Think of this recipe as a picnic in a bowl to be enjoyed any time of the year. When my family gathers for our annual summer family picnic, we tend to gravitate toward BBQ and all the fixins’, including pickles and this tangy cilantro-lime coleslaw. I wanted to capture all those delicious flavors together in one simple pulled pork bowls recipe, and it’s just as good as I imagined it would be.
This recipe was created in partnership with the Minnesota Pork Board.
Recipe Highlights
- Great for serving a lot of people – this recipe makes a lot of food, so it’s a good choice if you need to feed a lot of people or want plenty of leftovers for meal prep lunches. It was a perfect choice when one of my daughters had friends over recently and it easily fed 2 adults and 7 teen girls, who all loved it.
- Multiple food groups in one recipe – I always appreciate a recipe like this one that provides grains, veggies, and meat all in one serving. I find that I don’t need to make any other side dishes, as everyone is satisfied with one rice bowl.
- Super flavorful – the tender BBQ shredded pork is the star for me. It takes on the flavor of the BBQ sauce and tastes so good and comforting, while also providing 39 grams of protein per bowl. Next, the cilantro-lime coleslaw makes a crisp and bright companion to the sweet-salty pork, which all comes together with a base of cooked rice and garnishes of pickles and green onions.
Main Ingredients To Gather
This isn’t the full list of ingredients you’ll need, but just some notes I wanted to share about the main ones:
- Pork shoulder roast – a boneless pork shoulder roast, which is sometimes labeled Boston Butt, pork butt roast, or a boneless pork loin roast, is the best pork for this slow cooking method because of its larger cut and fat content.
- BBQ sauce – the BBQ sauce is one of the dominant flavors in this recipe, so pick one that you really like. I like the Trader Joe’s Organic Kansas City-Style BBQ Sauce because it’s nice and thick, with a pleasant smoky flavor. Plus it’s not too spicy for kids or those with sensitive palates. To reduce total carbs and added sugars, I recommend using this unsweetened BBQ sauce or my date-sweetened BBQ sauce recipe.
- Cooked rice – rice makes the base of these bowls and it can be prepped up to 2 days ahead of time. I make a big batch of this Instant Pot brown rice or cooked jasmine rice. I’ve even made these bowls with cooked quinoa. And for someone interested in a lower-carb version, sub in store-bought or homemade cauliflower rice.
- Coleslaw ingredients – I love the bright and tangy flavors of the limey coleslaw that goes into these bowls. It can be made up to 2 days in advance for quick assembly. But in a pinch, any prepared coleslaw would work, even a fully prepared slaw from the grocery store.
Equipment Needed
One thing that’s so nice this recipe is how simply it comes together. It doesn’t take any speciality equipment to make them:
- Slow Cooker – use any large crockpot. I like this one that has a timer and warm setting so I can serve the pulled pork directly from it.
- Forks or meat shredders – these meat shredders make quick work of shredded the pork directly in the slow cooker. Or, just use two forks.
- Shallow bowls – I serve this pork recipe in shallow, wide bowls, which makes for a nice presentation and it’s also easy to get each component on the dish, creating the perfect bite with each forkful
Spotlight On: Pork Shoulder
When slow cooking pork, a pork shoulder is my go-to pick. However, you could use a boneless pork leg roast, bone-in pork rib roast, or a boneless pork loin roast, I’ve found these end up with more flavor and juice when compared to pork chops or pork tenderloin, which are better for quick-cooking methods like sheet pan pork tenderloin or grilled pork chops.
If your family is as into pork main dishes as mine is, try some of my other healthy pork shoulder recipes like crockpot pork roast, smoked pork butt, slow cooker carnitas, and pork and sauerkraut.
Assemble The Rice Bowls
This is a great recipe for a party or casual weeknight get together because I can set the individual ingredients out and let my guests serve themselves. When I’m making this recipe for more than just my immediate family, I make an extra batch of rice.
I direct everyone to start by putting rice into their bowls, then add the pulled pork, then top with the slaw. At the end of the assembly line, I place small bowls of bread-and-butter pickles or dill pickles, green onions, and jalapeños, plus a few bottles of different BBQ sauces. It’s fun to see how everyone assembles their BBQ burrito bowl a little differently, making it just right for their preferences.
Other ingredients that would be great additions:
- Diced roasted sweet potatoes
- Cooked and crumbled bacon
- Cooked black beans or pinto beans
- Pickled red onions
- Sour cream
How To Meal Prep This Recipe
I make this recipe for meal prep lunches because it stores well and tastes so good. I enjoy it chilled or at room temperature (I actually like it both ways).
