Air Fryer Pork Loin: Easy 5 Ingredient Recipe (2024)

Make this delicious air fryer pork loin for a fast roast pork dinner. The meat is brown and crispy outside with tender, juicy, perfectly cooked meat inside. It is the perfect balance of juicy, crispy, and tender from the inside out—and cooked in a fraction of the time it would take in the oven!

Finished with a honey mustard glaze, this air fryer pork roast is fancy enough for a holiday dinner yet simple enough for a weeknight meal. It will hit the spot, become a family favorite meal and eliminate worry over dry, unappealing pork.

In the past, I have posted recipes for oven-roasted pork loin and Instant Pot pork loin. So naturally, as I have been using my air fryer more and more, I started to wonder, “Can I cook a pork roast in the air fryer?“.

The answer is yes, not only can you cook one in the air fryer, it tastes incredible and is ready very quickly!

What is the Difference Between Pork Loin and Pork Tenderloin

Although these two cuts of pork sound similar, they are not interchangeable. They require different recipes because of the different sizes and amounts of fat they contain.

• Pork loin – This cut of meat is broader and flatter and usually has a layer of fat on top. It ranges from 2-5 pounds in size, so it is relatively large. This cut comes from the back of the pig.
• Pork tenderloin – This cut of meat is skinny and has very little fat. It is usually about 1 1/2 pounds in size, so much smaller. It is always sold boneless. It is cut from the muscle that goes along the backbone.

If you search for one recipe on google or Pinterest, you will sometimes get a recipe for the other one instead, which adds to the confusion.

If you use this recipe to cook pork tenderloin, it will give you overcooked, dry pork. If you are looking for an air fryer pork tenderloin recipe, go to this post instead!

How to Make Air Fryer Pork Loin

1. Check the fit

The first thing to do is make sure your roast fits into your air fryer. I have a5.8-quart air fryer, and my roast, which was a little over 3 pounds, fit diagonally.

Fitting a pork loin in a circular air fryer basket will probably be trickier. If yours is a little bit too big, you can always slice a bit off the ends so that it fits. You can cook the slices another day or cook it in two halves.

2. Season

Take mustard and smear it all over the top of the roast. You can use yellow mustard, spicy mustard, or Dijon, whatever your preference. Then sprinkle rosemary, salt, and pepper on top of the mustard.

You can use a dry rub without the mustard. The mustard helps the spices stick to the meat and adds some flavor, but it isn’t essential

3. Air Fry the Pork

Put the roast in the air fryerand cook it at 370 F for 45 minutes. After 25 minutes, take the air fryer basket out and flip it to the other side.

Check the internal temperature with aninstant-read thermometer when the air fryer is done cooking. The optimal pork temperature for food safety is 145 degrees F. Air fryers differ in how fast they cook, and pork loins have different sizes.

Always use a meat thermometer to check the internal temperature, don’t try to cook based just on time. A thermometer is not expensive and the peace of mind they give you is priceless. Food poisoning is not fun! This is my favorite inexpensive meat thermometer, which you can buy on Amazon.

4. Glaze with Honey

Once the meat is done, add a little bit of honey to glaze it. The honey caramelizes, mixes with the mustard, and gives the final roast a delicious honey mustard flavor.

Use a pastry brush or spoon to add a few tablespoons of honey on top of the pork loin. Then put it back in the air fryer and cook it at 300 F for another 2 minutes.

Find More Air Fryer Recipes!

How to Serve

After the roast is done, remove it to a serving platter and let the meat rest for at least 5 minutes before slicing. Letting the pork rest allows it to reabsorb the juices, which keeps the meat moist and delicious.

Then slice and serve the pork loin slices with your desired side dishes. I love to serve it with Instant Pot mashed potatoes or apple sauce.

Growing up, we frequently served it with sauerkraut, which is also a classic roast pork dinner for New Year’s good luck!

How to Store

Leftovers can be stored in the refrigerator in an airtight container for 3-4 days. Leftover pork loin is delicious on sandwiches – a Cuban sandwich or Ba Minh sandwich are my favorites!

If you want to reheat pork loin, then put a piece of meat in the air fryer at 350 degrees F for 3-5 minutes.

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