This Stuffed Pork Loin is tender, juicy, and surprisingly simple to make! It’s seasoned with garlic and stuffed with spinach and feta for a Mediterranean-inspired Holiday or Sunday supper main dish everyone will love.
Why You’ll Love This Stuffed Pork Loin Recipe:
- Quick and Easy: If the thought of making a homemade roast conjures up the idea of an afternoon slaving away in the kitchen, it couldn’t be further from the truth! This stuffed pork loin recipe is ready in just a few simple steps and 20 minutes of active cooking time (the oven or slow cooker does the rest)!
- Tasty: Simple seasonings like sea salt, black pepper, and fresh garlic result in huge flavor and ultra-moist pork. If desired, try your hand at different seasoning combinations shared below, but this roast is more than perfect as-is.
- Holiday-Friendly: With an impressive presentation, this roast makes a festive Christmas or New Years main dish, perfect for serving with your favorite holiday sides.
Let’s Get Started! Here’s What You’ll Need:
Ingredients
Boneless Pork Loin - Choose a 3 pound loin with a good fat cap for the best flavor. If your loin is slightly larger or smaller, that is okay. Just adjust the cooking time as needed until the center of the roast has reached an internal temperature of 145°F. Please note that a loin is needed for this recipe, not a pork tenderloin – they are two different cuts of meat.
Frozen Spinach - You will need one 12 ounce bag of chopped frozen spinach.
Feta Cheese - This adds salty tang to the stuffed pork loin roast recipe, complementing the pork’s savory flavor. Use pre-crumbled or crumble a block of feta; you will need ½ cup.
Garlic - Fresh garlic turns nutty and lightly sweet when roasting, seasoning the pork. Finely mince four cloves; if needed, you can use bottled chopped garlic or garlic powder, but fresh is best when possible.
Olive Oil - For sauteing the spinach.
Seasonings - Sea salt and cracked black pepper simply but effectively season the stuffed loin of pork, making it flavorful and moist.
Equipment:
Cutting Board & Sharp Knife - I recommend a chef’s knife for chopping the garlic and a long paring knife or bonining knife for butchering the pork loin.
Pan or Skillet - An 10-inch skillet or 2 quart saucepan are ideal for cooking the spinach.
Heat Safe Spatula - This is for stirring the spinach. A wooden spoon or silicone spatula are both great picks.
Kitchen Twine - To tie up the pork so the fillings don’t leak while cooking or transferring.
Baking Dish or Crock Pot - Choose a dish, such as an 8x10-inch or 9x13-inch, that comfortably accommodates the stuffed pork roast in the oven. If desired, you can also cook it in a 6 quart or larger slow cooker.
How to Make Stuffed Pork Loin Roast
Sauté Spinach
Heat a skillet or pan over medium heat. Add the oil and frozen spinach and sauté for 5-10 minutes, stirring periodically, to reduce its moisture.
Cut Pork Loin
Place the pork loin, top side up, on the right end of the cutting board. Slice about ½-inch above the bottom. Tug the top of the roast to the left and slice again at the same point, further into the meat. Pull the roast to the left again and repeat this process until the pork loin lays out as one half-inch layer across the cutting board.
Season Pork
Season the cut side of the pork with salt, pepper, and minced garlic.
Add Pork Roast Fillings
Evenly spread the prepared spinach over the seasoned pork. Sprinkle the feta over the spinach.
Roll Pork
Starting at the left, carefully roll the pork back to the right. Secure the roll with a few strands of kitchen twine, with a few inches between each piece. Season the outside of the pork with salt and pepper.
Bake
Transfer the stuffed pork roast to a baking dish and bake at 350°F for 60-70 minutes until the middle of the roast has reached 145°F with a meat thermometer. Rest the roast for 10-15 minutes before slicing.
Recipe Success Tips
- Microwave the spinach. If desired for preference or convenience, you can also microwave the spinach until hot. Add it to a cheesecloth or fine mesh strainer to squeeze out the moisture.
- Trim the pork. A good fat cap adds extra flavor and moisture to the stuffed pork roast, but you will want to trim off the silver skin before cutting the meat. If left on, it can get tough when roasted.
- Sear the pork if desired. For extra caramelized flavor and a great crust, sear the pork in a skillet over medium-high heat for 2-3 minutes per side or until browned before baking.
- Slow cooker alternative. If desired, you can cook the stuffed roast pork in a Crock Pot on low for 6-8 hours or on high for 3-4 hours.
- Keep the meat warm while it rests. Cover the pork with foil and a few dish towels or pot holders while it rests to retain heat.
Recipe Variations
Take any of the following variations to adapt the pork roast to your meal, flavor preferences, or available ingredients:
- Extra Vegetables: Swap part of the spinach for sautéed chopped onions, red peppers, mushrooms or artichoke hearts.
