This post may contain affiliate links. Please read our disclosure policy.
This turkey tenderloin recipe is ideal for busy nights. It’s quick, healthy, and packed with flavor, coming together in under 30 minutes. With this simple recipe, you’ll have a tender, juicy meal ready in no time.
If you’re a fan of turkey and want to explore more turkey options, try these delicious single serving and small batch recipes: flavorful Roast Turkey Breast, a perfectly seasoned Herb-Crusted Turkey Roast, or tender, juicy Turkey Cutlets.
This turkey tenderloin is a wonderful choice for a Thanksgiving dinner for two. And if you have Thanksgiving leftovers, make the most of them with our flavorful, easy-to-make Thanksgiving Sliders.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Quick and Simple: With minimal prep and a handful of ingredients, this recipe is as easy as it gets. Similar to our pork tenderloin recipe, it involves just a few easy steps, making it perfect for any busy night.
- Tender and Juicy: This turkey tenderloin turns out exceptionally tender and juicy, practically melting in your mouth, giving it a standout quality you’ll love.
- Lean and High in Protein: Turkey tenderloin provides a great source of lean protein, keeping the meal light yet satisfying.
- Easily Adaptable: This recipe is flexible with seasonings and sides, allowing you to customize it to suit your tastes.
What Are Turkey Tenderloins?
Turkey tenderloin is a lean, flavorful cut that’s perfect for a small Thanksgiving meal or a dinner for one or two. This thick strip of boneless, skinless meat comes from the turkey breast, specifically from the area between the breasts. Because this muscle doesn’t get much use, it stays exceptionally tender. Turkey tenderloins usually weigh between 8 ounces and one pound, making them versatile and a great substitute for chicken breasts in many recipes.
You’ll find turkey tenderloins in the refrigerated meat section of most grocery stores, often near the chicken. They’re available in both seasoned and unseasoned varieties, but I prefer unseasoned so I can add my own seasonings. If you don’t see them at your store, you can ask the butcher to help.
Once opened, turkey tenderloins should be used within 2 to 3 days. For longer storage, place them in an airtight container and freeze for up to 9 months. This way, you’ll always have a tender, delicious meal option ready to go.
Ingredients
Along with a single turkey tenderloin, gather these ingredients:
If you have any ingredients leftover from this easy turkey tenderloin recipe, check out our Leftover Ingredients Recipe Finder.
- Turkey tenderloin: For this recipe, I use one 12-ounce turkey tenderloin. Typically, turkey tenderloins are sold in packs of two, so I only use one to make the perfect amount for one or two servings.
- Olive oil: I use extra virgin olive oil in this recipe, as I do in most recipes on One Dish Kitchen. Extra virgin olive oil is unrefined, offering a pure olive flavor and retaining more vitamins and minerals. It’s my preferred choice, but a lighter olive oil can also work well.
- Seasonings: This recipe uses Italian seasoning, dried sage, garlic powder, salt, and black pepper. Feel free to switch out the Italian seasoning with herbs like rosemary, thyme, or oregano for a different flavor profile.
- Butter: Although not pictured, I highly recommend finishing the cooked turkey with a small amount of salted butter. Adding butter to the top of the turkey and covering the pan while it rests helps lock in moisture and creates a wonderfully rich sauce as it melts over the tenderloin.
How To Cook Turkey Tenderloin
These step-by-step photos and instructions help you visualize how to cook turkey tenderloin. See the recipe box below for ingredient amounts and full recipe instructions.
- Place a 10-inch cast iron skillet in the oven on a middle rack and heat the oven to 450 degrees F (230 degrees C). The skillet will heat along with the oven. Remove from the oven and add olive oil to the skillet. Give the pan a swirl so that the oil coats the entire bottom.
- Mix together the Italian seasoning, sage, garlic powder, salt, and black pepper in a small bowl. Sprinkle the seasoning mix over both sides of the turkey and rub the spices in with your fingers.
- Place the tenderloin in the hot skillet and using oven mitts, return the skillet to the oven and bake for 10 minutes.
- After 10 minutes, remove the skillet from the oven and using tongs, flip the turkey over. Reduce the oven temperature to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C) and continue roasting for another 15 minutes.
- Remove the skillet from the oven. Add butter to the top of the turkey and cover the skillet with a large plate, a pan lid, or foil. Let the turkey rest for 15 minutes before serving. The turkey is done when its internal temperature registers 165 degrees (74 degrees C) in the thickest part of the meat.
Pro Tip: I recommend using an oven thermometer to ensure the turkey is fully cooked. Insert the thermometer into the thickest part of the tenderloin. When it reaches an internal temperature of 165 degrees F, the turkey is done.
- Remove the foil. Slice and spoon the butter sauce over the turkey.
