Roast Pork Loin with Balsamic Dijon & Thyme in a cast iron skillet

Roast Pork Loin with Balsamic, Dijon & Thyme

Full of flavor, this Roast Pork Loin with Balsamic, Dijon & Thyme is simple and versatile. Prepare this roast pork loin recipe in the oven or on the grill, and you’ll have a delicious dinner, perfect for any season.

Roast Pork Loin with Balsamic Dijon & Thyme in a cast iron skillet
Roast Pork Loin with Balsamic, Dijon & Thyme

Full of flavor, this Roast Pork Loin with Balsamic, Dijon & Thyme is simple and versatile. Prepare this roast pork loin recipe in the oven or on the grill, and you’ll have a delicious dinner, perfect for any season.

Roast pork loin with balsamic, Dijon and thyme in cast iron skillet.

Note: This post first appeared September 29, 2013 as part of the Simple Sunday Series and has been updated with improved kitchen notes, recipe annotation, photography and video. I hope you enjoy this favorite from my kitchen!

I almost did it again. Talk about the weather, that is. I suppose it’s hard to resist – I know I’m not the only one who can’t help but think about the change in the seasons, the chill in the air, blah blah blah. (There I go again. Sorry.)

So here’s the thing. Right now, we’ve got the best of all worlds when it comes to the weather. Mornings are crisp, when you just want to snuggle deeper under the covers, the tip of your nose a wee bit frosty, as it peeks through the sheets. You start out with a sweater and a cup of hot coffee, then find yourself in a tank top by mid day. Venturing outside you bake under a warm sun, as if summer had never left. But as soon as the day begins to fade, the taste of fall creeps in, and you crave a simple, hearty dinner. Like this Roast Pork Loin with Balsamic, Dijon & Thyme, for example.

The question then becomes, should I roast or should I grill? Well, the lovely thing about a pork loin roast is that either way will work.

Fresh thyme on a cutting board.

Roast Pork Loin with Balsamic, Dijon & Thyme marinating in a pan.

Is the chill in the air a little raw? Feeling the need to throw a roast in the oven without the need to babysit by the kitchen? Then slather up a pork loin with a paste of balsamic, Dijon mustard and thyme, and let it roast away. Or is the sun calling you outdoors to enjoy the final days of grill season? Then let it sear on the grates, and spend some time coaxing the roast to caramelized perfection while you soak in the last of the warm sun. The choice is yours.

A pork loin marinating in balsamic vinegar, Dijon mustard and thyme.
Sliced Roast Pork Loin with Balsamic, Dijon and Thyme in cast iron pan.

And I promise to not talk about the weather the next time we meet.

If you enjoyed this Roast Pork Loin with Balsamic, Dijon & Thyme, be sure to check out these other recipes that feature balsamic vinegar:

Cranberry Balsamic Crusted Chateaubriand
Baby Back Ribs with Blueberry Balsamic Barbecue Sauce
Maple-planked Barramundi with White Balsamic-maple Glaze
Grilled Balsamic Asparagus
Grilled Balsamic-garlic Crusted Pork Tenderloin

Roast Pork Loin with Balsamic, Dijon & Thyme

Full of flavor, this roast pork loin is simple and versatile. Prepare it in the oven or on the grill, and you’ll have a delicious dinner, perfect for any season.
Roast Pork Loin with Balsamic Dijon & Thyme in a cast iron skillet
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4.72 from 7 votes
Course Main Course
Cuisine American
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour
Resting Time 3 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 10 minutes
Servings 6
Calories 235kcal

Ingredients

  • 1 boneless pork loin roast 2 to 2.5 lbs
  • 6 cloves garlic mashed and finely minced
  • 3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
  • 1 1/2 tablespoons whole grain Dijon mustard
  • 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil plus additional for oven preparation
  • 1 tablespoon kosher salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground pepper
  • 2 teaspoons dried thyme or 4 thyme sprigs leaves removed

Instructions

  • Pat the pork loin dry with paper towels.
  • Whisk together the garlic, balsamic vinegar, Dijon mustard, olive oil, salt, pepper and thyme in a small bowl and smother all over the pork loin. Let it sit for at least 20 minutes (or longer in the refrigerator) as you preheat your oven or grill.

Oven preparation:

  • Preheat the oven to 350° F.
  • Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in deep sided sauté or roasting pan. Sear on all sides, about 3-4 minutes per side. Place in oven and roast for 45 minutes, or until the internal temperature of the pork loin roast is about 145 degrees F. Allow 3 minutes of rest time before slicing.

Grill preparation:

  • Preheat the grill to medium high heat. If desired, use a cast iron pan, but you can also prepare this directly on the grill grates. Sear the pork loin on all sides, about 3-4 minutes per side. Continue to grill, rotating periodically, for about 45 minutes, or until the internal temperature of the pork loin roast is about 145° F. Allow 3 minutes of rest time before slicing.

Video

Nutrition

Calories: 235kcal | Carbohydrates: 2g | Protein: 34g | Fat: 8g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Cholesterol: 95mg | Sodium: 1282mg | Potassium: 586mg | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 15IU | Vitamin C: 1.1mg | Calcium: 24mg | Iron: 1.4mg
Did you make this recipe?I'd love to see! Tag @kitchconfidante on Instagram and hashtag it #kitchenconfidante

Comments

Recipe Rating




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  1. Kyle M.

    5 stars
    Wonderful! Marvelous! This will be a new standard recipe at our home. I used more garlic and Zaterains Creole Mustard (a New Orleans German whole grain mustard). The best I can advise is to try this… Thank you!

    Reply
  2. Kim

    5 stars
    This was sooooooo good! I am making it again tonight! Maybe with some broccoli and scalloped potatoes. Thanks for the easy but jammed full or flavor recipe! Going on my Favorite Eats Pinterest board for sure!

