Gluten Free Lemon Garlic Pork Tenderloin Pasta
Bright lemon, fragrant garlic, and a hint of heat from red pepper flakes come together in a silky pan sauce that coats every piece of pasta and tender sliced pork. The sauce builds in layers — seared pork fond, white wine, chicken broth, and a generous squeeze of fresh lemon juice — so the flavor is genuinely complex without requiring anything complicated. Pasta dishes can be a minefield when you're avoiding gluten, but swapping in a certified gluten free penne or rigatoni is the only change needed here, and the rest of the recipe works exactly as written. Reserving a cup of starchy pasta water is the quiet secret that pulls the whole dish together, giving the butter-lemon sauce that glossy, restaurant-quality consistency. The pork tenderloin gets a proper sear and rests before slicing, so each round stays juicy when nestled into the pasta at the end. A handful of fresh parsley and optional Parmesan finish things off with color and a little salty richness. This one serves four and is the kind of weeknight dinner that looks far more impressive than the effort it actually takes.
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Learn more →Ingredients
4 servings
- 1 lb pork tenderloin
- ½ tsp kosher salt
- ¼ tsp black pepper
- 2 tbsp olive oil, divided
- 12 oz gluten free pasta (penne or rigatoni)
Chef's tipGluten-free pasta often cooks faster, so check it a little early to avoid becoming mushy. - 4 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
- ½ tsp red pepper flakes
- ½ cup dry white wine
- 1 cup chicken broth
- 1 lemon, zested juice and juiced (about 3 tbsp juice)
- 2 tbsp unsalted butter
- ¼ cup fresh parsley, roughly chopped
- ¼ cup grated parmesan cheese (optional)
Instructions
- 1
Pat the pork tenderloin dry and season all over with the salt and black pepper. Bring a large pot of well-salted water to a boil.
- 2
Heat 1 tbsp of the olive oil in a 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add the pork tenderloin and sear, turning every 2–3 minutes, until browned on all sides, about 8–10 minutes total. Reduce the heat to medium and continue cooking until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part reads 145°F (63°C), about 4–6 minutes more. Transfer the pork to a cutting board and let it rest for 5 minutes.
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