Name: Air Fryer Breaded Pork Tenderloin
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 15 min
Ingredients: 2 lbs. pork tenderloin (see notes); 1/2 cup Italian breadcrumbs; 1/4 cup tapioca flour; salt and pepper

This quick Air Fryer Breaded Pork Tenderloin comes out juicy, with a perfectly crunchy outside and full of flavor without any baking required. It’s breaded with breadcrumbs and uses minimal ingredients making it a easy weeknight meal for everyone to enjoy.

Jump to Recipe

Sliced, breaded pork tenderloin on a platter.

Jump to Section

Why you’ll love this recipe

This air fryer breaded pork tenderloin recipe is quick, easy and ready in minutes.
Minimal ingredients and clean up using the air fryer.
No baking necessary.
Pair with your favorite sides for a perfectly well rounded meal.

Can you roast the tenderloin in the oven instead?

Absolutely! Using the same ingredients and instructions as provided for the air fryer breaded pork tenderloin and place the pork on a baking sheet and in a pre heated oven at 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Bake in the oven until the tenderloin is no longer pink, approximately 20 minutes or until the internal temperature reached 145 degrees Fahrenheit via a meat thermometer.

What to look for when buying a pork tenderloin

I get a pre cut and packaged pork tenderloin from my local grocery store for this air fryer breaded pork tenderloin recipe. A 2 pound pack comes with 2 filets pre cut into 1 pound filets for easy handling. If yours is not pre cut you can ask your butcher to cut them or you can simply butterfly the tenderloin into two halves. Alternatively you can air fryer the whole 2 pound tenderloin but it will take longer than this recipe instructs and could dry out.

What air fryer do you use?

I have the COSORI Air Fryer Oven Combo 5.8QT Max XL Large Cooker, linked here. I do find it is pretty loud in the kitchen but it gets the job done and makes perfect air fryer breaded pork tenderloin. We have had it for years without any issues.

We use our air fryer all the time for recipes like Air Fryer Blackened Chicken and Cinnamon Cream Cheese Roll Ups.

Sliced, breaded pork tenderloin topped with herbs on a platter.

Ingredients and Substitutes:

These are the main ingredients and substitutions. See recipe card below for full ingredients list and instructions for Air Fryer Breaded Pork Tenderloin.

Pork Tenderloin: this recipe uses pork tenderloin, you can also use pork loin. Linked here is what I buy at my local store.

Italian Breadcrumbs: you can use any breadcrumbs for this recipe. I prefer Italian as they’re already seasoned. If you use plain be sure to spice it up some with your favorite flavors before adding to the pork.

Tapioca Flour: this adds crunch to the tenderloin similar to corn starch. You can use tapioca flour, corn starch, arrowroot starch, all-purpose flour or cassava flour.

How to make air fryer breaded pork tenderloin:

Step 1

Pre heat your air fryer.

Step 2

Remove the pork from the package. Most pre package tenderloins will come in 2 sliced pieces. For this recipe I am using pre sliced, 1 lbs. each tenderloins.

Season the tenderloin with salt and pepper.

Step 3

Pour tapioca flour and breadcrumbs on separate plates.

Roll the tenderloins into the tapioca flour to cover all sides well. Transfer to the breadcrumbs and roll to cover well.

Step 4

Place the tenderloins in the basket of your air fryer and cook at 400 degrees Fahrenheit for 15 minutes or until the internal temperature reads 145 degrees Fahrenheit with a meat thermometer.

Alternatively you can work in batches and do one tenderloin at a time.

Step 5

Remove, slice and serve with your favorite sides.

What to serve with this recipe?

You can serve this air fryer breaded pork tenderloin with mashed potatoes, Air Fryer Smashed Potatoes, Greek Yogurt Mashed Potatoes, sauteed vegetables, Lemon Orzo Pasta Salad, rice or even add it to a salad or wrap. Make this for guests, they’ll think you spent all day roasting the perfect crispy and juicy tenderloin when it really took you under 30 minutes with little to no prep at all.

If you like this recipe be sure to check out some of our other easy air fryer recipes!