Air Fryer Garlic Pork Loin

by Sabrina Snyder

Published on Last updated

2 Comments

6 Servings
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Rest 5 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes
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Air Fryer Garlic Pork Loin gives you juicy and flavorful meat seasoned with paprika and garlic powder, then cooked in just 25 minutes.

Our recipe for Garlic Pork Loin Roast has been a long-time favorite on the blog. With this air fryer version, you can make the classic pork recipe even easier and have it ready for Dinner in under 30 minutes.

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Sabrina’s Air Fryer Garlic Pork Loin Recipe

Air Fryer Pork Loin is a delicious and impressive meal, perfect for preparing pork loin in a rush. Instead of roasting the meat for over an hour, you can follow easy cooking instructions to cook the pork in just 20 minutes. It may sound too good to be true, but air fryers are the perfect way to make your favorite meals into a simple recipe. Hot air is all sealed together and moves quickly around the food to cook it evenly and rapidly without any oil necessary.

Along with the super easy cooking method, this recipe has fantastic flavors. Prep the Air Fryer Pork Loin Roast with garlic powder and paprika to give it a remarkable smoky, savory flavor. Then you can cook the meat until it’s perfectly tender and packed with flavor. You won’t be able to get enough of this mouthwatering meal.

Ingredients

  • Pork: The only ingredients you need for this recipe are the 2-pound roast and the seasoning blend. Pork loin is juicy and tender meat already, so you don’t have to worry about marinating it or adding a lot of extra steps.
  • Seasoning: To season the Air Fry Garlic Pork Loin, you need 2 teaspoons garlic powder for the bold garlicky flavor. You will also use 1 teaspoon kosher salt and 1 teaspoon paprika for a more balanced flavor palette.
Air Fryer Garlic Pork Loin ingredients in bowls

Kitchen Tools & Equipment

  • Air Fryer: Of course, you’ll use your air fryer for this recipe. The pork will rest in the basket while it cooks.
  • Cooking Spray: Grab your favorite cooking spray to make sure your pork loin doesn’t stick to the basket of the air fryer.
  • Small Bowl: You will only need a small bowl to bring your seasoning mixture together. It wont need to be big enough to roll the pork loin in it, as you’ll sprinkle the seasoning directly onto the meat. 
  • Meat Thermometer: Use a thermometer to make sure your pork is safe to eat. It needs to read 145 degrees before you can take it out of the air fryer.
  • Tongs: A set of tongs will allow you to handle the raw meat safely without spreading germs, and handle the hot pork without risking burning yourself.

How to Make Air Fryer Garlic Pork Loin

Time needed: 30 minutes.

  1. Prep Time

    Spray the air fryer basket with cooking spray to make sure the pork doesn’t stick. Then preheat air fryer temperature to 350 degrees. It’ll only take about 2 minutes to heat up.

  2. Seasoning Blend

    Mix kosher salt, garlic powder, and paprika together in a small bowl.Air Fryer Garlic Pork Loin seasoning blended in a bowl

  3. Season Pork

    Once they’re well blended, sprinkle the seasoning evenly over the meat.Air Fryer Garlic Pork Loin with seasoning rubbed on

  4. Add to Air Fryer

    Add the seasoned, coated meat to the air fryer basket with the fat side facing up. That way, the fat will slowly melt into the rest of the meat to keep it tender and juicy.Air Fryer Garlic Pork Loin in the basket, uncooked

  5. Cooking Time

    Shut the fryer and cook Air Fryer Pork Loin Roast for 20 minutes. After air frying, you can use a meat thermometer to ensure that the internal temperature is at 145 degrees.Air Fryer Garlic Pork Loin fully cooked in the basket

  6. Finish

    You can remove the Air Fryer Garlic Pork Loin from the heat when you’ve finished the cooking process. Slice and serve to your happy guests.Air Fryer Garlic Pork Loin sliced on a platter

“Can Air Fryer Garlic Pork Loin be made ahead?”

The result won’t be quite as good to prepare this Pork Loin ahead of time. For the best, juiciest results it is recommended to prepare the loin fresh.

