Crock Pot Pineapple Pork Burrito Bowl

Tender slow cooker pork with sweet pineapple and smoky bacon served over rice with all your favorite burrito bowl toppings. Perfect for meal prep, naturally gluten-free.

Prep20 min
Cook8 hr
Total8 hr 20 min
Yield8 servings

12 Sep 2016

Ingredients

For the Pork:

4 slices thick-cut bacon
3 lbs boneless pork roast
20 oz pineapple chunks (canned, use juice from can)
¼ cup gluten-free tamari sauce (use soy sauce if not gluten-free)
2 cloves garlic (minced)
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon ground black pepper

For the Rice:

2 cups white rice (short grain or jasmine)
4 cups chicken broth or water (check broth to make sure it is gluten-free)
½ teaspoon kosher salt

For Sautéed Vegetables:

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 cup red bell pepper (sliced into strips)
1 cup green bell pepper (sliced into strips)
1 cup yellow onion (sliced)

For Serving:

2 cups avocados (sliced (about 2-3 avocados)
¼ cup fresh cilantro (chopped)
1 cup fresh pineapple (cut into wedges or chunks)

A Crock Pot Pineapple Pork Burrito Bowl filled with white rice, sliced avocado, pineapple, shredded cooked pork, and sautéed red and green bell peppers, garnished with chopped herbs. A colorful napkin and gold utensils are beside the bowl.

This crock pot pineapple pork burrito bowl is one of those recipes I make on repeat for meal prep. You throw everything in the slow cooker in the morning, and by dinner you have tender, flavorful pork with pineapple that’s perfect for burrito bowls. The combination of sweet pineapple, smoky bacon, and garlic makes the whole house smell amazing.

I love this recipe because it’s so versatile. You can meal prep the pork for the week and build different bowls each day, or serve it for a group and let everyone customize their own. The pork stays moist and tender in the slow cooker, and the prep work is minimal. Just add rice, sautéed peppers and onions, avocado, and fresh pineapple for a complete meal.

Why You’ll Love this Recipe

Perfect for meal prep. Make the pork once and eat it all week in different ways. The flavors actually get better after a day or two in the fridge, so you can prep it on Sunday and have easy dinners ready to go.
Sweet and savory in the best way. The pineapple and bacon combination sounds weird until you try it, then you get it. The sweetness from the pineapple balances the smoky bacon and garlic perfectly, and the tamari adds that savory depth.
Everyone can build their own bowl. Some people want extra avocado, some want more peppers, some skip the rice entirely. I love recipes where everyone at the table can make it exactly how they want it.

Ingredient Notes

Pork roast: Use a boneless pork shoulder or pork butt for this recipe. These cuts have enough fat to stay moist during the long cooking time. Pork tenderloin is too lean and will dry out in the slow cooker, so save that for quicker cooking methods.
Thick-cut bacon: The bacon goes on the bottom of the slow cooker and adds smoky flavor to the pork as it cooks. Regular bacon works, but thick-cut holds up better and gives you more of that bacon flavor throughout the pork.
Canned pineapple chunks: Use the juice from the can too. That pineapple juice is what makes the pork tender and adds sweetness to the sauce. Fresh pineapple works if you prefer, but you’ll need to add some pineapple juice or orange juice for the liquid.
Tamari sauce: This is just gluten-free soy sauce. If you’re not gluten-free, regular soy sauce works perfectly. The tamari adds that savory, umami depth that balances out the sweetness from the pineapple.
Rice for the bowls: White rice is classic, but brown rice or cauliflower rice work great too. I usually make extra rice so I have it ready for quick lunches during the week.
Toppings: The sautéed peppers and onions add flavor and texture, but you can skip them if you’re short on time. The avocado is non-negotiable in my house though.

Tip

Use two forks to shred the pork directly in the slow cooker. This way the meat soaks up all the pineapple and bacon juices instead of losing them. Once it’s shredded, let it sit in the sauce for 10-15 minutes on warm so it absorbs all that flavor.

Crock Pot Pineapple Pork Burrito Bowls (GF, DF) - Zimeb

Recipe FAQs

Can I use fresh pineapple instead of canned?

Yes, just make sure to add 1/2 cup of pineapple juice or orange juice to replace the liquid from the can. The pork needs that liquid to stay moist and tender as it cooks.

What if I don’t have tamari?

Regular soy sauce works perfectly if you’re not gluten-free. They’re basically the same thing, tamari is just the gluten-free version.

