Cranberry pork tenderloin with squash puree
3
Points®
Total time: 20 min • Prep: 15 min • Cook: 5 min • Serves: 4 • Difficulty: Easy
This fall-inspired dish is almost a meal in itself. Pair it with a spinach salad or some simple roasted green beans and you’ve got a meal. Thanks to frozen squash and canned cranberries you can enjoy it anytime of the year. Pork tenderloins often have a thin, translucent, but tough covering, called the “silver skin” for both its look and feel. Remove it by slipping a sharp knife just under one end of the silver skin, then gently cutting underneath it and pulling it off. Do not cut into the meat — simply remove this outer layer. Or ask your butcher to do it for you.
Ingredients
Uncooked lean pork tenderloin
1¼ pound(s), cut into 8 medallions (about 1 1⁄2 inches thick)
Table salt
1 tsp
Black pepper
⅛ tsp, freshly ground
Reduced sodium chicken broth
½ cup(s)
Canned cranberry sauce
¼ cup(s), whole-berry variety
Orange zest
1 Tbsp, grated
Balsamic vinegar
1 tsp
Frozen winter butternut squash
10 oz, puree, thawed
Ground cinnamon
½ tsp
Ground nutmeg
¼ tsp
Unsalted butter
2 tsp
Instructions
1
Spray a large nonstick skillet with nonstick spray and set over medium-high heat. Sprinkle the pork with 1⁄2 teaspoon of the salt and the pepper. Add to the skillet and cook until browned, about 2 minutes on each side. Transfer the pork to a plate.
2
Add the broth to the skillet, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Add the cranberry sauce, orange zest, and the pork and any accumulated juices; bring the mixture to a simmer. Reduce the heat, cover, and simmer until the pork is cooked through, about 10 minutes. Stir in the vinegar.
3
Meanwhile, combine the squash puree, cinnamon, nutmeg, and the remaining 1⁄2 teaspoon salt in a microwavable bowl. Dot with the butter. Microwave on High for 30 seconds. Stir, then microwave, stirring twice more, until heated through, 2 – 3 minutes.
4
To serve, divide the squash puree among 4 plates; top with the pork and sauce. Yields 2 pieces pork, 2 tablespoons sauce, and 1⁄4 cup squash puree per serving.
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