Creamy Danish pork tenderloin stew

A family-friendly freezer meal

Some dinners are worth making a little extra of, and this creamy Danish pork tenderloin stew is one of them.

Tender pieces of pork, mushrooms, carrots, bell peppers, bacon, and little sausages come together in a rich, creamy paprika and tomato sauce. It’s comforting, full of flavour, and a lovely family dinner served over fluffy rice.

In our home, I rarely make just enough for one dinner when I’m cooking something that freezes well. Instead, I make a bigger batch while I’m already in the kitchen.

This recipe is a perfect example. Using two pork tenderloins, I make enough stew for three family dinners. We enjoy one that evening, and the other two go into the freezer for busy days when cooking from scratch isn’t an option.

It’s a simple habit that makes everyday family life a little easier — without spending an entire Sunday meal prepping.

Ingredients

This creamy Danish pork tenderloin stew is made with simple, everyday ingredients that come together to create a rich and comforting family meal.

Pork, bacon and sausages

Pork tenderloin is the heart of this dish. It stays beautifully tender when browned quickly and then gently simmered in the sauce.

Bacon adds a lovely savoury depth, while the little cocktail sausages make the stew especially family-friendly.

Vegetables

Mushrooms, onions, carrots and sweet peppers bring flavour, colour and texture to the stew.

Taking the time to brown the mushrooms and gently cook the onions makes a real difference to the finished dish.

The creamy paprika sauce

Chopped tomatoes, tomato paste and heavy cream create a rich, creamy sauce, while sweet paprika and thyme add warmth and depth.

A little sugar helps balance the acidity of the tomatoes without making the sauce sweet.

To serve

We love serving this stew over fluffy rice, which is perfect for soaking up the creamy sauce.

You’ll find the full ingredient list with exact measurements in the recipe card below.

Instructions

1. Prepare the ingredients

Trim the pork tenderloins and cut them into evenly sized, bite-sized pieces. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper.

Slice the mushrooms and carrots, chop the onions and sweet peppers, and mince the garlic.

2. Sauté the mushrooms

Heat a little olive oil in a large, heavy-bottomed pot over high heat.

Add the mushrooms and cook until they have released their moisture and developed a lovely golden-brown colour.

Transfer them to a bowl and set aside.

3. Sear the pork

Add a little more olive oil to the same pot, keeping the heat high.

Sear the pork pieces in batches until golden brown on the outside. Avoid overcrowding the pot, as this will cause the meat to steam rather than brown.

The pork doesn’t need to be cooked through at this stage — it will finish cooking in the sauce later.

Transfer the pork to a bowl, along with any juices, and set aside.

4. Cook bacon and onions

Add the diced bacon to the pot and cook over medium heat until lightly browned and some of the fat has rendered.

Add the chopped onions and reduce the heat to medium-low. Cook slowly, stirring occasionally, until the onions are soft, golden and naturally sweet.

Take your time with the onions — cooking them gently in the bacon fat adds a lovely depth of flavour to the finished stew.

5. Add garlic and vegetables

Stir in the minced garlic and cook for about 1 minute, until fragrant.

Add the carrots and sweet peppers. Cook for another 3–4 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables begin to soften.

Return the sautéed mushrooms to the pot and stir everything together.

6. Add tomato paste and spices

Add the tomato paste, sweet paprika and dried thyme to the pot.

Stir well and cook for 1–2 minutes over medium heat, allowing the tomato paste to deepen in flavour and the spices to become fragrant.

Keep stirring to prevent the paprika and tomato paste from burning.

7. Add tomatoes and water

Pour in the two cans of chopped tomatoes.

Fill one of the empty tomato cans with water (approximately 400 ml) and add it to the pot. Stir well, scraping the bottom of the pot to release any flavourful browned bits.

Bring the mixture to a gentle simmer and cook for 2–3 minutes, stirring occasionally.

8. Add cream and simmer

Pour in the cream and stir gently until fully combined with the tomato sauce.

Reduce the heat to low and let the sauce simmer gently for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Keep the sauce at a gentle simmer rather than a rolling boil.

9. Add pork and sausages

Return the seared pork to the pot, along with any juices that have collected in the bowl. Add the cocktail sausages and stir gently to combine.

Let the stew simmer gently for about 10 minutes, or until the pork is cooked through. Avoid boiling vigorously, as pork tenderloin can become dry if overcooked.

Add the sugar a little at a time, tasting as you go. The sugar helps balance the acidity of the tomatoes, so you may not need all 3 teaspoons.

Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste.

10. Serve and enjoy

Serve the creamy Danish pork tenderloin stew over fluffy rice.

Enjoy it fresh from the pot, and set aside the remaining stew for easy family dinners on another day.

Freezing and reheating

This recipe for creamy Danish pork tenderloin stew makes enough for three dinners for our family of five (with three small children). We enjoy one portion straight away and freeze the other two for busy days.

After dinner, I divide the leftover stew into two family-sized portions and transfer them to freezer-safe bags. I love using bags because they take up very little space when stored flat.

For food safety, cool the stew promptly before freezing. If your bags are suitable for warm food, you can cool the sealed, flattened bags in cold water before transferring them to the freezer. Otherwise, let the stew cool sufficiently using a food-safe method before filling the bags.

Once frozen, the bags can be stored upright, almost like files in a drawer. It’s a simple way to keep our freezer organised and make homemade dinners easy to find.

Thawing and reheating

For the best results, thaw the creamy Danish pork tenderloin stew overnight in the refrigerator.

Transfer it to a saucepan and reheat gently over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, until piping hot throughout. Add a splash of water or cream if the sauce has become too thick.

Forgot to take dinner out of the freezer? You can also reheat the stew directly from frozen. Remove it from the freezer bag, place it in a saucepan with a splash of water, and heat gently with a lid on. Stir regularly as it thaws, and make sure the entire stew is piping hot before serving.

Cook fresh rice while the stew reheats, and dinner is ready with very little effort.