Tender, juicy, and ready in only 30 minutes, this Instant Pot Turkey Tenderloin recipe is so easy to make! It's a perfect turkey dinner idea when you don't want to roast a whole turkey for hours!
Serve this turkey tenderloin with my crispy stuffing muffins!
This recipe is a game-changer and no more dry turkey for me. So easy to make, juicy, and delicious!
- Linda
This is my new favorite way to make turkey. When my local grocery store had some turkey tenderloins on sale, I thought I'd give it a try in my Instant Pot. I didn't have much time to make dinner that night, so when that happens, my Instant Pot to the rescue! Well let me tell you, my taste testers loved this recipe! There were NO leftovers, and you know that is a sign of a really good dinner!
Turkey is something most people only make on a special occasion or for Thanksgiving Dinner. Now you can make a good turkey dinner whenever you want!
Just like my Instant Pot Pork Tenderloin, Use your Instant Pot and have a delicious turkey dinner on the table in less than an hour. If you have a smaller crowd, this easy turkey tenderloin recipe is the perfect dinner to make!
Can You Make Turkey Tenderloin in the Instant Pot?
Yes! It's actually my favorite way to make turkey tenderloin!
You would never believe that turkey can be ready in under an hour, but when you use lean, white meat part of the turkey, it's ready really fast!
The best part is, you can't mess this up! Because we are using an electric pressure cooker, we are actually steaming the turkey. The great thing about steam is that it keeps the turkey moist and delicious the whole time, so you don't have to worry about overcooked meat!
Ingredients For Instant Pot Turkey Tenderloin
- Turkey Tenderloin. I was able to find a 24-ounce package of Jennie O Turkey Breast Tenderloin at my local grocery store. There are 2 tenderloins per package.
- Olive Oil. To marinate the turkey in as well as saute the turkey in.
- Rosemary. Fresh rosemary is best, but if you only have dried rosemary that will work as well.
- Garlic cloves. There's nothing better than fresh garlic! If you only have garlic powder, you can use that instead.
- Broth. A liquid is needed for the Instant Pot to cook the turkey. Cup of water, cup of turkey broth, or cup of vegetable broth can be used instead of chicken broth. It's most important that there is a cup of liquid in the inner pot below the turkey tenderloin.
- Salt and black pepper. To season to turkey tenderloin.
How to Cook Turkey Tenderloin in the Instant Pot
1. The first step is to quickly marinate the turkey. In a small bowl, mix together 2 tablespoons of olive oil, chopped rosemary, and mixed garlic. With a spoon, mix to combine.
2. In a large bowl, place the turkey tenderloin. Pour the marinade over the turkey and let it sit for 5-10 minutes. If you have more time, cover the bowl with plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator for up to 24 hours.
3. Place 1 tablespoon of olive oil in the bottom of the Instant Pot and set the Instant Pot to the saute function.
4. Place the turkey in the bottom of the pot and cook on each side for 4 minutes to slightly brown the meat.
5. Pour the chicken broth into the Instant Pot and cancel the "saute" function.
6. Close the lid and set the cooking time to 15 minutes on High pressure.
7. After 15 minutes, allow the Instant Pot to natural pressure release for 10 minutes. Quick release any of the remaining pressure.
8. Open lid of the Instant Pot, remove the turkey with a slotted spoon or tongs, place turkey on a plate, and cover with aluminum foil. Allow the turkey tenderloin to rest for 10 minutes. Cut the turkey tenderloin into medallions once it is cool enough to handle. You can slice the turkey into small pieces as well.
What to Serve with this Turkey Breast Tenderloin Recipe
- Serve with your favorite Thanksgiving recipes such as Instant Pot Cranberry Sauce, creamy and fluffy Instant Pot Mashed Potatoes, or my favorite Sourdough Stuffing!
- Top the turkey with some mango salsa for a fun twist!
- This is great in the Summer too! Serve it with your favorite salads like Greek Pasta Salad with Penne Pasta or Antipasto Pasta Salad.
- As a side dish with some of your other favorite Instant Pot recipes like Instant Pot Asparagus Risotto or Instant Pot Steamed Asparagus.
Tips and Tricks
- The Instant Pot will take 5-10 minutes to come up to pressure because it begins cooking the turkey tenderloin.
- Since the tenderloin is a lean cut of meat, the olive oil will help add some fat back into the turkey to prevent it from drying out.
- It's helpful to have a meat thermometer handy. The internal temperature of turkey should be 165 degrees Fahrenheit when you take it out of the Instant Pot.
- If you purchased a pre-marinated turkey tenderloin, skip the marinating portion of the recipe and place the marinated turkey tenderloin in the Instant Pot to cook.
- If you are using a larger Instant Pot, add 2 cups of chicken broth. There needs to be enough chicken broth in the bottom of the pot so you do not get the burn warning on the Instant Pot.
- Have leftovers? Use the turkey leftovers to make Turkey Pot Pie with Bisquick!
How to Cook Turkey Breast Tenderloin in the oven or crockpot
- Cook the tenderloins from frozen. One thing that I love about my Instant Pot is that no matter if the meat is frozen or fresh, you can cook it in the Instant Pot! Increase the cooking time to 20 minutes for a frozen turkey tenderloin. My favorite thing about the Instant Pot is that you can easily cook frozen meat to perfection without defrosting the meat first.
