Garlic and Dill Crusted Pork Tenderloin with Blistered Tomatoes, Lentils and Arugula Salad

This recipe is perfect for Spring and comes together pretty fast and with little effort. For me, a fast and easy recipe this good skyrockets to the top of my favorite list. The pork tenderloin is first coated in a paste made from pungent ingredients like garlic, lemon, and fresh dill. I think fresh dill may be my favorite herby scent! Put all these ingredients in a zip top bag and place in your fridge in the morning, then it is ready to rest on your counter for 30 minutes and roasted in the oven when you get home from work.

Ingredients

4 garlic cloves, minced

2 tablespoons minced dill

1 tablespoon lemon zest

1 tablespoon lemon juice

1 tablespoon olive oil (I like California Olive Ranch)

1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt

1 teaspoon black pepper

1 (1 1/2-pound) pork tenderloin

1 pint cherry tomatoes

Mason Jar Vinaigrette Recipe

3 cups arugula (Or a mix of arugula and baby spinach)

2 cups cooked grain (I highly recommend buying Central Market /HEB Quick Heat Grains in either the Quinoa and Bulgar mix or the Barley and Lentils mix)

1/2 cup crumbled feta

Flaky sea salt (optional)

Preheat oven to 425°F.

Prep Pork

Mix garlic, dill, lemon zest, lemon juice, olive oil, kosher salt, and pepper in a small bowl. Pat pork tenderloin dry and rub with paste. Pork can marinate in this mixture for up to 8 hours in the fridge. Let pork sit at room temperature for 30 minutes before cooking.

Roast Pork

Place pork in the middle of a sheet pan and add tomatoes around the outside, then transfer to oven and roast until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of pork registers 145°F and tomatoes are blistered and softened, about 15-18 minutes. Transfer pork to a cutting board and let rest at least 5 minutes before slicing.

Prep Salad

Make a mason jar vinaigrette which can be as simple as olive oil, lemon juice, salt, and herbs or follow the recipe on this website. In a large bowl toss a couple of tablespoons of vinaigrette with the hot cooked grain. Then add the baby greens and toss lightly. Next, add the blistered tomatoes and feta for one final toss. Taste and season with kosher salt and pepper as needed.

Serve

After the pork has rested for at least 5 minutes, slice into one-inch medallions and transfer to a platter and season with flaky sea salt. Serve alongside the grain salad.