Walnut-Encrusted Pork Tenderloin  (Adapted from “The Whole 30” by Dallas and Melissa Hartwig)

This recipe is sooooo tasty! It has a nice crust made of walnuts instead of breadcrumbs, and the spice rub is delicious (Although, if you’re not digging one of the spices or you just don’t have it on hand, omit it and just add a little more of each of the other spices, or substitute it for something else). This Walnut Crusted Pork Tenderloin goes well with so many side dishes. You can slice it and put it on a salad or bed of greens. Or you can eat it along with the Lemon and Garlic Broccoli with Bacon. Or you can put it with a nicely baked sweet potato. Maybe you’d like it as a side for your eggs in the morning? The possibilities are endless!

Ingredients:

  • 1 lb. pork tenderloin
  • 2 tbsp. mustard powder
  • 1 tbsp. paprika
  • 1 tbsp. onion powder
  • 1 tbsp. garlic powder
  • ½ tsp. salt
  • 1 ½ tsp. black pepper
  • ½ c. chopped walnuts
  • 3 c. salad greens
  • ½ c. balsamic vinaigrette

 

Directions:

  1. Remove pork at least 30 minutes before cooking so that the meat has a chance to get to room temperature.
  2. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
  3. If necessary, trim the pork, and pat the tenderloin dry with a paper towel.
  4. Mix the mustard powder, paprika, onion powder, garlic powder, salt, and black pepper in a bowl.
  5. Rub the tenderloin evenly with the spice mixture.
  6. In a food processor (or by hand), pulse (or chop) the walnuts until finely chopped. Coat the pork evenly with three quarters of the chopped walnuts. Place the tenderloin in a baking pan and roast for 25-30 minutes, until the pork reaches 145 degrees F. Let the pork rest for ten minutes.
  7. Slice the tenderloin into ½ in. thick slices, sprinkle with the remaining chopped walnuts, and drizzle with the balsamic vinaigrette. *

*If you know that you and/or your family won’t be consuming all of this at once, I wouldn’t drizzle the balsamic on it right away. You can add it before re-heating so that it warms up with the pork