Carnitas Burrito Bowl (Print version)

Slow-cooked pork over fluffy rice with beans, corn, lettuce, salsa, and lime crema for a vibrant Mexican-inspired meal.

# What You'll Need:

→ Carnitas

01 - 1.5 lbs pork shoulder, trimmed and cut into large chunks
02 - 1 tsp salt
03 - 0.5 tsp black pepper
04 - 1 tsp ground cumin
05 - 1 tsp dried oregano
06 - 0.5 tsp smoked paprika
07 - 0.5 tsp chili powder
08 - 0.5 cup orange juice
09 - 0.25 cup lime juice
10 - 4 cloves garlic, minced
11 - 1 medium onion, quartered

→ Rice

12 - 1 cup long-grain white rice
13 - 2 cups water
14 - 0.5 tsp salt

→ Bowl Components

15 - 1 can (15 oz) black beans, drained and rinsed
16 - 1 cup corn kernels, fresh or frozen
17 - 2 cups shredded romaine lettuce
18 - 1 cup fresh tomato salsa

→ Lime Crema

19 - 0.5 cup sour cream
20 - 2 tbsp fresh lime juice
21 - 0.5 tsp lime zest
22 - Pinch of salt

→ Garnish

23 - 0.25 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
24 - Lime wedges

# How to Make:

01 - Combine pork shoulder, salt, pepper, cumin, oregano, paprika, chili powder, orange juice, lime juice, garlic, and onion in a slow cooker. Toss to coat evenly. Cover and cook on low for 7 to 8 hours or on high for 3 to 4 hours until pork is fork-tender and easily shreds.
02 - Remove cooked pork from slow cooker and shred with two forks. For enhanced texture and caramelized edges, transfer shredded pork to a hot skillet or under a broiler and cook for 3 to 5 minutes until golden brown.
03 - Rinse rice under cold running water. Bring water and salt to a boil in a saucepan. Add rice, reduce heat to low, cover with a lid, and simmer for 15 minutes until water is absorbed. Remove from heat and let stand covered for 5 minutes, then fluff with a fork.
04 - Whisk together sour cream, lime juice, lime zest, and salt in a small bowl until smooth and well combined. Refrigerate until ready to serve.
05 - Divide cooked rice evenly among four serving bowls. Layer each bowl with black beans, corn, lettuce, and salsa. Top with generous portions of shredded carnitas. Drizzle each bowl with lime crema and garnish with fresh cilantro and lime wedges.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • The pork practically falls apart after hours in the slow cooker, making this feel way more impressive than the minimal effort required.
  • It's naturally gluten-free and comes together as a complete, satisfying meal in one bowl with zero guilt about balance.
  • You can prep the carnitas days ahead, which means dinner stress basically disappears when you need it most.
02 -
  • Shredding the pork immediately after cooking while it's still warm makes the process infinitely easier—wait too long and it firms up again.
  • Don't skip the citrus juices thinking you can substitute with vinegar; the orange juice especially adds a subtle sweetness that balances the spices in a way vinegar simply can't replicate.
03 -
  • Toast your spices gently in a dry skillet for 30 seconds before adding them to the slow cooker—this wakes them up and deepens their flavor without adding any extra effort.
  • Save a cup of the carnitas cooking liquid before shredding the pork; it's liquid gold for reheating and adds another layer of flavor if you want to drizzle it over individual bowls.
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