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Dinner One Pot Pork
4.6 from 84 votes

Lemon Garlic Pork Roast

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By: Joanna Cismaru 72 Comments

This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my disclosure policy.

This Lemon Garlic Pork Roast is one of my favorite dishes to make for Sunday night dinners. The marinade, made with lots of garlic and fresh lemon, is incredibly aromatic and the perfect match for creating a restaurant-quality pork loin.

lemon garlic pork loin sliced on a cutting board with roasted potatoes

Growing up every Sunday we used to have a big meal, nothing fancy, usually roasted potatoes with roasted chicken, roasted pork loin. We all ate together and it was just great family time. Meals like this have always had such a special place in my heart!

Pork was always a staple at our house, as a matter of fact I remember when my dad would buy half a pig or sometimes even a whole pig. He’d bring it home and we’d make all kinds of sausages, head cheese, pork greaves, and we’d absolutely fill our freezer with pork creations. This was one way for my parents to save money, and we’d have meat from this for months.

This lemon garlic pork roast is reminiscent of those Sunday night dinners with my parents, and it’s something that I brought into my home and love to share with my husband.

overhead shot of ingredients needed to make lemon garlic pork roast

Ingredients

Keep scrolling down to the recipe card for full ingredient amounts and instructions, or click the Jump To Recipe button at the top.

  • Garlic – It’s in the name so of course, I used lots. You can use more or less if you’d like.
  • Olive oil – Avocado, sunflower, safflower, canola, or vegetable oils can be used instead.
  • Herbs – I used dried oregano and some fresh thyme which is perfect with pork.
  • Paprika – I love using smoked paprika, but regular sweet paprika will also work.
  • Salt and pepper – Season to taste.
  • Lemon – A fresh lemon for both zest and juice.
  • Pork – I used a 2 pound pork loin. Pork tenderloin can also be used but keep in mind that it will cook quicker.
  • Baby potatoes – This is what completes this meal. Regular potatoes will work as well.
process shots showing how to make lemon garlic pork roast

How to make lemon garlic pork roast

  1. Make the marinade: Add the garlic, oil, oregano, thyme, paprika, salt, pepper, lemon juice and zest to a ziploc bag and mix it all together. Reserve half a cup of the marinade for the potatoes.
  2. Marinate the pork: Place the pork loin into the ziploc bag and toss with the marinade, making sure the pork is fully covered. Close the bag, and marinate for at least 1 hour in the refrigerator.
  3. Prep the potatoes: In a roasting pan add the baby potatoes and toss with the reserved marinade. Arrange the potatoes around the sides of the roasting pan, making a whole in the middle, and place the pork loin in the center of the roasting pan. Pour remaining marinade over the pork.
  4. Bake: Preheat the oven to 375F. Transfer the roasting pan to the preheated oven and bake for about 1 hour. It should measure 145F on an instant read thermometer when done. Remove the roasting pan from the oven and let it rest, covered with foil, for 10 minutes before slicing into it.
overhead shot of lemon pork roast surrounded by roasted potatoes

Easy gravy

Follow these steps after the pork has finished cooking and while you’re letting it rest.

  1. Pour the pan drippings into a saucepan through a sieve to get rid of lumps.
  2. Bring the drippings to a simmer. Add some broth to the saucepan if you feel there isn’t enough liquid.
  3. Mix 1 tbsp corn starch with 1 tbsp water in a small bowl. Add the slurry to the simmering drippings, a bit at a time, whisking vigorously, until you’ve reached the desired consistency.

You can simmer the drippings with fresh herbs, lemon, and/or garlic to give the gravy some more flavor.

pork roast with roasted potatoes garnished with fresh thyme

Do your roast pork covered or uncovered?

I prefer to roast my pork uncovered, because you don’t want it to steam and this way we get a nice crust on the outside as well.

How to store leftovers

Leftover lemon garlic pork roast can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days. Leftovers will also last frozen for 2-3 months. Its best to reheat leftovers in the microwave to avoid having the pork dry out.

You can also reheat in the oven. I suggest pre-slicing the pork so it can reheat as fast as possible. Place the pork in a baking dish, add a splash of broth, cover with foil, and bake at 325 until heated through.

Let frozen leftovers thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating.

overhead shot of sliced lemon garlic pork roast with potatoes on a cutting board

More delicious pork recipes to try:

  • Honey Garlic Pork Loin
  • Perfect Pork Tenderloin
  • Balsamic Pork Loin
  • Easy Pork Sausage
  • Korean Style Pork Chops
  • Honey Garlic Pork Chops
  • Brown Sugar Balsamic Pulled Pork
  • Ranch Pork Chops and Potatoes Sheet Pan Dinner

Before You Begin! If you make this, please leave a review and rating letting us know how you liked this recipe! This helps our business thrive & continue providing free recipes.