My teenage daughters, on the other hand, roll the leftover pork, rice, and slaw in a tortilla to make a delicious BBQ wrap. It kind of like a taco version of a pulled pork sandwich.
Storing And Reheating
Store leftover shredded pork and rice in separate airtight containers in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Store the slaw in a separate container for up to 2 days.
I like to reheat the shredded pork in a large skillet on the stovetop, adding a little more BBQ sauce to soften it up again. For crispy pork, spread the leftover shredded pork on a baking sheet. Then, drizzle it with a little broth or BBQ sauce, and bake it in a 400-degree oven for 6-8 minutes until it’s crispy at the edges.
Reheat leftover rice in the microwave.
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Slow Cooker Pulled Pork Bowls Recipe
This recipe is like a picnic in a bowl that you can enjoy any time of the year. Tender pulled pork sits atop cooked rice and is served with a tangy, bright slaw, pickles, and BBQ sauce for a delicious and satisfying meal all in one bowl.
Ingredients
For the Shredded Pork:
- 1 small yellow onion, thinly sliced (about 1 heaping cup)
- 2 ½ – 3 lb. boneless pork shoulder or Boston butt, patted dry
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 ½ cups (12 ounces) BBQ sauce of choice
- ¼ cup apple cider vinegar
- Fine salt and black pepper to taste
For the Slaw:
- 1 (10-12-ounce) bag coleslaw mix (about 4 cups)
- 3 green onions, thinly sliced (reserve 2 tablespoons green parts for garnish)
- ½ cup chopped fresh cilantro leaves
- 3 tablespoons fresh lime juice (1 large lime)
- 2 tablespoons avocado oil or olive oil
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- 2 teaspoons pure honey
- ½ teaspoon ground cumin
- ¼ – ½ teaspoon fine salt, or to taste
- Pinch of chipotle powder or cayenne pepper (optional)
For the Bowls:
- 6 cups cooked rice (from 2 cups uncooked)
- Reserved sliced green onions
- Pickles or jalapeño slices
- Additional BBQ sauce for drizzling
Instructions
- Place the sliced onion in the bottom of a 6- or 8-quart slow cooker.
- Remove netting from the pork shoulder roast, if there is one. Place the pork roast on top of the onions.
- Sprinkle the garlic over the pork and pour the BBQ sauce over the pork. Pour the vinegar around the pork so it mixes with the onions in the bottom.
- Place the lid on the slow cooker and cook on LOW for 8-10 hours.
- Using two forks or meat shredders, shred the pork directly in the slow cooker, mixing it with the juices. Taste and season with salt and pepper as desired. If serving right away, replace the lid and set to the Warm setting for up to 2 hours before serving.
- While the pork is cooking, prepare the slaw: In a medium bowl, combine the coleslaw mix, green onions, cilantro, lime juice, oil, vinegar, honey, cumin, salt, and chipotle pepper, if using. Mix well and refrigerate until ready to serve.
- To assemble: to each serving bowl, add ½ to ¾ cup rice, ⅓ to ½ cup slaw, and ½ to ¾ cup of the shredded pork. Drizzle with additional BBQ sauce. Garnish with pickles and sliced green onions.
- Store leftover shredded pork, rice, and slaw in separate airtight containers in the refrigerator for 2 days (slaw) or up to 4 days (pork and rice).
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Notes
When starting with a ~3-lb pork roast, this recipe makes 6 cups pulled pork, 4 cups slaw, and 6 cups cooked rice. It’s enough to make 8 large servings, 10 medium-size servings, or 12 small servings (which are still super satisfying, in my opinion).
The slaw is best when it’s made the same day you’ll be eating it. But you can prep the dressing ahead by combining the lime juice, oil, vinegar, honey, cumin, and salt in a small jar and refrigerate for up to 4 days. Toss with the slaw, green onions, and cilantro just before serving.
Nutrition Information
- Serving Size: ⅛ of the recipe (¾ cup cooked rice + ¾ cup pork + ½ cup slaw)
- Calories: 423
- Fat: 10 g
- (Sat Fat: 3 g)
- Sodium: 634 mg
- Carbohydrate: 40 g
- (Fiber: 3 g
- Sugar: 8 g)
- Protein: 39 g
- Cholesterol: 108 mg
Dietary
The photos in this post were taken by Megan McKeehan.
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