Enjoy tender, juicy turkey breast tenderloin, expertly seasoned and cooked to perfection in your Instant Pot. With this easy recipe, you’ll create a mouthwatering meal, complete with a rich, flavorful gravy made right in the same pot. This is comfort food at its finest, and you’re going to love every bite!
What exactly is turkey tenderloin?
Turkey tenderloin is a long, slender, boneless, and skinless portion of the turkey breast. Located beneath the main part of the turkey breast, the tenderloin is very lean and very tender. Perfect for Instant Pot cooking!
They are most commonly found in the meat section, packaged in pairs, with each tenderloin weighing about 0.75 lbs., totaling approximately 1.5 lbs. The great thing about this very lean meat is that it’s pre-brined, which helps the turkey stay tender and juicy while adding extra flavor.
The most popular brand seems to be Jenny-O, which I’ve seen in supermarkets almost everywhere.
Why Make Turkey Tenderloin in the Instant Pot?
This recipe is truly ideal for the Instant Pot. By cooking it in a pressure cooker, we keep the meat incredibly moist and juicy, with no worries about the ends drying out or anything like that. Plus, it cooks in half the time of traditional methods.
But the part I love the most is the gravy! Since we use broth as the cooking liquid, we can easily turn it into an amazing gravy that pairs SO well with this turkey.
Everything happens right in the Instant Pot – no need for extra pots or pans. And in about 30 minutes, you’ll have a delicious turkey dinner you’ll absolutely love.
Equipment and Ingredients
Naturally, our main piece of equipment needed is an Instant Pot or other brand of electric pressure cooker. A good pair of tongs is also recommended for getting the turkey in and out of the appliance.
Our ingredients list features very common herbs and spices. We’ll use only ¼ teaspoon each of rosemary and thyme. After several experiments with ingredient amounts, this proved to be the best and most balanced combination.
The paprika will give the turkey a nice color and subtle depth without overwhelming the meat’s natural flavor. The mildness of regular paprika enhances the turkey’s taste, giving it a richer, more rounded profile.
Kosher salt and ground pepper are two more ingredients we use in small amounts. Since the pre-packaged turkey tenderloins are already brined, we don’t need much extra salt. Of course, feel free to adjust the salt and pepper to your own personal taste.
I like to use a good chicken broth for this recipe. It’s the base of our gravy, so we want nice, deep flavors. Bone broth is excellent too! Feel free to use your favorite, or even lower sodium versions.
Preparation
The packaged turkey tenderloins will have some liquid in them. Pour off any liquid and pat dry with paper towels.
Brush all sides of the tenderloins with the melted butter. (You can melt the butter in the microwave in about 30 seconds.)
Now add your seasoning mix and press it into the tenderloins on all sides.
It’s now ready to go into the Instant Pot! Add the chicken broth to the pot, place the turkey atop the trivet and place inside. Secure the lid and your’re ready to get cooking!
Cooking
With the turkey now on the trivet and in the Instant Pot, secure the lid and pressure cook (on high pressure) for 12 minutes. It will take around 5-6 minutes for the pot to reach pressure, then the cooking countdown time will begin. When the 12-minute cook time is complete, let the pressure naturally release for 10 minutes. After that, go ahead and release any remaining pressure.
Make the gravy!
This is my favorite part. Press cancel on the Instant Pot to stop the keep warm cycle. With the turkey and trivet now removed, we’ll press sauté to simmer the liquid inside.
In a small bowl or cup, make a cornstarch slurry by mixing 1 tablespoon of cornstarch with 1 tablespoon of cool water. Mix well, then slowly pour it into the simmering juices. Continue stirring for about 5-7 minutes, or until the liquid starts to thicken. Once that happens, press cancel to stop the sauté process. Give it a couple of minutes to thicken a bit more, and it’s all good to go!
Serving
Your turkey breast tenderloin and gravy is now ready to serve!
Simply place the tenderloins on a cutting surface and slice with a sharp knife and serve. Top with gravy and enjoy!
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, but don’t stack the tenderloins on top of each other. Squish them next to each other as best possible. Cooking times will remain the same. You can double the broth to make more gravy.
Absolutely!
Very straightforward storage and reheating. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Reheat turkey in the microwave. Add a splash or water or broth to keep moist.
Recipe
Best Damn Instant Pot Turkey Tenderloin
- Total Time: About 45 min
- Yield: 4-6 servings
Description
Making a turkey breast dinner has never been easier! Juicy turkey breast tenderloins are expertly seasoned and pressure cooked to tender perfection in under 30 minutes. Finish it off with a rich and savory gravy, all easily prepared right in the Instant Pot!
Ingredients
- 1 (1.5lb) package of Turkey Tenderloin (2 tenderloins)
- 1 tbs melted butter
- 1 tsp onion powder
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp paprika
- ½ tsp kosher salt
- ¼ tsp dried thyme
- ¼ tsp dried rosemary
- 1 cup chicken broth
Instructions
- Remove tenderloins from package, pour off any liquid pat dry with paper towels.
- In a small bowl, mix together onion powder, garlic powder, thyme, rosemary, salt and pepper.
- Brush the tenderloins with melted butter. Apply the seasoning mix, pressing it in gently.
- Add chicken broth to the Instant Pot. Place seasoned turkey tenderloins on trivet next to each other in the pot.
- Pressure cook (high pressure) for 12 minutes followed by a 10 minute natural release, then quick release any remaining pressure.
- When pin drops, carefully remove lid. The internal temp of the turkey should be at least 165°F. Remove the turkey tenderloin to a plate and let rest for to minutes. Remove the trivet.
- To make the gravy, first press cancel on the Instant Pot to stop the keep warm cycle.
- Press sauté and bring broth to a simmer.
- In a small bowl, mix 1 tbs corn starch with 1 tbs cool water. Mix well. Slowly drizzle cornstarch slurry into simmering broth.
- Stir often for about 5-8 minutes or until gravy starts to thicken. Press cancel to stop the sauté process. Let cool for a couple of minutes. Gravy will continue to thicken.
- Slice turkey tenderloins and serve with the gravy!
- Prep Time: 10 min
- Cook Time: 12 min + 10 min release
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Instant Pot
- Cuisine: American
KATHLEEN J RICHEY says
This dish was my second time cooking in my instant pot.
The instructions were very clear to follow and the dish was delicious!