Sliced lemon garlic pork roast topped with a sprig of thyme, surrounded by roasted potatoes
Print
4.61 from 84 votes

Lemon Garlic Pork Roast

Prep 15 minutes
Rest time 1 hour 10 minutes
Cook 1 hour
Total 2 hours 25 minutes
Rate Recipe
This Lemon Garlic Pork Roast is one of my favorite dishes to make for Sunday night dinners. The marinade, made with lots of garlic and fresh lemon, is incredibly aromatic and the perfect match for creating a restaurant-quality pork loin.
6

Ingredients

  • 5 cloves garlic (chopped)
  • 1/2 cup olive oil
  • 1 tablespoon oregano (dried)
  • 1 tablespoon thyme (chopped, I used fresh)
  • 1 teaspoon paprika
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt (or to taste)
  • 1/2 teaspoon pepper (or to taste)
  • 2 tablespoon lemon juice (freshly squeezed)
  • 1 tablespoon lemon zest
  • 2 pounds pork loin
  • 2 pounds baby potatoes (washed and cut in half)

Before You Begin! If you make this, please leave a review and rating letting us know how you liked this recipe! This helps our business thrive & continue providing free recipes.

Instructions 

  • Make the marinade: Add the garlic, oil, oregano, thyme, paprika, salt, pepper, lemon juice and zest to a ziploc bag and mix it all together. Reserve half a cup of the marinade for the potatoes.
  • Marinate the pork: Place the pork loin into the ziploc bag and toss with the marinade, making sure the pork is fully covered. Close the bag, and marinate for at least 1 hour in the refrigerator.
  • Prep the potatoes: In a roasting pan add the baby potatoes and toss with the reserved marinade. Arrange the potatoes around the sides of the roasting pan, making a whole in the middle, and place the pork loin in the center of the roasting pan. Pour remaining marinade over the pork.
  • Bake: Preheat the oven to 375F. Transfer the roasting pan to the preheated oven and bake for about 1 hour. It should measure 145F on an instant read thermometer when done. Remove the roasting pan from the oven and let it rest, covered with foil, for 10 minutes before slicing into it.

Notes

  1. Leftover lemon garlic pork roast can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days. Leftovers will also last frozen for 2-3 months. Its best to reheat leftovers in the microwave to avoid having the pork dry out.
  2. You can also reheat in the oven. I suggest pre-slicing the pork so it can reheat as fast as possible. Place the pork in a baking dish, add a splash of broth, cover with foil, and bake at 325 until heated through.

Nutrition Information

Calories: 485kcal (24%)Carbohydrates: 29g (10%)Protein: 37g (74%)Fat: 24g (37%)Saturated Fat: 4g (25%)Cholesterol: 95mg (32%)Sodium: 278mg (12%)Potassium: 1237mg (35%)Fiber: 4g (17%)Sugar: 1g (1%)Vitamin A: 234IU (5%)Vitamin C: 36mg (44%)Calcium: 48mg (5%)Iron: 3mg (17%)
© Author Joanna Cismaru

Notice: Nutrition is auto-calculated for your convenience. Where relevant, we recommend using your own nutrition calculations.

Sliced lemon garlic pork roast topped with a sprig of thyme, surrounded by roasted potatoes

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Joanna Cismaru

Joanna Cismaru

I’m Joanna (Jo for short) and this is my blog where I share with you my culinary adventures. Here you will find a variety of recipes using simple everyday ingredients and creating wonderful, delicious and comforting meals, including some decadent desserts.

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72 Comments
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john
john
Posted: 4 months ago

5 stars
on a scale of 0-10…..it rates a 20

0
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john
john
Posted: 4 months ago

5 stars
LOVED IT…..but isn’t a half a cup of olive oil a bit much?

0
Reply
Joanna Cismaru
Joanna Cismaru
Author
Reply to  john
Posted: 4 months ago

I mean you could use less, but olive oil is good for you. 😉

1
Reply
Kiley
Kiley
Posted: 7 months ago

If you cook in a slow cooker would you add the potatoes in as well?

0
Reply
Joanna Cismaru
Joanna Cismaru
Author
Reply to  Kiley
Posted: 7 months ago

Yes, you totally can, unless you like them nice and crispy, in that case, I’d roast them in the oven.

0
Reply
Tamara Denney
Tamara Denney
Posted: 9 months ago

I made this recipe and it say’s reserve 1/2 cup for potatoes but my marinade didn’t make more than maybe 1/2 cup to begin with and I followed the directions

0
Reply
Joanna Cismaru
Joanna Cismaru
Author
Reply to  Tamara Denney
Posted: 9 months ago

If you add all the ingredients together you should have had about 3/4 cup of marinade.

0
Reply
Tony O'Dowd
Tony O'Dowd
Posted: 2 years ago

I’m a bit confused. In the instructions it says cover in foil and rest for 10 minutes, but at the recipie header it say rest time is 1hr 10mins. Which one is correct?

0
Reply
Jo Cooks Team
Jo Cooks Team
Reply to  Tony O'Dowd
Posted: 2 years ago

We have it set to rest for 1 hr + plus 10 minutes because of the marinade. You have to let it sit in the marinade for an hour, then 10 minutes after finished cooking. The total resting time AFTER cooking would be 10 minutes.

