Instant Pot Pork Loin (Fall-Apart Tender) with the Tastiest Pan Sauce
Mar 07, 2025
This Instant Pot Pork Loin recipe is quick and totally melts in the mouth. The rich, flavorful sauce (made from the cooking liquid) is SO delicious!
As a food scientist, I’ve tested and perfected this method, and these simple tricks will make your pork juicy, flavorful, and perfectly cooked every time!
If you prefer low and slow, try my famous Crock Pot Pork Loin recipe.
💡Science-Based Secrets for Perfect Instant Pot Pork Loin
- Cook Beyond Roasting Temps – Aim for 195-205°F to fully break down muscle; aiming for medium-well (145°F) will just dry out in the Instant Pot.
- Sear the Pork – For a delicious brown crust and deeper flavor in the sauce.
- Don’t Expect Clean Slices – This is a melt-in-your-mouth texture that’s both juicy and tender, but not one for pretty slices (like my oven pork roast recipe or air fryer pork loin).
- Natural Pressure Release – To lock in juices and moisture.
5 Common Mistakes When Making Pork Loin in the Instant Pot
Here are a few issues that tend to creep up that can be avoided:
- Not searing the pork enough: Skipping or under-searing the pork can result in a less flavorful crust
- Not deglazing the pot: After searing the pork, it’s essential to scrape up the browned bits from the bottom of the Instant Pot to add a deep, savory flavor to the sauce.
- Skipping the natural pressure release: Rushing to release the pressure after cooking can cause the pork to become dry.
Here’s What You Need
Round up what you need to gather for pressure cooker pork loin.
Ingredient Notes
Most ingredients are probably hiding in your kitchen.
For the Pork
- Pork loin: A 3 1/2 lb pork loin is one of the more tender cuts of meat. If you’d like to use pork shoulder, use my Instant Pot Pulled Pork recipe.
- Garlic powder and onion powder
- Dried thyme (or fresh)
- Paprika
- Kosher salt and black pepper
- Olive oil
For the Cooking Liquid & Sauce
- Chopped onion
- Chicken broth (or bouillon and water): I love to use boiling water and Better than Bouillon instead of boxed broth. It tastes better, there’s less waste, and the boiling water gets the Instant Pot up to pressure cooking temperature much faster.
- White wine (or more broth)
- Soy sauce: adds savory umami to the dish
- Dijon mustard
- Heavy cream or milk
- Cornstarch
Ingredient quantities in the recipe card at the bottom of the article
Substitutions and Variations
You can make a few swaps to this recipe without a problem:
- Pork Loin → Use pork shoulder or pork butt (may need longer cooking).
- Garlic Powder → Swap for fresh garlic and onion for a bolder flavor.
- Thyme → Substitute with oregano or rosemary.
- Onion → Shallots or leeks work too.
- Chicken Broth → Use vegetable or beef broth.
- White Wine → Replace with broth or apple cider vinegar.
- Soy Sauce → Swap for tamari, coconut aminos, or liquid aminos.
- Dijon Mustard → Use yellow or whole-grain mustard.
- Heavy Cream → Try half-and-half, whole milk, or dairy-free cream.
- Cornstarch → Use arrowroot or potato starch.
How to Make the BEST Instant Pot Pork Loin: An Easy Guide
Here are my simple steps to making this pressure cooker pork loin with silky pan juices:
Season and Prep
- Begin by patting the pork dry with paper towels to remove excess moisture.
- In a small bowl, combine brown sugar, garlic powder, onion powder, thyme, paprika, salt, and pepper with olive oil. Rub the mixture evenly all over the pork.
Sear the pork
- Set the Instant Pot to saute (High) and let it heat for 2-3 minutes. Add oil, allowing it to shimmer.
- Place the pork in the pot, smooth side down, and sear for 2 minutes until deeply browned. Flip and sear the other side for an additional 2 minutes.
Important Tip
Be very careful and watch closely as the brown sugar can burn quickly.
Once seared, remove the pork and set it aside.
Pressure cook
- Add the chopped onions, chicken broth, white wine, soy sauce, and mustard to the Instant Pot. Stir well, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom.
- Return the seared pork to the Instant Pot, nestling it into the liquid mixture.
- Lock the lid in place, set the valve to Sealing, and pressure cook on High for 45 minutes.
- Once the cooking time is complete, allow the pressure to release for 10 minutes naturally, then manually release any remaining pressure.
Finish the sauce
- Set the Instant Pot to Sauté (Low) and let the remaining liquid simmer for about 5 minutes to concentrate the flavors.
- Whisk the cornstarch into the heavy cream until smooth, then pour it into the Instant Pot.
- Let the sauce simmer for 2-3 minutes until it slightly thickens.
Taste and adjust the seasoning with more salt or black pepper if necessary.
Make Ahead and Storage
You can prep the pork loin by coating it with the spice mixture up to 48 hours ahead.
Storing Leftovers
- After the pork has cooled, store it in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. If you have leftover sauce, store it separately in a sealed container.
Freezing Instant Pot pork loin
- The pork and sauce can be frozen for up to 2-3 months. To freeze, let the dish cool completely, then store the pork and sauce separately in freezer-safe containers.
