Pork Tenderloin Enchiladas with Mole Verde

Name: Pork Tenderloin Enchiladas with Mole Verde
Cook time: 90 min
Ingredients: 2 pounds pork tenderloin (either 1 large or 2 smaller tenderloins); 5 garlic cloves (minced or pressed); 3 tablespoons finely chopped fresh sage (or 1 tablespoon dried); 1 teaspoon kosher or coarse sea salt (or to taste); 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper; 6 tablespoons olive oil (divided); 1 pound tomatillos (husked, scrubbed and rinsed); 2 garlic cloves (peeled); 2 serrano or jalapeño chiles (or to taste); 3/4 cup raw hulled pumpkin seeds; 1/2 teaspoon kosher or coarse sea salt (or to taste); 1/2 cup coarsely chopped white onion; 3 romaine lettuce leaves (rinsed, dried and torn into pieces); 1 1/2 cups cilantro leaves (and upper part of stems); 1 cup parsley leaves (and upper part of stems); 2 tablespoons canola or safflower oil; 1 1/2 cups meat juices from cooked tenderloin (or substitute chicken broth or water); 12 corn tortillas; Radish Pico (for garnish)

Enchiladas de Lomito de Cerdo con Mole Verde

Recipe Yield

6 servings

Cooking time

1 hour 30 minutes

Rate this recipe

4.75 from 8 votes

Ingredients

For the Pork Tenderloin:

2 pounds pork tenderloin either 1 large or 2 smaller tenderloins
5 garlic cloves minced or pressed
3 tablespoons finely chopped fresh sage or 1 tablespoon dried
1 teaspoon kosher or coarse sea salt or to taste
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
6 tablespoons olive oil divided

For the Mole Verde:

1 pound tomatillos husked, scrubbed and rinsed
2 garlic cloves peeled
2 serrano or jalapeño chiles or to taste
3/4 cup raw hulled pumpkin seeds
1/2 teaspoon kosher or coarse sea salt or to taste
1/2 cup coarsely chopped white onion
3 romaine lettuce leaves rinsed, dried and torn into pieces
1 1/2 cups cilantro leaves and upper part of stems
1 cup parsley leaves and upper part of stems
2 tablespoons canola or safflower oil
1 1/2 cups meat juices from cooked tenderloin or substitute chicken broth or water

To Assemble and Serve:

12 corn tortillas
Radish Pico for garnish

To Prepare

To prepare the tenderloin:

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit.
Using a sharp knife, make an approximately 1/4-inch deep slit down the length of the tenderloin(s), from one end to the other.
In a small bowl, mix the garlic with the sage, salt, pepper and 4 tablespoons of the olive oil. And spread this seasoning paste all over the meat, including inside of the slit.
Tie the meat with kitchen twine, or if you have two smaller pork tenderloin pieces, tie them together one on top of the other. To tie, cut a long string of kitchen twine and wrap it around the meat at one end, about 1-inch from the end. Tie a knot leaving two long ends, and with the remaining string, criss-cross over and around the meat down the length of the meat. Wrap around one more time at the other end and tie another knot. (Though no marinating time is necessary, you may cover and refrigerate for up to 24 hours in advance.)
Heat a large, ovenproof casserole or a deep, 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat. Add the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Once hot, add the tenderloin and brown on all sides, about 6 minutes total.
If you used a skillet to brown the meat, transfer it to an ovenproof casserole or baking dish. Add 3 cups of water and place in the oven. Roast for 30 minutes, or until the meat is cooked through and the internal temperature reads 150 to 160 degrees Fahrenheit. Remove from the oven.
When cool enough to handle, place the meat on a chopping board and cover with aluminum foil to keep warm. Pour the meat juices into a measuring cup and set aside.

To make the mole verde:

Place the tomatillos, garlic and chiles in a medium saucepan, cover with water and bring to a simmer over medium-high heat. Simmer for 10 to 12 minutes, until the ingredients are completely cooked through and soft, and the color of the tomatillos has changed from light or bright green to olive.
Meanwhile, heat a small skillet over medium-low heat. Add the pumpkin seeds and toast, stirring often, until you hear popping sounds, like popcorn, and they begin to brown lightly, about 3 to 4 minutes. Take care not to burn them. Immediately transfer to a bowl or plate and set aside.
Drain the tomatillos, garlic and chiles and place in a blender (add only one chile at first). Add the salt and puree until smooth. Then add the toasted pumpkin seeds, onion, lettuce, cilantro and parsley to the blender and puree until completely smooth. Taste and blend in the second chile if desired.
Heat the canola or safflower oil in a casserole or heavy soup pot over medium heat. When the oil is hot, add the puree and stir well, being careful as this sauce really likes to jump around; use your lid as a shield. Stir in 1 1/2 cups of the meat juices (or broth or water) and bring to a simmer, cover partially and simmer for 15 to 20 minutes. Stir every 4 to 5 minutes, to prevent the sauce from sticking to the bottom.
If the sauce appears to be cooking too fast and sticking, reduce the heat to low and continue to simmer until very thick. It should coat the back of a wooden spoon heavily. Taste and adjust salt. Turn off heat and keep covered.

