A delicious air-fryer pork tenderloin with a flavorful spice rub—on the table in no time and perfect for family dinners
We often associate air fryer recipes with quick, small batches of meat or vegetables, and you don’t see many featuring larger cuts. A big leg roast, for instance, won’t fit in the air fryer basket, and on some models the heat control isn’t precise enough—easy ways to ruin a prime cut… anyway.
Today, though, we’re tackling a “big” cut: pork tenderloin. Cooked whole, this cut is great in the air fryer because it can curve to fit, letting you cook a generous amount of meat with minimal effort.
Tips for perfect air-fryer pork tenderloin
Set your air fryer to about 200°C and preheat for 5 minutes. Once preheated, maintain the temperature, select the “air fry” mode (or the default setting), and set the timer for 20 to 22 minutes.
Most pork tenderloins generally weigh between 450 g and 700 g. For a smaller tenderloin, cook for 20 minutes; for a larger one, 22 minutes. By contrast, an air fryer salmon fillet will be much quicker.
The key is to reach an internal temperature of about 63°C at the center, as with the air-fryer salmon steak, measured with a cooking thermometer. Otherwise, if you’re not cooking an extra‑large piece, simply follow the timing above.
Main ingredients
- Brown sugar
- Smoked paprika
- Onion powder
- Garlic powder
- Ground mustard seeds
- Optional: a pinch of cayenne for heat
The goal is bold, balanced flavor: the outside of the tenderloin turns crispy while the sugar caramelizes, adding a sweet, caramelized note. Thanks to the air fryer’s rapid, circulating heat and the proximity to the heating element, it’s the ideal environment to keep the tenderloin perfectly tender and juicy inside.
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 pork tenderloin 500 to 800 g
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon smoked paprika
- 1.5 teaspoons salt
- 1 teaspoon ground mustard
- 0.5 teaspoon onion powder
- 0.5 teaspoon black pepper
- 0.25 teaspoon garlic powder
- 0.25 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 0.5 tablespoon olive oil
Instructions
- Combine all spices and dry ingredients in a bowl.2 tablespoons brown sugar, 1 tablespoon smoked paprika, 1.5 teaspoons salt, 1 teaspoon ground mustard, 0.5 teaspoon onion powder, 0.5 teaspoon black pepper, 0.25 teaspoon garlic powder, 0.25 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- Trim the pork tenderloin, removing any excess fat and the silverskin if needed.1 pork tenderloin
- Rub the pork tenderloin with olive oil.0.5 tablespoon olive oil
- Rub the spice mixture all over the pork tenderloin.
- Preheat the air fryer to 200°C for 5 minutes.
- After preheating, carefully place the pork tenderloin in the air fryer.
- Air-fry at 200°C for 20 to 22 minutes, until the internal temperature reaches 63°C.
- Carefully remove the pork tenderloin and transfer to a cutting board.
- Let it rest for 5 minutes before slicing.
- Save the cooking juices and spoon over the sliced meat.
Made this tonight and swapped the brown sugar for maple syrup, then air-fried it for 21 minutes until it hit 63°C. The rub caramelized beautifully and the pork stayed super juicy, honestly even better than expected 🙂
Made this air-fryer pork tenderloin for a Sunday family dinner and it disappeared fast. The spice rub gave it a sweet-smoky crust and the inside stayed so juicy that everyone went back for seconds. Even the picky eaters asked when we’re having it again 😊
The tenderloin looked absolutely gorgeous on the plate with that caramelized crust and neat slices; had to snap a photo because it seriously looked like it belonged in a food magazine. 😍
Super easy and surprisingly light for something this flavorful; the air fryer keeps it juicy without needing much oil, so it feels like a really balanced, nutritious dinner that still tastes indulgent 😊