Easy & Flavorful Pork Tenderloin Medallions: A Quick & Elegant Weeknight Dinner

Craving a restaurant-quality meal without the fuss or the hefty price tag? These pan-seared Pork Tenderloin Medallions are your answer! Incredibly quick to prepare – ready in about 15 minutes – they deliver exceptional tenderness and a burst of savory flavor that rivals a fancy steakhouse experience. This recipe transforms a humble cut of pork into a truly elegant dish, perfect for a busy weeknight or an impressive dinner party.

Pork tenderloin is often dubbed the “filet mignon of pork” for a reason. It’s an exceptionally lean and tender cut, offering a melt-in-your-mouth texture similar to its beef counterpart, but at a fraction of the cost. Imagine getting four tenderloins for around $15 at a big-box store, compared to over $100 for beef tenderloins. Its naturally small size means it cooks rapidly, making it an ideal choice when you need a speedy yet satisfying meal. By slicing it into medallions, you create uniform, bite-sized pieces that sear beautifully and absorb flavors wonderfully, giving a distinctly gourmet feel to your plate.

Why You’ll Love This Easy Pork Medallions Recipe

• Lightning Fast: From prep to plate in under 20 minutes, making it perfect for busy evenings.
• Economical & Elegant: Enjoy a dish that feels luxurious without breaking the bank. Pork tenderloin is a budget-friendly alternative to premium beef cuts.
• Incredibly Tender: When cooked correctly, pork tenderloin medallions are supremely juicy and tender.
• Simple Ingredients: You likely have most of the seasonings and pantry staples already on hand.
• Versatile: Pairs beautifully with a wide array of side dishes, from mashed potatoes to roasted vegetables.
• Gourmet Pan Sauce: A simple wine and butter pan sauce elevates the dish, adding depth and richness.

Essential Ingredients for Tender Pork Medallions

One of the beauties of this recipe is its reliance on readily available ingredients that pack a punch. While you might find pre-cut pork tenderloin medallions at a specialty butcher, it’s incredibly easy to prepare them at home. I typically purchase a pack of two pork tenderloins, each weighing about a pound. From each tenderloin, you can usually get 5-6 uniform medallions plus a smaller tail end. I recommend serving 2-3 pieces per person, so cooking two loins at once is perfect for a family meal.

Beyond the pork, you’ll need a good quality fat for searing, such as extra virgin olive oil, and a selection of seasonings to build a flavorful crust. My go-to blend includes Kosher salt, fresh cracked black pepper, sweet smoked paprika for a hint of warmth and color, and my absolute favorite: roasted garlic powder for a deep, aromatic base. These spices are mixed into a simple rub and dusted generously over the meat. For an extra touch of elegance and flavor, white wine and unsalted butter are used to create a quick, luscious pan sauce after the medallions are seared. While optional, this pan sauce truly takes the dish to the next level.

For precise ingredient measurements and detailed step-by-step instructions, please use the JUMP TO RECIPE button at the top of this post, or scroll down to the bottom for the full recipe card.

How to Master Pork Tenderloin Medallions: Step-by-Step

Creating these tender pork medallions is a straightforward process, focusing on proper searing to lock in juices and develop a rich crust. Here’s how to achieve perfection:

1. Prepare Your Pork Medallions

Begin by cutting your pork tenderloins into uniform 2 to 2 ½ inch thick medallions. Consistency is key here, as it ensures even cooking. Pat them dry with paper towels to promote a better sear. In a small bowl, combine your chosen seasonings – salt, pepper, paprika, and roasted garlic powder. Sprinkle this mixture generously over the cut medallions, then gently toss them to ensure every side is evenly coated with the flavorful rub.

2. Achieve a Perfect Sear

Heat a large, heavy-bottomed skillet, preferably cast iron, over medium-high heat. Add your olive oil and allow it to get very hot – you might even see it just starting to smoke. Carefully place the seasoned medallions into the hot skillet, ensuring not to overcrowd the pan. Cook them for 6-8 minutes on the first side, undisturbed, until a deep, dark brown crust forms. This crust, known as the Maillard reaction, is essential for flavor. Flip the medallions and cook for another 2-3 minutes until they reach your desired doneness (internal temperature of 145°F for medium-rare). Once seared, remove the medallions from the pan and set them aside on a plate to rest.

3. Craft the Flavorful Pan Sauce

With the medallions resting, it’s time to create your luxurious pan sauce. Add the white wine and unsalted butter to the hot skillet, scraping up any browned bits (fond) from the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon or spatula. These bits are packed with flavor! Bring the mixture to a vigorous simmer, allowing the wine to reduce slightly and meld with the butter. This deglazing process concentrates the flavors into a rich, aromatic sauce.

4. Finish and Serve

Return the seared pork medallions, along with any juices that have accumulated on their resting plate, to the pan with the simmering sauce. Use a spoon to baste the sauce generously over the medallions for about 1-2 minutes, allowing them to warm through and soak up the incredible flavors. I like to finish them with a sprinkle of fresh thyme from my garden; it adds a lovely herbaceous freshness and vibrant color, but feel free to omit if you don’t have it on hand.

Serve these glossy, beautiful pork tenderloin medallions immediately, ensuring plenty of the rich pan sauce is spooned over each serving. They are particularly delightful served over creamy whipped potatoes, fluffy rice, or even polenta, allowing every drop of that incredible sauce to be soaked up. This dish is not just a meal; it’s an experience.

