Air Fryer Pork Loin Recipe

Our air fryer pork loin recipe will help you cook juicy pork loin for dinner.

Isn’t it sad to slice into a well-seasoned piece of pork that you made only to find a dry, tough interior? We’ll show you how to cook a pork loin properly — juicy meat locked inside a golden crust.

Not only that, our pork is served on a bed of baby veggies, all well-seasoned and cooked through. Afterwards, a sweet, pungent, and creamy sauce is drizzled on, bringing plenty of flavors to the meat.

What Is the Difference between Pork Loin and Pork Tenderloin?

Save

Before getting into the difference, let us begin by looking at the major parts of a pig:

• The head
• The shoulders and the front legs
• The loin, which is the back of the pig
• The belly, right below the loin
• The hind legs

Both the pork tenderloin and the pork loin belong to the loin area. The tenderloin lies right below the spine, the softest and most tender cut of the animal.

After the tenderloin is separated, the butcher takes the loin and makes a cut between the fourth and fifth vertebrae. The larger part is then sliced into pork chops, while the smaller part has its bones removed and is called the pork loin roast, or pork loin.

Having cooked both pork chops and pork tenderloins, we feel that these cuts don’t differ as much in flavor as they do in texture. You can use other cuts as a substitute for pork loin for pork tenderloin in recipes, and vice versa.

Check out our other pork recipes for different ways to season pork:

• Air Fryer Pork Tenderloin: tender, juicy meat seasoned with mustard, thyme, and spicy seasonings.
• Oven Baked Pork Chops: golden pork chops marinated with Italian herbs and tomato sauce.
• Air Fryer Pork Chops: pork chops seasoned with paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, and Italian seasoning and then coated with breadcrumbs.

Is Air Fryer Pork Loin Healthy?

Pork loins can contain plenty of saturated fat, which experts recommend us to limit. By cooking them in an air fryer, a large part of the fat is rendered and stays at the bottom of your deep-fryer instead of getting to your body.

Save

With most of the fat gone, your tenderloin will be also lower in calories.

In addition to these, our air fryer pork loin recipe is healthier than other recipes for the following reasons.

How Our Recipe Is Made Healthier

For savory dishes, we try to lower the saturated fat, sodium, and calorie content to the right levels. This is the USDA’s recommendation, written in their guidelines.

To lower the sodium content, we used just enough salt in the seasoning, which other recipes tend to overuse. We also made sure to use just enough egg yolk so the saturated fat level is moderate.

For the calories, we’re pairing our pork loin with a salad and a juice. The meal in total has around 750 calories, which is exactly what we think a full meal should have.

You can take a look at our calories and nutrients goals for different meal courses here.

Our Air Fryer Pork Loin Recipe, the Short Version

1. Preheat the air fryer
2. Marinate the meat
3. Cook the potatoes
4. Season the vegetables
5. Cook the pork loin along with vegetables
6. Prepare the sauce
7. Serve

Save

For the full air fryer pork loin recipe with measurements and timing, refer to our recipe card down below.

How to Cook Frozen Pork Loin in an Air Fryer

An air fryer can cook frozen foods that come in small bites, but not large and thick ones like pork loins. You need to thaw the pork loin before placing it in your air fryer, or it won’t cook all the way through.

To thaw, you can microwave the meat for 1 minute and let it sit to thaw for about an hour. If you don’t microwave it, it takes about 4-5 hours to thaw naturally.

For convenience, always remove your frozen meat from the freezer and place it in your fridge the night before. By the time you’re awake, the meat is ready to be used.

What to Serve With

Peppery arugula and juicy watermelon cubes are exactly what our pork loin needs. They add plenty of freshness to the meal.

To round it all up, we went for a glass of low calorie cucumber juice. It’s slightly sweet and refreshing.

Save

For more air fryer recipe ideas, have a look at our best air fryer dinner roundup.

Air Fryer Pork Loin Recipe

5 from 2 votes

Our air fryer pork loin recipe will help you cook delicious pork loins along with vegetables in your air fryer, and a delicious sauce to serve with it.

- by Tuyet Pham, Luna Regina, 2021-04-29

Pin Print

• cook TIME 30 mins
• prep TIME 5 mins
• total TIME 35 mins

• COURSE Main Course
• CUISINE Global
• SERVINGS
  4

  servings
• CALORIES 479 kcal

INGREDIENTS

1x2x3x

• 24 oz top pork loin
• 2 tbsp Italian seasoning
• 1/4 tsp chili powder
• 1/4 tsp pepper
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp garlic powder
• 1/2 tsp onion powder
• 1 tsp thyme
• 1 tsp paprika (divided)
• 2 tsp dried oregano (divided)
• 3 tbsp olive oil (divided into 1 and 2 tbsp)
• 10 oz baby potato (halved)
• 4 oz baby carrots (halved)
• 4 oz brussel sprout (halved)
• 4 oz radish (halved)
• 2 tbsp unsalted butter (melted)
• 1 large egg yolk
• 2 tsp traditional Dijon mustard
• 2 tsp honey
• 1 tsp parsley

INSTRUCTIONS

Image instructions

1

Preheat the air fryer to 350°F

2

Place 24 oz pork loin into a plate. Add 2 tbsp Italian seasoning, 1/4 tsp chili powder, 1/4 tsp pepper, 1/2 tsp salt, 1/2 tsp garlic powder, 1/2 tsp onion powder, 1 tsp thyme, 1/2 tsp paprika, 1 tsp oregano, and 1 tbsp olive oil. Rub the seasonings into the meat well and marinate for 5 minutes.

3

Add 10 oz halved baby potatoes into a bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and microwave for 5 minutes. If you don’t have a microwave, place halved potatoes into a pot of boiling water and cook for 5 minutes.

4

Add the cooked potatoes (strain them first if you boiled them), 4 oz baby carrots, 4 oz brussel sprouts, and 4 oz radish to a large bowl. Toss them with 1/2 tsp paprika, 1 tsp oregano, and 2 tbsp melted butter.

5

Open the air fryer and spread out the vegetables. Place the marinated pork on top, and cook everything for 20 minutes. Take the vegetables out and cook the pork loin for another 10 minutes.

6

While it’s cooking, with a whisk, beat 1 large egg yolk with 2 tsp mustard, 2 tsp honey, and 2 tbsp olive oil in a bowl for 1 minute or until it reaches a thick consistency. Add parsley and mix.

7

Serve: cut the pork into bite-sized slices, and serve with vegetables and sauce.

NUTRITION

Nutrition Facts

Air Fryer Pork Loin Recipe

Amount Per Serving (1 serving)

Calories 479Calories from Fat 225

% Daily Value*

Fat 25g

38%

Saturated Fat 8g

50%

Polyunsaturated Fat 2g

Monounsaturated Fat 12g

Cholesterol 171mg

57%

Sodium 500mg

22%

Potassium 1246mg

36%

Carbohydrate 23g

8%

Fiber 6g

25%

Sugar 6g

7%

Protein 42g

84%

Vitamin A 4578IU

92%

Vitamin C 37mg

45%

Calcium 112mg

11%

Iron 4mg

22%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Keywords: Air Fryer Pork Loin, Air Fryer Pork Loin Recipe