Ingredients
Method
- Prep the Pork Trim the pork tenderloin and slice into even 1-inch medallions. Season with salt, pepper, and Italian seasoning.
- Sear the Pork Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Sear pork medallions for 2–3 minutes per side until golden brown and cooked through (internal temp 145°F). Transfer to a plate.
- Make Garlic Butter Lower heat to medium. Add butter and minced garlic to the skillet. Sauté for 30 seconds, then spoon garlic butter over the cooked pork to keep warm.
- Cook the Orzo In the same skillet, add 1 tablespoon olive oil and toast the orzo for 1–2 minutes. Pour in chicken broth and bring to a boil. Lower heat, cover, and simmer for 10 minutes or until most of the liquid is absorbed.
- Finish the Orzo Stir in heavy cream, sun-dried tomatoes, and spinach. Cook until spinach is wilted. Add Parmesan cheese, season with salt and pepper, and stir until creamy.
- Assemble and Serve Plate the creamy orzo, top with pork medallions, and drizzle with remaining garlic butter from the pan. Serve hot.
Nutrition
Notes
Pro Tips:
Choose pork tenderloin over pre-cut medallions and slice them yourself to 1-inch thickness because pre-cut pieces are often uneven and cook at different rates, leaving you with some overcooked and some undercooked medallions. Use oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes instead of dry-packed ones because the oil carries concentrated tomato flavor that infuses into your cream sauce, plus you can use a tablespoon of that flavored oil for searing the pork. Cook your orzo until it's just shy of al dente before adding the cream because it continues cooking in the sauce and will reach perfect texture while absorbing those garlic butter flavors without becoming mushy. After making this dozens of times, I learned to deglaze the pork pan with a splash of white wine before adding cream because those fond bits contain concentrated pork flavor that transforms the sauce from good to restaurant-quality.
Choose pork tenderloin over pre-cut medallions and slice them yourself to 1-inch thickness because pre-cut pieces are often uneven and cook at different rates, leaving you with some overcooked and some undercooked medallions. Use oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes instead of dry-packed ones because the oil carries concentrated tomato flavor that infuses into your cream sauce, plus you can use a tablespoon of that flavored oil for searing the pork. Cook your orzo until it's just shy of al dente before adding the cream because it continues cooking in the sauce and will reach perfect texture while absorbing those garlic butter flavors without becoming mushy. After making this dozens of times, I learned to deglaze the pork pan with a splash of white wine before adding cream because those fond bits contain concentrated pork flavor that transforms the sauce from good to restaurant-quality.