Spinach Stuffed Pork Loin Recipe: Super Moist & Full of Flavor

I needed something new to cook, something different than my normal and they’d had bags of spinach at Aldi for 39 cents so I went a little overboard (apparently, no, we don’t need 4 bags, even if they are super cheap) so I decided to make Spinach Stuffed Pork Loin.

Now, aside from a turkey or a tortilla wrap, this was my first stuffing experiment. Of course, it’s not really stuffing as rolling, at least in this recipe. It’s more like rolling for the most part. However you do it, it tasted wonderful!

Jump to the Recipe

I’ve seen the photographs of the absolutely gorgeous -and perfect- stuffed pork loin. I’m just not in a place where I can do it yet. I’m guessing it takes years of practice or some inborn talent that I just do not possess. I felt like it didn’t turn out too bad looking, so perhaps with a little more practice I could get this stuffing thing down. We shall see.

Tips for this Recipe

You’ll notice that I use (and suggest using) a dutch oven in this recipe, it’s not required. I like that it completely seals the heat and moisture in with the lid. You can use a casserole dish or cast iron skillet if you’d like, you’ll just have to cover it securely when you remove it from the oven, with either a fitting lid or tin foil.

If you don’t have bakers twine, you could probably pin it together with toothpicks. I didn’t try it.

Side Dishes

One of the things I hate doing is coming up with what to cook for dinner. Seriously. I will spend far more time than is necessary stressing about it.- think hours, lots of them. So the fact that one side was already in this dish was great for me. One less thing to worry about!

For our dinner that particular night, we had corn on the cob. Due to the ‘sauce’ that comes off of the pork loin while it cooks, I will definitely do rice or mashed potatoes in with it in the future.

If you haven’t tried them (or even if you have), coriander carrots would be fantastic with this dish as well. The recipe is super simple to make and it has made a few little ones decide carrots weren’t so bad after all, which is impressive for the two that tried it were very picky eaters and not vegetable fans at all.

Optional Additions

You are welcome, of course, to make any changes that you’d like to make. If you are a cheese lover, I recommend adding some mozzarella. Other similar recipes also suggest adding cilantro, which would be fantastic if Chief Zookeeper liked cilantro. Either way, add them in just before you stuff your pork loin.

Spinach Stuffed Pork Loin Recipe

A 3 pound pork loin can quite easily feed 4-6 people. Depending on the size of the slices and second helpings.

Ingredients:

• 3 lb pork loin
• 8-10 oz fresh spinach
• 1/2 chopped onion
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1/3 cup dry bread crumbs (for gluten free, use gluten free bread crumbs)
• 2 tbsp ketchup
• 1/4 cup orange juice
• 2 tbsp teriyaki sauce
• 1/2 tsp ground  cumin
• butchers twine

Directions:

1. Trim the fat back off the pork loin. You’ll want to leave some for the juiciness but for the most part you won’t want to eat it.
2. Butterfly the pork loin. If you aren’t familiar with that term, it basically means cut it almost in half leaving just enough that you can open the pork up like a book.
3. Pre-heat oven to 500 degrees.
4. Saute onion til barely starts to brown. If you are using fresh garlic, add it with the onion. Add spinach (and garlic if using minced garlic from a bottle) and bread crumbs, cook until spinach is done. Set aside and let cool enough that you can handle it without burning yourself.
5. In a separate bowl, mix together ketchup, orange juice, teriyaki sauce, and cumin. Set aside.
6. When the mixture is cool, spoon on one side of the ‘book of’ pork loin.
7. Fold over the other side and secure with bakers twine.
8. Place spinach stuffed pork loin in a dutch oven. If you don’t have a dutch oven, you could use another dish as long as it’s oven safe and has a heat safe lid.
9. Pour sauce over the pork loin.
10. Bake uncovered for 5.5 minutes per pounds. SO, if you are doing a 3 pound loin, bake for 16.5 minutes.
11. Do NOT open the oven after that 16.5 minutes. Just turn it off.
12. Leave in the oven for 45 minutes-1 hour.
13. Remove from oven, cover and let rest for 10 minutes.
14. Cut off strings, slice and serve.

I’d absolutely love to hear what you think, tips, recipe modifications and so forth!