This Slow Cooker Honey Soy Balsamic Pork Tenderloin is an easy set-and-forget dinner. Simply whisk together balsamic vinegar, soy sauce, honey and garlic with a touch of seasoning, pour it over the pork and let the slow cooker work its magic. In just a few hours, you will have tender pork coated in a sticky, sweet and savoury sauce.
It is a versatile dish that pairs beautifully with so many sides, from fluffy rice or mashed potatoes to roasted vegetables and potatoes. Change up the sides each time and it feels like a brand new meal.
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Calories in Slow Cooker Honey Soy Balsamic Pork Tenderloin
This recipe serves 6 and is 262 calories per serving
If you're looking for more recipes within the same calorie range, you'll find an abundance of options in my dedicated collection of 200+ calorie recipes.
If you're following a calorie-controlled diet or a healthy eating plan, it's important to calculate your daily calorie needs using a reliable calorie calculator. The calorie counts provided are estimates and can vary depending on the exact ingredients and portion sizes you use. Using your own calculations helps ensure you're meeting your individual needs. A calorie calculator can help you make informed choices and stay on track with your goals.
See the recipe card for full nutritional estimation.
Ingredients Notes
To make this recipe you will need the following ingredients:
- Pork tenderloin (fillets) – Lean and tender, perfect for slow cooking. Holds flavour well and stays juicy when cooked slowly in sauce.
- Onion – Adds natural sweetness and depth to the sauce as it softens.
- Garlic – Provides aromatic warmth and enhances the savoury notes in the sauce.
- Honey – Brings natural sweetness and balances the acidity of the balsamic vinegar and soy sauce.
- Soy sauce – Adds savoury umami richness and depth to the sauce.
- Balsamic vinegar – Gives a tangy sweetness that complements the honey and adds complexity to the sauce.
- Stock – Provides moisture for slow cooking and helps create a rich, flavourful sauce.
- Paprika – Adds a subtle smokiness and colour to the sauce.
- Onion and garlic powder – Boost the overall flavour, reinforcing the fresh onion and garlic without adding extra moisture.
- Thyme – Dried thyme adds a gentle herbal note that pairs beautifully with pork.
- Red pepper flakes – Gives a subtle warmth and a touch of heat without overpowering the dish.
- Black pepper – Adds a mild bite and enhances all the other flavours.
- Cornstarch – Used to thicken the sauce at the end for a slightly glossy, clingy consistency
Once you've gathered all the ingredients and prepared them accordingly, you're all set to create this easy and delightful recipe.
See the recipe card for specific quantities and instructions.
Variations and Substitutes
This dish is easy to tweak depending on what you have or what you’re in the mood for. Swap the pork for boneless skinless chicken thighs for a juicy, flavour-packed alternative, while chicken breasts aren’t the best choice as they are too lean and can make the sauce less rich.
You can also switch the honey for maple syrup or brown sugar for a different kind of sweetness, or leave out the thyme if you prefer a simpler, cleaner flavour.
You can adjust the heat by adding more or fewer red pepper flakes to suit your taste.
Changing up the sides each time, from rice and mashed potatoes to roasted vegetables or a crisp salad, gives the meal a fresh twist and keeps it feeling new every time you make it.
Tips for Slow Cooking Pork Tenderloin
Slow cooking pork tenderloin is simple, but a few tricks will help you get the most flavour and juiciness.
- Keep the fillets whole while cooking. This helps the pork stay juicy and prevents it from drying out. Slice only after cooking.
- Pat the meat dry before adding any sauce or seasoning. This ensures the flavours stick and the sauce isn’t watered down.
- Stick to the recommended cooking time: around 3 hours on high or 6 hours on low. If you need to keep it longer due to the timing of your meal, use a slow cooker with a keep warm function to prevent overcooking. This is especially useful if you’re busy with other dishes or entertaining.
- Layer flavours by adding spices and aromatics directly to the sauce rather than rubbing them on the meat. This ensures the pork absorbs maximum flavour as it cooks.
- Thicken the sauce at the end in a saucepan for the best results. Some slow cookers can handle adding cornstarch directly, but many don’t thicken well this way. If your slow cooker is reliable for thickening, you can stir in the cornstarch during the last hour of cooking, but using a saucepan is the safer option. While the sauce is thickening, let the pork rest before slicing.
- Slice and serve with the sauce once it is thickened.
