Instant Pot Pork Tenderloin with Sweet Potatoes

Name: Instant Pot Pork Tenderloin
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 4 min
Total time: 9 min
Ingredients: 1 1/4 pound pork tenderloin; 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt (divided); 1 teaspoon pepper (divided); 2 teaspoons oil; 1 cup apple cider (or apple juice (NOT APPLE CIDER VINEGAR!!!!) ); 3 large sweet potatoes (peeled and cubed into 1/2 inch cubes); 1 large apple (cubed); 1 large sweet onion (cubed); 3 cloves garlic (peeled)

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This easy, all-in-one instant pot pork tenderloin recipe delivers a perfectly cooked, seasoned pork tenderloin alongside a delicious apple and sweet potato puree.

Sliced pork tenderloin on white platter next to Instant Pot

Pork tenderloin is a lean cut of pork that when cooked with care, results in a buttery, melt-in-your-mouth cut of meat.

But because pork tenderloin is such a delicate cut of meat that can easily overcook, I was hesitant to try cooking it in the Instant Pot. After all, I love my recipes for Baked Pork Tenderloin and Grilled Pork Tenderloin--why mess with perfection?

But after many requests from YOU, I have perfected the timing for cooking pork tenderloin in the Instant Pot and the results are quite spectacular.

Seasoned with garlic and cooked in apple cider, the pork tenderloin absorbs so much flavor, while cooking to the perfect temperature.

And while delicious served as an entree all on its own, I love to cook apples and sweet potatoes along with the pork, which results in a delicious, easy, one-pot meal that everyone loves.

Key Ingredients

Ingredients for Instant Pot Pork Tenderloin labeled on coutner.

Pork Tenderloin: Be sure to use pork tenderloin not pork loin. The typical size of pork tenderloin is between 1.25 and 1.5 pounds.
Apple Cider: Apple cider or apple juice is the perfect cooking liquid for pork tenderloin. It will help to season and sweeten the pork. Just be sure to NOT use apple cider vinegar--vinegar would ruin this meal.
Garlic and Onions: For additional flavor and savoriness to the overall dish.
Sweet Potato and Apple Mash: This is completely optional, but does make for a nice all-in-one meal. Just be sure to use an apple variety that holds up well to cooking like Gala, Honeycrisp, or Granny Smith.

How To Make Instant Pot Pork Tenderloin

Turn the Instant Pot to Saute, add in oil, and let heat for 2-3 minutes.
While the Instant Pot is heating, trim the silverskin if necessary from the pork and season liberally with salt and pepper.
Once the Instant Pot is heated, add the seasoned pork to the inner pot and sear the pork on each side, 2-3 minutes per side, or until just golden.

Remove the pork tenderloin to a plate. Turn the Instant Pot OFF.
Add the apple juice to the inner pot and use a wooden spoon to scrape up any browned bits from the bottom. This will prevent a burn notice.

Scraping up browned bits on bottom of inner pot.

Add the cubed sweet potatoes, apples, and onions to the inner pot, if using.
Nestle the seared pork on top of the potatoes or in the apple juice.

Sweet potatoes and pork tenderlon in the instant pot.

Place the lid on the inner pot and set the cooking time for 3 minutes on high pressure.
Once the cooking time has elapsed, allow the pressure to release for 10 minutes. This will prevent the pork from being tough!

Cooked pork tenderloin in instant pot with cooked sweet potatoes.

Remove the pork tenderloin from the instant pot and place it on a cutting board to rest.
Strain off the apples, sweet potatoes, and onions and place them into a blender or a large mixing bowl and add in ½ cup of the cooking liquid. Mash or blend to desired consistency, adding additional cooking liquid as needed.

pork tenderloin, sliced, on a cutting board

Cooking Frozen Pork Tenderloin

You can prepare frozen pork tenderloin in the Instant Pot. There are just a few things to keep in mind.

You will not be able to sear the pork, so the meat will be a bit more gray and soft after cooking.
You will need to cook the frozen pork tenderloin for 12 minutes on high pressure instead of 3 minutes.
Cut the sweet potatoes and apples into larger (2-inch) chunks to account for the longer cook time.

Recipe FAQs

Can you make this without the sweet potatoes and apples?

Yes! Simply omit the sweet potatoes, onions, and apples from the recipe. Season, sear, and cook the pork tenderloin in apple juice as the recipe states.

Do you have to mash up the apples and sweet potatoes?

No. You can serve sweet potatoes, apples, and onions on the side of the pork tenderloin. I just find that the mash is more kid-friendly.

What temperature is the pork tenderloin when cooked this way?

Pork tenderloin is a very lean cut of meat and therefore only needs to be cooked in a couple of minutes. Cooking longer than the suggested times will result in an overcooked piece of meat that will likely be dry and tough. This method for cooking pork tenderloin at 3 minutes on high pressure will result in pork tenderloin at 150-155 degrees--which in my book is perfect. The pork tenderloin will be juicy, and slightly pink, but warm all the way through.

Is it necessary to sear the pork tenderloin?

Searing meat seals in the juices of the meat and gives the meat a bit of texture. It is not a necessary step, but it will elevate the flavor of the pork tenderloin, significantly. If you opt to skip searing the pork, cook for 4 minutes under high pressure.

Can this recipe be doubled?

YES! If you would like to prepare 2 pork tenderloins instead of just 1, simply sear both tenderloins in batches and cook on high pressure for 3 minutes as instructed. If you would like to double the sweet potato and apple mixture, reduce the cooking time to 2 minutes to account for the extra time it will take for the Instant Pot to come to pressure.

More Instant Pot Pork Recipes

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This recipe was originally published in 2018 but was updated in 2021 with step-by-step process shots.