Turkey Tenderloin Marinade

This Turkey Tenderloin Marinade infuses lean turkey tenderloins with delicious, savory, herby flavor. It’s a versatile marinade, ideal for a Thanksgiving dinner or for summertime grilling.

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Reasons You’ll Love This Recipe:

• Flavorful – there’s a fantastic, crave-worthy blend of flavors here, with apple cider vinegar, herbs, garlic, dijon, and a touch of honey to balance the flavor profile.
• Heart Healthy – between antioxidant-rich herbs and garlic, heart-healthy extra virgin olive oil, and the ultra-lean turkey tenderloin itself, this is a great heart healthy lean protein option.
• Protein Packed – turkey tenderloins are a very lean, yet very tender, piece of white meat that make an excellent protein source.
• Convenient – made mostly of convenient pantry staples, this marinade comes together quick and easy — with plenty of ways to cook the tenderloin, too!

Ingredient Notes & Substitutions:

For a full ingredient list with quantities, please check out the recipe card at the bottom of this post.

• Extra Virgin Olive Oil – heart healthy with omega-3 essential fatty acids, olive oil is a great base for this marinade.
• Apple Cider Vinegar – you always want something acidic in marinade to simultaneously help tenderize the protein and add another layer to the flavor. That’s the purpose of the apple cider vinegar, here!
• Dijon Mustard – I love a good flavor boost from Dijon mustard! Plus it helps emulsify the marinade together.
• Honey – this marinade is definitely not overtly sweet, but a touch of honey helps tie all the flavors together.
• Herbs & Seasonings – minced garlic or garlic paste, Italian seasoning blend, smoked paprika, onion powder, salt and pepper all work together to add awesome flavor!
• Turkey Tenderloins – of course you will need turkey tenderloins to marinate this marinade in!

How to Make Turkey Tenderloin Marinade

For complete instructions, please check out the recipe card at the bottom of this post.

Make the marinade by adding all of the marinade ingredients to a small bowl and whisking together. Place the turkey tenderloins in a large container, or even an airtight bag, and pour the marinade over. Make sure every surface of the turkey tenderloins are covered in the marinade, then cover and refrigerate for at least 1-2 hours, or up to overnight.

Tips and Variations

• Don’t use too large of a container. If your container is too big, the marinade will pool at the bottom and not cover and coat the tenderloins.
• Swap different proteins. Chicken breasts, thighs or drumsticks, pork tenderloin, and turkey breast are all options that also work beautifully with this marinade.
• Prep ahead. You can pre-make just the marinade, or marinate your turkey tenderloins overnight (or get them started before work, and they’ll be ready after). You also can freeze the turkey tenderloins in the marinade, too.
• Versatile cooking methods – see below!
• Let rest before slicing. This lets the juices settle/ lock back in, whereas if you slice the tenderloins immediately, you’ll lose more juices resulting in a dryer meat.

How to Cook Turkey Tenderloin

The great thing about turkey tenderloins (and this marinade!) is you can use them in a variety of ways! Note that ultimately cooking times will vary based on the size of your tenderloins, but based on what I used in this recipe (two tenderloins totaling 24 ounces), here are some ballparks:

• Baked/ Roasted – Line a sheet pan with foil and roast at 400 for 25-30 minutes (or until the tenderloins reach 165 internally). If your oven is on for other recipes, you can also cook longer at 350 or a little shorter at 425. Let rest 5-10 minutes before slicing.
• Pan Seared – remove the tenderloins from the marinade and pat try. Get an oven-safe skillet hot, adding a little oil, and sear tenderloins for 2-3 minutes per side, until browned. Transfer the oven to a 350 degree oven and finish cooking for 15-20 minutes, or until the tenderloins reach 165. Let rest for 5-10 minutes before slicing.
• Slow Cooker – Place the turkey tenderloins and the marinade in the slow cooker and cover. Cook on low for 4-6 hours or high for 2-3 hours. The turkey will be done when it reaches 165 internally. Again, let rest 5-10 minutes before slicing.
• Air Fryer – cooking at a higher temp, like in the air fryer, can help lock in more of the juices. To air fry turkey tenderloins, transfer them to the air fryer basket, and then air fry at 400 for 20-25 minutes, flipping once halfway through. The tenderloins are done when they reach 165 internally — let rest 5-10 minutes before slicing!
• Grill – for grilled turkey tenderloins, preheat your grill to a medium-high heat. Place the turkey tenderloins on the grates and grill about 7-10 minutes per side, or until a meat thermometer shows the turkey has reached 165 degrees. Remove from the grill and let rest for 5-10 minutes before slicing.

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More Easy Protein Recipes to Love

• Baked Thin Sliced Chicken Breast
• Easy Air Fryer Salmon

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