Crispy Carnitas Taco Bowl Recipe - The Effortless Chic (2024)

This delicious taco bowl recipe combines crispy pulled pork with beans, veggies, rice and so much flavor! It's so easy to make and sure to be a weeknight dinner favorite!

This recipe is part of our 2-for-1 recipe series. The idea is that you cook once, but get two completely different meals out of it. Last week we presented the super easy, flavorful Pulled Pork Stuffed Japanese Potato but it doesn't end there. Now we are going to take that leftover delicious, juicy pork and create something totally different with it. This Crispy Carnitas Taco Bowl recipe is one of my all-time favorite things to make!

This is another fabulous weeknight meal because it’s so so simple. Think Chipotle but better!

How To Make This Taco Bowl Recipe - Step By Step

1. In a large pan heat 1 tablespoon oil over med-high heat. Add carnitas evenly cover the entire pan.

2. Squeeze the half the orange and lime over the meat, do not stir. Leave in pan over med-high heat for 10 minutes or until the liquids begin to dry up, once you see the liquid drying and some brown char happening when you flip the meat.

3. Flip all the meat and spread evenly, squeeze the other half of the orange and cook until the liquid completely absorbs and you see char, around 8-10 minutes.

4. In a second pan white carnitas is charring, heat 1 tablespoon oil in a pan over medium, add onions and peppers, saute for 4-5 minutes.

5. Add mushrooms and garlic, salt and pepper then saute for 3 more minutes.

6. Now build your bowl, put a base of warm cooked rice, black beans, add your sauted peppers and mushrooms and carnitas.

7. Top with your favorite garnish and enjoy.

What Are Carnitas?

Authentic pork carnitas is a Mexican dish made by braising or simmering pork in oil or lard until tender. The process takes three to four hours, and the result is very tender and juicy meat, which is then typically served with chopped coriander leaves (cilantro) and diced onion, salsa, guacamole, tortillas, and refried beans.

Easy Pork Carnitas Taco Bowl

So in our version--Crispy Carnitas Taco Bowls-- we are cheating a bit because we used the crockpot in our last recipe to create pull apart, super tender pork as our base. And hopefully you stored it (or froze it) with all those great juices, that way when we go to brown it, there’s lots of good fat and flavor and will help get a great crisp. We’ll also add a few spices and some citrus which will create that unique flavor that comes with carnitas.

Variations

There’s another bonus to this dish, there are so many other great ways to use this meat. If you have had your fill of rice or want to change up your menu for the week, serve it fajita style with tortillas. Or try these ingredients over a salad with avocado ranch dressing. Maybe create some unique nachos for your Sunday football game, just top these ingredients with some cheese and broil for a few minutes. These ingredients are so flexible.

Top Tips For This Taco Bowl Recipe

• See original recipe for how to cook the pork (in recipe card below)
• Layer your bowl - warm cooked rice first then black beans, sauteed peppers, mushrooms and finally carnitas.
• For a healthier option use cauliflower rice.
• Garnish with a slice of lime, salsa, guacamole, sour cream, or cheese.

Check Out These Other Mexican Inspired Recipes

• 11 Taco Recipes for your Taco Tuesday
• Enchiladas Suizas
• co*cktail Hour || Mexican Vanilla Moscow Mules
• Easy Chicken Chili with Roasted Corn

Have you tried this Taco Bowl recipe? Feel free to leave a star rating and I'd love to hear from you in the comments below!

Photography by Chase Daniel