To assemble the enchiladas:

Slice and dice, or coarsely chop, the cooked pork tenderloin. If the meat is cold, you may place it back in the casserole after you dice it with any remaining meat juices and heat through over low heat.
Prepare the tortillas for the enchiladas, either heating them on an already heated comal or skillet set over medium heat, or “passing" them through hot oil.
If necessary, reheat the mole verde. One by one, dip a tortilla into the mole verde and place on a plate or chopping board. Place about 1/4 cup of diced meat in the middle and roll into a chubby enchilada. Then place it seam side down on a serving platter. Continue with the rest of the tortillas. Pour the remaining mole verde on top. Garnish with the radish pico and serve.

Comments

70comments inPork Tenderloin Enchiladas with Mole Verde

Steven

Oct 20

Pati, I want to serve these at a dinner party. would these do well assembled and kept warm in the oven for about an hour until ready to serve? Of course I would wait to add the extra mole and radishes until just before serving.

1. Pati Jinich
  
  Nov 02
  
  They would, just make sure to have them at the lowest temperature possible and cover tightly with foil 🙂 Enjoy!
  
  1. John M
    
    Nov 11
    
    Is there a substitute for pumpkin seeds, for some reason I can’t stand them? Don’t know why. I like other nuts and seeds. The recipe looks really tasty.
    
    1. Pati Jinich
      
      Nov 25
      
      I think you could try sunflower seeds John, I have never done it, but I think it could be a good idea!
      
Sharon R.

Sep 17

What is in the radish salad?

1. Pati Jinich
  
  Sep 20
  
  It is a radish pico with cilantro, chiles and lime juice, here is the full recipe for you Sharon 🙂 https://patijinich.com/radish-pico/
  
J. Randall BrownI.......

Aug 04

I’m can’t wait to try this recipe, I just now watched the Creat episode on how to make this green sauce, roasted pork loin enchiladas with radishes on top. O-boy-o boy….I love enchiladas but this will be a new flavor combination for me.
Thank you, Pati….
……….

1. Pati Jinich
  
  Sep 04
  
  My pleasure! Let me know how you liked them 🙂
  
Dr. Nikki Kendall, ND

Oct 25

Making this recipe tonight. I would love to see a video on the correct way to do the tortillas for this, I am totally a visual learner. Fingers crossed!

1. Pati Jinich
  
  Oct 26
  
  Hey Nikki, I do have a video of these enchiladas in which you can see how I quick fry the tortillas before rolling them, it is here https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GSgVBZ7nnxg&t=7s Enjoy!
  
Charlie

Jun 06

These are awesome! I wanted to eat the pork all by itself – I did some. I have a question about your recipes in general. I did the asparagus tacos earlier and noticed then that the sauce quantities are more than I or my wife need to go with the dishes. I think we have at least 3 to 4 cups of this mole left now. Are the sauces this big all the time? I will find more uses for them because they taste great. Thanks.

1. Pati Jinich
  
  Jun 13
  
  So glad you liked this recipe Charlie, and you are right, we Mexicans love our sauces! By all means use this mole on top of chicken or even beef you can serve with a side of rice or beans. Enjoy!
  
Paula

May 15

What a great recipe. One of the best things I’ve cooked lately. Love your show, and have made several recipes. I was skeptical about cooking pork in water, but it really works. Delicious. Thanks

1. Pati Jinich
  
  May 17
  
  My pleasure Paula, so glad you enjoyed these enchiladas 🙂
  
Yesi

May 11

I made the mole verde for my bothers in law and they loved it. (btw, my first time meeting them and they visited us). (:
This is my first time that I made it, and my husband and I were so impressed of how delicious and simple to make. Just I followed the steps you mentioned in the recipe.

Thank you for sharing

1. Pati Jinich
  
  May 15
  
  Thanks to you Yesi, so happy the guys were impressed. Un abrazo!
  
Ivonne

Sep 05

I will love a video please

1. Pati Jinich
  
  Sep 27
  
  I have it! You can watch it here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GSgVBZ7nnxg Enjoy!
  
Mares

Jun 10

Why am I turning on oven?????
It doesn’t say to put meat in oven?? I’m confused

1. Pati Jinich
  
  Jun 10
  
  The pork is browned in a skillet on the stove top and the it finishes cooking in the oven Mares 😉
  
Joel Clark

Sep 26

Great recipe! I love your use of tomatillos.
I may add a little Oaxaca cheese on top next time. Hard for me to think about Mexican dishes without cheese.

