Juicy, tender Mediterranean Stuffed Pork Tenderloin covered in a tangy Balsamic and Rosemary sauce.
Poor pork tenderloin. Can you imagine living under the shadow of bacon your whole life? Talk about feeling like the ugly duckling. While bacon has entire websites and Facebook pages dedicated to celebrating its goodness, pork tenderloin has faced a myriad of insults–too dry, too tough, too flavorless.
Guys? Pork tenderloin deserves better. So today I’m joining the Ohio Pork Council to raise awareness about pork loin bullying and educate individuals on how to treat them right.
Here’s the deal. That whole dry, tough, flavorless stuff? It’s not the pork’s fault. Pork was never meant to be cooked to the dull, gray, lifeless color we’ve subjected it to for years. Instead, pork shines brightest when it’s cooked to 145 degrees and left with a gorgeous rosy blush of pink.
When cooked to the right temperature, pork loin takes center stage. It shoves bacon to the side and steps into the role it was destined to play: Stunning dinner party entree, Easter main course, or easy weeknight family meal.
This Mediterranean Stuffed Pork Loin packs a BIG flavor punch. Spinach, feta, garlic, and sundried tomatoes provide a creamy, tangy, subtly sweet center, while balsamic vinegar, lemon zest, rosemary, and oregano lend fresh flavor to the exterior of the pork.
And the pork itself? It’s outrageously tender and juicy. The perfect canvas for all the flavors of the Mediterranean.
There are a few ways to stuff pork loin, but I find the easiest one is to simply slice it in half, spread the filling down the center, then fold it over. You can ask your butcher for some butcher string to tie it up, but I’ve cooked it without the string and it turned out fine that way as well.
If you haven’t picked up a meat thermometer yet, I highly recommend adding it to your wish list. It makes all the difference in cooking juicy pork, exactly medium steaks, and even the perfect Thanksgiving turkey.
Every oven and cut of meat is different, so a thermometer is the most reliable, consistent tool you have to cook your meats. And remember, you can always place a piece of meat back in the oven or the skillet, but you can never bring it back from it’s gray, lifeless grave!
This month the Ohio Hog Farmers are celebrating the donation of over 1,000,000 (that’s 1 million) pork meals to the Ohio Association of Foodbanks. That means more families are getting to enjoy the goodness of juicy pink pork, and they want you to experience it too!
Now through April 20th you can enter the Pin for Pork Contest where you have a chance to win $500 in groceries! (That’s a lot of pork!) We can all use a little extra help on the grocery bill here and there, so head on over to the contest page to enter!
To find out more about the Ohio Hog Farmers, you can like their Facebook page where they post recipes using all your favorite pork products (yes, there’s bacon. Lots of bacon).
I hope you’ll give pork a starring role at your next family gathering and help spread the word about #PinkPork. Together, we can stop pork bullying and be on our way to a juicier, more flavorful future!
This post is sponsored by the Ohio Pork Council and Ohio Soybean Council. As always, all opinions are 100% my own.
Mediterranean Stuffed Balsamic and Herb Pork Loin #PinkPork
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 lb. pork tenderloin
For the filling
- 1 teaspoon olive oil
- 3 garlic cloves
- Pinch red pepper flakes
- 5 cups packed baby spinach
- Pinch salt
- 1/2 a 7 ounce container sundried tomatoes packed in oil (About 6 tomato pieces), chopped
- 3 ounces feta cheese
For the coating
- 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
- 2 Tablespoons olive oil
- 2 teaspoons dijon mustard
- 1 Tablespoon rosemary, chopped
- 1 Tablespoon oregano, chopped
- 1 teaspoon lemon zest
- 3 cloves garlic, grated
- 1 heaping teaspoon Kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
Directions
- Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.
- For the filling:
- Heat the oil in a small skillet over medium heat. Add the pepper flakes and grate the 3 cloves of garlic into the oil. Saute until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add the spinach and allow it to wilt, about 2-3 minutes. Sprinkle lightly with salt then remove the mixture from heat. Place the spinach mixture in a paper towel and squeeze gently (be careful, it's hot!) to release any excess moisture. Place the spinach in a small bowl and stir in chopped tomatoes and feta cheese. Set aside.
For the topping:
- Combine balsamic, oil, mustard, herbs, lemon zest, garlic, salt, and pepper in a small bowl and whisk until smooth. Set aside.
To assemble:
- Slice the tenderloin down the middle lengthwise, leaving just about a ½ inch intact on one side. Open the top half and lay it flat. Spread the spinach mixture evenly down the center of the loin. Fold the top half back in place and use butcher's string to tie it together in 3-4 places. Place the pork loin in a roasting pan then smear all sides with the topping.
