Slow Cooker Pork Banh Mi Bowls with Pickled Vegetables

Sweet yet spicy pulled pork, quick pickled vegetables and hearty brown rice is my new favorite summer combo – Slow Cooker Pork Banh Mi Bowls with Pickled Vegetables. With bright flavors, you don’t even need to turn on the oven to enjoy this satisfying meal! 

I’ve only had Banh Mi a few times, but those meals were certainly memorable. If you haven’t had it before, Banh Mi is a French-Vietnamese sandwich that’s traditionally served on a hearty, crusty bread, such as a baguette. It’s piled high with meat, pickled veggies, and cool cucumber to offset the spice.

I tried this version from Gina’s Skinny Taste earlier this summer and instantly fell in love. The sweet and spicy pulled pork is wonderful, but for me, it’s the quick pickled vegetables I can’t get enough of. I was also all about the juxtaposition of the hot pork and cold veggies. So good!

I did tweak Gina’s recipe a bit, but not significantly. The changes I made were:

• More meat! I doubled the meat in this recipe because I prefer having leftovers, it just wasn’t enough for my family.
• Adding a little water to the sauce. After reading the comments, I was concerned that there wouldn’t be enough sauce left. I added 1/2 c. water which gave me a decent amount of sauce. Feel free to adjust up or down based on whether your slow cooker runs hotter or cooler, or if you’ll have the slow cooker on for longer than 6 hours.
• Pickling more veggies! In the original recipe, only the carrots were pickled. I pickle the carrots, cabbage and jalapeno because I love the flavor.

I’ll also put in a plug – while Gina has her recipe online, I originally found it in her cookbook, Skinny Taste Fast & Slow, which features healthy meals that either cook up super quickly, or are quickly prepped and tossed in the slow cooker. I’ve made several recipes from it and have enjoyed all of them. If you’re looking for a new cookbook to add to your Christmas list, check this one out.

Recipe Notes

• This recipe is pretty forgiving and easy to customize to taste. My husband isn’t a fan of pickled veggies and is pretty picky with vegetables in general, so I made only enough pickled veggies for myself – and let him put cold shredded carrots on his. He also prefers a bit more rice in his dish, while I’ll usually use a bit less than what’s below in my own. You can’t go wrong.
• I usually prep the pickled veggie the night before, draining them, and keeping them in the fridge to make serving easier the night I serve this. It’s easy to do the night of, but I make them when I’m already in the kitchen prepping something else.

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Slow Cooker Pork Banh Mi Bowls with Pickled Vegetables

Sweet yet spicy pulled pork, quick pickled vegetables and hearty brown rice is my new favorite summer combo - Slow Cooker Pork Banh Mi Bowls with Pickled Vegetables. With bright flavors, you don't even need to turn on the oven to enjoy this satisfying meal! 

Course Drinks

Cuisine Asian-Inspired

Prep Time 15 minutes

Cook Time 6 hours

Total Time 6 hours 15 minutes

Servings 6

Author Liz

Ingredients

Ingredients for the Pork:

• 1/2 c. low-sodium soy sauce
• 2 Tbs. light brown sugar
• 1 Tbs. minced garlic
• 2 fresh jalapenos sliced
• 1/2 c. water
• 2 lbs. pork tenderloin
• 1 tsp. kosher salt
• 1/2 tsp. black pepper

Ingredients for the Pickled Veggies:

• 1 c. distilled white vinegar
• 3/4 c. granulated sugar
• 1/2 tsp. kosher salt
• 2 c. shredded carrots
• 2 c. shredded red cabbage
• 2 jalapeno sliced

Ingredients for the Bowls

• 4 c. cooked brown rice
• 1 c. sliced cucumber
• 1/2 c. fresh cilantro leaves chopped

Instructions

Make the Shredded Pork:

1. Add soy sauce, brown sugar, garlic, jalapeno, and water to the bowl of the slow cooker. Whisk to combine. Add pork tenderloin and sprinkle with salt and pepper.

2. Cook on low for 6 hours. Transfer to a cutting board or plate to shred. Return to slow cooker and serve with sauce.

Make the Pickled Veggies:

1. Combine all ingredients in a glass bowl. Allow to sit for 30 minutes, Stirring or shaking every so often.

2. Drain liquid and cover, storing in the fridge until ready to serve.

Assemble Bowls and Serve:

1. Place 2/3 cup rice in a bowl. Top with pork, sauce, pickled veggies, cold cucumber and cilantro. Serve.

Don’t forget to check out the rest of the Farmer’s Market Week Recipes that went live today
Wednesday Farmer’s Market Week Recipes

• Basil Pesto Salad Dressing by The Spiffy Cookie
• Charred Endive Salad by Culinary Adventures with Camilla
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• Fresh Cherry Crisp by The Freshman Cook
• Garlic Broccoli Slaw by Cindy’s Recipes and Writings
• Hawaiian Chicken Kabobs by A Kitchen Hoor’s Adventures
• Lemon Meltaway Cookies by Family Around the Table
• Mixed Berry Cobbler by The Redhead Baker
• Old Fashioned Fruit Cobbler by Tip Garden
• Pink Peony Jelly by Daily Dish Recipes
• Slow Cooker Pork Banh Mi Bowls with Pickled Vegetables by Books n’ Cooks (above)
• Summer Vegetable Pasta Bake by Kate’s Recipe Box
• Tequila Salsa by Our Good Life
• Watermelon and Tomato Gazpacho by Cookaholic Wife