Bruschetta Pork Tenderloin (with Balsamic Sauce)
This Bruschetta Pork Tenderloin is a quick, flavor-packed meal that feels gourmet without the fuss. Juicy pan seared pork tenderloin gets topped with a rich balsamic sauce, served alongside a bold, tangy blue cheese bruschetta – loaded with sweet corn, crisp pickles, and fresh herbs.
Ideal for both weeknights and entertaining, this balsamic pork tenderloin recipe comes together in just 30 minutes from scratch, although you could even prepare the blue cheese bruschetta ahead of time for added convenience.
The bruschetta’s mix of creamy blue cheese and zesty pickles cuts through the pork’s richness, and the glossy balsamic glaze ties everything together. Serve it sliced on a fancy platter with the summer bruschetta alongside it – easy for your guests to help themselves to it or pile it high on top of the sliced meat.
Turn leftovers into next-day sandwiches or meaty crostini as a delicious snack with your favorite cocktails. It’s a foolproof way to impress with minimal effort – no fancy techniques required.
What is blue cheese bruschetta pork tenderloin?
This Bruschetta Pork Tenderloin is a vibrant, flavor-packed dish that pairs juicy, pan-seared pork with a bold and tangy blue cheese bruschetta.
The tenderloin gets a perfect crust from the hot skillet, is sliced and then served with a generous coating of rich balsamic-red wine pan sauce. The bruschetta (loaded with sweet corn, crisp pickles, ripe tomatoes, herbs, and blue cheese) is served alongside the sliced meat and adds a fresh, crunchy contrast.
It’s simple to prepare and offers restaurant-quality flavor!
Ingredients needed to make this bruschetta pork tenderloin
- Blue cheese: Creamy and pungent, melding into the bruschetta for depth.
- Fresh corn: You’ll need about 3 cobs, cooked and cut off the cob. This adds natural sweetness and texture to the bruschetta. Grilled corn works too.
- Roma tomatoes: This type of tomato is firm and less watery – ideal for summer bruschetta.
- Pickles: Dill pickles or bread and butter pickles work beautifully in this bruschetta, providing bright acidity that cuts through the richness.
- Red onion: For a sharp crunch. Soak your red onion in water first if you want to mellow the flavor.
- Chipotle chili pepper or cayenne (optional): For a delicious smoky heat in the bruschetta.
- Fresh herbs: Use fresh basil or dill to brighten the bruschetta.
- Pork tenderloins: Lean and quick-cooking meat. You can trim off any excess fat. I’ve used 2 pork tenderloins (1.5 pounds each) in this recipe.
- Salt and pepper: To season the tenderloins.
- Olive oil: To coat the tenderloins and pan sear them. Use high-quality olive oil.
- Dry red wine: Deepens the flavor of the sauce. Feel free to substitute with extra stock, if preferred.
- Beef stock: Adds umami to the pan sauce.
- Balsamic vinegar: Adds a sweet-tart flavor to the reduced sauce.
- Butter: For extra rich flavor in the sauce. Unsalted butter is preferred.
How do you make this balsamic pork tenderloin recipe?
Prepare the blue cheese bruschetta:
- Combine blue cheese, corn, tomatoes, pickles, onion, herbs, and optional chili pepper/cayenne pepper in a bowl.
- Mix it gently, cover, and refrigerate until serving.
Cook the pork:
- Season the tenderloins generously with salt and pepper, then gently rub with 1 Tbsp. of olive oil.
- Heat the remaining oil in a skillet over high.
- Sear the pork 3 minutes per side, then reduce the heat to medium until the internal temperature reaches 145°F.
- Remove the tenderloins from the pan and cover them with foil to keep them hot.
Make the sauce:
- Remove the skillet from the heat and add wine, scraping up any browned bits.
- Return the pan to the heat, add stock, and simmer for 2–3 minutes to reduce the liquid.
- Whisk in the balsamic vinegar and butter; and cook for 2 minutes until thickened.
Serve:
- Slice the tenderloins and place the slices on a serving platter, drizzled with the sauce.
- Place the chilled bruschetta alongside the meat.
- Garnish the sliced meat and blue cheese bruschetta with whole basil leaves. Enjoy!
Serving
Serve this pork tenderloin bruschetta with cheesy garlic bread, Watermelon Basil Salad with Feta, basic green salad, or crispy roasted potatoes.
