Easy Baked Turkey Tenderloin Recipe (With Onions)

If you're looking for a simple baked turkey tenderloin recipe, this is the one! This Easy Baked Turkey Tenderloin Recipe (With Onions) is juicy, flavorful, and easy to make. Whether you're preparing a cozy family dinner or a special holiday meal, this turkey tenderloin recipe is sure to impress.

 If you love easy turkey dinners, you will also want to try my Rosemary and Garlic Pork Tenderloin, Mojo Turkey Tenderloin, and Turkey Tenderloin with Cranberry Glaze.

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For the dried herb rub, I keep it simple with olive oil, salt, pepper, and a dried herb blend my Italian mother-in-law Teresa put together for me. My husband and kids all love this one, and I usually make extra apple onion sauce on purpose, it is wonderful spooned over chicken breasts again later in the week.

What Is Turkey Tenderloin

Turkey tenderloin is the small, boneless, skinless strip of meat from inside the turkey breast, similar to a chicken tenderloin. It is not the same as a whole turkey breast, it is more tender, cooks much faster, and absorbs marinades especially well, which makes it ideal for a quick weeknight dinner or a small holiday meal for two.

What is Turkey Tenderloin?

Turkey tenderloin is the boneless, skinless portion of turkey breast. It's incredibly tender and absorbs flavors well, making it ideal for marinades and seasonings.

How to Cook Turkey Tenderloin in the Oven

I start by marinating the tenderloin with olive oil, seasoning and some dried herbs.For this particular recipe, I keep it simple with the olive oil (extra-virgin Sicilian olive oil that I love), salt, pepper and some dried herbs (a dried herb combo my Italian mother-in-law Teresa made me!). It really could be left to marinate overnight or even right before cooking (sometimes I forget to marinate it and put it together even 30 minutes before).

Step 1: Marinate the Turkey

The flavorful turkey tenderloin comes together pretty quickly. The apple and onions are incredible. I usually make extra to have on the side to serve as like an apple compote. It goes so nicely with these instant pot mashed potatoes and these lovely roasted Brussel sprouts.

1. In a bowl, whisk together olive oil, dried herbs, seasoning.
2. Place the turkey tenderloin in a ziplock bag or shallow dish and pour the marinade over it.
3. Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes, ideally overnight for maximum flavor.

Step 2: Prepare the Apple & Onion Sauce

The next part of the recipe is the delicious apple and onion sauce. Once you gather all your ingredients for the apple and onion sauce, you cook them together in a skillet. Sauté them all together until they soften. Check the seasoning as you're cooking and you could adjust by adding more vinegar or a splash of apple juice.

Gather the ingredients.

1. Heat a large skillet. orcast iron skillet over medium heat.
2. Add oil and sauté onions for 3 minutes.
3. Add apples and cook for another 5 minutes.
4. Stir in apple cider vinegar, applesauce, chicken stock, and coconut aminos.
5. Simmer until slightly thickened, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat.

Step 3: Bake the Turkey Tenderloin

1. Preheat oven to 375°F.
2. Remove turkey from marinade.
3. Spoon the apple mixture into a foil lined baking pan or casserole.
4. I add turkey tenderloin on top of the apple + onion sauce and some fresh sage. It all gets roasted together until the tenderloin is juicy and tender. Add a spoonful more of apple sauce if you want it a bit thicker. I used apple cider vinegar but even rice wine vinegar or white wine vinegar would work great (really, whatever vinegar you have in your pantry).
5. I tossed in some whole garlic cloves around the turkey.
6. Bake uncovered for 35-40 minutes, or until the internal temperature reaches 165°F

Step 4: Rest & Serve

1. Remove from oven and let rest for 5-10 minutes before slicing.
2. Serve with green bean casserole, mashed potatoes, or roasted Brussels sprouts.

How Long to Cook Turkey Tenderloin in the Oven?

• At 350°F, cook for 40-45 minutes.
• At 375°F, cook for 30-35 minutes.
• Always use a meat thermometer to check for 165°F at the thickest part.

What to serve with turkey tenderloin

Looking for the perfect side dishes? Here are some great options:

• Green bean casserole >>> You could try my Italian green beans made with a little bit of garlic.
• Mashed potatoes >>> If you have an instant pot, these are super easy to make!
• Oven-roasted Brussels sprouts >>> A touch of balsamic vinegar makes these Brussels sprouts extra tasty.
• Sweet potato mash >>> Make mashed or even baked sweet potatoes.
• Crusty bread >>> A great homemade bread is always a good idea!

How long should I marinate my turkey breast tenderloin?

The tenderloin will be more flavorful the more time you marinate it. Most often I try plan and marinate it overnight. Sometimes I forget and remember in morning, so 6 hours is enough. But truly overnight is ideal.

Last minute is fine, too! Sometimes I put the marinate together 30 minutes-1 hour before and the tenderloin still comes out tender and delicious.

Because of the acid of the vinegar, I wouldn't marinade it for more than 2 days. But for this recipe, I really like marinating 8 hours for a really moist and tasty tenderloin.

Substitutions and Variations

• Spicy version: add red pepper flakes or a dash of cayenne to the marinade.
• Garlic herb turkey: use fresh minced garlic and Italian seasoning in place of paprika.
• Citrus glaze: swap the apple cider vinegar for fresh orange juice.
• Slow cooker method: cook on low for 4 to 5 hours.
• Instant Pot version: use the poultry setting for 15 minutes with a quick release.
• No apples? pears or cranberries both make a good seasonal swap.

