By: Author Lisa Viger Gotte
Posted on Last updated:
This vegan pork tenderloin is deliciously deceptive. It looks very close to the familiar roast but is made entirely from yummy, healthy plants.
Vegan Pork Tenderloin is Simple and Healthy!
It takes less than a half-hour to prepare, with about an hour or so additional bake time, and is made from ingredients found at most local groceries.
Gluten-Free Vegan Pork Tenderloin Roast
The ingredients are super simple and, to a large degree, are a variation of those in the I’m Possible Burger. I wanted a roast that wasn’t seitan and was gluten-free. No vital wheat gluten here.
Simple Ingredients!
It starts with short-grain rice, sauteed mushrooms, and raw grated beets. The mushrooms add a meaty flavor, the beets add a meaty color, and the rice holds it all together. A block of tempeh adds volume, texture, and protein. “Pork” taste? Liquid smoke!
OK.
You’re right.
It starts out looking kinda gross. But stick with me here. It’s just a brief, ugly phase. It turns out just fine.
A garlic paste adds lots of traditionalflavorand is simple to make. Finely mince 3 to 4 cloves of garlic. Add a teaspoon of olive oil and a teaspoon each of salt and pepper. Keep chopping, rocking the knife back and forth, until the garlic is somewhat mashed.
Once blended in the food processor, just shape the tenderloin ingredients into a loaf or “loin” shape and smear on the garlic paste, and sprinkle with fresh rosemary.
This is where the “skin” goes on.
No, it’s not actual skin. Eww! Who would eat that?
It’s rice paper wrappers. When they’re baked in the oven they make a crisp and chewy outer covering for the roast.
This recipe makes a decent sized vegan pork tenderloin so you’ll need 5 or 6 rice paper wrappers to cover it completely.
You have to work kind of fast so the wrappers don’t get too sticky and pliable. Run a couple of wrappers under warm water for about 15 seconds. Overlap them and rub with a little liquid smoke and a small bit of olive oil before wrapping them around the “loin” … adding more until entirely covered.
The strings are totally optional. I just liked the way they look. Tie your roast up with four or five pieces of string, if you like. Otherwise, leave it untied.
Place the roast in a baking dish that’s been coated with olive oil. Rub a little more olive oil over any exposed “skin” and add more garlic paste.
Cut two apples into wedges and do the same with an onion. I used a red and a green apple and a red onion because I thought the colors were pretty together.
Toss the apples and onions with a little olive oil until lightly coated and place in the baking dish with the vegan pork tenderloin and a couple of sprigs of fresh rosemary.
Cover the baking dish loosely with foil and bake at 325 F for about 45 minutes. Then remove the foil and increase the temperature to 425 and bake for another 15 minutes or so until the rice paper wrappers are crisped.
That’s it. Let stand for several minutes and then slice and serve as usual. Leftovers make delicious sandwiches the next day!
4.56 from 38 votes
Vegan Pork Tenderloin
A delicious totally vegan take on a traditional "pork tenderloin" roast. It's easy to make and uses commonly found ingredients.
CourseMain Course
CuisineVegan
Prep Time 25 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour 15 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 10 minutes
Calories 255 kcal
Ingredients
Tenderloin Ingredients
- 2cupscooked short-grain rice
- 12ozsliced mushrooms, sauteed
- 8oztempeh
- 2tbspgrated raw beets
- 1/4cupinstant oats
- 1/4cupgluten-free flour
- 1tbspolive oiloptional
- 2tspsalt
- 2tspblack pepper
- 2tspgarlic powder
- 2tsponion powder
- 1tbspliquid smoke
- 1/2tspsage
- 1/2tsprosemary
Garlic Paste and Rice Paper Covering
- 3 to 4clovesfresh garlic
- 1tspsalt
- 1tsppepper
- fresh rosemary
- 5 to 6rice paper wrappers
- 2apples
- 1/2cupsliced onions
- olive oil
Instructions
Cook the rice according to package directions. Set aside to cool.
Sautee the sliced mushrooms until they're golden and tender and all the liquid has evaporated. Set aside to cool.
Break or cut the tempeh into 1-inch chunks.
In a large food processor, blend the tenderloin ingredients until finely chopped and blended. This will take about a minute. Scrape down the sides as needed. If using a small food processor, do this in batches and then mix together well by hand.
Form into a loaf or loin shape.
Make the garlic paste by very finely mincing 3 to 4 cloves of fresh garlic. Add a teaspoon each of salt, pepper, and olive oil and continue chopping the garlic finer and finer until it's basically a paste.
Use half the paste to spread directly on the formed loin. Save the other half to rub on the rice paper wrapper covering.
To cover: Two at a time, run the rice paper wrappers under warm water for about 15 seconds until they begin to get pliable. Rub then with a little olive oil and a few drops of liquid smoke. Wrap around the loaf. Add more rice papers until the loaf/loin is completely covered.
Rub with the other half of the garlic paste.
Placed the tenderloin in an oiled baking dish.
Add sliced apples, sliced onions, and a couple of sprigs of fresh rosemary.
Cover loosely with foil and bake at 325 F for about an hour. Then remove the foil, increase the oven temperature to 425 degrees F, and bake for an additional 15 minutes or so until the rice paper wrappers begin to crips and turn golden brown.Swipe the outside rice paper wrapper with a bit of oil if needed for browning.
Let stand for about 10 minutes and slice and serve.
Oil-Free Option
If you'd like this to be oil-free, simply omit the oil. You will barely miss it.
Nutrition Facts
Vegan Pork Tenderloin
Amount Per Serving
Calories 255
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
Hope you like this! If you make it, send me a pic or tag me on Instagram @planted365.
XO
Lisa
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P.S.
Need a dessert for after your meal?
Chocolate Sweet Potato Pie
This chocolate sweet potato pie is suger/oil/gluten free! But chock full of chocolate goodness!
Deep Fried Vegan S’Mores
These are a fun and delicious way to get vegan marshmallows and chocolate in yer belly.
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Lisa Viger Gotte
Hello! I’m Lisa, a vegan artist, photographer, author, Vegan Life Coach Educator, and RYT 200 yoga teacher. I love showing others how simple and delicious a plant-based diet can be. I draw and paint, cook, write, take lots of pics, eat lots of chocolate, and practice gratitude daily.
