This roast pork loin makes a fantastic Sunday dinner. Caramelized apples, creamy parsnip-potatoes, and a juicy pork loin come together for a cozy winter meal your family will love.
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A Note From Teri on Roast Pork Loin
I first made a similar dish after reading Hugh Acheson’s The Broad Fork and falling for his pork tenderloin with roasted apples and parsnip purée. This recipe is my take on that idea: elegant enough for a special occasion, but still practical to prepare on a weekend afternoon.
The method is straightforward: sear the pork for a golden crust and finish it in the oven while you prepare the parsnip-potato purée and caramelized apples. The pan sauce made from the pork drippings, vegetables, broth and a splash of apple cider vinegar adds bright, savory depth. Serve everything on a large platter with a simple arugula salad for a beautiful, balanced meal.
Why Use Celtic Sea Salt?
High-quality salt enhances every element of this dish. Celtic Sea Salt is naturally unrefined and contains trace minerals that can give dishes a cleaner, more complex flavor. Use the salt sparingly and taste as you go — a good finishing salt makes a noticeable difference in the final plate.
Ingredients and Variations
- Yukon Gold potatoes — great for creamy mashed potatoes
- Parsnip
- Chicken stock
- Kosher or unrefined sea salt
- Butter
- Freshly ground black pepper
- Pork tenderloins
- Marjoram (substitute oregano if needed)
- Extra-virgin olive oil
- Carrot
- Celery
- Shallot
- Bay leaf
- Apple cider vinegar
- Small apples (Pink Lady or Fuji)
- Sugar
- Arugula
- Lemon wedges
You can serve this pork with classic mashed potatoes or roasted winter vegetables if you prefer. The parsnip-potato purée gives a pleasant, slightly sweet twist that complements the apples and sauce beautifully.
How to Make Roast Pork Loin
Step One: Prep Your Ingredients
Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Peel and quarter the potatoes; peel and cut the parsnip into similar-sized pieces. Place the vegetables in a bowl, cover with cold water, and set aside.
Pat the pork tenderloins dry. Mix salt, marjoram, and black pepper in a small bowl. Rub the tenderloins with a little olive oil and evenly season them. Slice apples into 1/4-inch rounds and remove any seeds.
Step Two: Make Apples and Parsnip-Potatoes
In a large oven-safe sauté pan, heat 1 tablespoon butter and 1 tablespoon olive oil over medium-high heat. Arrange half the apple rings in a single layer and sprinkle 1/2 tablespoon sugar over them. Cook about 7 minutes, turning frequently, until golden and caramelized. Remove the apples and repeat with the remaining apples, adding another tablespoon of butter and oil and the remaining sugar. Set the apples aside and rinse the pan.
Drain the soaking water from the potatoes and parsnip, place them in a pot, and add 2 cups chicken stock plus water if needed to cover the vegetables. Add salt if your stock is low-sodium. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer, partially cover, and cook until fork-tender, about 20 minutes.
Reserve some cooking liquid by draining the vegetables over a bowl. Return the vegetables to the pot and mash with a potato masher. Add 3–4 tablespoons butter and about 1/4 cup of the reserved stock, mashing until you reach the desired texture. Add more broth as needed. Season with salt and pepper, cover, and keep warm.
Step Three: Cook Pork Loin and Make the Sauce
Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in the same pan over medium-high heat. When hot and shimmering, sear the pork on all sides, about 4 minutes total. Transfer the skillet to the oven and roast 12–14 minutes, depending on size, until the internal temperature reaches about 137–140°F; it will rise slightly as the meat rests. Remove from the oven, transfer the loins to a cutting board, tent loosely with foil, and let rest. Leave about 2 tablespoons of drippings in the pan (or add a bit of oil if needed).
Over medium-high heat, add a little more oil if necessary and sauté the diced celery, carrot, and shallot for 2 minutes until they begin to brown. Add the bay leaf and apple cider vinegar and cook 2–3 minutes. Pour in 1 3/4 cups chicken stock, simmer until reduced by half (about 7–9 minutes), remove the bay leaf, and whisk in 2 tablespoons butter. Taste and adjust seasoning; set the sauce aside.
