These tender and juicy air fryer pork tenderloin medallions are quick cooking and especially flavorful with a teriyaki marinade. These delicious pork fillets will become a favorite weeknight dinner.
This pork medallion recipe hits all the marks for me since not only is it delicious but only requires one little tweak to make it sugar free and low carb. So this is a recipe I can serve to everyone. You may want to try some other pork recipes that require minimal, if any tweaks so that the whole family is happy. Pan seared pork chops, Dutch oven pork tenderloin and Mongolian Pork are all really delicious and family favorites.
Why this recipe is just so good....
- Minimal prep and quick cooking: An easy marinade with simple ingredients makes for easy prep. You will love that dinner will be on the table in about 40 minutes.
- Easy clean up: No pot and pans to scrub. Your air fryer will clean up nicely. And cooking your side dish in the air fryer will save more work for you.
- Fairly inexpensive: Pork tenderloin is a lean cut of pork so there is little shrinkage. And most grocery stores often have 2 for 1 packages of pork tenderloin.
- Customize flavors: You can easily use different spices to flavor your pork. Italian seasoning and Cajun seasonings are popular and easily available.
Ingredients Needed
These are the ingredients you need for these air fryer pork tenderloin slices:
**not shown olive oil**
Recipe Additions & Substitutions
- Pork tenderloin is one of our favorite cuts of meat because it is so tender and does not have any excess fat. There is only a thin layer of "silver skin" on top that needs to be carefully sliced off.
- The teriyaki marinade can be changed if you prefer a different flavor. Try different ground or fresh herbs like rosemary, thyme or oregano to add an Italian flavor.
- Use a different sweetener such as maple syrup or honey instead of brown sugar.
- To make it sugar free and low carb, I chose to use a sugar free brown sugar. Use whatever you prefer.
- Add some orange or lemon juice for a bit of a citrus flavor.
- To make the marinade more spicy, try some cayenne, chili powder, red pepper flakes or chipotle pepper.
- Always lean towards the lesser amount when you are adding a new spice rub or seasoning. Give it a taste, you can always add more if needed.
How to make air fryer pork tenderloin medallions:
These are basic directions for the recipe. You will find full step-by-step instructions in the recipe card below.
Step 1: Combine ingredients for marinade in a glass, ceramic or plastic bowl.
Step 2: Carefully remove the long "silver skin" on the top of the pork. Slice the tenderloin into approximately 8 equal slices
Step 3: Place pork in the marinade and let it sit about 20 minutes. Spray fryer with nonstick cooking spray. Preheat the air fryer at 400°F for 5 minutes.
Step 4: Pat the pork slices dry and place them in air fryer in a single layer.
Step 5: Air fry for 4 minutes. Turn then over and continue cooking for another 4-6 minutes or until an internal meat thermometer registers at least 145°F.
Helpful Recipe Tips
- You won't really need longer than 20-30 minutes to marinate since the pork is already very tender. This is mostly for added flavor. You can cover and keep in the refrigerator for an extra few hours. But marinating too long can make meat a bit mushy.
- Always preheat the air fryer. This insures the pork will be golden brown and "seared". That is what will help keep the pork tender and juicy.
- I am using a Philips premium XXL with a 4 quart capacity. The exact times that food is done in an air fryer may vary. Depending on the size and brand, it may take a bit more or less to cook. Use you thermometer as a true guide for all meat etc.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between a pork loin and pork tenderloin?
A pork loin is a leaner piece of meat with a ¼ inch - ½ inch thick layer of fat on top. It is wide like a roast.
The pork tenderloin is also very lean with mostly darker meat and little visible fat. But it does have a thin layer of chewy fat, called silver skin, that is removed before cooking.
Why are my pork medallions overcooked?
To ensure even cooking, slice each medallion into even pieces. If one or two come out thicker, let them air fry for 1 minute alone before adding the rest. And if one or two are sliced thinner, add them 1 minutes after the other pieces.
And always use your meat thermometer. I tested the pork at the 4 minute halfway point and they already had registered 100°F so I knew they were more than halfway done.
What should I serve with Pork Medallions?
For this recipe, I served the pork with air fryer green beans. It was so easy to make the green beans first. Then I left them covered on a plate, cooked the pork medallions. While they rested for about 3 minutes, I reheated the beans for 1-2 minutes.
You can also make some Blackened Green Beans, Marinated Broccoli or Sweet and Spicy Brussels Sprouts. They can all be cooked very quickly on the stovetop.
Storage and Leftovers
Store any leftover pork on a covered dish in the refrigerator for 2-3 days. Reheat in a small pan over low-medium heat on the stovetop for 2 minutes until hot. Add a bit of water or a splash of chicken, beef or vegetable stock for moisture.
Here are some ideas for the leftover pork: Add them to a taco or fajita, make a sandwich or pork fried rice. My favorite is to make a pork stir fry. Slice in strips and add them at the end of cooking the stir fry since the pork is already cooked and you only need to heat them.
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Air Fryer Pork Tenderloin Medallions
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Marinate: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Total Time: 40 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Air Fryer
- Cuisine: American
Description
These tender and juicy air fryer pork tenderloin medallions are quick cooking and especially flavorful with a teriyaki marinade. Your air fryer will make these pork filets a favorite weeknight dinner.
Ingredients
Pork Tenderloin
- 1 pound pork tenderloin, sliced into about 8 equal slices
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 tablespoons white vinegar
- ¼ cup brown sugar or substitute
- ¼ cup soy sauce, low sodium
- 3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
Air Fryer green beans
- 12 ounce package of microwavable, pre-washed, snipped green beans
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
Pork tenderloin
- Combine ingredients for marinade in a glass, ceramic or plastic bowl.
- Place pork medallions on a cutting board and carefully slice off the long strip of "silver skin" on top of the pork.
- Place pork fillets in the marinade and let it sit for 20-30 minutes.
- Spray the air fryer with non stick cooking spray. Preheat the air fryer on 390 or 400°F for 5 minutes. Pat the pork medallion dry with paper towels and put them in a single layer in the air fryer.
- Air fry the pork slices for 4 minutes.
- Flip them over and air fry for another 4-5 minutes. Test the pork with an internal meat thermometer, It is done when it reads at least 145°F. Let rest for 5 minutes and serve.
Green Beans
- Combine the seasoning mixture in a large bowl. Poke about 4-5 holes in the package of beans. Cook in microwave for 3 minutes. *
- Cut open package and Carefully drain the beans and pat dry. Place beans into the bowl and stir to cover with seasoning.
- Spray air fryer with non stick spray. Preheat air fryer for 4 minutes at 390 or 400°F. Place in basket and spread out the green beans. Cook for 8-10 minutes, shaking the basket at the 4 minute mark. Cook for another 4-6 minutes until beans are crispy.
Notes
*If your green beans are not from a microwavable package, then just rinse, dry and pre cook for about 3 minutes until barely soft and crisp tender.
* To lower the sugar or carbohydrates, simply use a brown sugar substitute instead of regular brown sugar.
* I am using a Philips premium XXL with a 4 quart capacity. The exact times that food is done in an air fryer may vary. Depending on the size and brand, it may take a bit more or less to cook. Use you thermometer as a true guide for all meat etc.
* The nutrition is an estimate from Nutrifox.com. It was calculated with brown sugar substitute and without the green beans.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 4 slices
- Calories: 177
- Sugar: 0.9 g
- Sodium: 771 mg
- Fat: 6.1 g
- Carbohydrates: 4.3 g
- Protein: 25 g
- Cholesterol: 73 mg
Donna says
We loved the sauce on the pork. It was so good! Will make again