Pork Marsala: Tenderloin Medallions with a Mustard-Cream Sauce

Pork Marsala is one of those dishes that looks extravagant and time-consuming, but is actually really simple to make! This recipe takes less than 30 minutes from start to finish with just a handful of ingredients. This is a great meal for weeknight dinners and date nights as well as preparing for larger groups like dinner parties or family gatherings. There are basically two major steps: 1) searing the pork, and 2) making the Marsala sauce.

The sauce is the most time-consuming part, but it goes pretty quick if you have all the ingredients prepared beforehand. The more you make it, the faster you’ll be and the more experimental you’ll get with the spices and flavorings. For instance, if you sub out the Marsala wine for red wine, you’ll have the perfect sauce for a beef tenderloin with red wine sauce. Sounds like something you would get at a restaurant, but is so easy to make at home! If you have a garden, try using some of the herbs you may have growing like thyme, tarragon, rosemary, oregano, etc. It may not be 100% authentic, but I find cooking from the heart and from the garden is oftentimes better than following a strict recipe!

This Pork Marsala recipe is super versatile with the protein choice as well. You can substitute the pork for beef, chicken, turkey, vegetarian or vegan sausage, jackfruit–the list goes on. Or you could simply make the sauce and serve it on top of a bowl of pasta. I always, I mean always, have to make Marsala sauce when we cook steaks–the meat absorbs the flavors and creates the perfect bite every time. This dish provides so much flavor for the amount of effort it takes.

How to Make Pork Marsala Sauce (or protein of your choice)

1. Sear your protein of choice in a hot cast iron pan with butter and a little olive oil. This will flavor the pan with yummy drippings for the sauce and the sear will lock in all those delicious juices.
2. Once browned, remove the protein from the pan and set aside.
3. Lower the heat to medium and add in the onions. Allow them to soften slightly, about 2 minutes.
4. Add in the sliced mushrooms and let them cook down to release moisture and concentrate a caramelized flavor. The good thing about this step is you can never really overcook mushrooms!
5. Once the mushrooms are cooked, toss in the garlic and herbs for about 1 minute.
6. Pour in the wine. This will deglaze the pan of all the delicious bits stick to the bottom of the pan. Let the alcohol evaporate for 1-2 minutes.
7. At this point, you can add in the cream. Alternatively for an even richer taste, you can add some beef stock. If you do this step, just add a little flour to the mixture beforehand so the sauce will thicken quicker. Then add the cream.
8. Let the cream reduce until the sauce reaches your preferred consistency. I usually let it become a thin gravy.
9. Add the protein back in to warm up and soak in some of the flavors, about 2 minutes.
10. Check for salt and pepper and serve on top of a bowl of pasta, mashed potatoes, polenta, etc.

What to Make with Pork Marsala

Pasta, mashed potatoes, roasted veggies, polenta, grains, etc. are all excellent options. I’m a sucker for garlicky mashed potatoes so that’s normally what we have. However, if you want an even quicker preparation, Pork Marsala is amazing mixed into pasta. Just add a little pasta water to the sauce and some gratings of parmesan cheese. Another great option is Gnocchi! You get the best of both worlds–potato and pasta all in one.

If you like this recipe, check out these dishes:

• Buttered Gnocchi
• Garlic Scape Pasta with Creamy Parmesan Sauce
• Prosciutto & Breadcrumb Stuffed Eggplant in Tomato Sauce
• Shishito Pepper Steak

Print Recipe

Pork Marsala: Tenderloin Medallions with a Mustard-Cream Sauce

Dinner, Main Dish – Italian, American

By Katelyn Bailey – Serves: 2

Prep Time: 5 minutes – Cooking Time: 20 minutes – Total Time: 25 minutes

Creamy, savory, and filling. The perfect meal for a quick, but satisfying weeknight dinner date or family meal.

Ingredients

• 1 lb pork tenderloin
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1 shallot, minced (or onion)
• 1 package of portobello mushrooms, thinly sliced
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/8 teaspoon black pepper
• 1/4 cup Marsala wine
• 1 teaspoon fresh thyme, minced
• 2 teaspoons fresh rosemary, minced
• 2 teaspoons mustard
• 3/4 cup heavy cream

Instructions

1

Clean the tenderloin and slice into 1 inch thick medallions. Salt and pepper to taste and set aside.

2

Heat up a large pan over high heat and add a drizzle of olive oil.

3

Once hot, add the medallions and brown for 2-3 minutes on each side. Toss in 2 tablespoons of butter when you flip and baste as the other side cooks. Move to a plate once browned.

4

Lower the heat to medium and add the shallot/onion to the same pan . Cook for about 1 minute until translucent.

5

Add in the mushrooms and cook for 5 minutes until soft and caramelized.

6

Toss in the garlic, thyme, rosemary, pepper, and mustard and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute.

7

Pour in the sherry wine to deglaze the pan and stir until evaporated. (No more alcohol smell from the steam).

8

Add in the heavy cream and stir frequently until the sauce thickens, about 4-5 minutes.

9

Place the medallions back in to warm up and soak up some of that yummy sauce.

10

Taste for salt and pepper and enjoy!

Nutrition

• 675 Calories
• 11.4g Carbohydrates
• 258mg Cholesterol
• 37.3g Fat
• 1.3g Fiber
• 65g Protein
• 20.5g Saturated fat
• 233mg Sodium
• .6g Sugar

Notes

Serve with mashed potatoes, polenta, pasta, or roasted veggies. This Marsala sauce goes great with all sorts of protein like steak, chicken, turkey, jackfruit, vegetarian or vegan sausage, etc.