers: Cool any leftover pork tenderloin to room temp, then refrigerate in an airtight container or on a plate wrapped tightly with foil or plastic wrap. Reheat and serve again within 4 days, according to USDA.