Expert Tips
This recipe is tailored for a single 12-ounce turkey tenderloin, though you’ll often find packs with two tenderloins of similar size. For meals serving one or two, a single tenderloin is typically enough, often with leftovers for the next day’s lunch or dinner.
- Storing the Uncooked Tenderloin: To store any uncooked tenderloin, wrap it in freezer paper, heavy-duty freezer wrap, or double-wrap in plastic wrap before freezing for future meals. If you decide to cook both tenderloins, the extra cooked meat keeps well for up to 3 days and is perfect for sandwiches, pasta, salads, or even in recipes like turkey noodle soup, pot pies, or enchiladas.
- Seasoning the Tenderloin: Be sure to coat the tenderloin fully with spices on all sides. You can stick with just salt and pepper or try experimenting with your favorite seasonings.
- Don’t Skip the Butter: Adding butter to the hot pan creates a rich, flavorful sauce as it mixes with the turkey juices. Pour this sauce over your sliced turkey for added flavor.
- Cover and Rest Before Slicing: After cooking, let the tenderloin rest for about 15 minutes under a cover. This step helps the juices redistribute, ensuring the turkey stays juicy.
- Recipe Adaptability: This recipe works well for a smaller or larger tenderloin if you’d like to adjust the portion size.
Serving Suggestions
Turkey tenderloins are versatile and pair wonderfully with a variety of sides. For a simple meal, try these single serving or small batch options:
If you’re serving turkey tenderloin for a smaller Thanksgiving celebration, these holiday-inspired sides make perfect additions:
And for a sweet finish, consider one of these classic desserts:
Frequently Asked Questions
For safety, the turkey should reach an internal temperature of 165°F.
Absolutely, this recipe is still doable without a cast iron skillet. Here are the alternative steps:
Firstly, set your oven to preheat at 325 degrees F (165 degrees C).
Season the turkey tenderloin as per the recipe instructions. Then, lightly oil a baking dish and place the tenderloin inside.
Let it bake for around 50 to 60 minutes or until the internal temperature of the turkey reaches 165 degrees F (74 degrees C).
Once done, remove it from the oven and add 2 tablespoons of butter on top. To allow the juices to redistribute, cover the tenderloin and let it rest for a minimum of 15 minutes.
After the rest period, slice the tenderloin and it’s ready to be savored.
Turkey tenderloin is a part of the turkey breast and is boneless and skinless. A turkey breast usually has a bone inside and skin on.
Turkey tenderloins are considered white meat and are extremely tender.
Refrigerate cooked turkey within two hours and store in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
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
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 in the oven on a middle rack and heat the oven to 450 degrees F (230 degrees C). The skillet will heat along with the oven.
- Using oven mitts, remove the skillet from the oven and add olive oil to the pan. Give the pan a swirl so that the oil coats the entire bottom.
- Mix together the Italian seasoning, sage, garlic powder, salt, and black pepper in a small bowl. Sprinkle the seasoning mix over both sides of the turkey and rub the spices in with your fingers.
- Place the tenderloin in the skillet and using oven mitts, return the skillet to the oven and bake for 10 minutes.
- After 10 minutes, remove the skillet from the oven and using tongs, flip the turkey over. Reduce the oven temperature to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C) and continue roasting another 15 minutes.
- Remove the skillet from the oven. Add butter to the top of the turkey and cover the skillet with a large plate, a pan lid, or foil. Let the turkey rest for 15 minutes before serving. Pro Tip: The turkey is done when its internal temperature registers 165 degrees (74 degrees C) in the thickest part of the meat.
- Remove the foil. Slice and spoon the butter sauce over the turkey. Enjoy hot.
Notes
- Storing the Uncooked Tenderloin: To store any uncooked tenderloin, wrap it in freezer paper, heavy-duty freezer wrap, or double-wrap in plastic wrap before freezing for future meals. If you decide to cook both tenderloins, the extra cooked meat keeps well for up to 3 days and is perfect for sandwiches, pasta, salads, or even in recipes like turkey noodle soup, pot pies, or enchiladas.
- Seasoning the Tenderloin: Be sure to coat the tenderloin fully with spices on all sides. You can stick with just salt and pepper or try experimenting with your favorite seasonings.
- Don’t Skip the Butter: Adding butter to the hot pan creates a rich, flavorful sauce as it mixes with the turkey juices. Pour this sauce over your sliced turkey for added flavor.
- Cover and Rest Before Slicing: After cooking, let the tenderloin rest for about 15 minutes under a cover. This step helps the juices redistribute, ensuring the turkey stays juicy.
- Recipe Adaptability: This recipe works well for a smaller or larger tenderloin if you’d like to adjust the portion size.
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.
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.