These Loaded Pork Burrito Bowls are so delicious – so gorgeously colorful what with their veritable garden of veggie-forward toppings – that they might turn your kitchen into the best Tex Mex spot in town. Make a big pitcher of fresh, limey margaritas and have yourself a real good time. This is an MKL favorite, to be sure. Read on for some simple recipe tips, or jump ahead to the recipe itself.

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Loaded Burrito Bowls: Tips and Tricks

Brown that meat! I ask you to put the pork into the skillet in a big even layer, because this gives the maximum amount of surface area for browning to occur. And browning = flavor. Let the pork sit undisturbed for a bit before messing with it.
As for the rice, use whatever kind you like. Brown or white, or even a tasty basmati (which, of course, isn’t Mexican). Just cook it according to the package directions, ensuring you’ve prepared enough for everyone at the table, and maybe a little extra in case you’ve got leftovers (this stuff makes for GREAT leftovers).
Curious about the adobo sauce I call for? Here’s a recipe for homemade adobo, if you’re wondering what’s in it. I’ve never made it, as I just used the canned stuff. But I’d love to try this, as I bet it’s SO delicious.
These bowls are really all about the flavor paste we’ll make – built on the adobo sauce mentioned above and some tasty supporting stars. It will flavor the pork wonderfully, making these bowls better than your average version. Please feel free to add more of this paste if you like, doubling my amounts or increasing the amount of a single thing. It’s all about the flavor here.

What You’ll Need For These Burrito Bowls

These can be as big or as simple as you like – feel free to build them to your own heart’s content. Incidentally, a burrito bowl is a fantastic way to clean out your fridge. You can use fresh garlic in the pico or the veggies saute. Add some avodaco. Add some sliced summer squash if you like. Have some beans on hand? Add those!

You get the picture …

INGREDIENTS

Olive oil, as needed

1 onion, cut into ½-inch wedges/petals

1 poblano pepper, chopped

Salt and pepper to taste

1 pound ground pork

2 scallions, chopped, whites and green parts separated

⅔ cup sour cream

1 can of chipotles in adobo

2 roma tomatoes, chopped

3 teaspoons white or red wine vinegar

1 to 1.5 cups corn kernels

Cooked rice, for serving

For the smoky flavor paste:

1.5 tablespoons adobo sauce (or more, from the chipotle can)

2 tablespoons tomato paste

1 teaspoon garlic powder

One teaspoon chicken or vegetable stock concentrate (dried or liquid is fine)

1 teaspoon cumin

SERVING SUGGESTIONS: sliced avocado, chopped cilantro, lime wedges, pickled jalapeno slices

How to make these Loaded Pork Burrito Bowls

You’ll need a skillet and a pot for the rice. Then just grab a few small bowls so you can stir together the fixins. That’d be the fresh tomato pico de gallo and smoky chipotle cream. We’ll saute the veggies first, followed by the ground pork and scallion whites. The smoky flavor paste really makes this dish, and it’s built on the adobo sauce from a can of chipotles along with some tomato paste, stock concentrate, garlic powder, and cumin. We’ll add that to the pork and then add a little water to create a nice saucy mixture.

Be sure to taste said mixture though, so you can tweak the flavors to your liking.

DIRECTIONS

Put about a tablespoon of olive oil into a large, deep skillet over medium-high heat. Add ¾ of the onion and all of the chopped poblano. Season to taste with S&P and cook for 6 to 8 minutes, stirring occasionally until tender and lightly charred. Transfer to a plate.
Add a little more olive oil to the skillet along with the scallion whites. Add the pork in a big even layer, season with a good pinch of salt and pepper, and let it brown on that side for a few minutes before stirring. Cook until done, about 5 minutes more.
Combine the flavor paste ingredients in a small bowl, and add that to the skillet with the pork, along with about ⅓ cup water. With the heat on medium-low now, stir to mix. Taste and season as you see fit. Feel free to add more adobo, garlic powder – whatever you like! When it’s all saucy and well-combined, it’s done.
In a small bowl, stir together the sour cream and 2 to 3 teaspoons of the adobo sauce from the chipotle can. If you like things extra spicy, you can chop up a chipotle and add that instead, or you can add it to the pork. I typically just use the sauce and store the chiles for later use.
Finely chop the remaining onion and add it to another small bowl with the tomatoes. Add the vinegar, a drizzle of olive oil, and season with salt and pepper. Stir to combine.
To serve, pile some rice into a bowl/plate and top with some of the veggies, pork, some fresh corn kernels (raw, yes!), the tomato pico, and dollops of the smoky crema. Scatter the scallion greens over top, and add any extra toppings you like. Enjoy.