This roast pork loin with apples and onions not only sounds spectacular, it tastes spectacular thanks to fall-apart tender pork roast, caramelized onions, and apples that almost (but not quite) collapse into sweet loveliness in the oven.

It’s also easy to toss together and, because you basically plop everything on a sheet pan and slide it in the oven, cleanup is a cinch. Spectacular to the nth power.–David Leite

Roast Pork Loin FAQs

Can I make this with a bone-in pork roast?

Absolutely. In fact, David and The One prefer it with a bone-in roast. If it comes tied, cut the strings away before roasting so you don’t have to yank off all of the crusted bits with the string.

What should I serve with this?

We recommend mashed potatoes, and perhaps a side of roasted carrots, or pan-fried green beans.

☞ Looking for more pork loin recipes? Try these:

A roast pork loin with apples and onions scattered around it on a baking sheet.

Roast Pork Loin with Apples and Onions

4.88 / 40 votes
This roast pork loin with apples and onions boasts a rustic loveliness from a garlic, thyme, and fennel seed rub and a caramelized sweetness from the side that’s roasted at the same time. And it’s about to become your new favorite one-pan dinner.
David Leite
CourseMains
CuisineAmerican
Servings4 servings
Calories418 kcal
Prep Time20 minutes
Cook Time1 hour
Total Time1 hour 20 minutes

Ingredients 

  • 1 1/2 pounds boneless pork loin
  • 2 medium red onions
  • 3 red apples, such as Ida Red, Rome, or Pink Lady
  • 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt, divided
  • 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, divided
  • 2 cloves garlic
  • 1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves
  • 2 teaspoons fennel seeds, crushed if desired

Instructions 

  • Preheat the oven to 400°F (204°C). Adjust the oven rack to the middle position. Take the pork out of the refrigerator and let it rest on the counter while the oven heats.
  • Cut each onion into quarters. Cut each apple in half from top to bottom. Using a teaspoon-size measuring spoon, a melon baller, or a paring knife, trim the apple core and stem. Place each apple half, cut side down, on the cutting board and cut it in half again.
  • Place the onions and apples on a rimmed baking sheet lined with foil. Drizzle the onions and apples with 2 tablespoons oil and sprinkle with 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper (about 12 turns if you're using freshly cracked pepper from a pepper mill). Toss everything together with your hands and spread in a single layer.
  • Mince the garlic and toss it in a small bowl along with the thyme, fennel seeds, the remaining 1 tablespoon oil, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. 
  • Pat the pork dry. Place it, fat side up, in the middle of the baking sheet, pushing the apples and onions aside. Rub the entire pork loin with the garlic mixture.
  • Roast everything until an instant-read thermometer inserted in the center of the pork loin reads 145°F (63°C), 45 to 60 minutes. (You'll probably want to start checking the pork loin after 30 minutes, just to be safe.)
  • Transfer the roast pork loin to a cutting board and let it rest for 5 minutes before slicing. Serve it along with the roasted apples and onions.
The Can't Cook Cookbook

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Nutrition

Serving: 1 portionCalories: 418 kcalCarbohydrates: 26 gProtein: 39 gFat: 18 gSaturated Fat: 4 gMonounsaturated Fat: 10 gCholesterol: 107 mgSodium: 670 mgFiber: 5 gSugar: 17 g

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

Tried this recipe?Mention @leitesculinaria or tag #leitesculinaria!
Recipe © 2013 Jessica Seinfeld. Photo © 2013 John Kernick. All rights reserved.

Recipe Testers’ Reviews

Honestly, when I first read this roast pork loin recipe, I thought it was going to be too simple and nothing very special. Boy, was I wrong! The pork was perfectly cooked—but more than that, it was exceptionally flavorful.

I loved the rub made of oil, salt, pepper, minced garlic, thyme, and fennel seeds. The texture was lovely, and with each bite of the crusted pork, we tasted a bit of each of those flavors. The onions and Rome apples were perfectly caramelized from the high heat and were exceptionally tender and tasty from being roasted in the pork juices.

