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This creamy balsamic pork tenderloin recipe is a comforting meal that’s ready in 25 minutes! Tender pork is coated in an irresistible balsamic portobello mushroom sauce.
For something without mushrooms, try my Creamy Pork Tenderloin Medallions or Creamy Brandy Apple Pork Tenderloin instead.
Why you’ll love it
If you’ve never cooked with balsamic vinegar before, it creates a bit of magic in sauces! It actually mellows out and gently sweetens in the sauce. This easy pork tenderloin recipe was originally posted in 2016, and it’s one of my favorite ways to cook pork.
The melt-in-your mouth, juicy pork tenderloin medallions are smothered with a rich and creamy sauce that’s overflowing with portobello mushrooms. It’s simple, uses only a handful of everyday ingredients, and is a fantastic way to dress up pork for a cozy weeknight meal.
What you’ll need
- Pork tenderloin – this cut of meat is extra lean and cooks fast. Note that it cannot be swapped with pork loin.
- Garlic powder – along with salt & pepper, it infuses flavor right into the meat
- Flour – for dredging and getting a nice crust
- Butter and olive oil – for pan frying and getting that great sear
- Portobello mushrooms – I use baby bellas
- Chicken broth – the savory base of the sauce
- Balsamic vinegar – the star of the sauce. It mellows out and gives that sweeter, caramelized signature taste!
- Italian seasoning – it’s a blend of delicious dried herbs in a single jar
- Heavy cream – to add a touch of luxuriousness
Helpful tips
- A pork tenderloin that’s a bit more or a bit less than a pound in weight will be just fine for this recipe. Just be sure not to buy a pork loin.
- Overcooked shoe leather pork is no fun, so don’t cook it for much longer than it needs. Pink pork is perfectly safe to eat (mind you, your pork isn’t likely to be pink using my suggested cooking times below). Use an instant read meat thermometer if you’re unsure (pork is safe at 145F).
How to make balsamic pork tenderloin
This is an overview with step-by-step photos. Full ingredients & instructions are in the recipe card below.
Cut the pork into medallions. Season them with salt & pepper and the garlic powder, then dredge in flour. Heat up the oil and half the butter in a skillet. Sear the pork, then transfer to a plate. Add the remaining butter and the mushrooms.
Sauté for about 5 minutes, stirring frequently. Add in the broth, vinegar, and Italian seasoning, letting it bubble for a couple of minutes. Pour in the cream, and return the pork to the pan. Let it simmer until the meat is cooked through. Season with salt & pepper as needed.
Tools for this recipe
Check out Natasha’s favorite kitchen essentials, gadgets, and cookware!
- This is the cast iron skillet I used for this recipe.
- A sharp chef’s knife is a must-have for any home cook.
- This is my favorite cutting board that I used for slicing the mushrooms.
Substitutions and variations
- Add a few cloves of garlic when sautéing the mushrooms if you want it extra garlicky.
- For an elegant touch, you could replace the chicken broth with dry white wine or half the broth (1/4 cup) with brandy.
- I strongly recommend not substituting the cream for something lower fat. The vinegar could curdle it, and the sauce will end up thinner.
- It’s just fine to change up the variety of mushrooms for another kind.
What to serve with creamy pork tenderloin
- The creamy balsamic sauce is perfect with Mashed Potatoes. Rice like my Stick of Butter Rice or egg noodles also go well, as do Green Beans or Easy Roasted Cauliflower.
- For a salad pairing, try spring mix with my Creamy Balsamic Dressing. You could also go all out and make a Caesar Salad and some Garlic Bread.
Leftovers and storage
- Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days.
- Reheat in a saucepan over a low heat until warmed through, slowly so that it doesn’t overcook.
- I wouldn’t recommend freezing this one.
If you made this pork tenderloin in a creamy balsamic sauce, leave a star rating and review below! Ask any questions you may have. You can also find me on Instagram.
Creamy Balsamic Pork Tenderloin
Ingredients
- 1 pound pork tenderloin
- Salt & pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
- Flour for dredging
- 2 tablespoons butter divided
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 12 ounces portobello mushrooms sliced (I used baby bellas)
- 1/2 cup chicken broth
- 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
- 1/4 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 1 cup heavy/whipping cream
Instructions
- Cut the pork into 1" medallions. Sprinkle them with salt & pepper and the garlic powder on both sides and coat each piece in flour.
