Oven Baked Turkey Tenderloin
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This easy turkey tenderloin recipe is perfect for Thanksgiving or a simple weeknight dinner– juicy, flavorful, and ready to eat in under two hours. The simple marinade keeps it tender and delicious, and the recipe is easy to scale up or down for any size gathering.
YOU WILL LOVE THIS “BIG BIRD” THANKSGIVING ALTERNATIVE
If your Thanksgiving gathering is anything like ours (a few adults who fight for the last scoop of mashed potatoes and kids who only want rolls and whipped cream), roasting a whole bird can feel like way too much work and food. That’s why I love making this easy turkey tenderloin recipe instead– it delivers all the flavor of classic Thanksgiving turkey with a fraction of the effort.
Not only that, but it’s juicy, tender, and perfectly seasoned with a simple marinade that even non–turkey lovers will enjoy. Plus, it’s easy to scale whether you’re cooking for two or serving a small crowd– no giant roasting pan or carving knife required.
NOT JUST FOR THANKSGIVING
But here’s the best part: this turkey tenderloin isn’t just for the holidays. The quick marinade makes it flavorful enough for a special meal but simple enough for any weeknight dinner. Pair it with mashed potatoes and green beans for a classic comfort meal, or slice it up for sandwiches and salads throughout the week (it also works great for my oven baked turkey sliders).
Once you see how easy it is to make perfectly juicy turkey without all the fuss, you’ll find yourself reaching for this recipe long after Thanksgiving is over.
INGREDIENTS YOU WILL NEED
Here’s an important note: this recipe is written for the 24oz pack of turkey tenderloin that we usually get at our grocery store. Your store may carry a different size or you may be scaling this recipe up or down, so there are notes about that in the recipe card.
Adjust the marinade and spices accordingly, and also don’t sweat exacts too much (I know– as a baker I never say this, but cooking is different!).
The marinade base: olive oil, apple cider vinegar, and brown sugar make up the liquid base of this marinade.
The spices: fresh garlic, dried thyme, dried oregano, paprika, salt, and pepper make up the spices in this turkey flavoring. If you want to use fresh of any of the dried spices listed, use half of the amount indicated in the ingredient list.
HOW TO MAKE TURKEY TENDERLOIN
This process is so simple. You’ll want to give yourself at least 1 hour for the tenderloin to marinate, but I like to marinate mine for 24 hours if I have them (I usually make sure that I do). While longer is always better, rest assured that you can get away with 1 hour just fine and you’ll still have a delicious turkey tenderloin (phew— dinner is still saved)!
Make the marinade: combine in a bowl or container with a spout and whisk to combine.
Marinate the turkey: I like to marinate my meat in a shallow glass dish or zip-topped bag vs a large bowl to ensure the most coverage of the meat.
Sear the tenderloin: searing the meat before baking it creates a browed crust which adds flavor and texture, and can also reduce overall cooking time. I used my cast iron grill pan (look at those beautiful grill lines!) but you can do this in a regular cast iron pan, a Dutch oven, or even just a saucepan.
Bake to perfection: if you’re using a cast iron skillet or Dutch oven, you can just pop that device into the oven. If you’re not using an oven-safe pan, you’ll need to transfer the tenderloin to one before baking it.
CHECK FOR DONENESS
Use a digital instant-read thermometer to check the internal temperature in the thickest part of the tenderloin to ensure doneness. It should read at least 160ºF (71ºC). If it doesn’t, put the skillet back in the oven for 2 more minutes and check again. When the tenderloins have reached their safe temperature, remove them from the oven, tent the skillet with foil, and let the meat rest for 10 minutes so it can continue to cook and reach the recommended 165ºF (74ºC) for safety.
SERVE WITH MY FAVORITE THANKSGIVING SIDES
I like to round out my Thanksgiving plate with traditional stuffing, garlic mashed potatoes, green bean casserole, and cranberry sauce, but be sure to check out my best Thanksgiving recipes for a full picture.
Just making this for a weeknight meal? Consider roasted red potatoes and zesty cucumber salad.