Nutritional Facts

Nutrition Facts
Air Fryer Garlic Pork Loin
Amount Per Serving
Calories 169 Calories from Fat 27
% Daily Value*
Fat 3g5%
Saturated Fat 1g6%
Trans Fat 0.03g
Polyunsaturated Fat 1g
Monounsaturated Fat 1g
Cholesterol 98mg33%
Sodium 469mg20%
Potassium 623mg18%
Carbohydrates 1g0%
Fiber 0.2g1%
Sugar 0.1g0%
Protein 32g64%
Vitamin A 164IU3%
Vitamin C 0.02mg0%
Calcium 9mg1%
Iron 2mg11%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Recipe Tips & Tricks

This recipe is sure to be easy and tasty if you follow these helpful tips!

  1. Rest the Pork Loin after cooking
    • Make sure to let the meat rest for 5 minutes before slicing and serving to get extra tender pork. The rest time will allow the juices to disperse throughout the whole loin, making each bite more juicy and tender.
  2. Put the juice to good use
    • Use the juice that drains from your pork loin to drizzle over the slices you serve. Place it in a small bowl, or even a small gravy dish to make it easy, and you can set it out alongside the meat for others to help themselves.

What to Pair With Air Fryer Garlic Pork Loin

While the air fryer does its magic, you can get to work preparing your favorite side dish recipes to go with the Air Fryer Garlic Pork Loin. Roasted Green Beans, Soft Dinner Rolls, or Creamy Garlic Mashed Potatoes are a few reader favorites to enjoy with this dinner. However, most classic sides would taste good with this traditional and comforting dish.

How to Store

  • Serve: Don’t leave Air Fryer Pork Loin at room temperature for more than 2 hours.
  • Store: If you have leftovers, then you can cover the air fryer recipe in aluminum foil or seal it in an airtight container. The cooked pork loin can keep well in the fridge for 3-4 days.
  • Freeze: You could also freeze Air Fryer Garlic Pork Loin for up to 3 months. Then let it thaw in the fridge before reheating to serve.

Ideas to Serve Air Fryer Garlic Pork Loin

Pork Loin makes an easy, excellent dinner, and it’s so fast when you prepare it in the air fryer. However, it is more versatile than just being used as a main dish with sides. You can slice a thick piece of pork loin and make a sandwich out of it. Slice pork loin pieces very thin for a sandwich you can easily layer with veggies, cheese, and condiments as you like. Cut small strips and serve them over a salad or a bowl of potatoes, rice, veggies, or grains like quinoa. 

Alternative Cooking Techniques

If you want to try this recipe but you don’t have an air fryer, you can make it in the oven. It will just take a little more time. Follow the recipe but set your oven to 375 degrees. Cook for 60-70 minutes or until the internal temperature reaches 145 degrees. Alternatively, you could use your slow cooker or crockpot for this recipe. Just place the prepared pork loin in the slow cooker and cook on low for 5 hours.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can you cook frozen pork loin in the air fryer?

Even if you forgot to defrost the meat, you could still make this recipe. Just take the pork loin straight from the freezer and place it in your air fryer. Heat the air fryer to 350 degrees with the meat already in there. Cook for 33-38 minutes. Check the pork is done, then prep it with spices before serving since you couldn’t before cooking.

How to reheat pork in the air fryer?

To reheat leftover pork in the air fryer, preheat the fryer to 350 degrees. Then add the pork and cook for 3-5 minutes until it’s heated all the way through. Serve the leftovers with sides, as a sandwich, on top of a salad, rice, pasta, or any way you choose.

What is the difference between pork loin and pork tenderloin?

Pork loin is a larger, longer, and thicker piece of meat, especially compared to the smaller pork tenderloin. The difference is very clear when sitting next to each other. Additionally, the pork tenderloin is often sold with 2 tenderloins per package whereas the pork loin is just one large piece.

Recipe Card

Dinner, then Dessert

Air Fryer Garlic Pork Loin

Air Fryer Garlic Pork Loin gives you juicy and flavorful meat seasoned with paprika and garlic powder, then cooked in just 25 minutes.
Yield 6 Servings
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes
Course Dinner
Cuisine American
Author Sabrina Snyder
Air Fryer Garlic Pork Loin sliced on a platter surrounded by vegetables
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Ingredients
 

  • 2 pound pork loin
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 2 teaspoons garlic powder
  • 1 teaspoon paprika

Instructions

  • Heat air fryer to 350 degrees.
  • Mix salt, garlic powder, and paprika.
  • Season the pork loin with the spice mix.
  • Add seasoned pork to the basket, fat side up.
  • Cook for 20 minutes.
  • Let rest 5 minutes before slicing.

