Published: by Mamma C · This post may contain affiliate links
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You’ll love this Pork Loin Roast Recipe! It takes 10 minutes to prep, then bakes for an hour. Featuring garlic, rosemary and delicious pan juices dotted with caramelized onions, it brings a "wow" factor to Sunday dinners, holidays and even weeknights!
I’ll say it upfront: You need to add this juicy pork loin roast to your dinner rotation and make it for holidays.
It's stuffed with garlic and rosemary and emerges from the oven in a savory pool of butter, olive oil and pan juices dotted with caramelized onions.
Mamma Mia!
The aroma that fills your home will make you swoon. And wait until you taste it!
You're going to love this Italian pork roast. It's been my go-to recipe for years.
And don't miss these Quick Italian Pork Chops!
Recipe ingredients
Pork Loin: You'll need a three-pound, boneless pork loin roast for this recipe. It may be labeled as "center-cut pork loin roast."
Note, it's not the same as pork tenderloin, which is narrow and lean.
A pork loin roast is wider and flatter than pork tenderloin and comes with a thick layer of fat, called a "fat cap."
Rosemary: You can use fresh or dried rosemary. If using fresh rosemary, pluck the needles off of the stems until you have two or three tablespoons. If using dried rosemary, you'll just need 1 ½ teaspoons.
Rosemary goes wonderfully with pork, and I encourage you not to use a substitution. But...if you must, try sage, basil, tarragon or even oregano, if that's your thing.
Garlic: Use fresh garlic without green shoots. You'll chop it with the rosemary so this mixture can be tucked into slits in the pork for tremendous flavor. Oh yes, my friends!
Onion: You just need half of a medium onion. I prefer using a yellow onion here, but a sweet onion or a white onion also would work. You'll be adding it to the pan juices at the halfway point of baking, and it's going to bring the X factor to this recipe!
How to make a pork loin roast
See the card at the end of this post for the full recipe, but here's an overview. You also can watch the video of me making this in my kitchen!
- Peel the garlic and chop it finely with fresh rosemary. Stir to combine.
- Place butter in the baking pan and put it in the oven to melt.
- Cut slits along the surface of the pork roast and stuff them with the rosemary and garlic mixture. Place the stuffed pork loin on top of the melted butter in the pan. Season the roast and pour olive oil on it.
- Bake the pork uncovered for 30 minutes initially, then add chopped onions to the bottom of the pan. Place the roast back in the oven until it reaches an internal temperature of 160 degrees F.
Recipe tips
- Keep all or most of the layer of fat on the pork roast when you cook it, because it provides great flavor and prevents dryness. You can always trim the fat off before eating your serving.
- Bake the roast with the fat cap on top. Some of the fat will melt into the meat, making it more juicy.
- Let the roasted pork rest for 10 minutes before slicing it, so it will retain its juices.
- Use a straight-edged chef's knife (affiliate link) to slice the roast so you'll get smooth pieces of meat. If you use a serrated knife with "teeth," it will tear up the pork as you slice it.
And then.
You’ll place your pork on your plate and spoon on that mouthwatering amber liquid from the bottom of the pan.
It. Is. Everything.
Are you drooling yet?
What to serve with pork loin
Some fresh Italian bread for dipping is mandatory, I’d say. You won’t want to waste those pan juices.
But, if you really want to take this meal over the top, serve the garlic-rosemary pork loin with these crispy, buttery Italian Roasted Potatoes, plus some sautéed rapini. Amazing!
For holidays, you could serve this after manicotti, along with the best Italian green salad, for a complete meal.
Frequently asked questions
How long should you cook pork loin in the oven?
Cook a pork loin until the internal temperature reaches between 145-160 degrees F. Use an instant meat thermometer(affiliate link) to check it. Then let the roast rest for at least three minutes.
There’s no need to overcook pork like in the old days, according to current USDA guidelines. A pale pink center is absolutely fine.
This recipe calls for baking the pork roast at 350 degrees F for an hour.
