Roast Pork Loin with Butternut Squash and Apple

Seasoned with a comforting blend of orange, garlic, rosemary, paprika, and cinnamon, this roasted pork loin recipe is perfect for the holidays or a cozy weekend when the weather takes on a chill. Learn how to roast pork loin in the oven so it’s perfectly juicy and your guests will come back for seconds!

Roasting pork loin in the oven is a vastly underused holiday main. Like roasted lamb leg or whole turkey, it’s sure to impress a crowd. Pork loin, however, is a deceptively easy–and affordable–one-pan meal, allowing you to enjoy the company while it roasts. 

This pork loin recipe seasons the meat with a warming blend of Spanish-inspired flavors that will make your house smell absolutely delicious. As a bonus, you can make it even easier on yourself by seasoning the pork loin the night before and letting it marinate in your fridge. Not only will it give you time to make the sides and desserts on the day-of, it will also intensify the flavors. 

Butternut squash and apples are roasted in the same pan as the pork, soaking up and contributing to the drippings. That’s right: you get your main and a side covered in just one dish! 

Table of Contents

1. Ingredients for this Pork Loin Recipe
2. The Difference Between Pork Loin and Pork Tenderloin
3. How to Cook Pork Loin in the Oven
1. Get Ready to Roast
2. Roast the Pork Loin in the Oven
4. The Best Temperature for Cooking Pork Loin
5. How Long to Cook Pork Loin
6. Is Pork White Meat?
7. What to Serve with Roast Pork Loin
8. More Holiday Roast Recipes
9. Pork Loin with Butternut Squash and Apples Recipe

Ingredients for this Pork Loin Recipe

I rely on a Spanish-inspired blend of orange, garlic, rosemary, paprika, and cinnamon to add a comforting flavor to this pork loin roast recipe. Butternut squash and apples roast in the drippings for an impressive and flavorful meal. Here’s what you’ll need:

• Orange: Zest the orange to use in the seasoning, then squeeze the juice over the roast just before baking.
• Extra virgin olive oil: I like our Spanish Hojiblanca olive oil. It’s lightly bitter with a fruity apple aroma.
• Garlic: I like to mash the garlic into a paste, making it easier to spread all over the pork loin.
• Rosemary: Rosemary is aromatic with a minty, woody flavor. It’s commonly used in Spanish cuisine and is a classic pairing with pork.
• Salt and pepper: Season the pork and enhance the other flavors in the dish.
• Sweet paprika: Sweet Spanish paprika is made from dried and finely ground red peppers, adding a sweet and smoky flavor with a fruity aroma.
• Cinnamon: A touch of cinnamon adds warm complexity and complements the pork, apples, and squash. Too much could take over and risk it tasting too sweet.
• Pork loin: Choose a pork loin that’s about 3 pounds. Do not use pork tenderloin which is much smaller than pork loin. Trim the silverskin, but leave the fat cap on top.
• Butternut squash: Butternut squash has a sweet and nutty taste. You can substitute it with another winter squash if preferred.
• Golden Delicious apples: The closest to Spain’s Reineta apple is Golden Delicious. However, you can use any tart apple that won’t fall apart, like Honeycrisp or Pink Lady.

The Difference Between Pork Loin and Pork Tenderloin

While the names are confusingly similar, pork loin and pork tenderloin are two completely different cuts of meat and shouldn’t be substituted for each other.

Pork tenderloin is long, narrow, and boneless. It’s a leaner cut with little to no visible fat. It’s cooked quickly at a high temperature to ensure it stays tender.

Pork loin is broader and flatter than pork tenderloin. It can be boneless or bone-in. While it is lean, it is not as lean as pork tenderloin. It has a visible layer of fat along the top of the cut of meat called the fat cap. Pork loins are larger, serving a crowd, and can be roasted over a longer period of time.