Nutrition

Calories: 169kcal | Carbohydrates: 1g | Protein: 32g | Fat: 3g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Trans Fat: 0.03g | Cholesterol: 98mg | Sodium: 469mg | Potassium: 623mg | Fiber: 0.2g | Sugar: 0.1g | Vitamin A: 164IU | Vitamin C: 0.02mg | Calcium: 9mg | Iron: 2mg

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Variations

  • Air Fryer Pork Tenderloin: Pork tenderloin and pork loin may seem quite similar, but they’re a different cut of meat. So, you’ll need to follow slightly different instructions to make Air Fryer Pork Tenderloin. Firstly, preheat the fryer to 400 degrees. Then prep the pork tenderloin with the same garlic seasoning. Cook for 20-22 minutes. Just like the pork loin, you’ll want to let the meat rest for 5 minutes before serving.
  • Mustard Pork Loin Roast: You can also prepare your Air Fryer Pork Loin Roast with a beautiful mustard mixture. To make the mustard sauce, combine ¼ cup stone-ground mustard, 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard, 2 teaspoons minced rosemary, 2 teaspoons garlic powder, 1 teaspoon oil, and 1 tablespoon honey. You could also use yellow mustard or brown mustard, depending on your taste. Once you’ve mixed the mustard and honey garlic sauce together, brush it like a glaze sauce over the pork loin, and cook as usual.
  • Garlic Herb Seasoning: This recipe for Air Fryer Garlic Pork Loin already has amazing garlic flavor in the seasoning blend, but you can also add fresh herb seasoning to the blend. To make garlic herb seasoning add dried basil, oregano, thyme, parsley, and sage to the garlic. Mix it all and season the pork with it.
Air Fryer Garlic Pork Loin Pinterest image

About the Author: Sabrina Snyder

Sabrina is a professionally trained Private Chef of over 10 years with ServSafe Manager certification in food safety. She creates all the recipes here on Dinner, then Dessert, fueled in no small part by her love for bacon.

Sabrina Snyder is a professionally trained personal and private chef of over 10 years who is the creator and developer of all the recipes on Dinner, then Dessert.

She is also the author of the cookbook Dinner, then Dessert – Satisfying Meals Using Only 3, 5 or 7 Ingredients, published by Harper Collins.

She started Dinner, then Dessert as a business in her office as a lunch service for her coworkers who admired her lunches before going to culinary school and becoming a full time personal chef and private chef.

As a personal chef Sabrina would cook for families one day a week and cook their entire week of dinners. All grocery shopping, cooking and cleaning was done along with instructions on reheating. As a private chef she cooked for private parties and cooked in family homes in the evenings for families on a nightly basis after working as a personal chef during the day.

Sabrina has been certified as a ServSafe Manager since 2007 and was a longstanding member of the USPCA Personal Chef Association including being on the board of the Washington DC Chapter of Chefs in the US Personal Chef Association when they won Chapter of the year.

As a member of the community of food website creators Sabrina Snyder has spoken at many conferences regarding her experiences as a food writer including the Indulge Food Conference, Everything Food Conference, Haven Food Conference and IACP Annual Food Professionals Conference.

Sabrina lives with her family in sunny California.

See more posts by Sabrina

Dinner, then Dessert, Inc. owns the copyright on all images and text and does not allow for its original recipes and pictures to be reproduced anywhere other than at this site unless authorization is given. Read my disclosure and copyright policy. This post may contain affiliate links.

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Comments

  1. I’d like to dry brine first (salt, pepper, olive oil), and insert slices of garlic and fresh rosemary into the meat for a day, before I cook it, like I do when I bake it. Can I do the same, here? Also, do we need to take it out of the fridge for a bit to let out come to room temp first? Thank you!

    Reply

    1. Absolutely go for it! You can bring to room temp but some of us busy Mom’s don’t always have time for that and this recipe will fry up well straight out of the fridge as well!

      Reply