Storing

• Refrigerate: Turkey and sauce together in an airtight container in the fridge, refrigerated within 2 hours of cooking, up to 3 days.
• Reheat: In a skillet over medium-low heat, or on a plate in the microwave.

Recipe Tips

• Always use a meat thermometer. 165°F at the thickest part is the safe, correct target. Guessing by time alone risks over or undercooking.
• Let it rest before slicing. Five to ten minutes keeps the juices in the meat instead of on the cutting board.
• Marinate overnight when you can. Even 30 minutes works in a pinch, but overnight gives noticeably more flavor. Do not marinate longer than 2 days, since the vinegar's acidity will start to break down the texture.
• Do not skip the sauce. Roasting the turkey directly on top of the apple and onion mixture keeps it moist and infuses the meat as it cooks.
• Make extra sauce. It is wonderful spooned over roasted vegetables or a simply cooked chicken breast later in the week.

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Baked Turkey Tenderloin with Apples and Onions

If you're looking for a simple baked turkey tenderloin recipe, this is the one! This oven-roasted turkey tenderloin is juicy, flavorful, and easy to make. Whether you're preparing a cozy family dinner or a special holiday meal, this turkey tenderloin recipe is sure to impress.

Prep Time10 minutes mins

Cook Time40 minutes mins

Total Time50 minutes mins

Course: Dinner

Cuisine: American

Keyword: gluten-free, paleo, turkey, Whole30

Servings: 4 servings

Calories: 293kcal

Author: Lora

Ingredients

Turkey tenderloin:

• ▢ 1.5 pound turkey tenderloin you could use pork if you can't find turkey tenderloin
• ▢ 2 tablespoons olive oil divided
• ▢ 2 teaspoons salt divided
• ▢ 2 teaspoons pepper divided
• ▢ 2 teaspoons sweet paprika
• ▢ dried herbs I have a combo of rosemary and sage, but either one alone would work

Apple and onion sauce:

• ▢ 1 large sweet onion peeled and sliced ¼″ thick
• ▢ 2 medium apples cored, peeled and sliced ¼″ thick
• ▢ ½ cup apple sauce
• ▢ 1 cup chicken stock I used my own homemade that was low-sodium. Store bought is fine as long as low-sodium
• ▢ 2 Tablespoons coconut aminos
• ▢ 2 Tablespoons apple cider vinegar
• ▢ fresh sage you could use rosemary or thyme
• ▢ garlic cloves optional: you could add a few peeled garlic cloves into the pan before roasting

Instructions

Turkey tenderloin:

• The night before, or even 30 minutes before is fine, pat the turkey tenderloin dry. Season with 1 teaspoon salt, 1 teaspoon pepper and 1 teaspoon paprika.
• Add the turkey tenderloin into a large zipped lock bag (or airtight container). Add a tablespoon of olive and if you have it in a zipped lock sealed bag, squish it all around the seasoning and oil.
• When you're ready to cook it (you could prep this the night before or even day of cooking), remove from the refrigerator. Line a baking pan or a casserole with foil paper.
• Preheat your oven to 425º with the oven rack in the middle.

Apple and onion sauce:

• Place a medium sized skillet on medium heat. Add a tablespoon of olive oil to the skillet.
• Once skillet is heated up, add the apples and onions.
• Saute' until apples and onions soften.
• Add the apple sauce, chicken stock, coconut aminos, and vinegar. Cook until the sauce begins to thicken a little. If it seems to be too thick, add a few drops of water. Check the flavoring and add more apple sauce or a splash of vinegar, if needed.
• Add the apple and onion sauce to the foil lined baking pan.
• Place the tenderloin on top of the apple and onion sauce.
• Sprinkle on the remaining salt, pepper, and paprika on top of the tenderloin and a drizzle of olive oil. If you have any fresh sage (rosemary or even thyme), add to the pan around tenderloin. If you would like to add some garlic, go ahead and add a few peeled cloves around the turkey. It will add even more flavor.
• Place the baking pan in the heated oven.
• When it's halfway through being cooked, check the sauce and if it's thickened too much, and if it seems too dry, add ¼ cup more of water (more if needed).
• Lower the heat to 375F for the last 10 minutes of cooking time.
• Bake until tenderloin reaches 160 degrees F in thickest part (about 30-40 minutes, every oven is different).
• Remove turkey tenderloin from the oven and let rest for at least five minutes to lock in juices. Slice and place on a serving plate with the apple/onion sauce. Serve with a side of roasted potatoes and your favorite green vegetables.

Nutrition Disclaimer

Please keep in mind that the nutritional information presented below is an approximation and may vary depending on the exact ingredients used.

Notes

• I used coconut amino acids. You could use your favorite tamari sauce (to stay gluten-free)or low sodium soy sauce (if you're not gluten-free).
• Refrigerate turkey within two hours and store in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
• You could sub the apple cider vinegar with another vinegar that you have in your pantry. Rice vinegar would work great!
• You could use pork tenderloin if you can't find turkey tenderloin.
• IF using pork: Bake at 350F until pork is 150 degrees internally at the widest part of the tenderloin (about 25 minutes.)

Nutrition

Calories: 293kcal | Carbohydrates: 8g | Protein: 41g | Fat: 10g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 5g | Cholesterol: 78mg | Sodium: 1534mg | Potassium: 127mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 509IU | Vitamin C: 0.4mg | Calcium: 11mg | Iron: 1mg

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