- Add 1 tablespoon of the butter and the olive oil to a skillet over medium-high heat. Add the pork to the skillet once it's hot and cook for 3-4 minutes/side, then transfer to a plate.
- Add the remaining tablespoon of butter and the mushrooms to the pan. Sauté for about 5 minutes, stirring often.
- Add the chicken broth, balsamic vinegar, and Italian seasoning to the pan. Let it bubble for 2 minutes.
- Add in the cream and return the pork to the skillet. Reduce heat to medium and let the sauce simmer for another 5 minutes or until it thickens up a bit and the pork is fully cooked. Season with extra salt & pepper if needed.
Notes
- You can replace half or all of the chicken broth with dry white wine if desired.
- This recipe also appears on page 89 of the Salt & Lavender: Everyday Essentials hardcover cookbook.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
© Salt & Lavender Inc. Content and photographs are copyrighted. Sharing this blog post is much appreciated, but copying and pasting full recipes without authorization to social media is strictly prohibited.
This recipe was originally published on June 22, 2016. It’s been updated with new photos and better instructions but is the same great recipe!
Super Yummy!!
Didn’t have any cream, so just used sour cream and milk. I will make it again for sure, we all loved it.
Fantastic!!
Made this dish with some minor modifications. I pan fried the meat and the mushrooms as per recipe, except that I added some onions and garlic to it. Then made plenty of sauce separately with butter, flour, veggie broth and cream. Added some spices as well as some balsamic vinegar. Then added the meat and mushrooms back to the sauce. Turned out great, the meat was tender and the mushrooms added some interest. We served it with potato dumplings and cooked white cabbage. Will definitely make again!
I’m glad you enjoyed it and were able to modify it to your liking, Dietrich!
I’ve made this and it’s divine!!! It’s now a family favourite, so easy and delicious
Fantastic!! Thanks for letting me know, Hailey!
This dish is absolutely amazing, one of my new favorites! I followed the recipe almost exactly – simple and fairly quick. I added an additional dash of balsamic on mine since I’m a balsamic fien but my boyfriend thought the amount of balsamic in the recipe was perfect as is – personal preference. Definitely give this recipe a shot!
Thank you! I’m so pleased you enjoyed it! 🙂
Amazing flavours, I added orange, red and yellow peppers with the mushrooms and used creme fraiche instead of cream. I didn’t have and italian seasoning so made up my own. Served with mash and broccoli, the end result was wonderful, my husband (and me) went back for more. Will certainly be doing this one again. Thank you.
Thank you! Your additions sound delish!!
This recipe was spot on and the pork was perfectly cooked following the directions. Served with rice. Just as good the next day for lunch leftovers. Delicious!
Wonderful!! So glad you enjoyed it, Vicki! 🙂
So yummy! Had it with roasted asparagus and mashed potatoes. My husband loved it! Enough leftovers for tomorrow’s lunch
Excellent!! So glad you two enjoyed it. 🙂
This was heavenly…. thanks for sharing the recipe. I think it should be made at Easter.. lol I had it with mashed potatoes & brussel sprouts… so very good…. & my son said it was addictive.
You’re very welcome!! 🙂 So happy you guys enjoyed it.
Such a good comfort food! It’s always hard to find different pork loin recipes and this was perfect. I made with the salt and lavender balsamic broccolini and mashed potatoes.
Awesome!! I’m so glad you liked it! 🙂
Pretty good! I didn’t follow the recipe exactly. I only had 2 lbs. tenderloin instead of 4, and I only used half of the balsamic vinegar. The recipe was still good despite this. The sauce was watery, but I imagine it wouldn’t be with more pork(?) Eight tablespoons of balsamic seemed like a lot, so I cut it in half. However, I will use all 8 next time, as I could barely taste it. I notice you corrected the 8 tablespoons of butter, which is what the recipe I printed called for (thank you). I will definitely try this again as it was easy and had a nice flavor.
Hi Shelly! I’m very confused. Not sure where you’re getting 8 tablespoons of butter and 8 tablespoons of balsamic from? I tried changing the servings in the print screen, and for those quantities it’s quadrupling the recipe (16 servings). Aside from increasing the recipe that dramatically, I can’t seem to replicate these quantities that you’re seeing. The original recipe calls for 1 pound of pork (and 2 tablespoons butter and 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar), so I am not sure what exactly you were looking at. I didn’t update the recipe/correct anything. I hope you see this message so you can hopefully clarify. 🙂