A delicious and easy pork tenderloin recipe, served with a spicy peanut sauce, flavoured with coconut milk, lime juice and coriander. Ready in 30 minutes!
If you are a fan of pork tenderloin, delicious sauces and quick and easy meals, then this one is for you! This Pork Tenderloin with Asian Peanut Sauce is a regular in my household for all those reasons :)
Let’s talk about the sauce first. It’s Indonesian in it’s flavours, with a nice bit of ground coriander to complement the peanut butter, soy sauce and coconut milk. A generous hit of fresh lime juice lightens and freshens the flavours. The fresh lime juice is a must!
The pork itself is a simple tenderloin, cut in half lengthwise and flattened. Doing this means the pork will cook really quickly, either on the grill, in a hot grill pan on your stove-top or under the broiler in your oven. The recipe starts with 2 tenderloins and will serve 5-6. For a smaller meal, halve the sauce recipe and use only 1 tenderloin.
Ingredient Notes for Easy Pork Tenderloin with Peanut Sauce
Coconut Milk: I always use and do recommend full-fat coconut milk, as it makes for the thickest and richest peanut sauce. Low fat coconut milk will result in a thinner, less creamy sauce.
Peanut Butter: Use whatever is in your cupboard, as long as it’s smooth. Natural and regular peanut butter will both work nicely here.
Lime Juice: Don’t skip this, as the freshness and acidity really elevates and balances the sauce.
Cook’s Notes for Easy Pork Tenderloin with Peanut Sauce
A quick marinade is all that is needed, but if you like, you can start it marinating well ahead (up to 8 hours) and then just cook it up when you’re ready.
While the pork cooks, the leftover marinade is set to reduce on the stove-top in to a rich and flavourful sauce.
Serve with a simple vegetable and/or with rice for a delicious and easy weeknight meal (that’s also company worthy!).
Pork with Indonesian Style Peanut Sauce
Delicious, quick and easy dinner. The pork tenderloin can be grilled or broiled, then sliced and served with an Indonesian-style peanut sauce.
- 1 cup coconut milk (full-fat)
- 1/2 cup smooth peanut butter (natural or regular)
- 1/4 cup soy sauce
- 3 Tbsp fresh lime juice
- 3 Tbsp dark brown sugar
- 2 cloves garlic (mince)
- 2 tsp ground coriander
- 2 lb pork tenderloin (1 large or two small)
- In a large bowl, whisk together the coconut milk, peanut butter, soy sauce, lime juice, brown sugar, garlic, and coriander to make a smooth sauce.
- Trim the pork of excess fat and silverskin. Butterfly the tenderloins by splitting each one lengthwise almost, but not quite all the way through, so the halves remain attached.
- Open each tenderloin like a book, cover with plastic wrap, and pound to an even 1/2-inch thickness with a meat mallet or the bottom of a small skillet. Put the pork tenderloins in the bowl with the marinade and turn to coat. Let marinate for 10 to 20 minutes on the counter (or up to several hours in the refrigerator).
- While the pork marinates, heat a BBQ on high. Remove the tenderloins from the marinade, letting the excess marinade drip back into the bowl (don’t discard the marinade). Grill the tenderloins, turning once, until just cooked through, 5 to 7 minutes total. Transfer to a carving board and let rest for 5 minutes.
- *Alternately, preheat oven broiler to high with rack about 6-inches from heat. Place tenderloins on a foil-covered baking sheet and broil, turning once, until cooked through, about 10-12 minutes. You could also cook in a large grill pan on the stove-top.
- Meanwhile, pour the remaining marinade into a small saucepan and add 1 Tbsp. water. Bring to a boil then reduce the heat and simmer for 3 minutes. Remove from the heat. If the sauce seems too thick, thin it with a tiny bit more water. Slice the pork and serve drizzled with sauce. Additional sauce can be placed in a small bowl for passing.
Be sure to read the “Ingredient and Cook’s Notes” (above the recipe card!), where I share more detailed tips, variations and substitution suggestions for this recipe!
I made this last night with a couple substitutions because I didn’t have any Coriander or Limes at home. Instead of the brown sugar I used raw honey and I just added a bit more garlic. I also just had a can of regular coconut milk. This sauce was so creamy and smooth and went very well with the pork! I also used a Japanese rice noodle to go along with it instead of rice and the sauce paired so nicely with the sweetness of the noodle, they really balanced each other out well. This will definitely become a frequently used recipe in our household!
So glad you enjoyed it! Thanks :)
A tasty and quickly prepared meal, thanks for sharing…it looks great.
Thanks so much, Karen :)
Pork tenderloin really is a winner for a weeknight meal or company. I’m always looking for a new spin on it and this sauce is a keeper! Sweet and tangy and perfect for pork. Can’t wait to try!
Thanks Cathy. I think you will enjoy this :)
This dish is a stunner, Jennifer!! I absolutely LOVE pork tenderloin, but I have never had it with a peanut sauce before!! I bet this tastes seriously amazing! I have a feeling I will need to double that sauce because I’ll want to smother everything with it! Cheers, friend!
Thanks so much, Cheyanne and yes, doubling the sauce is never a bad idea :)
Wow Jennifer – this dish really speaks to me! I love peanuts and pork but never thought to combine the two with a rich gravy style sauce. I bet it is lip smacking good! Sharing!
Thanks Tricia :) The peanut sauce is so perfect with the pork. You’ll want to lick the plate!
That sauce!! It sounds so incredibly tasty Jennifer! Tom and I eat pork tenderloins quite often, so I’ll be getting this sauce on our menu soon.
Thanks Mary Ann. I think you will love this one. Quick, easy and delicious :)
I love pork tenderloin, Indonesian spices and peanut sauce so I know already we will love this. It looks so pretty with your bright green broccoli too! And what a wonderful technique for cooking tenderloin quickly, I love it!
Thanks so much, Chris and yes, this pork cooks up lickety split! :)
Hi
It seems like very tasty recipe !
Do you think I can using lemon juice instead Lime.
Thank you
Hi Yuri! I think the lime is an important flavour here and I’m not sure that lemon would play the same role with these flavours. Is lime hard to get for you?
I just made it ! That was amazing . Because first , I read about this ingredients are quite unpredictable taste , so I like or not.
But that was wrong ! This is very good and Coriander spice also not strong flavor at all . I was using Lemon juice instead Lime. I think you are right, maybe Lime is more tasty with this recipe . Peanuts Butter killed Lemon taste . After adding Lemon , nothing taste like Lemon . : (
But definitely I’m going to make this one again !!
Thank you
So glad you enjoyed it and you’re right, it’s hard to imagine the taste just from reading the ingredients. You must try with limes, if you can get hold of some!
I know next to nothing about Indonesian food, so this is a real treat Jennifer!
It’s a lovely combination of flavours, Sue. The coriander is so nice with the peanut butter and coconut milk :)