Make these Slow Cooker Carnitas Burrito Bowls with tender, slow-cooked pork carnitas, bright Mexican street corn salad, cilantro-lime rice, and all your favorite toppings. These bowls are ideal for meal prep, weeknight dinners, or casual entertaining — they combine savory, tangy, and fresh flavors in one satisfying dish.
Best Burrito Bowl!
These carnitas burrito bowls are a popular meal-prep favorite. They combine several simple components that come together to create a balanced, flavorful bowl: slow cooker carnitas, cilantro-lime rice, and a fresh street corn salad. Each element can be made ahead and assembled when you’re ready to eat, making this recipe perfect for busy schedules.
Bowl recipes are versatile — mix and match the toppings and components to suit dietary preferences, swap grains, or make a low-carb version with cauliflower rice. Below are the main components and guidance for assembling and storing these burrito bowls.
Components of the bowl
- Slow Cooker Carnitas
- Cilantro Lime Rice
- Street Corn Salad
Let’s Talk — Carnitas
Slow cooking pork shoulder yields tender, juicy carnitas with a rich, spiced crust. The technique is straightforward: a flavorful dry rub, a quick sear to develop color, long, slow braising with aromatics and a splash of orange for brightness, then shredding and finishing under high heat so the edges crisp. The result is tender inside and slightly crispy on the outside — perfect for bowls, tacos, or burritos.
Key components for the carnitas:
- Pork shoulder: a well-marbled cut that benefits from low-and-slow cooking.
- Spices: garlic powder, chipotle powder, chili powder, and warm notes like cinnamon and oregano for depth.
- Olive oil: used for searing to build flavor on the exterior.
- Onion and garlic: aromatics that infuse the meat as it cooks.
- Broth and orange juice: liquid to braise the meat and add tenderizing and bright citrus notes.
How to Cook Carnitas
Basic steps to make the carnitas:
- Make a dry rub and coat the pork.
- Sear the pork in hot oil until browned on all sides.
- Place pork in the slow cooker with onions, garlic, broth, and orange juice; cook low and slow until very tender.
- Shred the pork and toss with cooking juices.
- Spread shredded pork on a baking sheet and broil or bake at high heat briefly to crisp the edges.
This method produces tender, flavorful carnitas that reheat well for meal prep.
Try it!
Slow Cooker Carnitas
Slow-cooked until tender, then finished at high heat to get crisp edges — the classic carnitas technique for maximum flavor and texture.
Cilantro Lime Rice
Cilantro lime rice is a simple, fragrant side that pairs perfectly with carnitas. Made with cooked long-grain rice, fresh cilantro, lime juice, and a touch of garlic seasoning, it’s bright and herb-forward without being heavy.
Basic ingredients to prepare this rice:
- Long-grain white or brown rice
- Water
- Fresh cilantro, chopped
- Garlic powder
- Sea salt and fresh lime juice
Want to make this low-carb?
Swap the rice for cauliflower rice for the same cilantro-lime flavors with fewer carbs and calories. Lightly sauté or steam the cauliflower rice, then fold in cilantro, lime, and seasonings.
Try it!
Cilantro Lime Rice
A simple, flavorful rice that makes a great base for any burrito bowl.
Mexican Street Corn Salad
Mexican street corn salad adds freshness and texture to the bowl. It’s traditionally a mix of sweet corn, lime juice, cilantro, onion, and cotija cheese with a touch of spice. In this bowl, the salad provides a bright contrast to the rich carnitas.
Simplified ingredients for the corn salad:
- Corn (fresh, grilled, or canned and drained)
- Lime juice
- Apple cider vinegar
- Fresh cilantro
- Red onion
- Cotija cheese
- Paprika and salt & pepper
Other Burrito Bowl Ingredients & Toppings
After you prepare the three main components, assemble the bowls. You can build bowls immediately or portion components into meal-prep containers for later. Typical extras and toppings include:
- Black beans
- Romaine lettuce or mixed greens
- Cotija cheese or shredded cheese
- Greek yogurt or sour cream as a creamy topping
- Fresh lime wedges and extra cilantro
Storage
Store the components separately in airtight containers for the best texture: keep the carnitas, rice, and corn salad in separate containers. Assembled bowls can be refrigerated for up to 5 days. Reheat the carnitas and rice, then add the corn salad and fresh toppings just before serving to maintain freshness.
