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This easy turkey tenderloin recipe cooks in less than 30 minutes and delivers juicy, flavorful meat every time. Perfect for a quick dinner for one or two.
Featured Comment
“Best roasted turkey recipe ever. So easy…”
– Casey
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Quick and Easy: This oven-roasted turkey tenderloin recipe comes together with minimal prep and simple ingredients, perfect for weeknight dinners or small holiday meals.
- Juicy and Flavorful: Roasting at high heat ensures the tenderloin stays moist, tender, and full of flavor.
- Healthy and Lean: A great source of lean protein, making it a lighter option that’s still filling and satisfying.
- Customizable: Easily change up the seasonings and pair with your favorite sides for a meal that fits your taste.
I love making turkey tenderloin because it feels like a little holiday dinner any night of the week. The high-heat roasting keeps it juicy, and finishing with butter gives it a rich, flavorful touch that makes it so satisfying.
This turkey tenderloin is a great option for a small Thanksgiving meal or an everyday dinner for one or two. If you’d like more turkey recipes, try our flavorful roast turkey breast, a perfectly seasoned herb-crusted turkey roast, or tender turkey cutlets. And if you’re cooking for the holidays, don’t miss our easy Thanksgiving sliders made with leftovers.
Ingredients
If you have any ingredients leftover from this juicy turkey tenderloin recipe, check out our Leftover Ingredients Recipe Finder.
- Turkey Tenderloin: 1 (about 12 oz).
What is turkey tenderloin?
- Lean and tender: A boneless, skinless strip of meat from the turkey breast. Because this muscle isn’t heavily used, it stays very tender.
- Size: Usually 8 ounces to 1 pound each. Most packages contain two tenderloins.
- Where to buy: Found in the refrigerated meat section near the chicken. Look for unseasoned tenderloins so you can add your own flavors. If you don’t see them, ask the butcher.
- Storage: Use within 2–3 days after opening. For longer storage, freeze in an airtight container for up to 9 months.
- Olive oil: I prefer extra virgin olive oil for its rich flavor, but light olive oil works too.
- Seasonings: Italian seasoning, dried sage, garlic powder, salt, and black pepper. You can swap the Italian seasoning for rosemary, thyme, or oregano.
- Butter: Adding salted butter to the cooked turkey while it rests keeps the meat moist and creates a rich, flavorful sauce.
How To Cook Turkey Tenderloin
Follow these step-by-step instructions. See the recipe card below for ingredient amounts.
- Preheat skillet and oven: Place a 10-inch cast iron skillet on the middle rack of the oven. Heat oven to 450°F (230°C) so the skillet heats along with it. Carefully remove, add olive oil, and swirl to coat the bottom.
- Season the turkey: Combine Italian seasoning, sage, garlic powder, salt, and black pepper. Rub mixture evenly over both sides of the turkey tenderloin.
- Start roasting: Place the tenderloin in the hot skillet. Using oven mitts, return skillet to oven and bake for 10 minutes.
- Flip and finish cooking: Remove skillet, flip the turkey with tongs, reduce oven temperature to 400°F (200°C), and roast for another 15 minutes.
- Rest the turkey: Remove from oven, top with butter, and cover skillet with foil, a pan lid, or a plate. Let rest 15 minutes to lock in juices.
Note: Turkey is ready when an instant-read thermometer inserted in the thickest part reaches 165°F (74°C).
- Slice and serve: Remove cover, slice turkey, and spoon melted butter sauce over the top before serving.
Expert Tips
- Season evenly: Coat the tenderloin on all sides for the best flavor.
- Add butter for flavor: Melting butter over the hot turkey creates a rich sauce when combined with the pan juices. Spoon it over sliced turkey before serving.
- Rest before slicing: Cover the tenderloin and let it rest for 15 minutes. This keeps the meat juicy as the juices redistribute.
- Check doneness: Always use a meat thermometer. The turkey is fully cooked when the thickest part reaches 165°F (74°C).
- Adjust for size: The recipe works with smaller or larger tenderloins. Just keep an eye on cooking time and use a thermometer to guide you.
Serving Suggestions
This oven-roasted turkey tenderloin pairs well with both everyday sides and holiday favorites.
Single Serving & Small Batch Side Dishes
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes. Preheat the oven to 325°F (165°C). Place the seasoned tenderloin in a lightly oiled baking dish and bake for 50–60 minutes, until the internal temperature reaches 165°F (74°C). Top with butter, cover, and let rest for 15 minutes before slicing.
