Description
This Slow Cooker Banh Mi Bowls recipe offers a flavorful and easy way to enjoy the classic Vietnamese sandwich in a bowl form. Tender pork tenderloin is slow-cooked to perfection in a savory-sweet sauce, paired with pickled carrots and radishes, fresh cucumbers, cilantro, and a spicy mayo drizzle. Served over brown rice, this dish combines bright, tangy, and spicy flavors with comforting textures for a delicious and satisfying meal.
Ingredients
Scale
For the Pork and Sauce
- 1/3 cup coconut aminos
- 1/3 cup water
- 2 tablespoons rice vinegar
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 teaspoons grated fresh ginger
- 1 teaspoon fish sauce
- ⅛ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 – 1 ¼ lb. pork tenderloin, cut into 3 pieces
- 1-2 small jalapeños, thinly sliced, divided
For the Pickled Vegetables
- 1 cup shredded carrots (about 3 ounces)
- 3 radishes, cut into matchsticks
- ⅔ cup rice vinegar
- 2 tablespoons hot water
- 1 tablespoon cane sugar
For Serving
- 3 cups cooked brown rice
- 1 medium English cucumber, thinly sliced (about 1 heaping cup)
- 1 cup fresh cilantro leaves, stems removed
- Optional: hot sauce (such as sriracha) and lime wedges
For the Spicy Mayo
- 2 tablespoons mayonnaise
- 1 – 2 teaspoons sriracha or chile-garlic sauce (more or less to taste)
- 2 teaspoons rice vinegar, plus more as needed to get a drizzly consistency
Instructions
- Make the Pork and Sauce: In the slow cooker, combine coconut aminos, water, rice vinegar, minced garlic, grated fresh ginger, fish sauce, salt, and black pepper. Stir to blend all the flavors.
- Add Pork: Place the three pork tenderloin pieces into the slow cooker, turning them to thoroughly coat with the sauce mixture.
- Add Jalapeños: Scatter half of the thinly sliced jalapeños on top of the pork to infuse a mild heat during cooking.
- Cook: Cover the slow cooker and cook on low heat for 6 hours, or until the pork is fully cooked and easily shreds with a fork.
- Prepare Pickled Vegetables: While the pork cooks, combine shredded carrots and radish matchsticks in a small bowl or jar. Pour rice vinegar, hot water, and cane sugar over the vegetables, stirring to combine. Cover and refrigerate until serving time. Drain excess liquid before serving.
- Make Spicy Mayo: In a small bowl, mix mayonnaise, sriracha or chile-garlic sauce, and rice vinegar until smooth and drizzly. Adjust the vinegar amount to achieve desired consistency.
- Shred Pork: When cooked, shred the pork directly in the slow cooker with two forks and toss it well in the cooking liquid for extra flavor.
- Assemble Bowls: Divide cooked brown rice (¾ cup per bowl) into 4 shallow serving bowls. Top each with about 3 ounces of shredded pork, pickled carrots and radishes, sliced cucumber, fresh cilantro leaves, and remaining sliced jalapeños.
- Serve: Drizzle approximately 2 teaspoons of spicy mayo over each bowl. Optionally, add sriracha or lime wedges to taste for an extra kick.
Notes
- This bowl-style take on the classic Banh Mi sandwich incorporates the signature savory, sweet, and tangy flavors with a convenient and comforting format.
- Slow cooking the pork tenderloin makes for unbelievably tender, fall-apart meat that soaks up delicious flavor.
- Adjust the quantity of jalapeños and hot sauce to suit your preferred spice level.
- Pickling the carrots and radishes in advance enhances their crispness and tang.
- Using brown rice adds fiber and nutrition but you can substitute with white rice or cauliflower rice if preferred.
- For a gluten-free meal, ensure your fish sauce and sriracha are gluten-free brands.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 bowl (¼ of the recipe with pork, rice, toppings, and sauce)
- Calories: 443
- Sugar: 7 g
- Sodium: 987 mg
- Fat: 11 g
- Saturated Fat: 3 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 7 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 55 g
- Fiber: 4 g
- Protein: 31 g
- Cholesterol: 70 mg