More of our favorite burrito bowl ideas:
Burrito Bowl Recipes
- Instant Pot Burrito Bowls
- Chipotle-style Chicken Burrito Bowls
- Tofu Quinoa Burrito Bowls
- Chicken Burrito Bowl Casserole
Slow Cooker Carnitas Burrito Bowls
Summary: Delicious, healthy Slow Cooker Carnitas Burrito Bowls made with slow-cooked carnitas, Mexican street corn salad, and cilantro lime rice.
By: Lee Funke
Prep: 30 mins Cook: 8 hrs Total: 8 hrs 30 mins Servings: 8
Ingredients
Pork Carnitas
- 1 tablespoon garlic powder
- 1.5 teaspoons chipotle powder
- ½ tablespoon brown sugar
- ½ tablespoon chili powder
- ½ teaspoon ground oregano
- ½ teaspoon paprika
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2–3 pound pork shoulder
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 medium white onion, chopped
- 5 cloves garlic, minced
- ½ cup broth (any kind)
- ¼ cup orange juice
- Fresh lime juice and cilantro, for serving
Cilantro Lime Rice
- 2 cups uncooked long-grain white rice
- 4 cups water
- ½ cup fresh cilantro, chopped (not packed)
- ⅓ cup fresh lime juice
- 2 teaspoons garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon sea salt
Corn Salad
- 1 (15 oz) can yellow sweet corn, drained and rinsed (or fresh/grilled corn)
- 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
- ½ tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
- 1/3 cup minced red onion
- 1/3 cup crumbled cotija cheese
- ½ teaspoon paprika
- Salt and pepper, to taste
Other Bowl Ingredients
- 1 (15 oz) can black beans, drained and rinsed
- 8 cups chopped romaine lettuce
- Lime wedges, for serving
- Optional: Greek yogurt or sour cream
Instructions
Pork Carnitas
- Combine all dry rub spices in a small bowl and set aside.
- Rub the spice mix all over the pork shoulder and let rest 10–15 minutes.
- Place chopped onion, garlic, and broth in the slow cooker and set to high.
- Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat with olive oil. Sear the pork 3–4 minutes per side until browned.
- Transfer pork to the slow cooker, pour orange juice over the meat, cover, and cook on high for 7–8 hours or until the pork falls apart easily.
- Preheat the oven to 450°F. Remove pork from the slow cooker and shred using two forks; toss with the cooking juices.
- Spread shredded pork on a baking sheet and bake for 5–7 minutes to crisp the edges. Finish with a squeeze of lime and chopped cilantro.
Cilantro Lime Rice
- In a medium pot, combine rice and water and bring to a rolling boil over medium-high heat.
- Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer 35–40 minutes, or until water is absorbed, stirring halfway through.
- Transfer rice to a bowl and cool in the fridge for about 30 minutes.
- Stir in chopped cilantro, lime juice, garlic powder, and sea salt once cooled. Adjust seasoning to taste.
Corn Salad
- Combine corn, lime juice, apple cider vinegar, cilantro, red onion, cotija cheese, paprika, salt, and pepper in a mixing bowl and toss to combine. Chill until ready to serve.
Assemble Bowls
- Layer about 1 heaping cup chopped romaine at the bottom of each bowl.
- Add approximately 4 oz carnitas, 3/4 cup cilantro-lime rice, 1/2 cup street corn salad, and 1/4 cup black beans on top of the lettuce.
- Garnish with lime wedges, extra cilantro, cotija cheese, and a dollop of Greek yogurt or sour cream if desired.
Tips & Notes
- Instant Pot option: To speed up the process, you can make carnitas in an electric pressure cooker. Sear the pork on the sauté setting, add aromatics and liquid, seal, and cook on high pressure for about 60–90 minutes depending on size. Natural or quick release methods can be used per your appliance instructions. Shred and crisp as directed.
- Allow the rice to cool before mixing in the cilantro and lime to avoid steam wilting the herbs.
- Store components separately for best texture: carnitas, rice, and salad keep longer when not assembled together. Reheat meat and rice, add corn salad fresh.
Nutrition
Approximate per serving: Calories: 700 kcal, Carbohydrates: 84 g, Protein: 39 g, Fat: 31 g, Fiber: 11 g, Sugar: 6 g. Nutrition information is an estimate and should be used as a guide.
Photography by: The Wooden Skillet