At 450°F (230°C) for 10 minutes, then at 400°F (200°C) for about 15 minutes, or until the internal temperature reaches 165°F (74°C).
No, it’s naturally tender. A seasoning rub or simple marinade enhances flavor but isn’t required.
Tenderloin is a smaller, boneless, skinless strip of meat from the breast. It’s leaner, cooks faster, and is more tender than the full breast.
Ways To Use Leftover Ingredients
If you have any ingredients leftover from this recipe, check out our Leftover Ingredients Recipe Finder or you might like to consider using them in any of these single serving and small batch recipes:
If you’ve tried this easy turkey tenderloin recipe or any recipe on One Dish Kitchen please let me know how you liked it by rating the recipe and telling me about it in the comment section below.
Also, if you take a picture please tag us on Instagram (@onedishkitchen) we’d love to see it!
Turkey Tenderloin Recipe
Watch How To Make This
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 (12-ounce) turkey tenderloin
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
- ¼ teaspoon dried sage
- ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- ⅛ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 2 tablespoons butter
Instructions
- Place a 10-inch cast iron skillet on the middle rack of the oven. Heat oven to 450°F (230°C) so the skillet heats along with it. Carefully remove with oven mitts, add olive oil, and swirl to coat the bottom.
- Combine Italian seasoning, sage, garlic powder, salt, and black pepper. Rub mixture evenly over both sides of the turkey tenderloin.
- Place the tenderloin in the hot skillet. Using oven mitts, return skillet to oven and bake for 10 minutes.
- Remove skillet, flip the turkey with tongs, reduce oven temperature to 400°F (200°C), and roast for another 15 minutes.
- Remove from oven, top with butter, and cover skillet with foil or a pan lid. Let rest 15 minutes to lock in juices.
- Turkey is ready when an instant-read thermometer inserted in the thickest part reaches 165°F (74°C).Remove cover, slice turkey, and spoon melted butter sauce over the top before serving.
Notes
- Season evenly: Coat the tenderloin on all sides for the best flavor.
- Add butter for flavor: Melting butter over the hot turkey creates a rich sauce when combined with the pan juices. Spoon it over sliced turkey before serving.
- Rest before slicing: Cover the tenderloin and let it rest for 15 minutes. This keeps the meat juicy as the juices redistribute.
- Check doneness: Always use a meat thermometer. The turkey is fully cooked when the thickest part reaches 165°F (74°C).
- Adjust for size: The recipe works with smaller or larger tenderloins. Just keep an eye on cooking time and use a thermometer to guide you.
Nutrition
The information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
Delicious recipe! I have made it 3 times without any adjustments and it comes out perfect every time!
Best roasted turkey recipe ever. So easy and the whole family loves it.
This is a beautiful, adaptable recipe! Turkey tenderloin is so tender and juicy cooked this way. I usually choose dark meat when cooking poultry but I will be buying turkey tenderloin when my grocery store has it in stock. I might even choose it over pork tenderloin. Thank you for sharing your recipes!
You are most welcome, Laura. I agree, turkey prepared this way is so tender and juicy. I’m happy to know you love the recipe.
Delicious! The meat was so most and juicy!
Made this for Thanksgiving. It was very easy and delicious! Thanks for this recipe. It was perfect for 2.
First time making a turkey tenderloin. Love that I got to use my cast iron skillet. I made exactly as written and it was moist and flavorful. After it rested, I added the drippings and unabsorbed butter to my gravy. Thank you for a great recipe I will make again and again.
Could you roast several turkey tenderloins together ahead of Thanksgiving and reheat? If so, would you slice prior to reheating and at what temp?
Yes, you can cook the turkey tenderloins ahead of time. I recommend keeping the tenderloins whole and slicing the turkey before you are ready to eat it. Reheat turkey tenderloins in a preheated 350°F oven, covered for about 20 minutes until the center of the tenderloins are warm.
The turkey was very tender and seasoned perfectly. My husband and I both enjoyed this recipe and I will definitely cook it again. So healthy!
Thanks for sharing!
I used poultry seasoning instead of Italian seasoning, but otherwise made as written. It turned out great! So easy too. I don’t have cast iron, but my stainless steel pans are oven safe to 500 degrees and worked just fine.