Learn the exact technique to make perfectly cooked pork tenderloin on the grill, then make it a complete meal with a pearl couscous salad with tomatoes and feta cheese.

Slices of grilled pork tenderloin on a platter with a bed of couscous and blistered tomatoes.

Best Grilled Pork Tenderloin

I associate summer dinners with grilled pork tenderloin. This easy protein is on my family’s menu once a week, if not twice.

I’ve grilled pork tenderloin hundreds of times. I’ve marinated it, rubbed it with spices, cooked it hot and fast and low and slow, over direct heat and indirect heat, and every other which way you can do it. I’ve made it for weeknight dinners, sandwiches for lunch, and special occasions.

Today, I’m sharing everything I know about the very BEST way to make pork tenderloin on the grill, as well as how to pair the perfectly cooked meat with a simple side dish with pearl couscous, blistered tomatoes, and big cubes of feta cheese, so you have a complete meal.

What is pork tenderloin?

Pork tenderloin is a long, thin cut of meat from the muscle that runs along the back of the pig. It is one of the most tender cuts of pork, as well as one of the leanest. It’s mild flavor readily absorbs marinades and rubs, and it cooks quickly compared to tougher cuts. It’s one of our weeknight go-to’s!

Why You’ll Love this Pork Tenderloin on the Grill

  • Grilling locks in flavors and juices, giving the pork tenderloin a succulent texture that is hard to achieve with other cooking methods.
  • Pork tenderloin is known for being a lean source of protein, but also so flavorful!
  • This recipe tells you how to grill pork tenderloin, and also includes a tomato and couscous salad that comes together using the same seasonings from the pork, for a complete meal without a ton of effort.
Ingredients on a light surface, including a strip of meat, blistered tomatoes, feta cheese, herbs, lemon, spices and couscous.

Best Grilled Pork Tenderloin Ingredients

  • pork tenderloin – the star of the show! The mild flavor of this meat is a great canvas for seasonings and pairs well with just about any side dish.
  • pearl couscous – we’ll be making a tomato and couscous salad to go along with the pork tenderloin. The chewy texture of pearl couscous stands up well to a meaty side dish.
  • olive oil – for making a dressing for the salad as well as coating the pork so it doesn’t stick to the grill.
  • lemon juice – makes for a bright and acidic dressing for the salad.
  • Italian seasoning – used to season both the pork and the salad.
  • salt and pepper – essential for making both the pork and the salad taste their best.
  • tomatoes – we’ll be using a half batch of my Blistered Tomatoes recipe to add sweetness and vibrant color to the couscous salad. You can make these up to 3 days in advance and store them in the fridge, to make this dinner come together faster. If you’d prefer not to blister the tomatoes first, you can simple use fresh halved grape tomatoes.
  • feta cheese – buy a whole block of this tangy, salty cheese so you can cut it into luxurious cubes for the couscous salad. It’s so much better than the pre-crumbled stuff!
  • basil – adds a fresh, aromatic finish to the salad.

How to Grill Pork Tenderloin

A glass bowl filled with pearl couscous salad made with tomatoes and feta cheese.

1. COUSCOUS. Prepare the couscous according to package directions. While it cooks, whisk together some olive oil, lemon juice, Italian seasoning, salt and pepper in a large bowl until smooth. Add the cooked couscous, blistered tomatoes and feta to the dressing and toss together. Let this sit at room temperature while you prepare the pork.

The best grilled pork tenderloin rubbed with spices on a paper lined tray.

2. SEASONING. Drizzle the pork tenderloin with oil and rub all over with Italian seasoning, salt and pepper.

Herb-rubbed strip of raw meat on a grill.

3. GRILL. Transfer the pork to a hot grill and cook until it is cooked through, turning occasionally. Remove the pork from the grill, cover it with foil and let stand 10 minutes before slicing.

A pork tenderloin on the grill.

4. FINISH. Fold the basil into the couscous mixture, then slice and serve the pork with the couscous.

A platter filled with grill pork tenderloin served over a couscous salad made with tomatoes and feta cheese.

How long to grill pork tenderloin?

Exact timing will depend on the thickness of your tenderloin and the heat of your grill, but for direct grilling over medium heat, a good estimate is 14 to 16 minutes.

Grilled Pork Tenderloin Temp

Remove pork tenderloin from the grill when it reaches an internal temperature of 140 degrees F. Transfer it to a cutting board and let it rest loosely tented in foil for 10 minutes. The temperature will continue to rise to about 145 degrees as it rests, and it will be perfectly cooked by the time you slice it.

A grilled pork tenderloin recipe being sliced on a wooden cutting board.

Pork Tenderloin on Grill Home Chef Tips

  • I kept the seasonings for pork tenderloin on grill simple and used the same ones that I included in the couscous salad, but feel free to add additional seasonings to the outside of the tenderloin, such as garlic powder, onion powder and paprika, for extra flavor.
  • Invest in a meat thermometer so it’s easy to check when your tenderloin reach 140 degrees F.
  • If you can’t find a larger container of pearl couscous (my go-to is Rice Select brand), you can use two boxes of Near East pearled couscous. If it’s a flavored variety, you can discard the flavoring packets or use them for something else.
A small black plate filled with couscous salad with tomatoes and feta, topped with the best grilled pork tenderloin.