Can you stuff the pork loin roast ahead of time?
Yes, you can stuff the pork roast the night before you make it. Wrap it in plastic and keep it refrigerated. Take it out of the fridge 30 minutes before you cook it.
More pork recipes
- The Best Sausage and Peppers
- Carolina Pulled Pork
- Brown Sugar-Glazed Pork Tenderloin
- Pork Scallopini with Mushrooms
- Stuffed Pork with Cream Cheese
- St. Louis BBQ Ribs
Enjoy!
If you make this pork loin, please leave a comment and a rating!
The Best Pork Loin Roast
You’ll love this pork roast with rosemary, garlic and delicious pan juices dotted with caramelized onions!
5 from 3 votes
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Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Italian
Prep Time: 10 minutes minutes
Cook Time: 1 hour hour
Resting Time: 10 minutes minutes
Total Time: 1 hour hour 20 minutes minutes
Servings: 8
Calories: 314kcal
Author: Mamma C
Ingredients
- 4 cloves garlic
- 2-3 Tablespoons fresh rosemary leaves (or 1 ½ teaspoons dried rosemary)
- 2 Tablespoons salted butter
- 3 pounds boneless pork loin roast (not tenderloin)
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- ¼ cup olive oil
- ½ medium onion
Instructions
Heat the oven to 350°F. Pluck the fresh rosemary needles off of the stems until you have 2 or 3 tablespoons of the needles. Peel the garlic and finely chop it together with the rosemary. Set the mixture aside in a tiny bowl.
When your oven is ready, place the butter in a 9x13 pan or roaster (see notes) and set the pan on the center oven rack for about 4 minutes, to allow the butter to melt.
While the butter is melting, place the roast horizontally in front of you, with the fat on top. Use a sharp, serrated knife to cut vertical slits in the pork. Make the slits about four inches long, two inches deep and space them at least an inch apart. (See the video and photo in the post.)
Stuff the rosemary-garlic mixture into the slits you made in the roast. Wash your hands well.
When the butter is melted, take the pan out of the oven. Still wearing gloves or mitts, tilt the pan back and forth a bit so the melted butter coats the whole bottom.
Set the pork on top of the melted butter in the pan. Season the roast with the salt and pepper. Pour the olive oil over the top.
Bake the pork initially for 30 minutes, uncovered. During that time, chop up half an onion. After the pork has cooked for 30 minutes, remove the pan from the oven. Add the chopped onion to the bottom of the pan, around the pork.
Make sure to wear gloves/mitts again as you put the pork back in the oven to roast for another 30-35 minutes, or until the internal temperature reaches 160 degrees F. (Note that a metal pan will cook the pork faster than a glass pan.)
Let the pork rest for 10 minutes before slicing it. Use a large knife with a smooth blade to slice the meat. To serve, spoon the juices and onions on top of the sliced pork.
Store leftover pork covered in the refrigerator for up to four days. You should be able to freeze the sliced pork for up to three months.
Video
Notes
- I always use a glass pan for this recipe and love the juicy results. A dark roasting pan will cook the meat faster, so check on it after 25 minutes have passed during the second baking session.
- The cooking time is for a 3-pound roast. If yours is smaller, it will cook faster.
- When slicing a roast, don't use a serrated knife, because it will tear up the meat as you slice it. Use a smooth, chef's knife (affiliate link).
Nutrition
Calories: 314kcal | Carbohydrates: 1g | Protein: 38g | Fat: 17g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Cholesterol: 115mg | Sodium: 182mg | Potassium: 652mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 87IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 13mg | Iron: 1mg
Tried this Recipe? Mention @cookingwithmammac or tag #CookingWithMammaC!
(Recipe Source: Cooking with Mamma C. Roasted Pork Loin with Rosemary and Garlic was originally published on Food Fanatic and here on June 5, 2017. Now updated with new photos and additional information. Photos by Kanyi Muraguri for Cooking with Mamma C.)
