Instant Pot Pork Loin

Name: Instant Pot Pork Loin Recipe
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 50 min
Ingredients: 3 pound boneless pork loin roast ((1.35kg)); 1 tablespoon olive oil; 1 teaspoon garlic powder; ½ teaspoon salt; ½ teaspoon ground black pepper; 1 cup chicken broth ((240mL)); 2 tablespoons soy sauce; 1 tablespoon brown sugar; 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard; 1 teaspoon dried thyme; 4 cloves garlic (minced); 2 tablespoons cornstarch

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This delicious recipe for Instant Pot Pork Loin is your answer to so many dinner needs! Whether you’re looking for a fancy dinner party main, want to free up your oven for a holiday, or just want a simple meal you can get on the table quickly, it’s a great option. With just two fresh ingredients (pork and garlic) and a handful of pantry staples, you can get this meal prepped and cooking in no time!

Unlike some recipes for roast pork that yield dry, tough meat, this simple pressure cooking method ensures beautifully tender, exceptionally moist results without fail. Plus, you can make a pan gravy in mere minutes when it’s finished cooking! For more Instant Pot recipes, check out my Instant Pot chicken alfredo, Instant Pot spaghetti and meatballs, and Instant Pot pulled pork next.

What Cut Of Pork Do I Need?

For this particular recipe, you’re looking for a boneless pork loin roast, not a pork tenderloin, which is much smaller and thinner. (If you accidentally grabbed the wrong thing, don’t fret! My Instant Pot pork tenderloin recipe is equally delicious and just as easy.)

Ingredients

Boneless pork loin roast — opting for a boneless roast will make it cook faster and easier to slice. Aim for one with a nice pinkish-red color and a fat cap of about ½ inch—this helps maintain moisture and improves flavor.

Olive oil — just your regular cooking oil is perfect for browning the pork.

Garlic powder, salt, & ground black pepper — this basic spice blend is my go-to for seasoning most meat dishes. If possible, use kosher salt or fine sea salt and freshly ground black pepper for the best-tasting results.

Chicken broth — either store-bought or homemade will work. You can also sub in veggie broth if needed.

Soy sauce — for a bit of umami and saltiness in the cooking liquid. This liquid becomes the gravy, so the foundational seasoning is important.

Brown sugar — either light or dark brown will work.

Dijon mustard — opt for a smooth version over whole grain. Spicy brown mustard will also do the trick!

Dried thyme — if you only have fresh thyme, make sure to use only the leaves and tender green stems. Give it a quick chop before adding it. You’ll triple the amount of fresh versus dried.

Garlic — fresh cloves are best, but you can add 1 teaspoon of extra garlic powder instead if needed.

Cornstarch — for thickening the pan gravy. Make sure you mix it with water into a slurry before adding it to the pan so it doesn’t clump.

How To Cook Pork Loin In An Instant Pot

Set of two photos showing pork loin patted dry with a paper towel and seared in an Instant Pot.

1. Pat the pork loin dry with paper towels. Rub it all over with oil, then season all over with the garlic powder, salt, and pepper.

2. Heat the Instant Pot using the ‘Saute’ function. Add the seasoned pork loin and brown on all sides, about 2 minutes per side. Remove the pork and set aside.

Set of two photos showing brown sugar added to the pot and the pork added back to the pot.

3. Press ‘Cancel’ to turn the pot off. Pour in the chicken broth, and scrape any brown bits off the bottom of the pot using a wooden spoon. Whisk in the soy sauce, brown sugar, mustard, thyme, and garlic.

4. Return the pork to the pot. Secure the lid and make sure the steam valve is sealed. Pressure cook on high pressure, setting the cooking time for 20 minutes. Quick release the steam after cooking. Check the internal temperature of the pork using a meat thermometer (it should be 140°F). Remove the pork, leaving the cooking liquid in the pot, and let rest on a cutting board for 10 minutes. (The internal temperature will rise another 5 degrees during the rest time, bringing it to 145°F.)

