Description

This Slow Cooker Banh Mi Bowls recipe offers a flavorful and easy-to-make twist on the classic Vietnamese sandwich. Tender pork tenderloin is slow-cooked to perfection in a savory-sweet marinade, shredded, and served atop warm brown rice. Accompanied by refreshing pickled carrots and radishes, crisp cucumber, fresh cilantro, and a spicy mayo drizzle, this bowl captures all the delicious and vibrant flavors of traditional Banh Mi in a convenient, family-friendly meal.

Ingredients

Scale

For the Pork and Marinade

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
1/8 teaspoon black pepper
1 – 1 ¼ lb. pork tenderloin, cut into 3 pieces
1-2 small jalapeños, thinly sliced, divided

Pickled Vegetables

1 cup shredded carrots (about 3 ounces)
3 radishes, cut into matchsticks
2/3 cup rice vinegar
2 tablespoons hot water
1 tablespoon cane sugar

To Serve

3 cups cooked brown rice
1 medium English cucumber, thinly sliced (1 heaping cut)
1 cup fresh cilantro leaves, stems removed

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
Optional: Hot sauce (such as sriracha) and lime wedges for serving

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Instructions

Make the marinade and add pork: In the slow cooker, combine coconut aminos, water, rice vinegar, garlic, ginger, fish sauce, salt, and black pepper. Stir well to combine. Add the pork tenderloin pieces, turning them to coat evenly in the marinade. Sprinkle half of the sliced jalapeños on top.
Slow cook the pork: Cover with the slow cooker lid and cook on low heat for 6 hours, until the pork is fully cooked and easily shreds with a fork.
Prepare pickled vegetables: While the pork cooks, mix the shredded carrots and radish matchsticks in a small bowl or jar. Add rice vinegar, hot water, and cane sugar. Stir to dissolve the sugar and cover. Refrigerate until serving. Drain before using.
Make the spicy mayo: In a small bowl, combine mayonnaise, sriracha, and rice vinegar. Adjust the rice vinegar as needed to achieve a drizzly consistency.
Shred pork and toss with cooking liquid: When done, shred the pork directly in the slow cooker with two forks and mix it well with the cooking liquid for added flavor and moisture.
Assemble the bowls: Place ¾ cup cooked brown rice in each of 4 shallow bowls. Divide the shredded pork evenly over the rice (about 3 ounces each). Top with pickled carrots and radishes, sliced cucumbers, fresh cilantro, and the remaining sliced jalapeños. Drizzle about 2 teaspoons of spicy mayo over each bowl. Serve with optional hot sauce and lime wedges if desired.

Notes

This bowl-style take on the traditional Banh Mi sandwich captures the savory-sweet, crispy-tender textures and flavors you love.
Cooking the pork in the slow cooker yields fall-apart tender meat and simplifies meal prep.
Adjust the amount of jalapeños and sriracha to control the spice level to your preference.
Use brown rice for a nutritious base, but white rice or cauliflower rice can also be substituted.
Pickled vegetables can be prepared a day in advance to develop more flavor.

Nutrition

Serving Size: 1 bowl (¼ of recipe)
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