If you love the idea of this Steak Crostini, then why not serve this bruschetta pork tenderloin as a tasty appetizer too?! Simply slice the pork thinly and serve it on the crostini with the summer bruschetta.
Sit back and relax with your plate filled with this tender bruschetta pork tenderloin and a light Pinot Noir or rosé to complement the flavors of this dish.
A serving of Strawberry Shortcake with a scoop of vanilla ice cream is a magical way to round off the meal!
Sandy’s tips and substitutions:
- Storage: Store leftover sliced pork tenderloin and blue cheese bruschetta in separate airtight containers in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat the sliced tenderloin in the oven, covered with foil to prevent dryness, and heat until warmed through. Alternatively, enjoy it as a cold meat platter.
- Freezer: Once completely cool, leftover pan seared pork tenderloin can be wrapped tightly in plastic wrap or foil, stored in an airtight container, and kept in the freezer for up to 2 months. Thaw it overnight in the fridge and serve chilled or reheat as directed above.
- Make-ahead: Assemble the blue cheese bruschetta up to 8 hours before serving, storing it in the fridge, covered, and allowing the flavors to meld together.
- Deglaze the skillet: Scraping the browned bits from the bottom of the skillet after having pan-seared the seasoned pork tenderloins adds incredible flavor to the sauce. Don’t clean the skillet once the pork has been cooked!
- Test for doneness: For perfectly cooked pork tenderloin, insert a meat thermometer into the thickest section. It should register 145 degrees F.
- Rest the meat: Resting the meat while preparing the sauce allows the juices to resettle in the meat for extra juicy slices of pork. Keep the cooked tenderloins covered so that they remain hot for slicing and serving.
- Bruschetta swaps: Try feta instead of blue cheese or add diced avocado for creaminess.
- Sauce shortcuts: Replace the homemade balsamic sauce with store-bought balsamic reduction, if you’re in a rush or don’t want to make sauce.
- Alcohol-free: While the alcohol is burnt off in the sauce, if you still don’t want to cook with wine, simply increase the stock. The taste of your sauce may be slightly different, but it’ll still be delicious.
More meaty dishes recipes you may want to try:
- Goat Cheese Stuffed Pork Tenderloin
- Flank Steak with Cocoa Chili Rub
- Avocado Strawberry Steak Salad
- Bacon Wrapped Turkey Meat Loaf
- Chili Lime Steak Fajita Tacos
Get the Recipe:
Bruschetta Pork Tenderloin (with Balsamic Sauce)
Ingredients
make the bruschetta:
- ½ cup blue cheese
- ½ cup fresh corn, about 3 cobs, cooked and cut off the cob
- ½ cup Roma tomatoes, chopped
- ½ cup pickles, chopped (dill or bread and butter flavors)
- ¼ cup red onion, diced
- ½ tsp. chipotle chili pepper, or cayenne; optional
- ½ cup basil or dill, chopped
make the pork tenderloins:
- 3 pounds pork tenderloins, 2 loins that are about 1.5 pound each
- Salt and pepper
- 3 Tbsp. olive oil
- ⅓ cup dry red wine
- ½ cup beef stock
- ¼ cup balsamic vinegar
- 1 tsp. butter
Instructions
- For the bruschetta, combine blue cheese with fresh ingredients (corn, tomatoes, pickles, onion, herbs, and optional chili pepper); lightly mix together. Cover and refrigerate.
- For the pork, season the tenderloins heavily with salt and pepper. Gently rub with 1 Tbsp. olive oil.
- Heat skillet on high and add 2 Tbsp. olive oil. Sear the tenderloins for 3 minutes on each side, lowering the heat to medium and cooking until done (145 degrees with a meat thermometer).
- Remove tenderloins and cover with foil to keep hot.
- Remove the pan from the heat and add the wine, scraping any browned meat bits from the bottom of the pan. Return to heat and add the stock, cooking for 2-3 minutes to reduce the sauce.
- Whisk in the vinegar and butter, cooking for 2 more minutes, reducing the sauce.
- Slice the meat, and plate on a serving platter; spoon the sauce over the sliced meat.
- Serve the meat alongside the Blue Cheese Bruschetta. Garnish with whole basil leaves.
Hello and welcome to my home and table!
I’m Sandy—lover of food, family, cooking, THE BIG BOARD, travel, and bringing people together. Through great recipes and connection around the table, we become better, stronger, and more courageous people. Feasting on Life is real, and every time we do it, we grow a little more. Read more...