In terms of the recipe itself, it was very detailed, so it would be a great recipe for everyone from new cooks to established cooks. I cooked the pork dish for exactly 60 minutes, and it was perfectly cooked and tender as can be. A wonderful early fall recipe!

This is a great way to prepare a pork roast—it’s an extremely simple preparation and you’ll have a complete meal on the table in under 90 minutes, with most of the time spent doing other things while the pork is in the oven. I put a couple of potatoes in the pan along with the pork to round out the meal.

All of the aromatics and seasonings work perfectly together, and the final result gives the impression of a much more involved preparation. (This is always a good way to impress your guests.) The onions and apples complement the pork perfectly and impart classic fall flavors to the dish. The pork was moist and tender.

To prepare the pork, the shiny silver skin, if present, should be removed. This will make the meat much more tender.) I think this recipe would also work well with pork tenderloin, although the roasting time may vary. The garlic, thyme, and fennel were a perfect combination, although I could also see an opportunity to change up the spices the next time. For example, chopped fresh rosemary would be a perfect substitute for the thyme.

I love using a melon baller to remove the core of an apple or pear. You can also use it to take out the blossom and stem ends of the apple. I lined my sheet pan with parchment, but the sugar from the apples and the oil spread quite a bit, so the next time I’ll line my pan with foil to make clean-up a bit easier.

I roast a pork loin AT LEAST once week. But this roast pork loin with apples and onions is SO WONDERFUL and is as easy as it gets. There are no surprises in the recipe—other than the astonishing flavor. I love fennel seed but I didn’t expect it to be the single ingredient that would transform one of my favorite dinners into probably the best pork loin that I may have ever tasted.

A couple of simple points. Don’t worry about the skin on the apples, as they’ll soften while roasting and you won’t even notice them. Second, drop the quartered apples and onions in a bowl, add the salt and pepper and a couple tablespoons olive oil, toss them, and then put them on the rimmed baking sheet.

I was hoping to have leftovers for lunch the next day. But who was I kidding…

Sunday dinner takes on a whole new meaning with this roast pork loin recipe, which uses ingredients I always have on hand and takes almost no time to toss together. And after 50 minutes in the oven, it’s done to perfection.

You get great flavor from the caramelized onions and roasted apples. Then you taste the well-seasoned pork and it’s a flavor combination you just can’t resist. I also like this recipe because there’s just enough left over for lunch the next day.

This roast pork loin recipe is a weeknight winner! I love a one-pan meal. This dish came together simply: just cut, toss, rub, and roast.

I used Pink Lady apples and they were delightful. They became soft and caramelized as they mingled with the onions. Unfortunately, I could only find pork tenderloin, and I thought this would work as a substitute for the pork loin. It worked, except after 30 minutes in the oven the pork registered 128°F and at 40 minutes it was 165°F, which was well over the recommended 145°F. However, the pork remained juicy and tender, even though it was technically overcooked.

I really enjoyed how the onions and apples complemented one another and the pork. I wasn’t pleased with the thickness of the rub, but once the pork was roasted, I could easily scrape the rub off. I will try this again with a pork loin the next time I can find one. Yum!

What a great and easy recipe, perfect not just for fall but any time of the year. The instructions are very clear. By the time the pork roasted for 45 minutes, it was 160°F. Next time, I’ll check the roast at 30 minutes. My family enjoyed the sweet and savory mix of pork with apples. This homey recipe is so simple and delicious.

This a very easy recipe to make and results in a tasty, juicy, tender roast. I was a little skeptical about the apples and onions, but I decided to be adventurous. I’m glad I did, because the flavors of the rub combined with the apples and onions put this roast pork loin on the next level. A little forkful of caramelized onion and apple and a bite of the pork says it all.

It’s important to not overcook the pork, so check your times and temps. The time stated for the recipe and size is pretty accurate. A little pink is ok. Generally I buy a pork loin to cut into pork chops, but this recipe has converted me. Pork loin cooks fast. And this recipe works well as a weeknight meal because it takes only 20 minutes to prepare seeing as the oven does all the work. I decided to double this recipe because I like to bring leftovers for lunch and this recipe just screams leftovers. This recipe is definitely a keeper.

