This Chinese BBQ Pork tenderloin is such a great way to bring new flavors to dinnertime. It’s also a super easy main dish for a busy weeknight family dinner. Only 10 minutes prep time and 25 to roast!

Sweet, tangy, salty and all together lick-your-fingers delicious! This Chinese BBQ Pork tenderloin is absolutely the most easy and amazing recipe! Just a few prepared ingredients and a few fresh, plus some rice and veggies and you can have this Sweet & Savory Chinese BBQ Pork Dinner this week!
SIMPLE & FLAVORFUL CHINESE BBQ PORK RECIPE
Easy dinners mean simple, accessible ingredients with big flavor. That’s where this recipe really shines. First, pork tenderloin is a lean protein that cooks up in the oven so simply within 25 minutes. Second, the ingredients are ones that you can keep on hand in the pantry until you open them and then store them in the fridge.
In terms of BIG flavor, the ingredients here definitely deliver! Sweet Chili Sauce, Sesame Oil, Garlic, Ginger, and Ketchup! I mean this recipe screams flavor!
Ok, let’s get to cooking this Chinese barbeque pork!
SAVE TIME! MARINATE THE CHINESE BBQ PORK AHEAD
I mean, does it get much easier than tossing all of the ingredients in a bowl and then pouring over the pork to marinate for 4-24 hours? That’s it! That’s your prep. Ok, so there are a couple mincing steps, BUT, you can do those in bulk and store in the freezer for use for meals over several months! Check out my Printable Time-Saving Freezer Hacks Cheat Sheet for more like this by CLICKING HERE!
Mince the garlic and the ginger. Measure and add the other ingredients to the bowl. Then whisk everything together.
Next, place the pork tenderloin in a storage container or bag. Pour between one-third to one-half of the Chinese BBQ sauce over the pork. Save the remaining sauce for after the pork is cooked.
Marinate the pork sealed in the container in the fridge for 1 hour up to 24 hours.
COOK YOUR CHINESE BBQ PORK TENDERLOIN
Place the marinated pork tenderloin on an oiled sheet pan. Bake in a 400 degree F oven for 20-25 minutes or until the internal temperature reaches 145F degrees in the center.
While the pork is cooking, place the remaining sauce in a small sauce pot with 2 tablespoons of water. Bring to a simmer, then turn off the heat.
Because you have sugar from the sweet chili sauce and ketchup, you will see sauce charred on the sheet pan. Let the pork rest on the pan for at least 5 minutes, up to 10 minutes.
After the pork has rested, you can slice it.
If you want to use the charred sauce on the pan, pour any juices from the pork onto the pan with a tablespoon of the simmered sauce and then whisk everything to get any of the loose charred bits up. Then pour it all into the remaining sauce in the pot and mix to combine. Serve the sauce on the side.
RECIPE FAQS
Can I marinate the pork and then freeze it to cook later?
Yes, the pork can be stored in the freezer in an airtight container for 3-4 months. Thaw it in the refrigerator 24 hours prior to roasting it. Then roast according to the recipe instructions.
Is there red food coloring this recipe?
No. While some recipes include additional red food coloring for that bright red color, this one does not.
Are there other ways to serve this Chinese BBQ Pork?
Yes, you can serve it in a pork fried rice, in BBQ Pork buns, or in a stir fry. Pork Buns are one of my favorite ways to eat this! These are called Bao Buns and they are soft pillowy buns filled with a variety of things, but very typically with BBQ pork. You can make the bao buns from scratch, but that does take some time and dedication. If you don’t have that kind of time, do what I do and save time by buying biscuit dough at the store! Using store bought biscuit dough, fold each raw biscuit half over half so each is a half circle. Cook according to package. Shred the pork and mix with leftover BBQ sauce. Then fill the buns and enjoy.
What to serve with this Pork Tenderloin?
One of my favorite sides is my Roasted Garlic Cauliflower Mash. Of course, you can stick with the Chinese theme and make some stir fry veggies, like onions, broccoli, carrots, and peppers. With stir fry, a simple white rice or rice noodles is perfect.
Easy Chinese BBQ Pork Tenderloin
Ingredients
- ¼ cup Sweet Chili Sauce
- ½ cup Ketchup
- 2 tablespoon Soy Sauce
- 1 teaspoon Ginger, minced
- 2 cloves Garlic, minced
- 1 teaspoon Onion Powder
- 1 teaspoon Sesame Oil
- 1 teaspoon Black Pepper
- 1 lb Pork Tenderloin
- 2 tablespoon Sesame Seeds for Garnish
Instructions
Prep-Ahead Steps
- Mince the garlic and the ginger. Measure out all of the ingredients except for the sesame seeds and add them to the bowl, along with the garlic and ginger. Then whisk everything together.
- Place the pork tenderloin in a storage container or bag. Pour between one-third to one-half of the Chinese BBQ sauce over the pork. (Save the remaining sauce for after the pork is cooked.) Rub the sauce all over the pork so it is entirely covered. Marinate the pork sealed in the container in the fridge for 1 hour up to 24 hours.
Cook
- Preheat oven to 400 F degrees. Place the marinated pork tenderloin on an oiled sheet pan and bake on center rack for 20-25 minutes or until the internal temperature reaches 145F degrees in the center. Let the pork rest for 5-10 minutes so that the juices redistribute.
- While the pork is cooking, place the remaining sauce in a small sauce pot and mix in 2 tablespoons of water. Bring to a simmer, then turn off the heat.
- Also while the pork is cooking, toast the sesame seeds in a dry frying pan on medium heat. Stir constantly so they don't burn and remove from the heat as soon as you start to smell them. This only takes a couple minutes.
- After the pork has rested, slice it into 6-8 slices and garnish with the toasted sesame seeds.
- You have a couple options for the sauce at this point. If you want to use the charred sauce on the pan, transfer the pork to a platter. Pour any juices from the sliced pork onto the pan with a tablespoon of the simmered sauce and then whisk everything to get any of the loose charred bits up. Then pour it all into the remaining sauce in the pot and mix to combine. Serve the sauce on the side.
Michelle says
This recipe looks so good! I can just imagine what all the flavors together must taste like. I’ll have to give this a try!
Carrie Tyler says
Thanks so much, Michelle! It really is yummy. I hope you love it!
Best Wishes
Carrie
mimi rippee says
The ingredients are wonderful! I’ll make this!