Pork tenderloin in the air fryer
Pork tenderloin takes 18 to 25 minutes at 385°F (195°C) in an air fryer, shaken or turned at 12 minutes. It is safe to eat at 145°F (63°C) measured at the thickest part.
Use a thermometer. Pork Tenderloin is safe at 145°F with a 3-minute rest, measured at the thickest part.
Beef, bison, veal, goat, lamb, and pork — Steaks, roasts, chops. Source: FoodSafety.gov (USDA, FDA, CDC) , reviewed 2024-11-21. Cook times vary with the size and power of your machine. The safe internal temperature does not.
What to know about air frying pork tenderloin
Cosori gives a 1 lb tenderloin 385°F for 18 to 25 minutes — a much lower temperature than the 450°F it uses for chops, because a tenderloin is a long thick cylinder rather than a flat slab and needs time for the middle to catch up. It is also the leanest cut of pork there is, with almost no fat to protect it, which makes the 145°F target and the rest genuinely load-bearing rather than advisory.
The mistake people make
Confusing it with pork loin at the shop. Tenderloin is a slim muscle of about a pound; loin is a much larger roasting joint. Recipes and cook times for the two are not interchangeable, and a loin given tenderloin timings will be raw in the middle.
How to tell when it's done
145°F at the thickest point with a three-minute rest. Because the cut tapers, check the fat end — the thin tail will read done long before the rest. Slice it and you should see pale pink through the centre.
At a glance
| Air fryer temperature | 385°F |
|---|---|
| Time | 18–25 minutes |
| Shake or flip | At 12 minutes |
| Preheat | Yes |
| Single layer | Yes — do not stack |
| Oil | light spray |
| From | Raw |
Questions people ask
How long does pork tenderloin take in an air fryer?
18 to 25 minutes at 385°F, shaking or turning at 12 minutes. That figure comes from Cosori and FoodSafety.gov (USDA, FDA, CDC). Cook times shift with the size and power of your machine, so treat the lower end as the point to start checking.
What temperature should I air fry pork tenderloin at?
385°F, or about 195°C. That sits inside the 350–400°F band the USDA describes as typical for air frying.
Can you air fry pork tenderloin?
Yes. Use a light spray of oil. Keep it to a single layer — crowding the basket blocks the air circulation the machine depends on, which the USDA specifically warns about. Preheat the machine first.
What internal temperature should pork tenderloin reach?
145°F (63°C), measured with a food thermometer at the thickest part, then rested for 3 minutes. This is the published minimum for beef, bison, veal, goat, lamb, and pork from FoodSafety.gov (USDA, FDA, CDC) and it does not change with the machine, the recipe or the cook time.
How do you know when pork tenderloin is done in an air fryer?
145°F at the thickest point with a three-minute rest. Because the cut tapers, check the fat end — the thin tail will read done long before the rest. Slice it and you should see pale pink through the centre.
What is the most common mistake when air frying pork tenderloin?
Confusing it with pork loin at the shop. Tenderloin is a slim muscle of about a pound; loin is a much larger roasting joint. Recipes and cook times for the two are not interchangeable, and a loin given tenderloin timings will be raw in the middle.
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Worth reading next
Safe internal temperatures for air frying
The full USDA safe minimum internal temperature chart, plus why an air fryer changes cook times but never changes these numbers, and where to put the probe.
Why your air fryer is smoking
Smoke from an air fryer is almost always rendered fat hitting the element, not a fault. Five causes, ranked by likelihood, and the fix for each.
Sources
- Air Fryer Cooking Times Chart — Cosori. Checked 2026-08-06.
- Cook to a Safe Minimum Internal Temperature — FoodSafety.gov (USDA, FDA, CDC). Checked 2026-08-06.
Times are a starting point, not a guarantee. Every air fryer differs in wattage and basket size, so check early and trust a thermometer over a timer. Written and checked by Christian Weber. Please read the disclaimer.