Home » Recipes » Air Fryer

Air Fryer Pork Loin: Easy 5 Ingredient Recipe

As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Read my disclosure policy.

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.

Save This Recipe Form

Want To Save This Recipe?

Enter your email below & I will send it straight to your inbox. Plus you’ll get great new recipes each week!

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!

Reader Review

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

OMG!! This was DELICIOUS! I created a rub of a few seasonings and followed the directions EXACTLY! It was so easy and so good! I’m already excited to try it with the mustard rub!
— Stephanie

Why You Will Love This Recipe

This recipe is straightforward with only everyday ingredients making it perfect for a busy weeknight.

There are no extra steps, and no marinade is needed.

This roast cooks fast, in about half the time it would take to cook in the oven.

The larger size makes it easy to feed many people or just plan to use the leftovers for sandwiches or meal prep.

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 a 5.8-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.

pork loin with honey mustard ingredients

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.

adding seasoning to the pork loin

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

pork loin in air fryer before cooking

Check the internal temperature with an instant-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.

pork loin in air fryer after cooking

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!

slicing the pork loin

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!

top view of air fryer pork loin

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.

FAQ

Should I trim the fat cap off the pork loin?

You can trim the fat cap if you like, but it isn’t necessary. I generally don’t bother, but it will decrease the meal’s calorie count.

Should I brine or marinade the pork?

Both brining and marinading increase the amount of water inside, making for juicier meat. But an air fryer pork roast cooks fast and at a high enough temperature that a brine or marinade isn’t necessary.

What do I do if my roast won’t fit in the air fryer?

You can cut the end off your roast if it is just a little bit too big. You can also cut it in half and cook both halves, separately or together.

Did You Make This? Leave a Star Rating!

pork loin roast on a serving platter
4.58 from 131 votes

Air Fryer Pork Loin

Published By Anne
Make this delicious recipe for air fryer pork loin for a fast roast pork dinner.
Prep Time5 minutes
Cook Time47 minutes
Resting Time5 minutes
Total Time57 minutes
Servings: 8
Print Save Rate Pin

Ingredients
 

  • 3-5 pound pork loin roast
  • 2 tablespoons mustard
  • 2 teaspoons rosemary
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 2 tablespoons honey

Instructions

  • Make sure your pork loin roast fits in your air fryer basket. You can trim the end off the roast if it is just a little bit too big.
    3-5 pound pork loin roast
  • Take the roast out of its package and pat it dry. Then smear the mustard all over the top, which has a fat cap.
    2 tablespoons mustard
  • Sprinkle the rosemary and salt on top of the mustard.
    2 teaspoons rosemary, 1 teaspoon salt
  • Put the meat in the air fryer at 370 degrees F for 45 minutes. After 25 minutes take out the air fryer basket and flip the meat.
  • After 45 minutes check the pork with an instant-read thermometer and make sure it has reached 145 degrees F in the middle. If it hasn't put it back in for another 5-10 minutes and recheck it. Cooking times vary for different air fryers, so always check the internal temperature, don't guess.
  • Once the pork reaches 145 degrees F use a pastry brush or spoon to coat the top with honey. Then put the basket back in the air fryer and cook it at 300 F for 2 minutes. This lets the honey caramelize on the meat so it has a honey mustard flavor.
    2 tablespoons honey
  • Once the pork is done put it on a serving platter and let the meat rest for at least 5 minutes before slicing.

Video

Notes

You can skip the mustard and just use pork seasoning or Italian seasoning on the roast. Or season it with salt, garlic powder, and onion powder for a simple meal.

As an Amazon Associate and member of other affiliate programs, I earn from qualifying purchases.

Nutrition Information

Serving: 1g | Calories: 564kcal | Carbohydrates: 5g | Protein: 75g | Fat: 25g | Saturated Fat: 8g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 13g | Cholesterol: 227mg | Sodium: 437mg | Sugar: 4g

Nutrition facts are estimates.

Enjoy this recipe?Follow Family Friendly Foods on Facebook
sliced air fryer pork loin
anne

Hi, I’m Anne!

I love to cook and I want to share my recipes with you. I believe cooking should be approachable and fun, not a chore. I want to make simple recipes using everyday ingredients that you can make again and again, whether it is for a busy weeknight, a summer cookout or a special dessert. Read more...

7 thoughts on “Air Fryer Pork Loin: Easy 5 Ingredient Recipe”

  1. Holy moly, this was the best pork loin I’ve cooked in 25 years. No more dry pork loin, no more tough and overcooked pork, no more dry, dry loin. This was so tender and the juices flowed out when slicing. Cook times were spot on, but I like a char crunch, and added 4 minutes after slathering with honey. Served with Instant Pot’s pot-in-pot mashed potatoes and frozen peas, with a side of apple sauce. So yum! Your recipes are terrific. Thanks, Annie.

    Reply
  2. OMG!! This was DELICIOUS! I created a rub of a few seasonings and followed the directions EXACTLY! It was so easy and so good! I’m already excited to try it with the mustard rub!

    Reply
  3. Followed everything to a tee, my roast weighed at 2.7 pounds. After the 45mins at 375 it was only 87F inside, not 145. So I’m cooking it still, but it’s not going up quickly. I have a meat thermometer plugged in to see live how the temp rises. Will probably end up cooking it in double the time …

    Reply
  4. 5 stars
    Cooked a 2 lb pork loin with the mustard recipe minus the honey glaze. Was very happy with the outcome! I thought I should adjust the time to 30 min as the roast was not as big as the recipe but it did end up taking the full 45 minute cook time. It was very moist and tasty and I have to admit I was surprised! Made awesome sandwiches today and still moist! Highly recommend!

    Reply

Leave a Comment

Recipe Rating