Goat Cheese Stuffed Pork Tenderloin
This Goat Cheese Stuffed Pork Tenderloin is served with a quinoa stuffing, perfect for holiday entertaining. It’s simple to prepare stuffed with goat cheese and dates, and is beautiful presentation, gracing a holiday table, and sliced to perfection!
When it comes to entertaining, pork tenderloin is an ideal choice for parties and for weeknight meals. I’d say this stuffed pork recipe is easy for any home cook to prepare, and the flavor is out of this world. Pork is more inexpensive, which I love, and it’s impressive for company, too.
Goat Cheese Stuffed Pork Tenderloin
For this recipe, you basically roll the pork with goat cheese and dates, stuffed and baked to perfection! I love the versatility of being able to serve this Goat Cheese Stuffed Tenderloin with rice, potatoes, or polenta. This has been a favorite for years, as it’s been on our blog since October 2012.
So the recipes I’m sharing today, which are SO easy (you can make the loins up ahead of time and then pop them in the oven when it’s time) and a beautiful presentation for entertaining this holiday season, were a hit at our dinner party, and I’m sure will be at yours!
Why I love this recipe
- It’s not that difficult to prepare.
- This recipe takes on more holiday focused winter flavors.
- Makes a lovely holiday main dish to serve with any side dish (potatoes, quinoa, rice, or polenta)
Gather these ingredients
- Goat cheese
- Pitted dates
- Pork tenderloins
- Olive oil
- Kirkland’s Sweet Mesquite Seasoning (or your favorite seasoning)
- Fresh rosemary sprigs
The sauce:
- Olive oil
- Chopped shallots
- Tawny port
- Raspberry Chipotle Sauce (we use Fischer and Wieser)
How do you make Goat Cheese Stuffed Pork Tenderloin
- Preheat the oven to 350ºF.
- Place goat cheese in a sandwich bag, press into the corner and snip off the end to make a piping bag. Pipe cheese into the dates.
- Cut each tenderloin lengthwise, almost, but not quite through.
- Stuff each tenderloin with filled dates and secure with crosswise loops of butcher’s twine.
- Brush tenderloins with the oil and season evenly with sweet mesquite seasoning.
- Bake 15 minutes.
- Flip tenderloins and continue baking until an instant-read thermometer inserted in the center registers 145ºF, 20 to 30 minutes more. Let rest for 10 minutes.
- Make the sauce: While the tenderloins are roasting, heat oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add shallots and cook until golden, about 3 minutes. Add port and bring to a boil. Boil until the liquid is syrupy, about 5 minutes. Add raspberry chipotle sauce and bring to a boil. Remove from heat and keep warm.
- Serve: Remove butcher’s twine and carve each tenderloin crosswise into 1/2-inch-thick slices.
Tips and substitutions:
- What is the tenderloin cut? Juicy and delicious, the tenderloin is your holiday entertaining hero. With its versatility and quick cook time, the tenderloin is among the most flavorful, guilt-free party foods: ounce for ounce, it is as lean as a boneless, skinless chicken breast.
- What is quinoa rice? Our recipe is coming soon, but basically “the rice” … well, let’s just say I call it “better than stuffing – stuffing.” It’s much healthier than the usual stuffing used for the holidays, as it uses Costco’s Sprouted Rice and Quinoa Blend. This recipe was so good, due to the dried cherries, pecans, and coconut we added in. Watch for the recipe!
- Did you know that October is National Pork Month? We love to stock up on pork during this month and keep a good stash in the freezer. Tenderloins are so easy to pull out last-minute and defrost for company.
- Do you have to use the twine? Yes, it holds the pork together.
- Swap out the raspberry sauce for your favorite brand or flavor.
- Make in the summer and use other herbs, like basil, parsley, or even oregano!
Serving pork tenderloin
Spoon equal amounts of the sauce onto 6 dinner plates, divide pork evenly, and serve.
