Honey Mustard Pork Tenderloin
and pearl couscous with butternut squash and cranberries
The sweet and savory flavors of this pork tenderloin with a flavorful pan sauce pairs perfectly with a pearl couscous salad that we last featured with salmon in 2021.
Ingredients
- Butternut squash - 1 1/2 lbs , cubed
- Pasta, pearl couscous - 1 cup (sub any small pasta shape)
- Parsley (opt) - 1 Tbsp , chopped
- Brown sugar - 1 tsp
- Vinegar, balsamic - 1 tsp
- Oil, olive - 1 Tbsp
- Cranberries, dried - 1/4 cup
- Pistachios, shelled - 1/4 cup (sub walnuts or pecans)
- Mustard, Dijon - 3 Tbsp (preferably a whole grain style)
- Honey - 2 Tbsp
- Oil, olive - 2 Tbsp
- Thyme, dried - 1 tsp
- Vinegar, balsamic - 1 tsp
- Soy sauce, low-sodium - 1 tsp
- Pork tenderloin, trimmed - 1 lb
- Oil, cooking - 1 Tbsp
- Stock, any type - 1/2 cup
Prep
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Squash - (If prepping right before cooking, get oven heating first.) Peel and cube squash. (Can be done up to 5 days ahead)
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Cook couscous - Cook pearl couscous according to package directions. If prepping ahead, toss the pearl couscous with some oil to minimize sticking. (Can be done up to 5 days ahead)
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Make Honey-Dijon sauce - Whisk together mustard, honey, olive oil (portion for pork), thyme, vinegar (portion for pork), and soy sauce. (Can be done up to 5 days ahead)
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Parsley (if using) - Chop parsley. (Can be done up to 3 days ahead)
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Pork tenderloin - Tenderize with a fork. Season with some salt and pepper on all sides. (Can be done 1 day ahead)
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Make
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Heat oven to 425F / 218C degrees.
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Toss butternut squash with brown sugar, vinegar (portion for couscous), olive oil (portion for couscous), and some salt and pepper. Spread butternut squash out onto a sheet pan. Roast for 20 to 30 minutes, shaking the pan halfway through cooking, until golden and caramelized.
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While the squash roasts, heat a large oven-safe skillet with cooking oil over medium-high heat. Add pork and sear on all sides until deep golden brown, 8 to 10 minutes total.
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Brush the pork liberally on all sides with Honey-Dijon sauce.
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Pour stock around the pork tenderloin.
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Transfer the skillet to the oven and continue cooking the pork until it registers 145F / 63C, 13 to 16 minutes.
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When the pork is done cooking, transfer it to a cutting board. Cover it loosely with foil and let it rest for 5 minutes. Reserve any cooking liquid.
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If the couscous was made ahead, reheat in the microwave.
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Toss together pearl couscous, squash, parsley, cranberries, and pistachios. Taste and season with some salt and pepper. You can add a splash of balsamic vinegar if you’d like a little more tart flavor.
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Slice pork tenderloin and drizzle cooking liquid over top. Serve pork with couscous on the side. Enjoy!
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