Spice-Crusted Pork Tenderloin

Photo: Scott Phillips

This easy pork tenderloin roast is a stress-free Sunday dinner favorite. It features a crunchy, flavorful spiced breadcrumb crust and is delicious served with a little tangy chutney on the side.

4 tsp. extra-virgin olive oil; more as needed for the baking sheet
1/4 cup plain low-fat or whole-milk yogurt
1 tsp. Dijon mustard
2 cloves garlic, minced
3/4 tsp. kosher salt
Fresh coarsely ground black pepper
Two 1-1/2-lb. pork tenderloins, trimmed
3/4 cup fresh breadcrumbs (from a baguette or other white artisan-style bread)
1-1/2 tsp. mustard seeds
1-1/2 tsp. coriander seeds
1-1/2 tsp. cumin seeds
1-1/2 tsp. sesame seeds

Position a rack in the center of the oven and heat the oven to 450°F. Lightly oil a heavy-duty rimmed baking sheet.

In a small bowl, stir together 2 tsp. of the olive oil and the yogurt, mustard, garlic, salt, and several grinds of pepper. Spread this mixture over the entire surface of the tenderloins with your hands or a rubber spatula.

In a shallow baking dish, combine the breadcrumbs and the mustard, coriander, cumin, and sesame seeds. Roll the tenderloins in the breadcrumb mixture, patting so that the crumbs and spices adhere to the meat. Put the tenderloins on the baking sheet, gather up any remaining crumbs and spices, and pat them onto the top of the pork. Drizzle the remaining 2 tsp. olive oil over the top.

Roast the tenderloins for 10 minutes and then lower the oven temperature to 325°F. Continue roasting until an instant-read thermometer inserted in the center of each tenderloin reads 140°F, 25 to 30 minutes longer. Transfer the pork to a carving board and let it rest for 10 minutes before carving it into 1/2-inch-thick slices. Be sure to serve all the crumb coating that falls off during carving.


make ahead tips:

The pork can be slathered with the yogurt mixture and refrigerated for up to 4 hours before roasting.

serving suggestions:

The rather lean pork tenderloins deserve something a bit rich and creamy alongside, such as risotto, buttery mashed potatoes, a creamy gratin, or puréed winter squash.