This dukkah-spiced pork tenderloin is earthy, savory, and bright, with just a little heat from Aleppo pepper.
Marinated tomatoes, nutty dukkah, and juicy pork tenderloin. A perfect summer dinner.
This is one of the best bites I’ve had in a long while, though I might be biased because I’m a huge pork tenderloin fan. Even still, I think you’ll love the dish.
The recipe relies heavily on dukkah, a spice blend famous in Egyptian cuisine; it’s great for sprinkling on stews, grilled meats or vegetables, or flatbreads. It’s a crunchy mixture of ground nuts, seeds, and spices that are equally aromatic and earthy. In this recipe, I use it as the rub for pork tenderloin to give it a deeply savory flavor. With ripe summer tomatoes, the heat from Aleppo pepper, and the bright finish of lemon and parsley, this meal ticks all my favorite flavor boxes. It’s also pretty easy to throw together. Not much prep, so you can whip it up on a Wednesday.
Serve it with rice, roasted potatoes, or warm flatbread on the side. You can thinly slice the pork and stuff it into pitas with hummus, fresh greens, and thinly sliced red onions.
Kylie’s Notes: My favorite dukkah is from Villa Jerada, and I always have a big container of Sadaf Aleppo pepper in my cupboard. Perfect for eggs!
What you need
- Pork tenderloin: You’ll need a pork tenderloin, dukkah, salt, and pepper. You can also make this with pork chops or a pork loin. You’ll just need to adjust the spices to accommodate weight changes. I recommend 1 teaspoon salt per pound of meat (so, if you get 1½ pounds of pork chops, use 1½ teaspoons kosher salt). For dukkah, I recommend 1 tablespoon per pound of meat, so you’d use 1½ tablespoons Dukkah for 1½ pounds of meat.
- Marinated tomatoes: I use Roma tomatoes, but your favorite tomato works well here. Try it with cherry or grape tomatoes for sweeter undertones or gold tomatoes for less tang. I marinate them with onion, garlic, Aleppo pepper, salt, and extra virgin olive oil.
- Pistachio garnish: I finish the pork and tomatoes with a bright, crunchy pistachio garnish. It’s made with pistachios, lemon juice and zest, parsley, and salt.
How to make it
Step 1: Season the pork.
Season the pork with dukkah, salt, and pepper. Cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes or up to 24 hours.
Step 2: Marinate the tomatoes.
Combine the tomatoes with onion, garlic, salt, olive oil, and Aleppo pepper. Toss to coat and set aside. You can marinate the tomatoes the night before, if needed.
Step 3: Make the garnish.
Combine crushed pistachios with lemon juice, lemon zest, parsley, and a pinch of salt.
Step 4: Roast the pork and tomatoes.
Brown the pork in a bit of olive oil until golden brown on both sides. Add the tomatoes around the pork and transfer to a preheated oven for 18 to 20 minutes or until the pork reaches 135ºF. Remove from the oven and rest the pork for 5 to 10 minutes.
Step 5: Finish the tomatoes.
As the pork rests, continue simmering the tomatoes for 5 minutes to reduce the liquid. Add half the pistachio garnish to the tomatoes and season to taste.
Step 6: Serve it up!
Slice the pork and arrange it on a platter. Spoon the tomatoes around and scatter the rest of the pistachio garnish on top. Serve with roasted potatoes, warm flatbread, or cooked rice.
Dukkah-Spiced Pork Tenderloin
Equipment
Ingredients
Pork tenderloin:
- 1 pound pork tenderloin
- 1 tablespoon dukkah
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- ¾ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil (for frying)
Marinated tomatoes:
- 1 pound Roma tomatoes (trimmed, halved lengthwise, and cut into 8 wedges)
- 1 yellow onion (peeled and diced)
- 6 cloves garlic (peeled and minced)
- 1 teaspoon Aleppo pepper
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
Pistachio garnish:
- ¼ cup raw pistachios (roughly chopped)
- ¼ cup Italian parsley (loosely packed and minced)
- 1 lemon (juiced and zested, yielding about 2 tablespoons lemon juice and 1 teaspoon lemon zest)
- Pinch kosher salt
Instructions
Prepare the pork tenderloin:
- Pat the pork tenderloin dry and season with 1 tablespoon dukkah, 1 teaspoon kosher salt, and ¾ teaspoon black pepper. Use your hands to massage the spices into the pork to ensure even coverage. Cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes and up to 24 hours.
Make the marinated tomatoes:
- Combine the Roma tomatoes, diced onion, minced garlic, 1 teaspoon Aleppo pepper, 1 teaspoon kosher salt, and 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil in a medium bowl. Toss to coat and set aside.
Prepare the pistachio garnish:
- Combine the chopped pistachios, minced parsley, lemon juice, and lemon zest in a small bowl. Season with a pinch of salt and toss to coat.
Sear the pork:
- Preheat the oven to 425ºF. Heat 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil in a wide, ovenproof pot over medium heat.
- Once the oil is hot and shimmering, add the pork tenderloin and sear without moving for 5 minutes until golden brown. Flip and cook for 2 to 3 minutes.
Bake the pork tenderloin:
- Pour the marinated tomatoes around the pork tenderloin and add ¼ cup water. Turn off the heat and transfer to the oven. Bake for 18 to 20 minutes or until the tenderloin reaches your desired doneness. I recommend cooking the pork to 135ºF. Remove from the oven and return the pot to the stovetop.
Rest the pork and finish the tomatoes:
- Transfer the pork to a cutting board to rest for 5 to 10 minutes.
- Return the heat to medium and simmer the marinated tomatoes for 5 minutes until the liquid in the pan reduces. Add half the pistachio mixture and stir to incorporate. Taste and adjust the seasonings to your preference. Turn off the heat.
To serve:
- Slice the pork crosswise and fan out the slices on a large serving platter. Spoon the marinated tomatoes around the sliced pork and scatter the remaining pistachio garnish on top. Serve with warm bread or cooked pearl couscous, rice, or traditional couscous. Enjoy!