Love your show and all the great recipes!

1. Pati Jinich
  
  Sep 28
  
  Thanks Joel, Oaxaca cheese will be great in this recipe, enjoy!
  
Fran

Nov 23

I love all of your recipe’s. …I wish I was younger and not handicapped so I could cook more often. …are you going to make a new cookbook in the near future? Love you, your family , your shows and cookbooks. ..I also wish you would make dvd’s of yor shows available. . Thank you for all the great food.

1. Pati Jinich
  
  Nov 25
  
  I’m working on a new book now, Fran! Sending you a hug!
  
Raccoon

Aug 10

thank you for teaching me how to use tomatillos

1. Pati Jinich
  
  Aug 12
  
  Oh I’m so happy to, Raccoon.
  
Kerrie

Jun 12

What would be a good side to serve with these enchiladas?

1. Pati Jinich
  
  Jun 19
  
  Hmm…depends if you want something like rice or a salad or a vegetable…here are some ideas: http://patijinich.com/pati_2020/white-beans-with-roasted-cherry-tomatoes/ http://patijinich.com/pati_2020/everyday-green-salad/ http://patijinich.com/pati_2020/tamaras-fresh-from-the-garden-green-rice/
  
Daisy Ortega

Jun 10

Hola Paty, esta receta se lee riquisíma. La haré esta misma semana.

1. Pati Jinich
  
  Jun 17
  
  Gracias, Daisy!
  
Becky

Mar 24

We had this with friends and it was fabulous. We will be making it again. We were wondering why we add the three lettuce leaves to the Mole? What does it do for the recipe? Thanks for sharing your great recipes with us.

1. Pati Jinich
  
  Mar 29
  
  It adds to the color and flavor. And I’m so glad you enjoyed it, Becky!
  
Lois

Mar 14

I’ve been trying to print a few recipes and getting an error message. Maybe there is a problem with the links on your website? Thanks.

1. Pati Jinich
  
  Mar 19
  
  Thanks for letting me know, Lois. We were updating the site, but it is fixed now 🙂
  
Jeff A

Jun 03

This mole verde is fabulous. I don’t eat meat, so I made the mole , poached shrimp in it, and served it over rice. FABULOUS.

1. Pati
  
  Jun 05
  
  Jeff, I’m so glad you loved the sauce!
  
Nancy

Feb 12

I would like to get your tamales that you made on your show this afternoon . I’m certainly going to make this pork tenderloin enchiladas as well as your chicken enchiladas . And thank you for your carnitas recipe too .

1. Pati
  
  Feb 13
  
  I hope you like the enchiladas, Nancy! Do you remember what the show was about…and I’ll post the tamal recipe 🙂
  
wendy

Jul 03

i am looking for tamalie casserole

1. Pati
  
  Jul 06
  
  Wendy, here it is: http://patijinich.com/pati_2020/recipe/meaty-tamal-casserole/
  
Angelica

May 17

Hola Paty!! Me puse a preparar la receta de las enchiladas y a mi familia les encanto, tenia un poco de duda porque el lomo es una carne un poco seca, pero en esta receta quedo delicisioso!!

1. Pati
  
  May 19
  
  Super!
  
Lidia

May 06

Gracias patio me encanta la comida Mexicana

1. Pati
  
  May 08
  
  Super!
  
Nicole

Apr 29

Hi Pati! Just saw the show this morning so excited to make these and the gaspacho for my friends dinner tonight! Thank you for the insparation.

1. Pati
  
  May 01
  
  Nicole I hope you and your friends love it!
  
Yvonne

Apr 28

Pati quiero agradecerle por esta receta! La acabo de hacer y me encanto! Nomas le heche un poco mas de chile serrano para que estuviera mas picosita la salsa.
Thank you so much for all your recipes yo y mi niña vemos el show todo el tiempo
Keep up the great work on showing all the delicious recipes from our country:)

1. Pati
  
  Apr 28
  
  Muchas gracias Yvonne!
  
Karen

Apr 21

Can you provide me a link to a video showing you tying your meat? I haven’t heard of this exact technique before and it sounds much easier than the way I’m doing it.

1. Pati
  
  Apr 21
  
  I don’t have a video up of that yet…I will try to post one soon.
  
Shelly

Apr 08

Pati,
I just made your Mole Verde sauce. I will be making chicken enchiladas tomorrow night and since I had no pork in the house, I thought it would be great with chicken… Trying to get a jump on my Sunday dinner while the boys are out of the house; don’t worry, they always help with the prep and cooking tomorrow!! Thank you for sharing your lovely recipes and family with us. You are a joy!