- Roast the loin for 15 minutes, then reduce heat to 375 degrees and roast an additional 20-30 minutes or until a thermometer inserted in the thickest part of the loin reads at least 145 degrees. Allow the pork to rest for 10 minutes before slicing and serving.
Thanks for cooking with me today!
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Recipe by Neighborfood
Jennifer Osterholt says
I love your comments about tenderloin. It is so amazing, yet spends so much time in the shadows of bacon. That’s a good one 🙂 Thanks for participating!
Courtney @ Neighborfood says
Definitely! It’s time to give tenderloin the love it deserves. 🙂
bellalimento says
Holy cow does that look good!
littleredkitchen says
I need to pick up a pork loin! All these recipes going round is making me want one and I love the filling you used.
Courtney @ Neighborfood says
They’re so great! I’m definitely going to be making them more often too. I can’t wait to try one on the grill.
Nutmeg Nanny says
I’m loving this loin! That filling is totally calling my name! 🙂
Kim Beaulieu says
I love pork, and tenderloin is such a great cut. I had to giggle over the grave thing, it’s so true. People over-cook it so much. I must try this. And soon.
Joanne (eats well with others) says
Back when I still ate meat, I spent a lot of time trying to convince my family that pink pork was okay! ::Sigh:: It’s an uphill battle. I love your stuffing though, and appreciate that you cooked this to perfection!
Courtney @ Neighborfood says
It totally is. I even took some convincing myself, but I’ll never go back now. Pink pork is just so much better!
Taking On Magazines says
Hokey smokes, that looks delicious. I love, love, love pork tenderloin. Truth be told, I cook a lot more pork than I do bacon. I definitely need to add your stuffed loin to my to-cook list.
Courtney @ Neighborfood says
Good for you! I definitely need to start cooking more tenderloin! It’s so flavorful and good for you too!
Lora CakeDuchess says
Fabulous pork loin, Courtney! Such an elegant dinner idea and love the filling!!
dineanddish says
You totally nailed this recipe… wow. And yes to getting the word out about the true color of pork! Thanks so much for sharing and for participating in this campaign!!
Courtney @ Neighborfood says
Thanks Kristen! I loved being a part. It was so much fun to experiment with the filling for the pork.
Liz Della Croce says
Drooling over this!!!! Gorgeous photo – love the lemon. 😉
Courtney @ Neighborfood says
Thanks Liz! I thought you might like the lemon. 🙂
Elizabeth says
Hi, if I’m making two of these would I need to increase the cook time?
Courtney @ Neighborfood says
You shouldn’t need to by much, maybe just a few minutes, especially if you put them in separate pans.
Jaimie says
I have this in my oven right now. This’ll be my forth time making it. I LOVE this recipe, and so does everyone I serve it to. Thanks for sharing!
Courtney @ Neighborfood says
This comment made my day! I’m so glad you enjoy it! Thanks for taking time to let me know!!
amateurchefuk says
This recipe looks incredible!!
I love both sun dried tomatoes and spinach so can image this tastes incredible
Margaret Mills says
Courtney, you’ll be happy to know your pork legacy lives on! I’m making a stuffed tenderloin tonight (I’m a first timer). I googled to find the perfect recipe and yours fits the bill perfectly!
Thank you so much for sharing 🙂 MM
Courtney says
Yay! That makes me very happy! I hope you loved the pork loin!
Jane says
Anxious to make this for my dinner club…any suggestions for sides?
Courtney says
Hi Jane,
I think this Tabbouleh Salad would be wonderful- https://neighborfoodblog.com/2014/07/tabbouleh-salad.html. You could also serve pita and hummus as a side or appetizer. But if you want to go more traditional, you can’t go wrong with mashed potatoes!
Caela says
Great recipe and had to prepare at last minute so changed a few things…spread cream cheese on pork, no sundried tomatoes or spinach so sauteed mushrooms, onions, garlic, fresh cherry tomatoes from garden and mixed baby greens. Used the Feta…a bit more 🙂 Added some white Sauvignon Blancc to the balsamic. This was sooooo good! Thank you.
Courtney says
More feta is never a bad thing! So glad this worked out for you!
Kris says
I made this tonight. It’s delicious. Honestly, I didn’t measure all the ingredients. Served with a simple salad.
Thanks for the recipe! I think it’s the first time I cooked a pork loin that wasn’t dry and/or blah.