I loved this one-pan recipe, which is a great one to have on hand for weeknight dinners. The combination of apple, pork, fennel, and pepper is a versatile one and lends itself well to this recipe.

My pork loin was done in 40 minutes, and I let it rest about 10 minutes. I served it with a nice Caesar salad and roast potatoes.

I highly recommend this for an easy weeknight meal. The preparation is straightforward and the recipe has detailed instructions for preparing the vegetables. I used sweet onions, but I’m sure it would be just as good with red onions. The rub gave the pork good flavor and melded well with the roasted apples and onions, which I may need to make again on their own! I took the roast out of the oven at 140°F (55 minutes) and let it rest for 10 minutes before serving.

Oh so simple, oh so delicious. A keeper for the last-minute dish repertoire. I made this for a group of ultrarunners in the middle of a 6-day endurance event.

I was using a Camp Chef propane camping stove at 9500 feet elevation, so my cooking time was WAY off, but I used an instant read thermometer to ensure the pork was cooked to the right temperature. By the time the pork was done, the onions and apples were perfectly soft. It was so tender and juicy, people didn’t even realize it was pork loin. A couple people asked what it was and when I told them they asked how I was able to keep it so moist and not dried out. The apples and onions lent the pork a nice flavor profile with layers of flavor. I threw in some mashed potatoes and the runners were as happy as could be. It really is that simple.

This roast pork dinner makes a delicious family meal, starting with an aroma that fills the home. The apples and pork complement one another nicely, and the licorice flavor of fennel mixed with the thyme is a taste to be tried. The easy-to-follow directions ensure a dish that will please new cooks and experienced cooks alike.

I enjoy a nice mustard to accompany pork roast, and in the future I will make a pan sauce with Dijon mustard stirred into the pan drippings to go with the roast.

The combination of flavors in this roast pork loin recipe with apples and onions was delicious. The use of apple—actual pieces with definition instead of applesauce—was enjoyable and the caramelized onions added another flavor note. This is truly a very good dish.

I would like to try it again but grinding the fennel seeds down to dust, mashing the garlic into a paste, adding the other ingredients to make a rub, spreading it over the pork, and roasting at a lower temperature, maybe 325°F.

Perhaps it’s the summer heat, the high cost of groceries, or just plain lack of time, but I am on the search for easy recipes with few ingredients. Quarter some onions and apples, give a quick rub with fennel and garlic, pop in the oven, and relax. Want it a bit more substantial? Toss some tiny new potatoes on the baking sheet. Dinner is done.

This recipe works. The timing is accurate and the result is a moist, flavorful pork roast. The combination of onion, apples, fennel seeds, and pork is a winner. I enjoyed making this roast.




About David Leite

I count myself lucky to have received three James Beard Awards for my writing as well as for Leite’s Culinaria. My work has also appeared in The New York Times, Martha Stewart Living, Saveur, Bon Appétit, Gourmet, Food & Wine, Yankee, Los Angeles Times, Chicago Tribune, The Washington Post, and more.


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Recipe Rating




82 Comments

  1. 5 stars
    Great recipe, I added dill weed, potatoes, and carrots, plus another onion. Wish I had had more than 2 apples to add. Will increase apples next time.

  2. 5 stars
    This pork loin is superb with the fennel, garlic, thyme rub and the apples and onions cooked alongside. I scaled it up for my community center gig (12 loins, served 120!) and used shallots as we had a ton of them. The pork was juicy and full of flavor, and the shallots and apples were a great finishing touch. This is one I’ll be making at home as well!

    1. That is impressive, Lisa! Pork loin for 120 people? Amazing. I’m so happy that it turned out well. I can’t wait to hear what you make next.

  3. 4 stars
    It was an easy recipe to make and it turned out great. I added fingerling potatoes to complete the dish.

    Thanks for sharing.