The Best Turkey Tenderloin Recipe
Ingredients
- 3 Tablespoons (45mL) extra virgin olive oil
- 3 Tablespoons (45mL) apple cider vinegar
- 1 and ½ Tablespoons (19g) firmly packed light brown sugar or maple syrup
- 3 medium cloves of garlic minced
- 2 teaspoons dried thyme
- 2 teaspoons dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 24 ounces (680g) turkey tenderloin1
Instructions
- In a medium size bowl, combine2 the olive oil, apple cider vinegar, brown sugar, or maple syrup, garlic, dried thyme, dried oregano, paprika, salt, and pepper and whisk to combine.3 Tablespoons (45mL) extra virgin olive oil, 3 Tablespoons (45mL) apple cider vinegar, 1 and ½ Tablespoons (19g) firmly packed light brown sugar, 3 medium cloves of garlic, 2 teaspoons dried thyme, 2 teaspoons dried oregano, 1 teaspoon paprika, 1 teaspoon salt, ½ teaspoon black pepper
- Place the turkey tenderloins in the bowl (or preferred marinating vessel like a large zip-top bag) and turn to coat them (or pour the marinade into the bag). Cover the bowl or zip the bag and transfer the marinating tenderloins to the refrigerator to marinate for a minimum of 1 hour and up to 24 hours (preferred).24 ounces (680g) turkey tenderloin1
- Once the tenderloins have finished marinating, preheat the oven to 400ºF (204ºC).
- Heat a 10" cast iron skillet or heavy-bottomed oven safe skillet3 over medium-high heat. Once hot, spray or pour a bit more olive oil onto the pan and swirl to coat.
- Using tongs, transfer the marinated turkey to the skillet and sear each side until browned (about 2-3 minutes per side). Try your best not to move the tenderloins while they are cooking.
- When you have seared both sides of each piece of tenderloin, place the skillet into the oven and bake for 20-22 minutes. Remove from the oven and use a digital instant-read thermometer to check the internal temperature in the thickest part of the tenderloin. It should read at least 160ºF (71ºC). If it doesn't, put the skillet back in the oven for 2 more minutes.
- When the tenderloins have reached their safe temperature, remove them from the oven, tent the skillet with foil, and let the meat rest for 10 minutes so it can continue to cook and reach the recommended 165ºF (74ºC) for safety. Tenderloin is ready to slice and serve. Store leftovers covered tightly in the refrigerator up to 5 days. Tenderloin freezes well, up to 3 months. I recommend freezing after searing, but you can freeze fully baked tenderloins, too. Thaw in the refrigerator and bake from step 6 (you may need to add a few more minutes of bake time) or warm as needed.
Video
Notes
- Turkey tenderloin size: in a 24oz pack like the one I typically use, you will typically find two tenderloins, 12oz each. In a 1 pound pack, you’ll likely find two 8oz pieces of meat. I recommend cutting any large tenderloin into more manageable 8-12oz pieces.
- Adjustments per 1 pound total of tenderloin: 2 Tablespoons (30mL) olive oil, 2 Tablespoons (30mL) apple cider vinegar, 1 Tablespoon (13g) brown sugar or maple syrup, 2 cloves of garlic, 1 and ½ teaspoons dried thyme, 1 and ½ teaspoons dried oregano, ¾ teaspoon paprika, ¾ teaspoon salt, and ¼ teaspoon black pepper. Bake time for 8oz tenderloins is 16-18 minutes, and 16oz tenderloins are more like 26-28 minutes. Be sure you’re using an instant-read digital thermometer at the thickest part of the meat to check for doneness.
- Cast iron skillet: if you don’t have an cast iron or oven-safe skillet, you can use a Dutch oven. If you don’t have a Dutch oven, you can sear the tenderloins in a traditional skillet then transfer them to an oven-safe baking dish.
Nutrition Disclosure
All nutritional values are approximate and provided to the reader as a courtesy. Changing ingredients and/or quantities will alter the estimated nutritional calculations.
What brand of tenderloin do you use?
Hi, Jill– we like Butterball.