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Five slices of stuffed pork tenderloin on a white platter, garnished with baby spinach on the side

Spinach and Cheese Stuffed Pork Tenderloin Recipe

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5 from 1 review

Easy, elegant, and impressive, this Stuffed Pork Tenderloin recipe is the perfect main dish to serve at your next gathering. Whether you prefer the mouthwatering goodness of a roasted dish or the smokey notes from grilling, I’ve got you covered. And, while making a stuffed tenderloin might seem intimidating at first, my step by step instructions will guide you through the entire process from beginning to end!

  • Prep Time: 25 minutes
  • Resting Time: 5 minutes
  • Cook Time: 45 minutes
  • Total Time: 1 hour 15 minutes
  • Yield: 6 servings 1x
  • Diet: Gluten Free

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1/4 cup chopped sun-dried tomatoes packed in olive oil, drained and oil reserved
  • 2 teaspoons chopped garlic, divided
  • 1/4 cup chopped green onion
  • 1 teaspoon lemon zest
  • 2 packages (10 ounce) frozen chopped spinach, thawed, drained, and squeezed dry
  • 4 ounces goat cheese crumbles
  • 2 pork tenderloins (around 1 pound each), rinsed and dried with paper towel
  • Kosher salt
  • Ground black pepper
  • 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
  • 5 teaspoons Dijon mustard

Instructions

Prepare Stuffing

  1. Heat 1 tablespoon of the oil from the sundried tomatoes in a large skillet over medium heat. When hot, add 1 teaspoon of the chopped garlic and sauté for just 1 minute.
  2. Add the sun-dried tomatoes, green onion, lemon zest, and spinach. Cook, stirring, until heated through and any moisture remaining on the spinach is cooked out.
  3. Turn heat to low, add goat cheese, and keep stirring until the cheese is well incorporated and begins to melt. Remove from heat and stir in 1 tablespoon sundried tomato oil; season with salt and pepper.

Prep Pork Tenderloins

  1. Using a sharp knife, remove the excess fat and silver skin from the pork tenderloins. (See detailed instructions in post.)
  2. Place one tenderloin on a large cutting board and cut it in half length-wise, cutting mostly but not all the way through. Open it up so the tenderloin lies flat in one piece. Cover with wax paper (or a freezer-safe large baggie) and pound to an even thickness. Repeat with the second tenderloin.

Stuff Pork Tenderloins

  1. Season the pork with salt and pepper. Take half of the spinach mixture and spread it evenly in the middle of one tenderloin, omitting the narrower ends and leaving a 1/2-inch border on the long sides. Trim off any tail ends.
  2. Beginning with one long side, roll up the tenderloin and secure with toothpicks, kitchen twine, or food loops. Repeat with the second tenderloin.
  3. In a small bowl, whisk together the remaining garlic, lemon juice and Dijon mustard. Set aside.

Roasting Stuffed Pork Tenderloin

  1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
  2. Place stuffed tenderloins in a greased baking dish, side by side without touching each other – the size of the pan is dependent on the size of your tenderloin. I usually use a 7 by 11-inch dish, but if the tenderloins are very long, you may need to use a 9 by 12-inch dish.
  3. Brush the lemon-mustard mixture over the top and sides of the stuffed tenderloins. Bake until the tenderloins reach 145 to 150 degrees with an instant-read thermometer, approximately 45 minutes (make sure you are measuring the temperature of the tenderloins and not the stuffing).
  4. Remove to a cutting board and let rest for 5 minutes. Remove any toothpicks, twine, or food loops. With a sharp knife, cut into 1-inch slices.

Grilling Stuffed Pork Tenderloin

  1. Prepare a medium-hot fire in a charcoal grill or preheat a gas grill on high.
  2. When grill is hot, using tongs, dip a folded paper towel in canola oil and rub it over the grill grates. Stand back from the grill, in case of any flare-ups. (I also wear an oven mitt.) Then, if using a gas grill, reduce heat to medium.
  3. Brush the lemon-mustard mixture over the top and sides of the stuffed tenderloins. Place tenderloins grill rack, side by side without touching and cook, covered, for 10 minutes.
  4. Turn tenderloins over and continue cooking, covered, for another 5 to 10 minutes or until a meat thermometer inserted into the thickest portion registers 145 to 150 degrees.
  5. Remove to a cutting board and let rest for 5 minutes. Remove any toothpicks, twine, or food loops. With a sharp knife, cut into 1-inch slices.

Notes

Make ahead: Pork can be stuffed but not baked earlier in the day, covered and refrigerated.  Bring to room temperature before roasting or grilling.

  • Author: From "A Well-Seasoned Kitchen®" by Sally Clayton and Lee Clayton Roper
  • Category: Main dish
  • Method: Roast or Grill