Set of two photos showing cornstarch slurry added to the liquid in the pot to make a gravy and a spoon spooning gravy over sliced pork.

5. While the pork is resting, dissolve the cornstarch with 2 tablespoons of water in a small bowl. Select the sauté function on the Instant Pot and bring the cooking liquid to a simmer, again scraping any fond from the bottom of the pot. Whisk in the cornstarch slurry and cook until translucent and thickened, about 1 minute. Press ‘Cancel’ to stop cooking.

6. Slice the rested pork loin and serve with the gravy spoon over the top.

A platter of Instant Pot pork loin with four pieces sliced in front with sauce drizzled on top. A bowl of gravy, stack of plates, and forks in the background.

What Temperature Should A Pork Loin Be Cooked To?

Ideally, you should pull the pork loin from the Instant Pot when it hits an internal temperature of 140ºF in the thickest portion. This will produce the most tender, juicy pork. During the resting period, “transfer cooking” will occur, raising the final temperature by 5-10 degrees to about 145ºF (the FDA’s target or safe cooking temperature for pork).

What If The Pork Isn’t Cooked After The Pressure Releases?

If the internal temperature of the pork is not at 140°F, return to High pressure set for an additional 2 minutes and Quick Release the steam again. Note that when it is cooked to temperature, it may still be pale pink inside—this is totally normal! Use a meat thermometer to ensure it’s cooked properly.

A fork lifting up a bite of Instant Pot pork loin from a plate with pork, mashed potatoes, and salad. Gravy drizzled on top and a bowl with more in the background.

Serving Suggestions

I always serve any roast with some kind of starchy vegetable like roasted potatoes, garlic mashed potatoes, baked sweet potatoes, or butternut squash mac and cheese. A side of sweet roasted carrots or snappy French green beans typically takes up the rest of our plates. This is also great with quick and easy Yorkshire pudding!

How To Store And Reheat Leftovers

Any leftover pork loin and gravy can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3-4 days or in the freezer for up to 2 months.

To reheat: Defrost any frozen pork loin in the fridge overnight. Place the pork in an oven-safe dish with a splash of broth or water, then cover and bake in a 325ºF oven until warmed through to 145ºF. The cooking time will depend on whether the pork loin is left whole or sliced before reheating.

Pro Tips For Making This Recipe

For a caramelized crust, broil the pork loin after pressure cooking it. Simply place it on a sheet pan and broil on high for 2-3 minutes or until golden brown.
The pot insert will be very hot after browning the pork, so be careful when adding broth. It will steam or may splatter. I sometimes heat my broth in the microwave before adding it—this minimizes the temperature shock and helps prevent as much sputtering!
Make sure you “quick release” the remaining pressure. If you set the pot pressure to Natural Release, the pressure will keep the temperature of the Instant Pot much higher for much longer, which can result in tough, dry, overcooked meat.

A plate with three slices of Instant Pot pork loin with sauce and salad. A drink in the back along with more sliced pork.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I double the recipe?

So long as you have an Instant Pot model that is large enough for two pork loins to sit side by side, not stacked on top of each other, yes! Otherwise, make sure to cook them one at a time.

Can I add vegetables to the pot to cook with the pork?

Certainly! Feel free to add up to 4 cups of chopped vegetables like onions, carrots, celery, or potatoes. Cut your veggies into 1-inch cubes or slices and set them aside. After browning the pork and deglazing the pot with the broth, scatter the vegetables in the bottom of the pot, add another 1/2 cup of broth, and sprinkle generously with salt. Place the pork on top and cook as directed.

Can I cook a pork loin from frozen?

While you technically can cook a pork loin from frozen using your Instant Pot, I don’t recommend it for this recipe. Searing the meat is essential to developing a rich flavor. If you skip this step, the difference in flavor will be very noticeable (think about boiled chicken versus golden pan-seared chicken!). Simply defrost your frozen pork loin in the fridge for 24 hours before cooking it.

If you love this recipe try these out!

If you’ve tried this Instant Pot Pork Loin recipe, then don’t forget to rate it and let me know how you got on in the comments below. I love hearing from you!