Cuban Pork Tenderloin is marinated in a delicious blend of citrus and fresh herbs. The result is an incredibly juicy, flavorful dish. This recipe makes plenty, as requests for seconds are to be expected!
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This recipe that I put together for Cuban Pork Tenderloin is a mash up of a couple of different, similar recipes. Most similar recipes refer to this as Cuban Mojo Pork.
With pork not being my favorite protein, I really didn’t think I was going to love this recipe, but boy was I wrong! This pork turned out so good that its been on regular rotation since I first made it in 2015!
After I made this a couple of times, the biggest change I made was finally deciding to reserve some of the marinade to use as a drizzle after the pork has cooked. I found that the flavoring on the outside of the pork was so crispy and unbelievably tasty, that I just wanted a lot more of that. Warming the reserved marinade and using it as sauce to drizzle over the sliced pork tenderloin most definitely gives it that extra flavor that I was looking for.
We go all kinds of island crazy with side dishes to go along with this recipe too! I always make Sticky Sweet Fried Plantains and my famous Creamy Coconut Rice I can’t even imagine what else I would make as side dishes because I love this combination so much! It’s one of my favorite dinners to make!
Why This Recipe Works
- Fresh citrus and herbs give this pork tenderloin recipe a zesty taste of the islands.
- Even kids will love this family-friendly recipe!
- This recipe is naturally gluten free and low carb.
How to Make Cuban Pork Tenderloin
Prep!
This recipe is really not that difficult to put together, but do keep in mind that the pork tenderloin should really have all night (or at least 8 hours) to marinate for you to be able to get the most flavor, so plan ahead!
Trim the pork of any excess fat.
Create!
Whisk together the olive oil, orange zest, orange juice, lime zest, lime juice, cilantro, mint, garlic, oregano and cumin. Reserve 1/4 cup of the marinade.
Pour the remaining marinade into a large zip top bag (or a container with a lid) and add the pork. Let the pork marinate in the refrigerator overnight.
Tip – fresh is always best! You can use dried herbs or bottled juices in a pinch, if needed.
Preheat your oven to 350ºF and heat a large skillet over medium-high.
Remove the pork tenderloin from the marinade. Discard the marinade and add the pork to the hot skillet. Cook on each side, until just browned, about 1-2 minutes per side.
Remove the pork from the skillet and place on a baking sheet.
Place the prepared pork tenderloin in the oven and cook for about 25-30 minutes, or until the internal temperature reaches 150°F.
Remove the pork from the oven and let it rest for 5-10 minutes before slicing.
Present!
Serve the pork, with the extra marinade, if desired. I usually warm it a little before serving.
Tips and Techniques for the Best Cuban Pork Tenderloin
- Marinate the pork for at least 8 hours for the most flavor.
- Fresh is always best. I have used dried herbs and bottled juices in the past and the end result is still really delicious.
- Store leftover pork tenderloin in an air-tight container in the refrigerator. Use within 3-4 days.
FAQ’s
- How do you know when pork is done cooking? Use a meat thermometer to check the internal temperature of the pork. Once it has reached 150°F, it is done cooking. Be sure to let it rest for 5-10 minutes to allow the juices to disperse before slicing.
- What do you serve with Cuban Pork? My favorite sides to serve with Cuban Pork are Sticky Sweet Fried Plantains and Creamy Coconut Rice. Black beans and yellow rice are also popular sides.
Other Recipes to Try
- Maple Apple Pork Chops
- Pork Tenderloin with Cranberry Apple Chutney
- Ranch Pork Chops & Brussels Sprouts
Love this Cuban Pork Tenderloin recipe? Follow me on Pinterest, Instagram, and Facebook for more!
Cuban Pork Tenderloin
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 1 orange * zested
- 1 cup orange juice * fresh squeezed
- 1 lime * zested
- 1/2 cup lime juice * fresh squeezed
- 1 cup cilantro * finely chopped
- 1/4 cup mint leaves * finely chopped
- 8 cloves garlic * minced
- 2 teaspoons dried oregano
- 2 teaspoons ground cumin
- 2 pounds boneless pork tenderloin * trimmed of any excess fat
Instructions
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the olive oil, orange zest, orange juice, lime zest, lime juice, cilantro, mint, garlic, oregano and cumin. Reserve 1/4 cup of the marinade.
- Add the remaining marinade to a large zip top bag (or a container with a lid) and add the pork. Let the pork marinate in the fridge overnight, or at least 8 hours.
- Preheat oven to 350°F and heat a large skillet on medium-high.
- Remove the pork tenderloin from the marinade. Discard the marinade and add the pork to the hot skillet.
- Cook on each side, until just browned, about 1-2 minutes per side.
- Remove the pork from the skillet and place on a baking sheet.
- Place the prepared pork tenderloin in the oven and cook for about 25-30 minutes, or until the internal temperature reaches 150°F.
- Transfer to a cutting board, cover with foil and allow pork to rest for 5-10 minutes.
- While the pork rests, warm the reserved marinade in a saucepan over low heat.
- Slice the pork, drizzle with the reserved marinade, and serve.
Notes
Tips and Techniques for the Best Cuban Pork Tenderloin
- Marinate the pork for at least 8 hours for the most flavor.
- Fresh is always best. I have used dried herbs and bottled juices in the past and the end result is still really delicious.
- Store leftover pork tenderloin in an air-tight container in the refrigerator. Use within 3-4 days.
Nutrition
This recipe was originally published on December 17, 2015. It was updated with new images, more thorough instructions, tips, techniques, and FAQ’s in August 2019.