1. Pati
  
  Apr 10
  
  Thank YOU Shelly. I hope you and your boys enjoyed your Sunday dinner!
  
Glenda

Apr 03

Pati, do you cover the pork while it is roasting in the oven? Making it right now. Smells fantastic.

1. Pati
  
  Apr 07
  
  Glenda, I recommend you use a casserole or baking dish to roast it. Hope you enjoy!
  
Miguel

Mar 12

Hi Pati, I made the enchiladas for dinner tonight. Total success. Thank you! I did mess up the amount of juice on the mole but still the enchiladas were very tasty. Now my family want me to make one of your recipes every Sunday 🙂

1. Pati
  
  Mar 13
  
  So glad to hear they were a success Miguel!
  
catheleen

Feb 11

Ms. Pati today im making this recipe for my daughter and favorite grandson. In the comments below, you said to heat on comal-which i have. if i remember the episode you and your son was helping you by passing them thru oil and then on paper towels which is what ive always done in order for the sauce to adhere better. now im confused as to what method- the pork is browning as i type this– help Also a lot of times im in a quandry as what to serve as side dishes. It would be truly helpful if you would suggest sides. In the episode that showed you and your family sitting down on a Sunday, I had a brief glance of white rice on the plate. What kind of preparation was in it. thank you

1. Pati
  
  Feb 23
  
  Hi Catheleen, You can prep the tortillas either way…heating them on an already heated comal…or “passing” them through hot oil. There are so many great side dishes that would go with these enchiladas…any rice or veggie…pick your favorite!
  
Leonie

Feb 04

First, I have to say thank you very much, muchas gracias, merci beaucoup for mentioning heating the tortillas in a hot pan (or comal) before filling and rolling! l have been making enchiladas for years, and never found the most effective method for warming the tortillas. My mother-in-law said dredge them in warm oil, but I didn’t like the oiliness. I saw a street vendor dredging her tortillas in the sauce, but no matter how fast I worked, they got soggy, and the enchiladas stuck together when I scooped them from the dish. I used your hot pan method tonight, and they did not stick, they did not split, and they had the nice lightly chewy texture of a fresh corn tortilla. I am so happy you shared that tip!

Second, we LOVED the pork. I too served them like tacos, and the sauce with the sage flavor of the pork was wonderful. I had a lot of sauce leftover, so I reheated it with some pan drippings from a baked chicken & some jalapeño pepper sauce and used it to make chicken enchiladas with Monterey Jack cheese. They were a hit! As I made them, I also thought how the parsley flavor would also go well with seafood enchiladas, so I plan to try that next time.

Sorry for such a long post, but I was excited. Thanks again! We really enjoy your recipes. 🙂

Leonie in Texas

1. Pati
  
  Feb 06
  
  Yay! Your chicken enchiladas sound delicious…I am so glad they were a hit 🙂
  
Heather Taubel

Jan 25

Fantastic Pati!! Wow!! I will cook my pork loins like this every time. I’ve never browned it before baking and man does it ever make a difference. The sage really makes it! We ate these like Mexican tacos with Monterey Jack cheese topped with the mole sauce and fresh lime juice on each one. Absolutely fantastic!! So glad I tried this recipe. You make it look so easy and I wasn’t sure I could do it, but I did!! It was a huge hit! Thanks for sharing the recipe ?

1. Pati
  
  Jan 26
  
  Heather, I’m so happy you tried them and liked them!
  
Charlotte

Dec 07

I notice that you don’t bake your enchiladas after preparing them. Is this a culinary choice on your part, or is it a more traditional method? Could I prep the enchiladas, bake them a bit (maybe with some queso fresco) and then eat? Would it make the enchiladas a little more sturdy, or no? Thanks for your great recipes and whatever help you can offer. I’m excited to try these!

1. Pati
  
  Dec 13
  
  It depends on the enchilada! Some I do bake. The secret to making all enchiladas sturdy is preparing the tortilla by heating them on a comal or pan for about 30 seconds on each side before stuffing =)
  
  1. Barbie_Dahl
    
    Jan 06
    
    What is a comal?
    
  2. Barbie_Dahl
    
    Jan 06
    
    What is a comal?
    
    1. Pati
      
      Jan 14
      
      Here you go http://patijinich.com/pati_2020/2009/08/comal/
      
  3. Barbie_Dahl
    
    Jan 06
    
    Also, I’m cooking this tonight for dinner. What side would you serve with this?
    What about a dessert?
    
    1. Pati
      
      Jan 14
      
      So many choices! Rice, beans or potatoes work lovely.
      
  4. Barbie_Dahl
    
    Jan 06
    
    Also, I’m cooking this tonight for dinner. What side would you serve with this?
    What about a dessert?

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