Sides to Pair with Slow Cooker Honey Soy Balsamic Pork Tenderloin
This Slow Cooker Honey Soy Balsamic Pork Tenderloin pairs beautifully with a variety of sides, I love it with mashed potatoes and roasted carrots, but here are some other great options:
- Rice – fluffy and plain, or lightly seasoned like this Herby Garlic Seasoned Rice or Red Pepper Cilantro Rice to add extra flavour.
- Mashed potatoes – classic comfort food, I love this Lighter Mashed Potatoes.
- Roasted potatoes – golden and lightly seasoned.
- Sweet potato mash or Sweet Potato Fries – I love the flavour of sweet potato and this Sweet Potato Mash or Perfect Oven Baked Sweet Potato Fries are a great option.
- Butternut squash – roasted or mashed for a lighter alternative. Try these Paprika Roasted Butternut Squash
- Cauliflower – low-calorie, creamy and satisfying alternative to potatoes or rice. I love this Sour Cream and Onion Cauliflower Mash or Roasted Cauliflower Rice
- Vegetables – carrots, peas, asparagus, green beans, broccoli or a mix of your favourites, steamed or roasted.
Mix and match these sides to keep the meal feeling fresh each time you make it.
More Slow Cooker Recipes
Looking for some more slow cooker recipes? Check out the following:
See more Slow Cooker Recipes →
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FAQ for Slow Cooker Honey Soy Balsamic Pork Tenderloin
Yes, boneless skinless chicken thighs work well as a substitute. Chicken breasts are not recommended because they are too lean and can make the sauce less rich.
Yes, cooked pork tenderloin in the sauce can be frozen. Store in an airtight container for up to 2–3 months. Thaw in the fridge overnight before reheating.
Reheat gently on the stove or in the microwave until warmed through. If the sauce has thickened too much, stir in a splash of stock, water, or a little soy sauce to loosen it.
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Recipe Card
Slow Cooker Honey Soy Balsamic Pork Tenderloin
Slow Cooker Honey Soy Balsamic Pork Tenderloin - a rich and flavourful dish with a sweet, savoury and tangy sauce, perfect with a various sides for a delicious family meal.
Ingredients
- 2 Pork Tenderloins (Fillets) - approx 400g/14oz per tenderloin
- 1 tablespoon of paprika (not smoked)
- 1 teaspoon of onion powder
- 1 teaspoon of garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon of ground black pepper
- ½ teaspoon of dried thyme
- pinch of red chilli flakes
- 1 onion, sliced
- 3 cloves of garlic, sliced thinly
- ¼ cup (4 tablespoons) of honey
- ¼ cup (4 tablespoons) of soy sauce
- ¼ cup (60ml) of chicken stock (I use better than bouillion)
- 3 tablespoons of balsamic vinegar
- 1 tablespoon of cornstarch (cornflour)
Instructions
- Place the pork tenderloins in a large bowl and sprinkle with the seasoning. Rub the seasonings all over the pork to ensure they are fully coated.
- Transfer the pork to the slow cooker and add the onion and garlic. In a separate bowl, whisk together the honey, soy sauce, balsamic vinegar and stock, then pour this mixture over the pork.
- Cook on low for 6 hours or on high for 3 hours.
- When cooked, remove the pork to a plate and leave to rest while you thicken the sauce.
- Pour the sauce into a small saucepan. Mix the cornstarch with a couple of tablespoons of water, then stir it into the sauce. Heat over medium until the sauce thickens.
- Slice the pork and pour the thickened sauce over the top.
- Serve with your choice of side and enjoy!
Notes
Please see below for full nutritional info and additional details about recipe:
- Calories - scroll down to nutritional info box
- WW Points and other Slimming or Weight Loss programs - due to plans regularly changing and updating, we recommend calculating with the official tools you get as a member to those plans to ensure accuracy of values.
- Dairy Free Friendly
- Gluten Free Friendly - use gluten free stock and soy sauce
- ❄️ Freezer Friendly - see FAQ for details
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Nutrition Information
Yield 6 Serving Size 1 SERVINGAmount Per Serving Calories 262Total Fat 6gSaturated Fat 2gTrans Fat 0gUnsaturated Fat 8gCholesterol 97mgSodium 763mgCarbohydrates 23gFiber 4gSugar 14gProtein 38g
Nutritional information and values etc are an estimate and is to be used for informational purposes only. Ingredients can vary greatly from brand to brand and therefore it would be impossible to give accurate information. It is always advised that you calculate by the ingredients you use.
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