Perfect Pairings: What to Serve with Pork Medallions

These versatile pork tenderloin medallions pair wonderfully with a variety of side dishes, soaking up all that glorious pan sauce. Here are some delicious ideas:

• Creamy Mashed Potatoes: The classic choice! Their smooth texture is perfect for absorbing the rich pan sauce. Try whipped potatoes for an extra luxurious side.
• Fluffy Rice or Quinoa: A simple bed of white rice, brown rice, or quinoa is excellent for soaking up every drop of the flavorful sauce.
• Roasted Vegetables: Asparagus, green beans, broccoli, or carrots roasted with a little olive oil, salt, and pepper make a healthy and colorful accompaniment.
• Risotto: For a truly gourmet experience, serve your medallions alongside a creamy mushroom or Parmesan risotto.
• Couscous: Quick-cooking couscous can be flavored with herbs and lemon for a light, fluffy side.
• Sweet Potato Puree: The sweetness of the potatoes offers a lovely contrast to the savory pork and sauce.
• Simple Salad: A light, fresh green salad with a vinaigrette dressing can cut through the richness of the dish.

Did you try this amazing pork tenderloin medallions recipe? I’d love to hear your thoughts! Please leave a review or comment below. Don’t forget to sign up for my newsletter to get new recipes delivered straight to your inbox, and follow along on Instagram, Pinterest, and Facebook for daily inspiration!

📖 Recipe

Yield: 5-6 servings

Pork Tenderloin Medallions

Prep Time:
5 minutes

Cook Time:
12 minutes

Total Time:
17 minutes

When you want a quick simple dinner that feels as special as eating at a fancy steakhouse, reach for this Pork Tenderloin Medallions recipe.

Ingredients

• 2, 1 pound Pork Tenderloins, cut into steaks 2 ½ inches thick
• 1 ½ teaspoons Kosher Salt, Morton’s
• ½ teaspoon Fresh Cracked Black Pepper
• 1 teaspoon Roasted Garlic Powder
• 1 teaspoon Sweet Smoked Paprika
• 2 tablespoons Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• ¼ cup White Wine
• 2 tablespoons Unsalted Butter, room temp – optional
• Thyme leaves, for garnish – optional

Instructions

Cut your pork tenderloins into little steaks and place them on a tray or plate.

In a small bowl, stir together the salt, pepper, garlic, and paprika. Sprinkle the mixture over the tenderloin medallions and toss to coat.

In a large 12-inch cast iron skillet, heat the olive oil over medium heat until it begins to smoke.

When the oil is hot, place the medallions in the pan and let them cook for 6-8 minutes on the first side, or until a dark brown crust forms. Flip and cook 2-3 minutes longer then remove the medallions from the pan.

Add the wine and butter to the pan and bring the mixture to a simmer.

Return the medallions and any juice they have released to the pan and baste them in the sauce.

Finished with some thyme leaves if desired, I had some from my herb garden so I used them, you can use just about any herb you have on hand to give a little fragrance and color.

Notes

Notes & Tips

Cut the pork tenderloins into 2 to 2 ½ inch medallions, or fillets. This gives you little pork fillet mignons if you will. This is the same cut from pork as it is from beef, so think of these little fillets of pork tenderloin, they cook up equally as tender and buttery as beef fillet mignon, one of the most expensive cuts of meat around.

After you sear the medallions, pull them out of the pan for a few minutes and add the wine and butter. Bring the wine to a boil while scraping any browned bits off the bottom of the pan. Simmer it till the pan goes nearly dry, then set the medallions back in the sauce for about 2 minutes just to warm them back up, and use a spoon to drape them in some of the sauce.

Substitutions

Be sure you are using pork tenderloins for this recipe. Swapping for pork loin, which is larger and what you get pork chops from will not work. You’ll just have pork chops. Tenderloins are much smaller and much more, well, tender!

At a minimum, you need to salt and pepper all sides of each little medallion. You can swap the paprika and garlic powder for other things you prefer but always use the salt and pepper for the best flavor.

You can swap the wine for chicken stock if you do not have any wine on hand or prefer not to use it.

I added some thyme I had from the garden into the sauce and on top for just a touch of extra flavor. You can leave it out or also use rosemary or oregano in its place.

Recommended Products

As an Amazon Associate and member of other affiliate programs, I earn from qualifying purchases.

• Tovolo Flex-Core Stainless Steel Handled Spatula, Removable Head, Heat Resistant, Charcoal Gray
• Rösle Stainless Steel 12-inch Lock and Release Tongs
• Lodge Cast Iron Skillet with Red Silicone Hot Handle Holder, 12-inch
• Shun Classic 7″ Hollow Ground Santoku Knife w/Custom Engraving
• John Boos MPL1812125G Chop-N-Slice Select Maple Edge Grain Cutting Board, 18 Inches x 12 Inches x 1.25 Inches

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

6

Serving Size:

1

Amount Per Serving:
Calories: 299Total Fat: 18gSaturated Fat: 7gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 10gCholesterol: 101mgSodium: 379mgCarbohydrates: 1gFiber: 0gSugar: 0gProtein: 30g

This is an estimated caloric value, actual numbers may differ based on the ingredients used.

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