This Pineapple Pork Rice Bowl recipe is a fun, easy, and delicious meal that’s perfect for busy nights or any time you want a flavorful dish. With its perfect balance of savory pork, sweet pineapple, and fluffy rice, it’s sure to become a favorite in your weekly rotation. Give it a try – you’ll be hooked after the first bite!

Pineapple Pork Rice Bowl

This Pineapple Pork Rice Bowl is quick, easy to make and bursting with flavor! It combines savory, tender pork with the natural sweetness of pineapple, making each bite a delightful balance of sweet and savory. Whether you’re cooking for yourself or feeding the whole family, this dish is a guaranteed crowd-pleaser.

Why You’ll Love This Pineapple Pork Rice Bowl

• Bold Flavors: The pork gets a flavorful marinade that infuses it with deliciously tangy and sweet notes, while the pineapple adds a refreshing sweetness that complements the savory ingredients.
• Customizable: You can easily adjust the ingredients to suit your preferences, whether it’s adding extra vegetables or using a different protein.

Why This Recipe is Perfect for Busy Weeknights

The Pineapple Pork Rice Bowl is one of those recipes that comes together effortlessly without sacrificing flavor. Marinate your pork the night before and in under 30 minutes, you can have a meal that’s bursting with vibrant flavors and textures. Plus, it’s all made in one pan, so cleanup is a breeze! Whether you’re cooking for yourself or feeding a hungry family, this bowl is sure to satisfy everyone’s taste buds.

Ingredients You’ll Need:

• Boneless pork chops (cut into bite-sized pieces)
• Pineapple chunks (fresh or canned)
• Cooked rice (white, brown, parboiled or jasmine rice)
• Teriyaki Sauce – store bought for convenience
• Fresh veggies (green onions, cilantro and jalapeno)

How Do You Make Pineapple and Pork?

1. Prepare the Pork Marinade

Start by cutting your boneless pork chops into bite size pieces and adding them to a medium sized mixing bowl. Pour in 1/4 cup teriyaki sauce and gently move the pork pieces around in the sauce so each piece is completely coated. Cover and refrigerate. Let your pork marinate for at least 30 minutes and up to 24 hours for a more intense flavor.

2. Cook the Pork and start the rice

Start by adding water to a large pot and cook your rice following the box instructions. Once cooked, add chopped green onions, most of the chopped cilantro, lime zest and lime juice. Mix well and set aside.

Next, heat your olive oil in a large skillet or wok over medium-high heat. Once hot, add just the marinated pork pieces (don’t pour in the excess marinade) and leave the pork to cook undisturbed for 2-3 minutes at a time to caramelize the teriyaki sauce. Cook for 5-7 minutes, or until they’re nicely browned and cooked through.

3. Add the Pineapple

Once the pork is cooked, add the pineapple chunks to the pan and again let them sit for a minute or so undisturbed to let it caramelize a bit and then everything together. This should take about 2-3 minutes. Once your pineapple and pork are saucy and caramelized, add in a couple of spoonful’s of your teriyaki sauce (not the sauce used for your marinade.. use ‘fresh’ teriyaki sauce instead).

5. Assemble the Rice Bowl

Now it’s time to bring it all together! Scoop a generous portion of cooked rice into a bowl. Top the rice with your flavorful pork and pineapple mixture, making sure to get all the delicious bits from the pan.

6. Garnish and Serve

For an extra touch, garnish your bowl with green onions, red onion, sliced jalapeno, reserved cilantro and even an extra squeeze of lime. Serve your pineapple pork rice bowl immediately and enjoy!

Expert Tips

• Rice: Use freshly cooked rice, or make it the night before for an even quicker meal. Cold rice also works well in this recipe because it absorbs all the delicious flavors from the pork and pineapple!
• Pineapple: If you’re using canned pineapple, be sure to drain it well to avoid excess liquid in the dish. Save the pineapple juice and add a splash to your sauce for an extra burst of sweetness. Fresh pineapple adds a beautiful touch of sweetness and texture, so it’s totally worth it if you have it on hand!
• Protein Variations: This recipe works equally well with chicken, beef, or even tofu for a vegetarian version. Just be sure to adjust the cooking time depending on the protein you use.
• Teriyaki Sauce: The store bought teriyaki sauce I like best is the brand SoyVey. It comes with sesame seeds in the sauce and while I love the flavor of the sauce, the seeds bug me so I run the sauce through a sieve and remove the seeds. Totally personal preference when it comes to that step.