Step Four: Serve and Enjoy
Slice the pork and arrange on a large serving platter. Place a handful of arugula to one side, drizzle with olive oil, sprinkle with salt, and squeeze half a lemon over it. Arrange the caramelized apple slices opposite the greens. Spoon the mashed parsnip-potatoes in the center and place the sliced pork on top. Pour the resting juices and a few spoonfuls of the pan sauce over the pork and potatoes. Serve extra sauce on the side with additional lemon wedges.
Storage and Leftovers
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to four days. Cold slices of the pork are excellent in sandwiches or salads; to reheat, warm gently in the oven until just heated through to avoid drying the meat.
Try These Other Roasted Dinner Recipes
- Sesame Marinated Roast Chicken
- The Perfect Holiday Pot Roast (Gluten Free)
- Winter Pork Roast with Apple Cider Gravy
- Hot Clementine Sumac Roast Chicken
Roast Pork Loin and Apples
- Author: Teri Turner
- Prep Time: 40 minutes
- Cook Time: 50 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour 30 minutes
- Yield: 6 servings
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Oven
- Diet: Gluten Free
Description
Make this roast pork loin recipe for a memorable Sunday dinner—comforting, elegant, and full of seasonal flavors.
Ingredients
For the mashed parsnip-potatoes:
- 2 ½ pounds Yukon Gold potatoes (about 6)
- 1 parsnip
- 2 cups chicken stock
- Kosher or Celtic sea salt
- 3–4 tablespoons butter
- Freshly ground black pepper
For the pork and sauce:
- 2 trimmed pork tenderloins (about 1–1¼ lb each)
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 2 teaspoons marjoram
- 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus more as needed
- 1 medium carrot, finely diced
- 1 stalk celery, finely diced
- 1 small shallot, minced
- 1 bay leaf
- 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
- 1 ¾ cups chicken stock
- 2 tablespoons butter
For the apples:
- 4 small apples (Pink Lady or Fuji)
- 2 tablespoons butter, divided
- 2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
- 1 tablespoon sugar, divided
For serving:
- Arugula
- Extra-virgin olive oil
- Salt
- Lemon wedges
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C).
- Peel and quarter the potatoes; peel and cut the parsnip into similar pieces. Soak in cold water until ready to cook.
- Pat the pork dry. Combine salt, marjoram, and black pepper. Rub the pork with olive oil and season evenly.
- Slice apples into ¼-inch rounds and remove seeds.
- Caramelize the apples in butter and olive oil with a little sugar until golden and tender. Work in batches and keep the apples warm.
- Cook the potatoes and parsnip in chicken stock (and water if needed) with salt until fork-tender, about 20 minutes.
- Reserve some cooking liquid, then mash the vegetables with butter and enough broth to reach the desired consistency. Season to taste and keep warm.
- Alternatively, mash the drained vegetables in a bowl with a hand mixer on low for about 15 seconds; avoid overmixing to prevent gummy texture.
- Sear the pork in a hot pan with olive oil, about 4 minutes total, then roast in the oven 12–14 minutes until 137–140°F internal temperature.
- Let the pork rest tented for several minutes, keeping the pan drippings in the skillet for the sauce.
- Sauté diced celery, carrot, and shallot in the pan, add bay leaf and apple cider vinegar, then chicken stock and reduce by half. Finish with butter, remove the bay leaf, and set the sauce aside.
- To serve, arrange arugula on a platter, drizzle with oil and lemon, place caramelized apples opposite the greens, spoon purée in the center, and top with sliced pork. Spoon pan juices and sauce over the pork and potatoes, and serve extra sauce on the side.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 691
- Sugar: 18.2 g
- Sodium: 921.7 mg
- Fat: 33 g
- Carbohydrates: 60.5 g
- Protein: 40.3 g
- Cholesterol: 138.4 mg