Expert Tips

Use pork shoulder or pork butt, not tenderloin. These cuts have enough fat to stay moist during the long cooking time. Pork tenderloin is too lean and will dry out in the slow cooker, leaving you with tough, stringy meat.
Don’t skip the bacon. I know it seems like an extra step, but the bacon on the bottom prevents sticking and adds so much smoky flavor to the pork. As it renders, the fat keeps everything moist and the flavor infuses into every bite.
Save some pineapple for topping. The pineapple chunks that cook with the pork get soft and caramelized. I like to use fresh pineapple wedges as a topping so you get both textures – the cooked sweetness mixed in and the fresh, bright pineapple on top.

A Crock Pot Pineapple Pork Burrito Bowl features white rice topped with sliced avocado, grilled pineapple, shredded pork, sautéed red and green bell peppers, and fresh herbs, served on a striped napkin with two forks nearby.

Storage Instructions

Refrigerator: Store the shredded pork in an airtight container with some of the cooking liquid for up to 5 days. Store the rice, sautéed vegetables, and toppings separately so everything stays fresh.

Freezer: Freeze the pork with some of the cooking liquid in airtight containers or freezer bags for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating. Don’t freeze the assembled bowls or the toppings.

Reheating: Warm the pork on the stovetop over medium heat with a splash of water or broth, or microwave for 2-3 minutes. Reheat the rice separately and assemble fresh bowls with your toppings.

Make Ahead: This is perfect for meal prep. Cook the pork on Sunday, portion it out with the cooking liquid, and keep the rice and toppings ready in the fridge. You can build fresh bowls all week in just a few minutes.

Serving Suggestions

Serve these burrito bowls with Homemade Baked Tortilla Chips , 4-Ingredient Guacamole , and Mango Salsa . The crispy chips are perfect for scooping up extra pork and toppings, the creamy guacamole balances the sweet-savory flavors, and the mango salsa adds tropical brightness that complements the pineapple without being repetitive.

More gluten-free meals to try

All Dinners

Did you make this recipe?

I’d love to know! Please rate it and leave a comment below. You can also share your pictures and tag @adashofmegnut on Instagram.

Method

Prep the Slow Cooker:

1
Layer the bacon. Place 4 slices thick-cut bacon in the bottom of your slow cooker. This creates a barrier to prevent sticking and adds smoky flavor to the pork as it cooks.
2
Add the pork. Place 3 lbs boneless pork roast directly on top of the bacon in the slow cooker.
3
Make the cooking liquid. Pour 20 oz pineapple chunks with all the juice over the pork. Add ¼ cup gluten-free tamari sauce, 2 cloves garlic, 1 teaspoon kosher salt, and 1 teaspoon ground black pepper. Use a spoon to stir the liquid around the pork (you don't need to flip the pork, just make sure the liquid ingredients are mixed together).

Cook the Pork:

4
Slow cook. Cover the slow cooker with the lid. Cook on LOW for 6-8 hours or on HIGH for 4-5 hours. The pork is done when it shreds easily with a fork.
5
Baste halfway through. About halfway through the cooking time, use a spoon to scoop up some of the pineapple chunks and juice from the bottom and spoon it over the top of the pork. This keeps the pork moist and flavorful.
6
Shred the pork. When the pork is tender, use two forks to shred it directly in the slow cooker. Mix the shredded pork with the pineapple chunks and cooking liquid. Let it sit in the slow cooker on the warm setting for 10-15 minutes so the pork absorbs more of the flavorful liquid.

Make the Rice:

7
Cook the rice. While the pork is cooking (or during the last hour), add 2 cups white rice, 4 cups chicken broth or water, and ½ teaspoon kosher salt to a medium pot. Bring to a boil over high heat.
8
Simmer the rice. Once boiling, cover the pot with a tight-fitting lid and reduce the heat to low. Let the rice simmer for 15-20 minutes without lifting the lid. The rice is done when all the liquid has been absorbed and the rice is tender.
9
Fluff and set aside. Remove from heat, fluff the rice with a fork, and set aside until you're ready to assemble the bowls.

Sauté the Vegetables:

10
Cook the peppers and onions. Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add 1 cup red bell pepper, 1 cup green bell pepper, and 1 cup yellow onion. Sauté for 7-10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are softened and slightly caramelized around the edges.

Assemble the Burrito Bowls:

11
Build your bowls. Divide the rice among serving bowls. Top each bowl with a generous portion of the shredded pork (with some of the pineapple chunks from the slow cooker), sautéed peppers and onions, 1 cup fresh pineapple, 2 cups avocados, and ¼ cup fresh cilantro. Spoon a little extra cooking liquid from the slow cooker over the pork if desired for extra flavor.