- Use a slow cooker. Place the tenderloins in the slow cooker with the broth and cook on high for 4 hours or low for 8 hours. It will be fall apart tender when it's done!
- Cook it in the oven. Place the tenderloins on a baking pan and bake for 35-40 minutes or until the internal temperature of the turkey reaches 165 degrees F.
What to do with Leftover Turkey
Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container for up to 4 days. If making this for dinner, I found that a 24-ounce package of turkey tenderloin was perfect for a family of 4 without any leftovers. I love turning leftovers into new dishes too, like my Bisquick turkey pot pie.
FAQs
Are you team dark meat or team white meat? The tenderloin is lean white meat. The cut is taken from the turkey breast portion of the bird. It's a convenient cut of meat for a quick dinner because there are no bones in this cut. The tenderloin is very tender and cooks up quickly for a family dinner.
You can also make Instant Pot turkey breast if you can't find a turkey tenderloin in your grocery store.
The best (and easiest!) way to know if your turkey tenderloin is perfectly cooked is to grab your meat thermometer. You’ll want the internal temperature to hit 165°F right in the thickest part of the tenderloin. That’s the sweet spot for juicy, tender turkey that’s cooked safely.
If you don’t have a thermometer, you can also slice into the thickest part and check that the juices run clear and there’s no pink in the center. Using a thermometer takes out all the guesswork (and saves you from accidentally overcooking it into turkey jerky).
Think of the turkey tenderloin as the filet mignon of the bird. It’s a small, super lean, and extra tender piece of meat that comes from underneath the turkey breast. It stays tender and cooks quickly.
The turkey breast, on the other hand, is a much larger cut that includes the tenderloin inside it. It’s a bit firmer, takes longer to cook, and can feed a crowd. So if you’re after something quick and juicy for dinner, go with tenderloin. If you’re planning a holiday spread or want leftovers for days, the full breast is your bird.
More From Lynn's Way Of Life
📖 Recipe
Best Way to Cook Turkey Tenderloin (Instant Pot Recipe)
Ingredients
- 24 ounces Turkey Tenderloins
- 3 tablespoon Olive Oil
- 1 teaspoon Salt
- 1 tablespoon Fresh Rosemary Chopped
- ½ teaspoon Black Pepper
- 3 Garlic Cloves Minced
- 1 cup Chicken Broth
Instructions
- The first step is to quickly marinate the turkey. In a small bowl, mix together 2 tablespoons of olive oil, chopped rosemary, salt, pepper, and minced garlic.
- In a large bowl, place the turkey tenderloin. Pour the marinate over the turkey and let it sit for 5-10 minutes. If you have more time, cover the bowl with plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator for up to 24 hours.
- Place 1 tablespoon of olive oil in the bottom of the Instant Pot and set the Instant Pot to the saute function.
- Place the turkey in the bottom of the pot and cook on each side for 4 minutes to slightly brown the meat.
- Pour the chicken broth into the Instant Pot and cancel the "saute" function.
- Close the lid and set the cooking time to 15 minutes on High pressure.
- After 15 minutes, allow the Instant Pot to natural pressure release for 10 minutes. Quick release any of the remaining pressure.
- Open lid of the Instant Pot, remove the turkey with a slotted spoon or tongs, place turkey on a plate, and cover with aluminum foil. Allow the turkey tenderloin to rest for 10 minutes. Slice and serve.
Notes
- The Instant Pot will take 5-10 minutes to come up to pressure because it begins cooking the turkey tenderloin.
- Since the tenderloin is a lean cut of meat, the olive oil will help add some fat back into the turkey to prevent it from drying out.
- It's helpful to have a meat thermometer handy. The internal temperature of turkey should be 165 degrees Fahrenheit when you take it out of the Instant Pot.
Candace says
I love this recipe! It is so easy and so absolutely delicious!
I make a gravy with the broth left over, some milk and a little cornstarch slurry! Then I serve is over the turkey and mashed potatoes. It’s so moist even without gravy though! I love it! I made it for thanksgiving dinner! I just doubled the recipe. It was a huge hit! I’m making it again now for an easy dinner with mashed potatoes and bacon honey Brussels sprouts!
Lynn Polito says
Yum! I am so happy to hear that! Thanks for making my recipe!
Sachi says
Great recipe! So easy to make and great for adding a protein to a low carb salad.
Donna says
This worked wonderfully! Loved that I could get a turkey on the table without the usual hassle of making a whole one.
Claire says
This came out so moist! And it was so easy! I didn't have enough garlic so just did 1 clove and it had so much flavor, can't wait to try it again with 3!
lynnswayoflife says
That is wonderful! Thank you for making my recipe!
Alex Bala says
I love recipe's like this. Fast , easy and flavorful. I love the addition of rosemary.
Jennifer says
Instant Pot to the dinner rescue again! Your recipe was just what I needed - it was quick, easy, and the turkey turned out perfectly! I'll be keeping this recipe!
Sherry says
I love your Instant Pot Turkey Tenderloin recipe! It was so easy to make with your step by step instructions and the turkey pieces were so tender and juicy.
Mandy Applegate says
I had no idea you could cook turkey tenderloin in the instant pot - this is a revelation - thank you!!
Linda says
This recipe is a game-changer and no more dry turkey for me. So easy to make, juicy, and delicious!