This Paleo and Whole30 Bacon Wrapped Pork Tenderloin has a sweet and smoky sauce that’s refined sugar free, incredibly delicious and even kid friendly! The recipe can easily be doubled for a crowd and the prep is just 10 minutes. I have been meaning to post this recipe for 6 whole months – no joke! Every single month, I scheduled it on my calendar and then kicked it off. I can’t explain why – it’s my family’s favorite way to eat pork and actually the only way we eat it ever since I tried out the recipe last June.
Nope, I definitely won’t be blaming the recipe since a.) bacon-wrapped anything is always delicious b.) the sauce is downright drinkable – I know that sounds weird but it’s totally not, trust me and c.) it’s Whole30 AND naturally sweetened with dates. Although had I used dates to sweeten desserts prior to making this – it was the first time I used dates in a savory sauce, and, I was WAY impressed.
So the recipe itself has nothing to do with why I’ve been hanging on to this one. In fact, I have a scary number of savory dinner recipes that I haven’t gotten around to posting for one reason only – the photo process makes me insane.
Part of it is the timing (I have to cook dinner early – like 6 hours early – for optimal light) and part of it is the production of setting up a “dinner scene” when I’m the only one home, plus showing the meal in different stages of prep always seems to take forever.
Whatever the excuses are though, I need to work through them ASAP! I’m thinking January will be the perfect excuse to cut the crap and start posting all these Whole30 goodies I’ve been postponing.
And now, back to this one – my bacon wrapped pork! What I love about this recipe (um, besides what I already said?) is that the prep is seriously FAST! I used my food processor to put together the sauce and it took about a minute. There’s no marinating prior – just pour half the sauce on the pork, layer on the bacon, pour on the remaining sauce, and roast. It’s that simple!
Pork tenderloins are skinny (I used a “fat” one and it was still relatively narrow) so they cook fast in the oven. Depending on the size of your pork, you’re looking at at 30-40 minute cook time. Plus, you’ll still have room in your oven to roast some potatoes or other veggies – I roasted my pork at 400 F which is also a good temperature for veggie-roasting! I wouldn’t want to be left in a bind with no roasted potatoes – I don’t think you’d like it either.
This recipe is also easy to double if you’re cooking for a larger family, a crowd, or want leftovers – the cook time will likely change so make sure to take the temperature of the meat to know for sure that its done.
Are you ready for smoky-sweet bacon wrapped deliciousness? Let’s go!
Bacon Wrapped Pork Tenderloin {Paleo & Whole30}
Bacon Wrapped Pork Tenderloin {Paleo & Whole30}

Ingredients
- 1.25-1.5 lb pork tenderloin Whatever is available in this range is fine, cook time might vary based on the size of your tenderloin
- 1/3 cup pitted dates softened*
- 2 Tbsp water
- 1/4 cup coconut aminos
- 2 Tbsp brown mustard
- 1/4 tsp smoked paprika
- 1/4 tsp onion powder
- 1/8 tsp black pepper
- sea salt to sprinkle on meat
- 6 slices nitrate free sugar free bacon (for Whole30) - I get mine from U.S. Wellness Meats
Instructions
-
Cut off the silver skin from your tenderloin and remove any excess fat. Sprinkle it with salt all over and set it in a roasting pan or large cast iron skillet. Preheat your oven to 400 degrees.
-
To make the sauce, a food processor or high speed blender will work best. Place the softened dates and water in the food processor and process on high until a paste forms. Add the coconut aminos, mustard, smoked paprika, onion powder and black pepper and pulse until combined.
-
Pour half of the sauce over the meat and turn to cover the bottom as well. Lay the half strips of bacon over the top of the pork to cover (tuck gently underneath if there's extra), then pour remaining sauce over the top and brush to evenly coat.
-
Roast in the preheated oven for 35-40 minutes or until internal temperature reaches 155 degrees. If desired, place under the broiler for 5 minutes or until bacon is crisp. Allow the meat to rest 5-10 minutes, then slice and serve - enjoy!
Recipe Notes
*You can soak dates in very hot water for 20 minutes to soften them up
What I used to make my bacon wrapped pork tenderloin:
Want more Paleo and Whole30 family dinner ideas? Try one of these!
Easy Bacon Wrapped Chicken Thighs
Slow Cooker Meatballs in Marinara Sauce
Turkey Meatballs with Apples and Herbs
Tell Me!
Have you used dates in savory sauces?
Would you like to see more dinner-type recipes? They are on their way!
Note: This post contains Amazon affiliate links. This means that if you click on a link and make a purchase, I will receive a small commission at no cost to you. Thank you for supporting Paleo Running Momma!
I made this for dinner last night and it was a huge hit! My husband and I and our 3 teens all loved it! We aren’t doing Whole30 but I love having healthy dinner options for my family. This will be on our regular rotation from now on! Thank you !!
Delicious!!
This is hands down the best pork tenderloin recipe I’ve ever made. My husband and all three kids loved it, which is hard to accomplish!! And also a bummer because no leftovers!!
I love this recipe! I cooked some sweet potato in with the pork, and it came out so yummy!
So easy and impressive. Great way to feed a small crowd! Everyone including kids loved it!
Delicious! An elegant and easy holiday entree! I’ve made this 4 times now, and it’s a go-to for when guests come to dinner. The only adjustments I made are: I brine the pork for 20-30min in warm water with a couple tablespoons of salt. And I use low-sodium soy sauce instead of coconut aminos. I also increase the sauce by 1.5 to 2x the recipe, because I love the flavor.
One thing I’ve found to be really handy – I’ll do a triple or quadruple batch of sauce and freeze portions of it to make dinner prep really easy on the day-of. We serve it with wild rice, cheesecake factory rolls (for non-paleo people!), blackberries, pomegranate seeds, and an autumn salad. Thanks for the recipe! It’s a favorite!
This bacon-wrapped pork tenderloin looks incredible! I love how simple yet flavorful the recipe is. Can’t wait to try it for dinner this week!
This bacon-wrapped pork tenderloin looks absolutely delicious! I love how it fits perfectly into the Paleo and Whole30 diets. Can’t wait to try it for dinner this week. Thanks for sharing such a tasty recipe!
This bacon-wrapped pork tenderloin sounds absolutely delicious! I love how it fits into the Paleo and Whole30 guidelines. Can’t wait to try it out for my family dinner!
This bacon wrapped pork tenderloin sounds absolutely delicious! I love how it fits perfectly into both the Paleo and Whole30 guidelines. Can’t wait to try this recipe for my next family dinner!