Pork Al Pastor Rice Bowls with Fajita Veggies and Cilantro Lime Rice

These pork al pastor bowls are a fun and fresh twist on the classic taco, swapping tortillas for a bed of cilantro lime rice. Quick-cooking ground pork is seasoned with a sweet heat and served over rice, then loaded with fajita-spiced peppers and onions, Monterey Jack cheese and a homemade pico de gallo. A drizzle of spicy crema and sweet, charred pineapple complete the dish.

Perfect for a weeknight dinner, these bowls are packed with flavor and texture. The combination of savory pork, tangy pico, creamy cheese and smoky pineapple will make this a new family favorite.

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Ingredients

3 tablespoon Sour CreamView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

1 unit OnionView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

1 unit Long Green PepperView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

1 tablespoon Fajita Spice BlendView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

1 teaspoon Chili PowderView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

0.25 cup Monterey Jack CheeseView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

10 ounce Ground PorkView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

1 unit TomatoView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

1 unit LimeView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

0.75 cup Jasmine RiceView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

0.25 ounce CilantroView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

4 ounce PineappleView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

1 teaspoon Hot SauceView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

1 tablespoon (tbsp) ButterView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

2 teaspoon (tsp) Cooking OilView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

teaspoon (tsp) SaltView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

teaspoon (tsp) Black PepperView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

Instructions

1. Wash and dry produce. Zest and quarter lime. Drain pineapple over a small bowl, reserving juice. Pat pineapple dry with paper towels.
2. In a small pot, combine rice, 1¼ cups water (2¼ cups for 4 servings) and a big pinch of salt. Bring to a boil, then cover and reduce to a low simmer. Cook until rice is tender, 15-18 minutes. Keep covered off heat until ready to serve.
3. While rice cooks, dice tomato. Halve, peel and thinly slice onion; mince a few slices until you have 2 TBSP (4 TBSP for 4 servings). Roughly chop cilantro. Halve, core and thinly slice green pepper into strips. In a second small bowl, combine tomato, minced onion, half the cilantro and a big squeeze of lime juice to taste. Season with salt and pepper.
4. Heat a large, dry pan over medium-high heat. Add pineapple; cook, stirring occasionally, until lightly charred, 3-5 minutes. Transfer to a plate. Heat a drizzle of oil in same pan over medium-high heat. Add sliced onion and green pepper; cook, stirring occasionally, until charred and softened, 7-9 minutes. Add half the Fajita Spice Blend (you’ll use the rest in the next step) and a splash of water; cook, stirring, until fragrant and water has evaporated, 1-2 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Turn off heat; transfer to plate with pineapple. Wipe out pan. TIP: Tent with foil to keep warm.
5. Heat a drizzle of oil in same pan over medium-high heat. Once pan is hot, add pork; cook, breaking up meat into pieces, until browned and cooked through, 4-6 minutes. Add chili powder, remaining Fajita Spice Blend, reserved pineapple juice and a big pinch of salt. Cook, stirring, until pork is coated and sauce has reduced, 1-2 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in a big squeeze of lime juice. In a third small bowl, combine sour cream and hot sauce to taste. Add water 1 tsp at a time until mixture reaches a drizzling consistency. Season with salt and pepper.
6. Fluff rice with a fork; stir in lime zest, remaining cilantro and 1 TBSP butter (2 TBSP for 4 servings). Season with salt and pepper. Divide rice between bowls; top with pork, pineapple and veggies and pico de gallo. Sprinkle with Monterey Jack. Drizzle with spicy crema. Serve with remaining lime wedges on the side.

Recipe Tips

FAQ

Can I use ground chicken or turkey instead of pork?

Yes, ground chicken or turkey can be substituted for the pork. Cook until no longer pink and adjust seasoning as needed.

How do I make the spicy crema less spicy?

Start with a smaller amount of hot sauce and taste as you go. You can also omit the hot sauce entirely for a mild crema.

Can I prepare any components ahead of time?

Yes, you can cook the rice and prepare the pico de gallo up to a day in advance. Store them separately in the refrigerator.