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Last Updated on July 9, 2026 by Themigonikitchen
Spanish Roasted Pork Tenderloin with Piquillo Pepper Sauce
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Spanish cuisine is one of our favorites! It’s filled with unique flavors and textures and pairs so wonderfully with a glass of wine or beer. We got engaged in Barcelona in 2015 and fell in love with that city and Spanish food in general. Our favorite spot was the Boqueria Market, I think we went three times in four days! It’s a foodie heaven filled with food stalls and fresh seafood, cured meats, nuts, juices, etc. We fell even more in love with Spanish food on our trip to Madrid more recently. If you are planning your own trip to Spain be sure to check out our Madrid guide.
Suffice it to see we have enjoyed many meals of tasty tapas with beer and wine and like to recreate these flavors at home. This Spanish Roasted Pork Tenderloin with Piquillo Pepper Sauce is a great weeknight meal to mix things up and perfect for leftovers during the week.
Why You’ll Love This Spanish Roasted Pork Tenderloin
We love pork tenderloin for a weeknight protein option. It cooks fairly quickly, is lean, inexpensive, and is a great canvas for so many different flavor profiles. We prepare ours very simply, by searing in some olive oil with garlic and herbs and then finishing it by roasting in the oven, while we prepare the sauce. A good cast iron pan is always key to a good sear and a kitchen staple. If you don’t have one, highly recommend this one.
A meat thermometer is also a great kitchen tool to have around, to insure your meat is cooked to a safe temperature and also to avoid overcooking and getting dry meat. You can get an inexpensive one like this one.
What are Piquillo Peppers? (And Easy Substitutes)
The sauce is made with Piquillo peppers, which are small red peppers that have a great balance of sweetness and a very mild spiciness that pairs well with pork. We find ours canned at Central Market. You can also find some canned options online like these.
If you cannot get your hands on true piquillo peppers, you can look for roasted red bell peppers or roast your own at home. You can “fire roast” over a gas burner, until you get a good char and the pepper has softened. Then place in a ziplock bag for a few minutes to steam. You can then peel the charred outer layer and you’ve got some easy roasted red bell pepper!
How to Make the Perfect Piquillo Pepper Sauce
The sauce contains a few other Spanish flavor staples like olive oil, garlic, and smoked paprika. The smoked paprika is really key to the flavor profile, so be sure you look for a smoked paprika, rather than regular paprika.
Bonus – the color is stunning! We love our foods to be brightly colored, they are so much more enticing this way. Just look at this bright orange hue from the Piquillo peppers.
What to Serve with Spanish Pork Tenderloin
We paired our pork tenderloin with a Spanish inspired fried eggplant recipe, but it would go wonderfully with some simple roasted potatoes, so you can dip those in the tasty sauce too. Don’t forget a class of tasty Rioja red wine.
If you love Spanish food, check out our Paella recipe or a classic Spanish Tortilla de Papa for a tasty brunch dish!
FAQs:
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What can I use instead of piquillo peppers? Roasted red bell peppers work as an easy alternative if you can’t find canned piquillos
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What temperature should pork tenderloin be cooked to? Pull it from the oven when an instant-read thermometer registers around 145°F to 150°F, then let it rest to stay juicy.
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Can I make the piquillo pepper sauce ahead of time? Yes! The sauce stores beautifully in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 1 week or can be frozen for up to 6 months
Ingredients
Method
- Preheat oven to 325°F.
- In a small pyrex or other shallow baking dish, layer the piquillo peppers with the garlic cloves and cover completely with olive oil. Roast for 30 minutes.
- After 30 minutes, add all of the contents from the baking dish to a blender. Also add in the salt, sugar, pepper, and smoked paprika.
- Blend all the ingredients until a smooth texture is achieved. Adjust seasoning to taste. Sauce can be stored in the fridge for later use for up to 1 week or frozen for up to 6 months.
- Preheat oven to 325°F and heat a skillet to high heat.
- While the skillet is heating up, combine the salt, pepper, and smoked paprika, and completely coat the pork tenderloin with the seasoning.
- Add oil to skillet, and once it is hot, begin searing the pork tenderloin for approximately 2-3 minutes per side.
- After flipping the pork tenderloin, add the garlic and rosemary to the pan and allow them to cook in the oil. After 1-2 minutes, take the garlic and rosemary and place on top of the pork tenderloin (to prevent it from burning).
- Once all sides are seared, remove skillet from heat and place in the oven to finish roasting for approximately 8-10 minutes, or until the internal temperature reaches 145°F.
- Carefully remove skillet from oven, and place pork tenderloin on a cutting board to rest for 5 minutes.
- Slice pork tenderloin and serve on top of warm piquillo pepper sauce. Top with the crispy garlic and rosemary.