Juicy, spicy, and sweet, this baked Whole30 Pork Tenderloin is perfect for a weeknight meal. It's coated in a chili spice blend and served with sweet and spicy pineapple salsa. Serve with your favorite grilled veggies for a complete meal.

pork tenderloin on a white plate with chopped pineapple on top

For most of my life, I wasn't a fan of pork. Tacos al pastor, carnitas, and bacon are the exception, of course! Pork chops, tenderloins, they were all so dry and flavorless. I also thought you cooked pork like chicken - internal temp of 165 and no pink. I'd cook every ounce of moisture out of it, and thought that pork was just dry and flavorless.

It wasn't until I had a properly cooked pork chop that I realized it wasn't the pork - it was me! We started cooking my pork chops and tenderloins to 145 degrees, and now, I enjoy having pork.

Pork Tenderloin vs Loin

The tenderloin is a small tender piece of muscle that runs down the back of the pig. The loin is a larger/fatter piece located along the back. The loin can be boneless or bone-in and come as one large piece of meat or sliced into pork chops.

Tenderloins are great for quick/fast cooking. The loin does not require low and slow cooking like other parts of the pig, but due to the thickens, the cooking time is higher than the tenderloin. The loin also has additional fat that helps keep the meat from drying out as much as the tenderloin. The tenderloin can become dry if overcooked.

The tenderloin works great for this recipe because it cooks fast, but the loin or pork chops would work too. It's completely up to you 🙂

How to cook a Pork Tenderloin in the Oven

Pork is versatile, and you can add any spices or flavoring to create an entirely different dish in a short amount of time. For this recipe, I used a rub made with chili powder and smoked paprika. I liked the contrast of smoky and sweet with the pineapple salsa.

marinated pork tenderloin with jar of The Traveling Spice Co Chili Seasoning on a table

Ingredients needed for the Whole30 Pork Tenderloin:

Pork Tenderloin {Pork chops or loin will work as well, but the cooking times will vary}
Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Chili Spice Blend or Chili Rub in the notes below

Place the pork in a Ziploc bag or large bowl. Lightly coat the pork with olive oil and the spice blend and rub the spices into the meat, coating all sides. Set the meat aside and preheat the oven to 400 degrees.

raw pork tenderloin seasoned with chili rub.

Once the oven has preheated, place the pork on a baking pan, and cook for 25 minutes or until the meat is 145 degrees. I highly recommend using a meat thermometer to check the internal temperature to ensure you do not overcook the meat. They're very inexpensive and so helpful in the kitchen!

Once the meat reaches 145 degrees, remove it from the oven and allow to rest for 5 minutes. Slice and serve with the spicy pineapple salsa, a side salad or veggies, or rice.

cooked pork tenderloin with chili spice rub

Spicy Pineapple Salsa

The combination of sweet and spicy is my favorite, but you can add as much or as little jalapeno as you like. I always recommend starting with a small amount and increasing. It's harder to remove spice from a dish than to add it.

Ingredients needed for Pineapple Salsa:

Fresh or Canned Pineapple - Diced
Jalapeno - Chopped {remove the seeds and ribs if you do not like a lot of spice in your food}
Red Onion - Chopped
Lime Juice
Garlic - Minced or powder
Salt and Pepper {I used our Basic Seasoning - a mix of sea salt, pepper, and garlic}

Mix all the ingredients above. Season with salt and pepper to your taste and serve over the pork. This salsa is Whole30/Paleo and is also great on tacos, poke bowls, or served with chips.

a white bowl full of chopped pineapple, onions, and jalapenos

Make-Ahead and Storage

The meat can be seasoned and left in the refrigerator overnight, and the salsa can be made several days in advance. Leftovers should be stored in an airtight container, in the fridge, for 4-5 days.

When reheating the tenderloin, only heat what you plan to eat for that meal as the meat will start to dry out when reheated.

pineapple salsa over a cooked pork tenderloin on a white plate

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