Julie Clark
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Turkey Tenderloin in the Oven
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Don’t need a whole turkey for Thanksgiving? Try roasting a turkey tenderloin in the oven. It has a savory herb rub and bakes with herbed garlic butter on top.
If a roasted turkey isn’t idea for your Thanksgiving dinner menu, consider our easy turkey tenderloin recipe that bakes up quickly in 30 minutes. Just like with our pork tenderloin, sear the turkey breast tenderloin and then bake with garlic butter, fresh rosemary, thyme and parsley. It cooks up tender, juicy and looks pretty for a special occasion.
30-Minute Turkey Tenderloin: The Trick to Stress-Free Thanksgiving
When the holidays come around, you’ll often find us enjoying smoked turkey with our paprika spice rub, or my my mom’s turkey in a bag recipe.
But I’ll be honest. Turkey has its place but it isn’t my most favorite food of the holidays.
A smaller cut like slow cooker turkey breast or this simple turkey tenderloin recipe is what I turn to when there’s a smaller crowd.
This recipe is versatile. You can make use our simple chicken marinade as a turkey tenderloin marinade and grill, or make this turkey breast tenderloin with savory poultry seasoning and fresh herbs in garlic butter.
Made this way, it’s delicious served with other Thanksgiving sides like cranberry sauce, mashed potatoes and vegetables, and then turn leftovers into a turkey breast tenderloin sandwich (on a dinner roll) or serve on top of salads.
Enjoy! -Julie
Ingredients
Turkey tenderloin is found in the meat department of many grocery stores. Jenni-O is a popular brand, but many stores have their own brand. Choose tenderloins that do not have any added seasonings or marinades.
Turkey Tenderloin in the Oven
Don't need a big turkey for Thanksgiving? Try roasting a turkey tenderloin in the oven. It has a savory herb rub and bakes with herbed garlic butter on top.
Servings 4
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes
Ingredients
- 24 ounces turkey tenderloin I used Jennie-O brand
- 1 tablespoon poultry seasoning
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1/2 cup salted butter room temperature
- 1 teaspoon minced garlic
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon freshly snipped rosemary
- 1 tablespoon freshly snipped thyme
- 1 tablespoon freshly snipped Italian parsley
Instructions
- Allow the turkey to come to room temperature for 30 mins before baking. Rub the turkey breasts with the poultry seasoning, salt and pepper. 24 ounces turkey tenderloin, 1 tablespoon poultry seasoning, 1 teaspoon salt, ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
- In a small bowl, mix together the ingredients for the garlic butter and place in the fridge as the turkey cooks. Preheat the oven to 350ºF. ½ cup salted butter, 1 teaspoon minced garlic, ¼ teaspoon salt, 1 tablespoon freshly snipped rosemary, 1 tablespoon freshly snipped thyme, 1 tablespoon freshly snipped Italian parsley
- Heat oil in cast iron skillet over medium high heat. Add turkey tenderloin and sear on all sides. This will take only about 5 minutes. 1 tablespoon olive oil
- Place seared tenderloins in a baking dish and place a few teaspoons of butter on the top of each tenderloin. Place in the preheated oven and bake for 25 minutes. The exact timing will depend on the size of the tenderloin. Bake until the internal temperature reaches 145ºFahrenheit for the juiciest turkey. Use a meat thermometer in the thickest part of the meat to test the internal temperature.
- Brush the garlic butter over the turkey tenderloin when it comes out of the oven. Allow the meat to rest for 5 minutes to allow the juices to redistribute. Sprinkle with additional freshly snipped parsley.
Notes
Storage: Store leftovers in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. The leftovers make great sandwiches!
Refer to the article above for more tips and tricks.
The calories shown are based on the recipe serving 4, with 1 serving being 6 ounces of turkey loin. Since different brands of ingredients have different nutritional information, the calories shown are just an estimate. **We are not dietitians and recommend you seek a nutritionist for exact nutritional information. **
Nutrition
Calories: 337kcal | Carbohydrates: 0.5g | Protein: 40g | Fat: 20g | Saturated Fat: 10g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 6g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 113mg | Sodium: 951mg | Potassium: 16mg | Fiber: 0.1g | Sugar: 0.03g | Vitamin A: 511IU | Vitamin C: 2mg | Calcium: 8mg | Iron: 0.1mg
How to Make Turkey Tenderloin in the Oven: Step by Step
The turkey tenderloin should not be frozen at all. Remove from the freezer a day or two before cooking, then allow the tenderloin to sit at room temperature for 30 minutes before preparing. This will help promote even cooking.
Prepare. In a small bowl, mix together the ingredients for the garlic butter. Set aside. Season the turkey breast tenderloins with salt, pepper and poultry seasoning.
Sear the turkey. Heat oil in cast iron skillet over medium high heat. Add the tenderloin and sear on all sides. This will take only about 5 minutes and the turkey does not have to be cooked through.
Bake the turkey. Place seared tenderloins in a baking dish and place a few teaspoons of butter on the top of each tenderloin. Place in the preheated oven and bake for 25 minutes. The exact timing will depend on the size of the tenderloin. Bake until the internal temperature reaches 145º Fahrenheit. For the juiciest turkey, do not overcook. Use a meat thermometer in the thickest part of the meat to test the internal temperature.
Finish the turkey. Brush the garlic butter over the turkey when it comes out of the oven.
