Breaded Pork Tenderloin Recipe

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This breaded pork tenderloin sandwich is a Midwestern classic! Thin, crispy pork on a bun with simple toppings. An easy, family-friendly dinner.

The Breaded Pork Tenderloin Sandwich is a classic Midwestern sandwich! Juicy, pan fried pork tenderloin only needs a few simple ingredients for a great sandwich with tons of flavor.

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This breaded pork tenderloin sandwich is classic Midwestern comfort food — simple, nostalgic, and deeply familiar.

If you grew up in Iowa (or anywhere nearby), chances are you’ve eaten one at a county fair, a small-town diner, or a family gathering. The pork is butterflied and pounded thin, coated in breadcrumbs, then pan-fried until golden and crisp before being tucked into a bun with just a few simple toppings, usually pickles and mustard.

It’s not fancy food. It’s heritage food. The kind of meal people remember eating at long picnic tables, after a day spent wandering the fairgrounds, or alongside someone who made the moment feel special.

For me, that someone was my grandfather. Some of my strongest food memories are tied to the Iowa State Fair, where the breaded pork tenderloin sandwiches were piping hot, impossibly thin, and somehow bigger than your whole head. My grandfather used to tease me that a girl as small as I was would never finish one of those sandwiches. He was right, of course, but that never stopped me from trying.

Like many Midwestern dishes, there are strong opinions about how a pork tenderloin sandwich should be served (Midwesterners are loyal like that). But at its heart, it’s a simple, satisfying meal meant to be enjoyed, not overthought and it turns out it’s also a surprisingly approachable dinner to make at home.

Making a breaded pork tenderloin at home

Breaded Pork Tenderloin Sandwich is an easy recipe  to prepare, and SO DELCIOUS!!! Here is a brief overview so you know what to expect, but for the full set of written directions, please scroll down to the recipe card below.

1. Use a meat mallet to flatten and thin a pork tenderloin cutlet to a large oval.
2. Place the pounded tenderloin cutlets into the egg wash and allow to sit in the fridge and marinate for 8 hours. This will help to tenderize and infuse flavor into the pork.
3. Then coat the tenderloins in the breading.
4. Fry the pork tenderloins in a hot cast iron for  few minutes to get them crispy and golden.
5. Serve on a bun with a pickle and enjoy!

Serving this to your family:

Traditionally, this sandwich is served simply: on a bun with pickles and mustard

But at home, it can be more flexible:

• serve the pork cutlet on its own with sides
• pair with roasted potatoes, a simple salad or something crisp and fresh like cucumber salad

Whether  you live in the Midwest and need a fix of breaded pork tenderloin, or you have never been to the Midwest – you need to try this recipe!

Recipes like this matter because they carry more than flavor; they carry memory. They remind us that food doesn’t have to be new or impressive to be meaningful.

This is the kind of dish that fits beautifully into a slower, more connected way of feeding families, one where meals are shared, stories are told, and nothing needs to be perfect.

If you’re looking for more recipes like this — familiar, flexible, and rooted in real life — you’ll find plenty of ideas (and a few fun freebies) inside the free community.

Jenni

Breaded Pork Tenderloin Sandwich

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The Breaded Pork Tenderloin Sandwich is a classic Midwestern sandwich! Juicy, pan fried pork tenderloin only needs a few simple ingredients for a great sandwich with tons of flavor.

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Prep Time 8 hours hrs 20 minutes mins

Cook Time 10 minutes mins

Total Time 8 hours hrs 30 minutes mins

Servings: 4

Cuisine: American

Calories: 798

Ingredients Method Nutrition

Ingredients

  

1x2x3x?

• 1 pound pork tenderloin

Wet Batter:

• 1 cup whole milk
• 2 eggs
• garlic powder to taste just sprinkle some in there
• a few shakes of paprika

Breading:

• 1 cup panko
• 1 cup super-fine crushed saltine crackers
• 1 cup flour

To Serve:

• 4 hamburger buns
• ¼ cup mustard
• ¼ cup pickle slices

Method

 

To Prepare Marinade:

1. In the morning, prepare the wet batter and pour into a glass 9×13 baking dish (with a lid).
2. Tenderize the pork tenderloins (beat the crap out of them, you want them super thin!).
3. Place the pork chops into the batter, turning to coat, and place in the fridge to marinate for AT LEAST 8 hours. Yes, really. Do not short change it here!

To Prepare Breading:

1. When ready to cook, combine the breading in a cake pan or pasta dish.
2. Remove each tenderloin from the marinade and place in the dry breading, lightly pressing the coating into it.
3. Dip the tenderloin back into the marinade and turn to coat.
4. Coat the tenderloin with another coating of breading.

To Cook:

1. Place a large dutch oven or cast iron skillet on the stovetop and cover the bottom with canola oil.
2. Heat until 350 degrees (the oil needs to be HOT).
3. Fry for three minutes on each side, or until nice and golden brown.
4. Place on a bun with pickle and mustard and ENJOY!!

Nutrition

Serving: 1gCalories: 798kcalCarbohydrates: 106gProtein: 52gFat: 17gSaturated Fat: 6gPolyunsaturated Fat: 9gCholesterol: 194mgSodium: 1061mgFiber: 5gSugar: 32g

Nutrition information is provided as a general estimate and may vary based on ingredients, brands, and substitutions. For specific dietary needs, we recommend calculating nutrition using your preferred tool.

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adapted from THE Breaded Pork Tenderloin Sandwich (la bella vita)