Carol West says
Is there a substitute for cilantro? My husband says it tastes like soap so I can’t use it in this recipe.
Thanks!
Lauren Vavala says
Hi Carol! I would just omit it. There is tons of other flavors to make up for it. Some people will sub parsley, but I don’t think it would work that great in this particular recipe. I hope you guys love it!
– Lauren
Chef and Steward says
Half of my family is Cuban. Family reunions are a grand affairs for that reason. Pork is much loved and tenderloin is considered a delicacy. Love my multi-cultural Caribbean heritage. Happy to see you do too.
Amanda Dixon says
This pork makes for such an impressive dinner! The marinade added so much flavor, and it came out so tender and moist. Well worth making!
Katie Crenshaw says
The marinade for this is excellent. Everything comes out fantastic! Make this for an easy meal or entertaining.
Jenny says
Oh my goodness, this Cuban pork tenderloin is so good! Delicious. My husband also loved it; he devoured it! I am making this again and again! Thanks so much for sharing such a great recipe.
Amy Liu Dong says
Wow! This recipe is mouth-watering. Seeing this dish makes me hungry!
Tristin says
Topping the Cuban pork tenderloin with the reserved marinade is definitely the way to go! Added just the right amount of flavor to make this an incredible dish!
Brianna says
Love the flavors of pork mojo! Reserving some of the marinade is a fantastic idea.
Lori | The Kitchen Whisperer says
WOW Lauren this looks AMAZING!!! I absolutely love pork tenderloin and am crushing hard on these flavors! I know what’s on the menu this weekend!
Gloria says
Tenderloin is such a great cut of meat to work with. I love the sound of the spices. I will have to try this for my next themed dinner night.
Jere Cassidy says
Oh yeah, I have been looking for a new port tenderloin recipe and this is it with that amazing mojito marinade.
Liz says
I want to make this for my dad for Father’s Day! I love the step by step instructions. Thank you!
Elizabeth DiGiacomo says
I just finished making a double batch of the marinade, but I noticed there is no salt listed. Yet there’s sodium in the nutritional info. Could you please let me know how much salt I should add? Serving tomorrow for a group of 10.
Lauren Vavala says
Hi Elizabeth, sorry for the delay. We were without power for the last 2 days.
I don’t add salt to this recipe because the marinade has plenty of other flavors. The sodium in the nutritional content comes from what is found naturally in all of the foods listed in the recipe. For example, the pork comes up as having 471mg sodium (total).
I hope this helps.
– Lauren
Luz Munera says
would it be ok to grill this dish? And how long would you suggest. T.I.A.
Lauren Vavala says
Hi Luz! You should be able to grill this, no problem. I’d set the grill to medium-high or 350. Grill for about 20 minutes, turning every few minutes. Check that the internal temp still reaches 145F. Hope you love it!
– Lauren
Sandra says
It looks amazing! I’m planning on making it for Christmas. I’ll be using a lg. pork loin instead of a tenderloin. Should I double or triple the marinade? And how long should I bake it?
Lauren Vavala says
Hi Sandra – sorry for the delay, your comment ended up in my spam folder for some reason.
I would double the marinade, then just pour in enough to cover it. You can save the extra to drizzle on after it cooks, if you want to add more flavor.
As far as cook time, I can’t really say since I don’t know the exact size of the loin. It *should* have cooking instructions on the package, so I’d start there, then just make sure it gets up to temp. Hope you enjoy it!! Lauren
Tara says
This pork tenderloin looks incredible! Love those flavors and it definitely sounds perfect paired with plantains and your creamy coconut rice.
Jillian says
Ok, this is mouthwatering! YUM!
Danielle says
Yum! This looks delicious! I love the step by step instructions as well.
Matt @ Plating Pixels says
I never seem to know how to flavor pork loin.. This looks like a great option!
Lisa Bynum says
I’m always on the lookout for a new pork loin recipe because I feel like I make it the same way over and over again. This really sounds delicious.
Larry King says
Hello,
I know this might sound dumb or odd, but if I were to get some thin sliced pork roast from the Kroger deli could I marinate it in in your Cuban recipe and achieve some of the flavor by heating it up for a Cuban sandwich? I really don’t want to cook a whole pork roast.
Thanks
Larry King
Lauren says
Hi Larry! I think this would work out great! I actually like to save some of the marinade to pork over the pork after it’s done cooking because I want as much of the flavoring as possible 🙂 Let me know how it goes if you try it! Lauren
kristen says
this looks amazing. I love cuban food and I love that this is paleo too! Thanks for the delicious recipe! I cannot wait to make this! pinning for later!
ourlittleeverything says
Yay! Hope you enjoy, it’s one of my favorites!
Shann says
Yum! This sounds delicious! So many great flavors that you’ve put together. Pinning to make for the family. And I LOVE plantains too!
ourlittleeverything says
I don’t think I would make this if I couldn’t get plantains! They just go so well together that now it’s how I HAVE to have it lol! Thanks for pinning!
Maggie Unzueta says
Love this recipe so much. Printing now. Can’t wait to try this out.
ourlittleeverything says
Let me know what you think!!
Candy says
Always looking for new ways to fix pork tenderloin. Sounds delicious.
ourlittleeverything says
Thank you Candy!
linda spiker says
I adore port tenderloin! Great recipe. Thanks!
ourlittleeverything says
Thanks for stopping by Linda 🙂
Ann says
Yum! I absolutely love cuban marinated anything. I got rid of all of my recipe boards on pinterest, but had to create a private one to pin to because I don’t want to forget this. Thanks!
ourlittleeverything says
I’m with you – ever since my first bite of island-inspired food, I want it ALL! haha!