Asian-inspired pulled pork with hoisin sauce paired with baked crispy rice, fresh vegetables + herbs, and an addictive cashew ginger dressing. Save the leftovers to make a delicious sandwich the next day!
Happy Thursday friends!! I hope you’re all having a wonderful cozy week <3
All of the hearty soups and stews of winter have left me craving something refreshing, colorful, and crunchy… that’s when I brainstormed and made these fabulous pulled pork crispy rice salads! You get a TON of refreshing crunch from all the vegetables + toasted cashews, and nice crispy pops from the baked crispy rice. This meal is the perfect balance of light yet still feels hearty from the pulled pork! Feel free to sub in chicken breasts or thighs for the pork if desired- they’d make a perfect swap here.
Full recipe is below, I hope you love it! Tip: if you’re a big sauce person, double the dressing to have extra leftover. Enjoy friends <3
For the pork tenderloin:
½ cup unsweetened applesauce
½ cup hoisin sauce (I used Lucky Foods brand Organic Hoisin Sauce!)
1/4 cup low sodium tamari (or soy sauce)
1 tablespoon honey (can also use brown sugar)
1/4 cup reduced sodium chicken broth
2 tsp sriracha, or more to taste
3 cloves garlic, minced
1.5-2 lbs Pork tenderloin (can sub chicken breast/thighs)
Combine all ingredients in a slow cooker. Cook on low for about 4 hours, or until pork reaches 145F internal.
After pork is cooked, use two forks to shred it up. Mix it with remaining sauces in slow cooker.
Optional step: after pork is shredded, add it to a foil lined baking sheet along with the slow cooker juices. Place it under the oven broiler for a few minutes until there are some nice browned bits/caramelized bits of pork. Definitely optional, but the additional caramelization adds nice flavor!
Cashew ginger dressing:
1/4 cup cashew butter
3 tbsp tamari
1 tbsp rice vinegar
Juice from one lime
2 tsp grated ginger
1 clove garlic, grated
1 tbsp honey, or more to taste
1-2 tsp sriracha, to taste
Water to thin, if needed
Combine all ingredients in a jar. Taste, adjust honey/sriracha to desired levels. Set aside until ready to serve; if it thickens up while it’s sitting, add a bit of water to thin it out again.
For the crispy rice:
3 cups day-old cooked and cooled basmati rice
Olive oil and/or sesame oil, as needed
Salt
Combine rice with a drizzle of olive/sesame oil (sesame adds a nice flavor- but if you’d like the rice to be more neutral, use olive or avocado) and a sprinkle of salt, to taste. Bake at 450F on a parchment lined baking sheet for 15ish minutes, flipping occasionally, until rice reaches desired crispiness.
For the vegetable mix:
1 bag cabbage mix
Handful sprouts (I used radish sprouts, bean sprouts are great too!)
1 cup mixed herbs: mint, basil, and/or cilantro, finely chopped
1 red bell pepper, julienned
1 small bunch scallions (green parts only), very thinly sliced
1 small jalapeño, finely minced
½ tbsp olive oil
1 tsp sesame oil
Juice of ½-1 lime
Salt, to taste
Combine all ingredients in a large bowl. Using a clean hand or wearing a glove, massage vegetables with oil, lime juice, and a sprinkle of salt to tenderize them.
For serving:
crispy rice
pulled pork
vegetable mix
cashew ginger dressing
chopped toasted cashews
lime wedges
optional: additional herbs, sprouts, and/or scallions
Start by adding vegetable mix to a bowl. Sprinkle desired amount of crispy rice over top. Pile on pulled pork, then drizzle with a generous amount of cashew ginger dressing. Sprinkle with toasted cashews, sprouts, herbs, and scallions, if desired. Serve with a lime wedge for squeezing over top, then DIG IN!!!
I hope you love this recipe!! It’s truly so delicious and the combination of flavors pair incredibly well together. If you make it, let me know what you think!! <3
Keep an eye out for more yummy recipes coming your way soon.. I’ve got some reallll good stuff lined up ;)
As always, thank you for your continued support and love. I appreciate each and every one of you so much!! Have a fabulous weekend friends!
With love,
Abigail