Bacon Wrapped Stuffed
Pork Tenderloin
A showstopper dinner that looks far more impressive than the effort required. Pork tenderloin butterflied and filled with herbed cream cheese, caramelized red onions, wilted spinach, and melted mozzarella — then wrapped in turkey bacon, seared until golden, and roasted to juicy perfection. Slice it at the table and watch everyone's jaw drop.
- Pork
- 1 pork tenderloin (about 1–1.5 lb)
- 6 slices turkey bacon
- — salt & black pepper, to taste
- — cooking spray
- Herbed Cream Cheese Filling
- 3 oz low-fat cream cheese, softened
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 tbsp fresh chives, chopped
- 1 tsp Italian seasoning
- ¼ tsp lemon zest
- — salt & black pepper, to taste
- Filling Layers
- ½ red onion, thinly sliced
- 1 cup fresh baby spinach
- ½ cup mozzarella cheese, shredded
-
1
Preheat & make the herbed cream cheese
Preheat oven to 375°F. In a small bowl, mix together the softened cream cheese, minced garlic, chives, Italian seasoning, lemon zest, salt, and pepper until smooth and well combined. Set aside — letting it sit while you prep everything else allows the flavors to develop.
-
2
Caramelize the onions
Heat a skillet over medium-low heat and lightly coat with cooking spray. Add the sliced red onion and cook slowly, stirring occasionally, for 10–12 minutes until soft, sweet, and golden. This step transforms the onions completely — caramelized onions in the filling are a world apart from raw ones. Set aside to cool slightly.
-
3
Butterfly the tenderloin
Place the pork tenderloin on a cutting board. Using a sharp knife, slice horizontally through the center of the tenderloin, stopping about ½ inch from the other side — like opening a book. Open it flat and gently pound to an even thickness with a meat mallet or heavy pan. Season the inside with salt and pepper.
-
4
Build the filling
Spread the herbed cream cheese evenly over the inside of the butterflied tenderloin, leaving a ½-inch border around the edges. Layer the caramelized onions over the cream cheese, then the baby spinach, then finish with an even layer of shredded mozzarella.
-
5
Roll & wrap
Carefully roll the tenderloin back up as tightly as possible, tucking in any filling that escapes at the ends. Lay the turkey bacon slices side by side on a cutting board, overlapping slightly. Place the rolled tenderloin at one end and roll it up in the bacon, wrapping tightly so the seam is on the bottom. Secure with toothpicks if needed.
-
6
Sear for a crispy bacon crust
Heat a large oven-safe skillet over high heat until very hot. Lightly coat with cooking spray. Place the bacon-wrapped tenderloin seam-side down and sear for 1–2 minutes per side, turning carefully with tongs, until the bacon is golden and crispy on all sides. The skillet must be hot before the pork goes in — this is what crisps the bacon.
-
7
Roast & rest
Transfer the skillet directly to the oven (or move to a baking dish) and roast at 375°F for 20–25 minutes until the internal temperature of the pork reaches 145°F. Remove from the oven and let rest for 10 minutes before slicing — this is essential for keeping the filling inside and the juices in the meat.
-
8
Slice & serve
Remove any toothpicks, then slice into rounds about the width of the bacon slices. The cross-section will reveal the beautiful layers of cream cheese, caramelized onion, spinach, and melted mozzarella. Serve immediately.
- Caramelize, don't skip: Taking 10–12 minutes to properly caramelize the onions is the single biggest upgrade from the original recipe. Raw onions in a stuffed roast are sharp and harsh — caramelized onions are sweet, silky, and completely different.
- 145°F is the right temp: Pork tenderloin is safe and perfectly juicy at 145°F — cooking to 165°F will dry it out significantly. A meat thermometer is your best friend here.
- Rest before slicing: 10 minutes of resting lets the juices redistribute and the filling set — slice too soon and everything runs out onto the cutting board.
- Use toothpicks: If the roll keeps unraveling as you wrap the bacon, secure it with a few toothpicks. Just remember to remove them before serving!
- Make it ahead: Assemble the stuffed and wrapped tenderloin up to 24 hours in advance, cover, and refrigerate. Sear and roast straight from the fridge — just add 5 extra minutes to the oven time.