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How to serve this Pork Tenderloin Grill Recipe

This grilled pork tenderloin recipe with couscous and tomato salad is designed to be an entire meal. If you’d like to add our homemade garlic bread recipe or easy yeast rolls, you’ll get no complaints from me.

If you’d like to add additional vegetables (because after all, tomatoes are technically a fruit!), I recommend balsamic asparagus or grilled zucchini.

A platter filled with pork tenderloin grilled and sliced and served over a couscous salad made with tomatoes and feta cheese.

Grilled Pork Tenderloin Recipe storage

If you have leftovers, transfer the salad and pork to separate storage containers and place them in the fridge uncovered for a few hours until they are fully chilled, then cover them with their lids and keep up to 3 days. 

You can eat the leftovers cold, gently reheat them, or repurpose the pork into a leftover pork tenderloin sandwich.

A platter filled with a pork tenderloin grill recipe served over a couscous salad made with tomatoes and feta cheese.

Pork Tenderloin Grilled FAQs

How do you keep pork tenderloin from drying out on the grill?

To prevent pork tenderloin from drying out on the grill, use an instant read meat thermometer to monitor the internal temperature of the meat and remove it from the grill when it reaches 140 degrees F. Let it rest loosely covered in foil for 10 minutes before slicing. Do NOT cut into the meat to check its doneness while it cooks – this will cause all of its juices to run out.

Is it better to wrap pork tenderloin in foil?

While some recipes call for wrapping pork tenderloin in foil to cook indirectly on the grill, this recipe calls for pork tenderloin grilled directly on the grill grates over the flame. This allows for better searing and caramelization, resulting in a more flavorful crust.

Is it better to cook pork tenderloin fast or slow?

Pork tenderloin is best cooked relatively quickly over medium-high heat on the grill. Slower cooking methods are better suited for tougher cuts of pork.

Should you sear a pork loin before grilling?

We’ll be getting a nice sear on the pork as we grill it, so searing it separately on the stove or something like that is not necessary.

A small black plate filled with couscous salad with tomatoes and feta, topped with the sliced meat.

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Slices of grilled pork tenderloin on a platter with a bed of couscous and blistered tomatoes.

Best Grilled Pork Tenderloin Recipe

Author: Lori Yates
Yield: 4 servings
Prep: 30 minutes
Cook: 14 minutes
Additional Time: 10 minutes
Total: 54 minutes
Learn the exact technique to make perfectly cooked pork tenderloin on the grill, then make it a complete meal with a pearl couscous salad with tomatoes and feta cheese.
5 from 1 rating
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Ingredients

  • 1 ¼ cups pearl couscous
  • 3 tablespoons olive oil divided
  • 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
  • 2 teaspoons Italian seasoning divided
  • 2 teaspoons kosher salt divided
  • 1 teaspoon ground black pepper divided
  • ½ recipe Blistered Tomatoes
  • ¾ cup feta cheese crumbled or cubed
  • 1 pork tenderloin about 1 pound
  • ¼ cup chopped fresh basil

Instructions

  • Prepare couscous according to package directions.
  • Meanwhile, in large bowl, whisk 2 tablespoons oil, lemon juice, 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning, 1 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper until smooth.
  • Add Blistered Tomatoes, feta and prepared couscous to bowl and toss until well combined. Let stand at room temperature while you cook the pork.
  • Preheat outdoor grill for direct grilling over medium heat. 
  • Drizzle pork tenderloin with remaining 1 tablespoon oil. Sprinkle all over with remaining 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning, 1 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper and rub spices and oil into meat.
  • Transfer pork to grill and cook 14 to 16 minutes or until internal temperature reaches 140 degrees F, turning occasionally. Remove from grill, cover with foil and let stand 10 minutes before slicing.
  • Add basil to couscous mixture and toss until well combined. Serve sliced pork with couscous.

Notes

  • I kept the seasonings for pork tenderloin on grill simple and used the same ones that I included in the couscous salad, but feel free to add additional seasonings to the outside of the tenderloin, such as garlic powder, onion powder and paprika, for extra flavor.
  • Invest in a meat thermometer so it’s easy to check when your tenderloin reach 140 degrees F.
  • If you can’t find a larger container of pearl couscous (my go-to is Rice Select brand), you can use two boxes of Near East pearled couscous. If it’s a flavored variety, you can discard the flavoring packets or use them for something else.
Calories: 532kcal, Carbohydrates: 49g, Protein: 35g, Fat: 21g, Saturated Fat: 7g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g, Monounsaturated Fat: 11g, Trans Fat: 0.04g, Cholesterol: 99mg, Sodium: 1554mg, Potassium: 864mg, Fiber: 5g, Sugar: 3g, Vitamin A: 1206IU, Vitamin C: 19mg, Calcium: 192mg, Iron: 3mg
This website provides estimated nutrition information as a courtesy only. You should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe using your preferred nutrition calculator.
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