Simple Orange Pork Rice Bowls
This sweet and spicy orange ground pork bowl is a satisfying meal prep option made in under 30 minutes! The ground pork mixture is so simple but packed full of flavor from this sauce made with orange juice, shoyu, rice vinegar, coco aminos, red pepper flakes, garlic and ginger. The crunchy veggies are sautéed in the ground pork fat and then deglazed with the orange sauce. It’s so good you’ll want to eat it right out of the hot skillet! This will be a crowd pleaser with anyone in your family and usually there won’t be any leftovers.
Shop 100% pasture-raised, grass fed & finished Ground Pork with no corn or soy
Cooking Variations
Not feeling Ground Pork? Mix and match with your favorite ground meat to keep this a unique weekly dish. This recipe is a great base and works well with ground beef, ground bison and ground chicken.
How to choose fresh oranges? When shopping for sweeter navel oranges, look at the peel color. The deeper the orange peel, the sweeter the fruit will be, as it’s more mature.
Optional orange zest: Using the zest depends on the oranges. The longer oranges sit, the skin can develop a more bitter taste and this bitterness can be tasted in the sauce. So it’s best to use fresh oranges if you’re planning on adding zest to the recipe.
Spice level: A little bit of spice goes a long way as you don't want to overpower the ground pork. If you love spiciness though, add as much as you like!
Pick your sweetness: The sauce mixture has just the right amount of sweetness; however, add more or less depending on your taste.
Simple Orange Pork Rice Bowls
Prep time: 5 minutes
Cook time: 20-25 minutes
Total time: 30 minutes
Serves: 2-3
Ingredients
Meat Mixture
1 lb Ground Pork or ground meat of choice
1 tsp pork lard or fat of choice
1 tbsp arrowroot powder
Orange Sauce
¼ cup fresh orange juice (1-2 navel oranges) + optional pinch of orange zest
¼ cup shoyu or coconut aminos
2 tsp toasted sesame oil
1 tbsp brown sugar
4 - 6 garlic cloves, grated
1 inch fresh ginger, grated
1 tbsp coco aminos
1 tbsp rice vinegar
½ - 1 tsp red pepper flakes (pick your spice level)
Veggies
½ small red onion, diced (1 inch pieces)
1 small zucchini, diced (½ inch pieces)
1 small red bell pepper, diced (1 inch pieces)
Serve: white rice, gem lettuce, cauliflower rice
Instructions1. In a small bowl, combine all sauce ingredients (orange juice, shoyu, sesame oil, brown sugar, garlic cloves, ginger, coco aminos, rice vinegar and red pepper flakes). Whisk together and set aside.
2. In a large cast iron skillet over medium-high heat add pork lard. Once the skillet is hot, add the ground pork. Break up the ground pork as it starts to cook and turn brown. Continue cooking until there’s no pink remaining, about 8 to 10 minutes. After the meat is cooked, place in a bowl and set aside.
3. Then add in the diced onions, zucchini and bell peppers. Sauté for about 5 to 8 minutes or until veggies are starting to become browned and caramelized.
4. Turn down the heat to medium and add the cooked ground pork back into the skillet over the veggies and sprinkle the arrowroot powder. Mix until well combined.
5. Whisk the sauce before pouring it over the meat mixture and give it a good stir to fully coat. Cook for about 2 to 3 minutes, until the sauce starts to thicken and bubble, while seeping into the mixture.
6. Serve hot over white rice with a side of gem lettuce cups for some crunch.
7. Store mixture in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days.