Carnitas Bowl with Pinto Beans (Printable)

Tender pork carnitas with rice, beans, salsa, and avocado for a hearty Mexican-inspired meal.

# Required Ingredients:

→ Pork Carnitas

01 - 1.5 lbs boneless pork shoulder, cut into large chunks
02 - 1 tsp salt
03 - 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
04 - 1 tsp ground cumin
05 - 1 tsp dried oregano
06 - 1/2 tsp smoked paprika
07 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
08 - 1/2 onion, chopped
09 - 1 orange, juiced
10 - 1 lime, juiced
11 - 1 cup low-sodium chicken broth

→ Rice

12 - 1 cup long-grain white rice
13 - 2 cups water
14 - 1/2 tsp salt

→ Pinto Beans

15 - 1 can (15 oz) pinto beans, drained and rinsed
16 - 1/4 tsp ground cumin
17 - 1/4 tsp chili powder
18 - 1/4 cup water

→ Toppings

19 - 1 cup fresh tomato salsa
20 - 1 large ripe avocado, sliced
21 - 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
22 - 1 lime, cut into wedges

# Directions:

01 - In a slow cooker, combine pork shoulder, salt, pepper, cumin, oregano, smoked paprika, minced garlic, chopped onion, orange juice, lime juice, and chicken broth. Cover and cook on low for 8 hours or on high for 4 hours until pork is very tender. Shred pork with two forks. For crispy edges, transfer shredded pork to a baking sheet and broil for 5-7 minutes until browned.
02 - Rinse rice under cold water until water runs clear. In a medium saucepan, combine rice, water, and salt. Bring to a boil, then cover, reduce heat to low, and simmer for 15 minutes. Remove from heat and let stand, covered, for 5 minutes. Fluff with a fork.
03 - In a small saucepan, combine pinto beans, cumin, chili powder, and water. Simmer over medium heat for 5-7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until heated through.
04 - Divide rice evenly among four bowls. Top with pinto beans, carnitas, salsa, avocado slices, and cilantro. Serve with lime wedges on the side.

# Expert Suggestions:

01 -
  • The pork practically melts in your mouth without any fancy technique, just patience and a slow cooker doing the heavy lifting.
  • You can prep everything ahead and assemble bowls in minutes, perfect for those days when you want restaurant-quality food at home.
  • It's naturally gluten-free and feels indulgent while actually being reasonably balanced nutrition-wise.
02 -
  • Don't skip the citrus juices thinking they're optional, because that acid is doing the actual work of tenderizing the pork and creating the flavor, not just the slow cooking.
  • Rinsing the canned beans matters more than you'd think, removing the sodium and starchy liquid that would make your bowl taste flat and heavy.
03 -
  • Rendering the pork fat in a heavy skillet for five minutes after shredding gives you those coveted crispy edges without the broiler, and you can use that fat for cooking other things.
  • Make your salsa and prep your toppings while the pork is cooking so assembly is genuinely just five minutes of actual work.
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