Healthy Pork Loin Recipes

“Jerk” isn't Jamaican for “as hot as you can stand it.” Instead, a jerk paste should be a carefully blended, aromatic melange, as much nose tickle as tongue spike. Here we use that flavorful paste on grilled pork loin. Watch out for that hot chile pepper: wear rubber gloves to protect your skin and touch no one until you've washed up thoroughly. If you have time, marinate the pork the full 24 hours for the best flavor.

Serve these slow-cooker nachos at your next party--they'll vanish! Tossing the cubed pork back into the slow cooker with the honey, lime and garlic gives it extra-tangy sweetness. For the prettiest appearance, use whole cilantro leaves instead of chopped.

Thyme adds bright, woodsy flavor to pork and pineapple in this simple one-skillet supper. Serve with whole-grain rice pilaf and a baby spinach salad. Recipe by Nancy Baggett for EatingWell.

Thai curry paste, a flavorful combination of chiles, lemongrass, galangal (similar to ginger), garlic and kaffir lime leaves, adds a jolt of flavor to this healthy sesame noodles recipe. Green, red and yellow curry paste are pretty interchangeable but green is the hottest, red is medium and yellow is mild. Be sure to rinse the rice noodles until they're cold, then give them a good shake in the colander until they're well drained. Are you a spiralizing pro? Swap 5 cups of raw zucchini, carrot or other veggie “noodles” for the cooked pasta.

Pork and apples and red cabbage are meant for each other. Here all three appear in a mélange that brings together the Japanese tradition of panko-crusted pork chops with the New England tradition of seasoning with maple syrup and cider vinegar. Serve with a wild rice pilaf.

In this Asian dan dan noodle recipe, lean pork loin and snow peas are stir-fried and tossed with a chile-soy sauce. Topped with peanuts and sesame seeds, this Chinese noodle recipe is a healthy, homemade alternative to takeout.

Stuffed with spirals of spinach, dried cherries, wild rice, and pecans and topped with a sweet apricot glaze, this eye-catching pork loin recipe makes a nice meal for autumn or winter.

Though traditional Puerto Rican cuisine may favor fatty cuts of pork with the skin on, lean cuts like pork loin are just as delicious with the intense garlic rub in this recipe. Serve warm with red beans and rice. Leftover slices make a good sandwich.

Garlic-seasoned slow-cooker pork loin, port-and-tomato-based sauce and creamy mashed potatoes all made with less than 30 minutes of hands-on prep--who could ask for more? Garnish with additional fresh rosemary sprigs, if desired.

This easy, stuffed pork loin recipe starts with a soak in brine to ensure that it stays juicy and moist. The stuffing combines sweet potatoes, apples and gently spicy poblanos with Mexican herbs and spices. Cornbread is a natural pairing with pork, as is a salad with toasted pepitas and cider vinaigrette.

Brining enhances flavor and renders pork chops moist and juicy. While the chops brine, prepare the pickled onions and the raspberry sauce. The thick flavorful sauce, rich pork chops and pickled onions all come together in an explosion of flavors and textures.

Loaded with pork, zucchini, peppers, and onions, this one-skillet tamale pie has a delicious cornmeal topping. Serve it in wedges directly from the skillet family-style or prepare it in individual ramekins for a more personalized presentation.

Inspired by the Italian roast called porchetta, this herb-slathered pork roast is wrapped in prosciutto. Completely company-worthy, this healthy dinner can be rounded out with garlicky broccolini, smashed potatoes and a dry hard cider.

Pork and vegetables are stir-fried, cooked in a Thai coconut sauce, and served over rice in this flavorful meal.

Traditionally a long-simmered stew, this Mexican-inspired stew is quick and easy, thanks to canned hominy. Searing the pork loin in the pot before making the stew gives you a great base of flavors so the stew seems as if it indeed simmered all afternoon. Garnish with chopped cilantro and serve with warm tortillas on the side.

A snappy pan sauce made with shallots, port and fruity blackberry nectar transforms basic pork chops into a special-occasion dinner. A touch of butter swirled in at the end of cooking gives the sauce a rich finish. You can substitute flattened boneless chicken breast, turkey cutlets or veal scallops for pork; adjust cooking time accordingly.

Cranberries can be momentary pleasures, just around for late autumn--that is, unless you think to stock ahead. Buy a packet or two for the freezer so you can make this quick supper all year long. (Or out of season, look for frozen whole cranberries in the freezer case of your local market.) Recipe by Nancy Baggett for EatingWell.

To make these packets, slice the potatoes very thinly, no thicker than 1/8 inch. Use a mandoline or the 2 mm slicing blade on a food processor--or cut them slowly with a very sharp knife.

We swear by this pork-cooking technique for the most tender, flavorful results. First the lean pork loin is brined overnight, then it's grilled and coated in a fragrant paste before it rests in a mixture of white wine, butter and its own juices.

Chopped water chestnuts add extra crunch to the savory filling in these delightful morsels.

You'll want to use fresh pineapple, not canned, in this recipe calling for the classic flavor combo of pork and pineapple. Grilling both the fruit and the meat imparts a pleasant smokiness to both.

Garlic, lemon and olives add the perfect tang to this delicious pork loin dish.

This pork roast is coated in a generous mustardy-mixture of parsley, thyme, rosemary and sage. As the meat cooks on the grill, the mustard and herbs form a divine crust which smells amazing and tastes even better.

To keep this slow cooker pork sandwich recipe heart-healthy, look for a barbecue sauce that's low in fat and sodium.