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About This Recipe
Want an amazing, flavorful, easy to throw together lunch or dinner? These Crockpot Cuban-Style Pulled Pork Bowls are perfect answer and for good reason! Made with tender and juicy pork, fluffy yellow rice, black beans, air fried plantains and avocado, these bowls are so easy to throw together and make a delicious meal.
Plus, I love how customizable these bowls are. Some of my favorite meals are ones where you can easily adjust the ingredients to what you have on hand or what you’re feeling that day. You can adjust any of the ingredients based on your taste or dietary preferences, add extra protein to meet your macro goals, or pile on your favorite toppings!
Have leftover pork? Easily throw it in a taco shell or make my tasty Cuban Pork Sandwich! There are so many yummy options and I promise the whole family will love this easy pork recipe.
Looking for more easy meals for meal prep? Try my Pork Carnitas Burrito Bowls, Buffalo Chicken Rice Bowls or Salsa Verde Meal Prep Bowls.
Why You’ll Love These Slow Cooker Pulled Pork Bowls
- Easy to assemble. Prep all ingredients in advance and add to a bowl when ready to eat!
- Made with the MOST TENDER, juicy flavorful pork! Serious comfort food right here!
- Perfect for meal prep! Also, easy to change up the ingredients based off your cravings or to fit your macro goals.
- A macro-balanced, protein-packed meal. A great option for healthy dinners or quick lunches!
- So versatile! Use this pork in bowls, sandwiches, salads, tacos and more!
- Pork loin roast
- Lime
- Orange
- Garlic
- Seasonings: dried oregano, salt, cumin, black pepper. bay leaves
- Instant Pot Yellow Rice – you can also use store-bought yellow rice (to save time), brown rice or white rice for these bowls
- Black beans – I used seasoned black beans for a little extra flavor
- Radishes
- Plantains
- Avocado
- Use pork tenderloin. If you want to make this cuban pork a little leaner, opt for pork tenderloin (like in my Pork Carnitas).
- Skip the rice. Want to make these pork rice bowls lower carb? Skip the rice or use my cilantro lime cauliflower rice instead.
- Extra toppings. Add lettuce, fresh tomatoes, pickled red onions, sweet corn, fresh pineapple or any other fresh veggies or fruit you love!
- Cheese. Love cheese? Sprinkle some queso fresco or monterey jack cheese on top.
- Sauce. These bowls are delicious on their own but you can also add my Cilantro Lime Sauce or Avocado Lime Ranch for even more flavor!
How To Make
The full printable recipe is below, but let me walk you through the process so you know what to expect when you’re making it!
1. Place the pork loin roast in the Crock Pot then add the lime juice, orange juice, olive oil, garlic and all the seasonings. Rub all over the pork then cover and cook on high for 4 hours or low 7-8 hours.
2. Pork should be easily shreddable when done. If not, break into smaller parts and cook a little longer. Shred the pork using two forks and toss around in the juices. Cover and cook for another 30 minutes so the pork can absorb all the juices.
3. Meanwhile go ahead and prepare your yellow rice and plantains. Cook yellow rice in the Instant Pot or according to package directions. To air fry the plantains, peel and slice then spray with olive oil spray. Air fry at 400F for 10-12 minutes, flipping halfway through.
4. Assemble! Makes 6 bowls. Each bowl: 1/2 cup packed cuban pork (100g), 1/3 cup yellow rice (56g), 1/4 cup seasoned black beans. Top with the chopped radishes and plantains, plus avocado and cilantro if desired, and enjoy!
Helpful Tips!
- Let your pork marinate. If time allows, let your pork loin marinate for 1 hour before cooking (or up to overnight). Just place pork in a large bowl (or Ziploc) bag with juices and seasonings then dump everything into the crockpot (or Instant Pot) when ready to start cooking.
- Broil pork. For even more flavor, add the shredded pork to a lined baking dish and broil for ~5 minutes (or until crispy but not burnt) or fry up in a skillet with some cooking spray over high heat before serving. This TOTALLY magnifies the flavor and makes a little crispy but is totally optional.
- Freeze for later. This pork freezes great so I love making a big batch and freezing half for later. You can use leftover pulled pork for a last minute quick bowl or sandwich!
What’s the difference between pork loin and pork tenderloin?
Although similar, pork tenderloin and pork loin are different in a variety of ways. Pork loin (what I used in this recipe), is typically cheaper and has a higher fat content. Pork tenderloin (like in my Pork Carnitas) is a leaner cut of pork that is typically used in dishes to keep the fat down. I personally love both and you can use whichever you prefer.
Can I cook this cuban pork recipe in the Instant Pot?
Yes, to cook in the Instant Pot cut the pork loin into 3-4 smaller pieces. Spray Instant Pot with cooking spray and add all your ingredients. Cook on high pressure for 80 minutes. Let the pressure naturally release then shred with two forks.
What are plantains?
Plantains are a tropical, starchy fruit (similar to bananas) that are very common in Cuban dishes. Although they look similar to a banana, they are not as soft or sweet which makes them ideal for dishes like these cuban pork bowls. I absolutely love including plantains in this dish for an authentic taste but if you can’t find any plantains or want to sub for something else you can. I recommend replacing with roasted Yukon potatoes or sweet potatoes.
Can I freeze this cuban pork recipe?
Yes, this recipe is great for meal prepping in bulk. To freeze, let pork cool to room temperature. Add pork to a freeze size plastic bag or portion into smaller size sandwich bags (for easy thawing)!. Press bag flat, squeeze out excess air to prevent freezer burn. Seal, label and freeze for up to 3 months.
Did you make this? If you snap a photo, please be sure leave a review, tag me on Instagram or TikTok at @LaurenFitFoodie or hashtag #LaurenFitFoodie so I can see your creations!
Crockpot Cuban-Style Mojo Pulled Pork Bowls
Ingredients
Pork:
- 2 lb. pork loin roast
- 1/2 cup lime juice from ~5 limes
- 1/2 cup orange juice from ~2 oranges
- 1/2 Tbsp olive oil
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- 2 tsp dried oregano
- 1.5 tsp each salt & cumin
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
- 2 bay leaves
For the bowls:
- 2 cups cooked yellow rice (340g)
- 15- oz. can seasoned black beans
- 3 small radishes chopped
- 1 ripe plantain peeled and diagonally sliced 1/2 inch thick
- 1 ripe avocado diced (optional)
- 1/4 cup fresh cilantro chopped (optional)
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Instructions
- Place the pork loin roast in the Crock Pot then add the lime juice, orange juice, olive oil, garlic and all the seasonings. Rub all over the pork then cover and cook on high for 4 hours or low 7-8 hours. Pork should be easily shreddable when done. If not, break into smaller parts and cook a little longer.
- Shred the pork using two forks and toss around in the juices. Cover and cook for another 30 minutes so the pork can absorb all the juices.
- Meanwhile go ahead and prepare your yellow rice and plantains. Cook yellow rice in the Instant Pot or according to package directions. To air fry the plantains, peel and slice then spray with olive oil spray. Air fry at 400F for 10-12 minutes, flipping halfway through.
- Assemble! Makes 6 bowls. Each bowl: 1/2 cup packed cuban pork (100g), 1/3 cup yellow rice (56g), 1/4 cup seasoned black beans. Top with the chopped radishes and plantains, plus avocado and cilantro if desired, and enjoy!
Notes
Nutrition Information
Nutrition is hand-calculated and accurate. No autocalulations! However, note that values can vary based on the brands you use and if you substitute ingredients.