    Reply
  3. Mitch

    3 stars
    Suggestion: put the oven preparation before the instructions so I don’t accidentally add the sauce before searing. Its like starting at step 3 back to 1, a little confusing.

    Reply
    • Liren Baker

      Appreciate your suggestion, Mitch! However, the sauce is necessary to marinate the meat, so it must be done earlier in the recipe.

      Reply
  4. Kerri

    5 stars
    Delicious! Fast, easy, my whole family loved it. I will be making this again!

    Reply
  5. Sierra

    5 stars
    I love this and so does my family so flavorful. I am making this again tonight but with porksteaks baked in my cast iron skillet with mashed taters and seasoned green beans thanks for the awesome recipe God Bless

    Reply
    • Liren Baker

      Hi Sierra, I’m so pleased that you and your family loves this recipe! Love how you’re making them with mashed taters and green beans – SO good! Thank you so much for coming back to let me know! :)

      Reply
  6. Stephanie

    5 stars
    This is my go to recipe for pork loin! I was wondering if you think it would would on a rotisserie instead of searing and roasting as to free up the oven? Thank you!

    Reply
    • Liren Baker

      Hi Stephanie! I’m so glad you love this recipe! I love the idea of cooking it on a rotisserie — I’ve never tried it, but I think it would turn out great!! If you give it a shot, please let me know how it turns out, I’d love to know :)

      Reply
  7. Leslie

    This sounds delicious! I was looking for a recipe to accompany polenta, and this is perfect! Can’t wait to try it.

    Reply
  8. Stephanie

    Marinating now to cook for our Easter dinner tonight, can’t wait to taste it! The marinade was amazing by itself, really enjoy the vinegar, mustard, and garlic tang it gives when mixed together. My husband is the cook in the family and now that he is at sea, trying to teach myself and this is my first attempt.

    Reply
    • Liren Baker

      I hope the pork loin turned out to your liking, Stephanie! This is a great recipe to get started in the kitchen – the marinade makes it easy! I hope you had a wonderful Easter :)

      Reply
  9. Kristin

    We’ve been trying to find recipes for the slow cooker since my fiance and I are so busy these days. I adapted this to our slow cooker and only added chicken stock and a pinch or two of  crushed read pepper and a couple of bay leaves. Cooked on low all day and it was DELICIOUS! I didn’t even need to sear it first. Thanks!

    Reply
    • Liren Baker

      Hi Kristin! This is a very belated reply to your comment, but I wanted to thank you so much! So glad to know it works well in the slow cooker – I’m totally trying this next time!

      Reply
  10. sally

    Trying this roght now even thought mine is not pork but beef and it’s not whole it’s already sliced and I tried to do it on the stove yesterday and it took soo long and it wasn’t as soft as I expected it to be. So I’m trusting u. I’ll let u know how it turns out. ;). Do you pinterest? btw

    Reply
  11. Marge

    Made this for dinner today.  I allowed the pork loin to sit, covered in fridge for four hours….with mixture all over it.

    Cooked for about an hour (2.25 lb boneless loin)

    Let the roast rest for a bit…then served! Oh my gosh!  I was so surprised at how the flavor of the balsamic mixture really penetrated the entire roast!  Excellent!

    Might try it on a roasted chicken!

    Reply
    • Liren Baker

      Hi Marge! I’m so glad you enjoyed it! Love the idea of trying it with a roast chicken – I’m going to have to try it, too :)

      Reply
  12. Derek Miller

    I will brine it first  equal parts sugar and kosher salt. Everything else good. Brining locks in moisture.

    Reply
  13. Michelle Patrick

    Made this dish last night and it was divine! The entire family loved it! In fact, my daughter had thirds!!! Definately a hit! Can’t wait to make again! Thank you!

    Reply
  14. sara

    This was amazing!  So easy too. Marinate for a few hours, sear it and cook 35 mins/lb @325 in a convection oven!  Perfection! Served it with garlic mashed and broccoli :-)

    Reply
  15. Marina

    I just made this pork tenderloin for Sunday night dinner and it came out great. I followed the recipe exactly and used dried thyme instead of fresh thyme. It was super quick and easy. I will definitely make it again. Thanks!

    Reply
  16. Nancy

    Made this for my family last night and it was fantastic! For the person who questioned the size (tenderloin versus loin) all you have to do is adjust the cooking time and use a meat thermometer.
    As to other questioners, you marinade the meat for a while and then sear it and put the pan straight into the oven. Easy peasy!

    Reply
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  18. Jodie

    Another question — do you cover the pork as it cooks? Many of us aren’t meat cooks, but want to learn.  thanks.

    Reply
  19. Jodie

    How do you apply the balsamic mixture?  This is a huge hole in the recipe steps. I inferred what to do, but some might not be able to.  Thanks. Otherwise, great recipe!

    Reply
  20. Jeni

    Looks amazing! Can I let this marinate all day when I’m at work or would that be too long? 

    Reply
  21. JoyceJ

    Pls specify if roast should be pork tenderloin or pork loin. Huge difference. Your picture looks like a tenderloin. Most pork loin roasts do not come in 2lb size but most tenderloins do. Which is correct? Thanks.

    Reply
  22. Trish

    I substituted the balsamic vinegar with raspberry vinegar and it was AWESOME!

    Reply
  23. Bonny@cleverhen.com

    That roast looks so tasty and caramelized with goodness. I can’t wait to fire up the grill. I bet whole seed mustard would be fabulous in this recipe too. Yum!

    Reply
    • Liren

      You know how I feel about simple dishes, Barbara :) When friends ask, this is the food we like best, day in and day out, no matter the weather!

      Reply
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