If you are serving for a holiday or dinner party, slice and place on a large platter on top of the rice, potatoes, or polenta. Garnish with a drizzle of more sauce and fresh rosemary sprigs.
We specifically love mushroom polenta or you can make a cheesy garlic polenta.
Storage
Store any leftovers in a covered container in the fridge for up to 5 days. The leftovers are delish!
More pork recipes you may want to try while you are here:
- Lemongrass Pork (Milk Braised)
- Chili Braised Pork
- Honey Mustard Pork Chops
Get the Recipe:
Goat Cheese Stuffed Pork Tenderloin
Ingredients
- 3 ounces goat cheese, about ⅓ cup, at room temperature
- 16 pitted dates, split lengthwise (but not cut in half)
- 2 1 pound pork tenderloins, rinsed and patted dry, silverskin and fat trimmed
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 3 tablespoons Kirkland’s Sweet Mesquite Seasoning*, or your favorite seasoning
Make the sauce:
- 1 Tbsp olive oil
- ¼ cup shallots, finely chopped
- ¾ cup tawny port
- 1 cup Raspberry Chipotle Sauce
- Rosemary sprigs, for garnish
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350ºF.
- Place goat cheese in a sandwich bag, press into the corner and snip off the end to make a piping bag. Pipe cheese into the dates.
- Cut each tenderloin lengthwise, almost, but not quite through. Stuff each tenderloin with filled dates and secure with crosswise loops of butcher’s twine. Brush tenderloins with the oil and season evenly with sweet mesquite seasoning.
- Bake 15 minutes. Flip tenderloins and continue baking until an instant-read thermometer inserted in the center registers 145ºF, 20 to 30 minutes more. Let rest for 10 minutes.
Make the sauce::
- While the tenderloins are roasting, heat oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add shallots and cook until golden, about 3 minutes. Add port and bring to a boil. Boil until the liquid is syrupy, about 5 minutes. Add raspberry chipotle sauce and bring to a boil. Remove from heat and keep warm.
To serve:
- Remove butcher’s twine and carve each tenderloin crosswise into ½-inch-thick slices. Spoon equal amounts of the sauce onto 6 dinner plates, divide pork evenly, and serve.
- If serving for a dinner party, slice and serve on a platter garnished with rice (optional) and fresh rosemary sprigs.
Notes
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...
I made this tenderloin for dinner last night. It was the best tenderloin I have ever made. I did not have the raspberry chipotle sauce and used red pepper jelly instead. It was still wonderful. I will try to find the raspberry chipotle for the next time I make it – and there WILL be a next time. Thank you so much for this extremely simple but extremely flavorful recipe.
First of all, you and your husband are adorable! I am so tucking this recipe aside for a special dinner…looks and sounds amazing!!! Blessing =O)
What a great post. I’m definitely adding this to my fall/winter menu plans. We love pork in our house.
Sandy – How much fun was that video! I have to say, I was surprised by your very lovely and lyrical voice. In my mind, you’ve always had a husky voice ala Tallulah Bankhead. I hear a bloggers voice in my head, if I’m reading them frequently. Do you? lol
Cheers!
Love the photo of you laughing Sandy!! Looks delish. We love pork! Making tenderloin this evening. :)
What a great way to prepare pork Sandy! I haven’t made a tenderloin in a long time, I bet my family would love this. And that rice?? Seriously awesome!
You are a natural on camera! Love that Paul did this with you.
This looks like it was a total blast! And this stuffing sounds perfect for pork, love it!
This is just an outrageous idea…. and so stinkin’ simple! Thanks for the inspiration!.
GAH! i can’t get over how cute you are – not to mention gorgeous!
do you know where one could get sweet mesquite seasoning if there aren’t any CostCo stores around? since we moved i’ve been going through CostCo withdrawals!
You and Jaden are so cute in the video, Sandy! This pork loin looks amazing! I’m going to have to make a Costco run! Pork tenderloin is my favorite cut of pork.