Reheating
- Gently warm the pork and sauce on the stovetop or in the microwave, adding a splash of broth if the sauce thickens too much during storage.
How to Serve this Instant Pot Pork Loin Recipe
Instant Pot pork loin pairs well with:
- Creamy mashed potatoes or potatoes au gratin (gluten free and easy!)
- roasted vegetables, this foolproof basmati rice recipe, or a simple green salad.
- Dutch oven bread to soak up the delicious sauce.
FAQs About Instant Pot Pork
Just skimming through? Here are the common queries around this recipe:
To get tender, juicy pork, avoid overcooking by following the recommended cooking times and allowing the pork to rest before slicing. The natural release of pressure also helps retain moisture in the meat.
Yes! You can cook frozen pork loin in the Instant Pot. Just increase the cooking time by about 5-10 minutes, but keep in mind the meat may release more water as it cooks, which could affect the sauce’s consistency.
You can double the recipe, but make sure the pork fits comfortably in the Instant Pot. If you are cooking a larger batch, you may need to adjust the cooking time slightly, but generally, the cooking time for pressure cooking remains the same for up to 5 lbs of pork. Just make sure to avoid overcrowding, even when cooking.
Other Pork Recipes You’ll Love
- Slow cooker pork shoulder (the pictures tell you everything)
- Air fryer pork chops
- Air fryer pork tenderloin
Other Great Ways to Cook Pork Loin
Instant Pot Pork Loin with the Tastiest Pan Sauce
Video
Ingredients
For Seasoning the Pork:
- 3 ½ lb pork loin not tenderloin
- 3 tbsp brown sugar
- 2 tsp garlic powder
- 2 tsp onion powder
- 1 tsp dried thyme or 1 tbsp fresh
- ¾ tsp paprika
- 3 tsp kosher salt
- ½ tsp black pepper 40 cracks on a pepper mill!
- 2 tbsp olive oil + more for searing
For Cooking in the Instant Pot:
- 1 ½ cups finely chopped onion
- 1 cup chicken broth or 1 tsp bouillon concentrate + 1 cup boiling water, see notes
- 2 tbsp white wine or more broth: 2/3 tsp bouillon + 2 tbsp water
- 1 tbsp soy sauce
- 1 tbsp Dijon mustard
To Finish the Sauce:
- ½ cup heavy cream or milk
- 3 tbsp cornstarch mixed directly into the cream
Instructions
Sear the Pork
- Pat the pork very dry with paper towels.
- Mix brown sugar, garlic powder, onion powder, thyme, paprika, salt and pepper with the oil in a small bowl. Rub the mixture all over the pork.
- Turn the Instant Pot to Sauté (High) and let it heat for 2-3 minutes. Add another splash of oil and let it shimmer.
- Sear the pork smooth-side down for 2 minutes until deeply browned. Flip and sear the other side for another 2 minutes. Be careful because it can burn quickly with the brown sugar. Remove pork and set aside.
Pressure Cook the Pork
- Add onions, chicken broth, white wine, soy sauce, and mustard to the Instant Pot. Stir, scraping up browned bits from the bottom.
- Place the pork back into the Instant Pot, nestling it into the broth mixture.
- Lock the lid, set the valve to Sealing, and pressure cook on High for 45 minutes.
- Let pressure naturally release for 10 minutes, then manually release any remaining pressure.
- Transfer the pork to a cutting board, tent with foil, and let it rest for 10-15 minutes while you make the sauce.
Finish the Sauce
- Turn the Instant Pot to Sauté (Low). Simmer the remaining liquid for 5 minutes to concentrate the flavors.
- Stir the cornstarch directly into the heavy cream until smooth, then pour it into the Instant Pot.
- Simmer for 2-3 minutes until slightly thickened.
- Taste and adjust seasoning with more salt or black pepper if needed.
Serve
- Slice the pork against the grain and drizzle with the creamy mustard sauce.
- Serve with mashed potatoes, roasted vegetables, or rice.
Notes
Using Different Sized Roast?
Adjust the salt to be 3/4 tsp kosher salt per pound of meat to ensure it is properly seasoned (and not too salty). NOTE: I love to use boiling water and Better than Bouillon instead of boxed broth. It tastes better, there’s less waste, and the boiling water gets the Instant Pot up to pressure cooking temperature much faster.Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Best pork loin recipe I’ve ever used. The gravy takes it to 10 stars.
This was delicious! Easy prep, mostly hands off time cooking, then a quick finish to make a scrumptious sauce. Between this and your pulled pork, I don’t know which I like more. Both will be on regular rotation at my house.
Ridiculously good-my 10 year old daughter took seconds
Taste like it took all day to make!
Adding this to the short list of reliable recipes.
You weren’t kidding it was amazing and really easy. Appreciated the substitute list too
The ingredient list does not list brown sugar, but the directions say to combine brown sugar with the other seasonings. I estimated about 1/2 cup of brown sugar and it seemed to turn out well. It did fall apart when coming out of the instant pot, so that was a win!
Hi Bridget! I fixed the omission, thank you so much for catching that! I’m glad it turned out fall-apart tender for you.