0
Reply
Hope
Hope
Reply to  Tony O'Dowd
Posted: 1 year ago

Do we cover in foil only to let it rest?

0
Reply
Jennifer
Jennifer
Reply to  Hope
Posted: 6 months ago

This recipe was very easy and turned out delicious. I bought a small pork roast because the loin wasn’t available and it worked just fine. I didn’t have plain paprika so I substituted it with smoked paprika and it was just as good. At the end I turned the broiler on to give it all a good crunchy finish. I will make this many more times.

0
Reply
Donna Hanson
Donna Hanson
Posted: 2 years ago

Hi Jo~
I’m wanting to use this seasoning and marinade for my pork tenderloin Christmas dinner, do you think I will be making a mistake using this recipe for a tenderloin because I’m not wanting to use a pork loin?
Thank you

0
Reply
Joanna Cismaru
Joanna Cismaru
Author
Reply to  Donna Hanson
Posted: 2 years ago

You can use tenderloin, just make sure you adjust the cooking time, as it will take less time to cook. Refer to this recipe, for instructions: https://www.jocooks.com/recipes/perfect-pork-tenderloin/

0
Reply
Leanne Baltzell
Leanne Baltzell
Posted: 2 years ago

Taste delish thx for recipe

0
Reply
Tera Killip
Tera Killip
Posted: 2 years ago

Question – do you put thyme in the marinade? It’s in the ingredients list but not the method. I’m making this tonight. Help? Thanks

0
Reply
Joanna Cismaru
Joanna Cismaru
Author
Reply to  Tera Killip
Posted: 2 years ago

Hi Tera! Yes you do! Thanks for catching that, fixed the recipe card. 🙂

0
Reply
Tera Killip
Tera Killip
Reply to  Joanna Cismaru
Posted: 2 years ago

5 stars
Glad I could catch that for you. I marinated the pork for a day when our plans changed. It gave the pork so much more flavor. This was a delicious dinner!

0
Reply
Joanna Cismaru
Joanna Cismaru
Author
Reply to  Tera Killip
Posted: 2 years ago

So glad you enjoyed it!!

0
Reply
Marlo Senick
Marlo Senick
Posted: 2 years ago

I followed the directions as written, but my pork loin came out really tough and not moist at all. What would cause this?

0
Reply
Jo Cooks Team
Jo Cooks Team
Reply to  Marlo Senick
Posted: 2 years ago

Yours may have been thinner and longer than ours. You can use an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the pork loin – once it reaches 145F it’s done.

0
Reply
Stephanie
Stephanie
Posted: 2 years ago

4 stars
Very tasty, easy one pot dish! The recipe was straight forward and easy to follow. We plan to use the leftovers to make a breakfast hash.

0
Reply
Diann Noble
Diann Noble
Posted: 2 years ago

I am confused as the marinade recipe only calls for a half cup of oil and two tbsp. lemon juice. How am I to reserve one half cup for the potatoes? Please advise as this looks like an absolutely delicious recipe. What am I missing?

0
Reply
Joanna Cismaru
Joanna Cismaru
Author
Reply to  Diann Noble
Posted: 2 years ago

There are other ingredients too, so when you add them all together, you end up with about a cup of marinade. 🙂

0
Reply
Meredith Piscitelli
Meredith Piscitelli
Posted: 2 years ago

Can this be cooked in/adapted for a slow-cooker?

0
Reply
Jo Cooks Team
Jo Cooks Team
Reply to  Meredith Piscitelli
Posted: 2 years ago

Yes you can cook it for 3-4 hours on high or 7-8 hours on low.

0
Reply
Meredith Piscitelli
Meredith Piscitelli
Reply to  Jo Cooks Team
Posted: 2 years ago

Thank you for your prompt reply. I cook as much as I can in my slow-cooker for many reasons, not the least of which is loving the aroma that fills my home and there’s no cleanup. Easy peasy is my mantra. Can’t wait to try this.

0
Reply
Brian Taylor
Brian Taylor
Posted: 3 years ago

Very tasty recipe and easy to make. I served it with roast potatoes, lightly steamed broccoli and caesar salad. Everyone just loved it. Thanks!

0
Reply
Alma
Alma
Posted: 3 years ago

What do you do with the marinade? Can it be cooked down and used as a sauce. It seems a big waste of flavor to throw it out.

0
Reply
Jo Cooks Team
Jo Cooks Team
Reply to  Alma
Posted: 3 years ago

As you can see in the photo above the recipe card, we left as much marinade as possible on the pork to roast.

0
Reply
Campnurse4
Campnurse4
Posted: 3 years ago

5 stars
The recipe was not overpowering nor greasy. I had my doubts with the amount of oil used, but when blended it was just the right amount for putting over the meat as well as using for a gravy. I included root vegetables and enclosed them both tightly. They came out very tender!

0
Reply
Amalia
Amalia
Reply to  Campnurse4
Posted: 2 years ago

Do you put the meat directly from the fridge in the oven?

0
Reply
Joanna Cismaru
Joanna Cismaru
Author
Reply to  Amalia
Posted: 2 years ago

Yes!

0
Reply

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