- Seasonings: Add extra Mediterranean flavor by adding dried Oregano and thyme to the seasoning blend. For smoky notes, sprinkle the meat with smoked paprika. It’s also delicious seasoned with Italian seasoning.
- Prosciutto: Layer the cut pork with a few slices of thinly sliced prosciutto for an elevated savory and salty flavor.
- Dried Fruit: For a sweet note, sprinkle the feta with dried cranberries, golden raisins, or chopped dried apricots or cherries. I especially love doing this for Christmas Eve dinner!
- Nuts: Sprinkle on pinenuts, chopped walnuts, pecans, or chopped almonds for a nutty and hearty filling.
Serving Suggestions
This tender pork is delicious enjoyed with celebratory meal side dishes, such as:
Storage Directions
- Refrigeration: Leftovers keep covered in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 4-5 days.
- Freezing: You can also freeze the cooked pork in a freezer-safe container for up to 3 months. Defrost the pork in the refrigerator overnight until thawed.
- Reheating: The best way to reheat the pork is in an oven preheated to 350, as it keeps the meat tender and moist. If heating in the microwave, cook it on gentle heat in short intervals just until hot.
FAQs
Yes! As long as the center of the roast has reached 145°F, it is safe to eat! Farming practices have changed quite a bit in the last few decades, so we don’t have to cook pork until it is tough and dry anymore.
Yes, you can make this roast up to 24 hours ahead of time. Cut, season, stuff, and roll the pork before wrapping it tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerating until baking.
In general, a rolled pork loin should cook for about 20 minutes per pound at 350°F. The actual stuffed pork loin cooking time can vary depending on the thickness of the pork, so cutting it into a ½-inch thickness can help ensure this.
The best way to keep pork moist while roasting is to choose a cut of meat with a thick fat cap and to not overcook it. Insert a cooking thermometer into the center of the pork during the final 20 minutes of cooking time and check it periodically. Remove it from the oven as soon as the temperature has reached 145°F to keep it moist and juicy. Finally, let it rest at room temperature for at least 10 minutes before slicing. The resting period allows the juices to redistribute throughout the meat, making it succulent and moist.
More Easy Pork Recipes
- Leftover Pulled Pork Fried Rice
- Sous Vide Pork Loin Roast
- Air Fryer Pork Tenderloin Medallions
- Baked Italian Pork Meatballs
- Easy Crockpot Pulled Pork
Enjoy!
Whether you make this for a Sunday Dinner or a special occasion, I hope you aboslutely love it. Be sure to come back and let me know how it turned out for you with a rating, I love hearing about your kitchen success!
📖 Recipe
Stuffed Pork Loin
Ingredients
- 3 lb boneless pork loin
- 12 oz frozen spinach
- ½ cup feta cheese
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- 1 tablespoon salt
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon olive oil
Instructions
- Saute spinach with oil for 5-10 minutes to reduce moisture. Alternatively, microwave and squeeze out water.
- Place pork loin top side up on the right end of a cutting board and slice about ½" above the bottom. Tug top of roast to the left, and slice again at the same point, further into the meat. Pull the roast to the left again and repeat this process until the entire pork loin is laying out as one half inch layer across the cutting board.
- Season the inside portion that is facing up with salt, pepper, and minced garlic. Spread the spinach out and spinkle feta over the spinach.
- Starting at the left, carefully roll the pork back to the right on top of itself. Secure with kitchen twine and season the outside with salt and pepper.
- Transfer to a baking dish or slow cooker. Bake at 350 F for 60-70 minutes, or slow cook on LOW for 6-8 hours or HIGH for 3-4 hours, until the middle of the roast is at least 145 F. Allow roast to rest for 10-15 minutes before slicing.
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Notes
- Refrigeration: Leftovers keep covered in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 4-5 days.
- Freezing: You can also freeze the cooked pork in a freezer-safe container for up to 3 months. Defrost the pork in the refrigerator overnight until thawed.
- Reheating: The best way to reheat the pork is in an oven preheated to 350, as it keeps the meat tender and moist. If heating in the microwave, cook it on gentle heat in short intervals just until hot.
- Microwave the spinach. If desired for preference or convenience, you can also microwave the spinach until hot. Add it to a cheesecloth or fine mesh strainer to squeeze out the moisture.
- Trim the pork. A good fat cap adds extra flavor and moisture to the stuffed pork roast, but you will want to trim off the silver skin before cutting the meat. If left on, it can get tough upon roasting.
- Sear the pork if desired. For extra caramelized flavor and a great crust, sear the pork in a skillet over medium-high heat for 2-3 minutes per side or until browned before baking.
- Keep the meat warm while it rests. Cover the pork with foil and a few dish towels or pot holders while it rests to retain heat.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is provided as a courtesy and is an estimate. It is recommended to use your preferred calculator with the actual ingredients you use for optimal accuracy.
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