How to Cook Pork Loin in the Oven

While you should plan on cooking pork loin in the oven for 1 1/2 to 2 hours, only about 20 minutes is hands-on. Plus, the pork is roasted with a side of squash and apples at the same time. If you have the time, season the pork the night before for better flavor. For the juiciest pork, let it rest for 15 minutes before slicing and serving. Here are the steps:

Get Ready to Roast

• Prepare the seasoning: Mince 4 garlic cloves finely on a large cutting board, then sprinkle with a pinch of kosher salt. Use the knife to press and scrape the minced garlic against the cutting board until you have a smooth paste. Transfer the garlic paste to a small mixing bowl and zest in 1 orange (save the fruit for later). Add 1 tablespoon chopped rosemary leaves, 2 teaspoons sweet paprika, 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon, 1/2 teaspoon black pepper, 2 teaspoons kosher salt, and 3 tablespoons olive oil. Mix into a paste.
• Season the pork: Pat a 3-pound pork loin dry with paper towels. Use a sharp knife to slide under the thin white layer of silverskin and remove it (leave the thicker layer of fat, called the fat cap, on top as it will keep the meat juicy and flavorful as it roasts). Spread the paste all over the pork loin. Set aside at room temperature while preparing the squash and apples, or refrigerate it overnight if you have the time.

Roast the Pork Loin in the Oven

• Preheat the oven: Arrange a rack in the center of the oven and preheat it to 425°F.
• Prep the squash and apples: Peel, core, and chop 1/2 a butternut squash into 1 1/2-inch pieces. Core and slice 2 golden delicious apples into 1-inch wedges. Add both to a large bowl and season with the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil, 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper.
• Roast: Set the pork loin in the center of a large roasting pan. Arrange the squash and apples around the pork. Slice the zested orange in half and squeeze the juice from half of the orange over the pork, squash, and apples. Roast for 25 minutes. Reduce the heat to 350°F and roast until the internal temperature of the pork registers 145°F, 30 to 40 minutes.
• Rest: Remove the pork from the oven and cover it loosely with foil. Let it rest for 15 to 20 minutes.
• Slice and serve: Cut the pork loin crosswise into 3/4-inch-thick slices. Serve with the roasted squash, apples, and a drizzle of the pan drippings over top.

The Best Temperature for Cooking Pork Loin

Use a meat or instant-read thermometer and cook the pork to 145°F. The number one cause of dry pork loin is overcooking it. If you’re using an instant-read thermometer, check the pork’s internal temperature after 45 minutes.

Once cooked, let it rest for 15 to 20 minutes before slicing. If you slice it too early, the juices pool out of the meat. The resting period allows the juices to reabsorb and redistribute through the meat.

How Long to Cook Pork Loin

How long a pork loin cooks will depend on its size and shape. The foolproof way to know when it’s done is to use a thermometer. 

According to the USDA, it should register 145°F. This pork loin recipe roasts at 425°F for 25 minutes and then finishes baking at 350°F until the internal temperature reaches 145°F, an additional 30 to 40 minutes. A larger roast will take more time.

Is Pork White Meat?

Because pork is classified as livestock, it is officially considered a red meat, like beef or lamb. Culinarily, though, pork is sometimes considered a white meat because it is leaner than traditional red meats and is lighter in color. Pork loin is leaner than chicken thigh but not as lean as chicken breast.

What to Serve with Roast Pork Loin

Butternut squash and apple wedges roast alongside the pork loin, providing a side without any extra effort. But if you’re looking to create a spread, you can add plenty of seasonal sides to the meal.

I always appreciate a starch that I can drizzle with the pan juices, like golden saffron rice or classic garlic mashed potatoes.

You can also start with a crisp and refreshing winter salad. This anise-scented shaved fennel salad would work well with the pork and apples. Or emphasize the citrus and rosemary with this endive salad.
For dessert, bring out more apples with this Italian apple olive oil cake or continue the citrus notes with an orange cardamom olive oil cake.

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