Keto Cuban Mojo Pork Bowl That’ll Make You Forget You’re Eating Low-Carb

Let’s get one thing out the way: pork bowls don’t have to be boring. Especially not when you throw in Cuban flavors that smack you right in the face, in the best way. This isn’t one of those fancy, Instagram-only meals. This is a legit, bold, juicy bowl that fills you up and doesn’t mess with your carb count.

This Keto Cuban Mojo Pork Bowl takes the best parts of a traditional Cuban dish, garlicky citrus mojo pork, sharp pickled onions, avocado, cauliflower rice, and smashes it all together into a low-carb dream that tastes like it shouldn’t be keto at all.

Let’s break it down, step by step. Nothing complicated. Just good food.

What’s Mojo Anyway?

Mojo (say it like mo-ho) is a Cuban marinade made with sour orange juice, garlic, olive oil, and herbs. It’s sharp, tangy, a little smoky, and goes ridiculously well with pork. If you can’t find sour orange juice, don’t stress—we’ll get around that. Half lime, half orange juice does the trick just fine.

Why You’ll Want This Bowl on Repeat

• It actually fills you up. Fat from the pork and avocado, fiber from the cauliflower rice.

• Meal-prep friendly. Make a big batch and you’ve got lunches for days.

• It’s not sad diet food. You won’t be crying into your lettuce wraps with this one.

Ingredients You’ll Need

For the Mojo Pork:

• 2 lbs pork shoulder or pork butt, cut into chunks

• 6 garlic cloves, smashed

• ½ cup orange juice (or ¼ cup orange + ¼ cup lime juice for lower sugar)

• ¼ cup lime juice

• ⅓ cup olive oil

• 1 tsp cumin

• 1 tsp oregano

• 1 tsp salt

• ½ tsp black pepper

• ½ small onion, sliced thin (for the marinade)

• Optional: ½ tsp chili flakes if you like heat

For the Bowl:

• 1 large head cauliflower (or 2 bags frozen cauliflower rice)

• 1 ripe avocado, sliced

• 1 small red onion, quick pickled (see below)

• Fresh cilantro

• Lime wedges

• Olive oil or butter (to cook cauliflower rice)

• Salt and pepper

For Quick Pickled Onions:

• 1 small red onion, thinly sliced

• ½ cup vinegar (white or apple cider)

• ½ cup water

• 1 tsp salt

• 1 tsp sweetener (optional, like erythritol or monk fruit)

How to Make your Keto Cuban Mojo Pork Bowl All Happen

Step 1: Marinate the Pork

This part’s best if done overnight, but even 4 hours will do if you’re short on time. Throw the pork chunks in a big bowl or zip-top bag. Mix the garlic, juices, olive oil, cumin, oregano, salt, pepper, and sliced onion in a bowl, then pour it all over the pork. Let that sit in the fridge and soak up the flavor.

Step 2: Cook the Pork Low and Slow

You’ve got options here:

• Slow cooker: 6–8 hours on low. Comes out super tender.

• Oven: Put it in a Dutch oven or baking dish, cover with foil, and bake at 325°F for about 3 hours.

• Instant Pot: 60 minutes on high pressure with natural release.

Once it’s cooked, shred it with two forks. Don’t throw away the liquid—spoon some over the pork when serving. Flavor gold.

Step 3: Pickle the Onions

These are what take the bowl from “pretty good” to “wow.” And they’re ridiculously easy.

Boil the water and vinegar together, stir in the salt and sweetener, and pour it over the sliced onions in a jar or bowl. Let it sit for 20–30 minutes while you prep everything else. You can make these days ahead, and they keep well in the fridge.

Step 4: Cauliflower Rice

If you’re using fresh cauliflower, blitz it in a food processor until it looks like rice. Otherwise, go with frozen cauliflower rice to save time.

Heat a skillet, add some olive oil or butter, toss in the cauliflower, season with salt and pepper, and cook for about 8–10 minutes until it’s fluffy and the raw smell’s gone.

Step 5: Build Your Bowl

Now the fun part—assembling.

• Start with a base of cauliflower rice.

• Pile on some shredded mojo pork.

• Add sliced avocado, pickled onions, a sprinkle of chopped cilantro.

• Hit it with a squeeze of fresh lime.

• Spoon a bit of the pork juices over the top if you want it extra juicy.

And there you go. Simple, packed with flavor, and absolutely not boring.

Make It Work for You

One of the best parts of this bowl? You can switch things up based on what you’ve got.

• No pork? Chicken thighs work great with the same marinade.

• Hate cauliflower? Try sautéed shredded cabbage or chopped romaine.

• Need more fat? Add a dollop of sour cream or a few olives.

• Want to meal prep? Store the pork, rice, and toppings in separate containers. Heat and build when ready.

Meal Prep Tips (So You’re Not Eating Scrambled Eggs Every Day)

Look, no one’s saying breakfast-for-dinner isn’t great. But sometimes you want a proper meal that doesn’t taste like it came from a Tupperware graveyard.

Here’s how to prep this bowl like a boss:

• Day 1: Make a big batch of mojo pork and keep it in an airtight container.

• Day 2-5: Portion out cauliflower rice, pork, pickled onions, and avocado slices (avocado best added fresh). Assemble fresh or heat and mix.

• Keep a few lime wedges in a zip bag to freshen it up right before eating.

The Flavor’s in the Details

What really makes this bowl hit different is the mix of tangy, fatty, herby, and fresh. That pickled onion? Cuts right through the richness. The citrus in the pork? Makes it feel lighter. And the avocado? Creamy as heck.

It’s that kind of balance that keeps your brain happy and your stomach even happier.

Got a Crowd? No Problem.

Feeding more than just yourself? Double or triple the pork recipe and set up a DIY bowl bar. Everyone builds their own. Add toppings like shredded cheese, jalapeños, or even some keto hot sauce.

Pro tip: Serve it buffet-style and people won’t even realize they’re eating keto.

Kid-Approved, Too

Let’s be real—getting kids to eat cauliflower rice isn’t always a win. But pork that tastes like it came from a taco truck? That’s another story.

Try wrapping the pork in low-carb tortillas for them, or mix it with a bit of cheese. You’d be surprised how much they’ll love it when it doesn’t scream “diet food.”

You Won’t Miss the Carbs

This bowl gives you that same satisfaction you’d get from a big ol’ plate of rice and beans…without the carb crash two hours later. It’s bold, rich, a little zingy, and super fresh at the same time.

Even if you’re not hardcore keto, it’s the kind of meal that fits into low-carb, high-fat goals without tasting like a compromise. That’s the sweet spot.

Conclusion 

This Keto Cuban Mojo Pork Bowl isn’t just some trendy low-carb knockoff. It’s real-deal flavor that just happens to skip the sugar and starch.

You don’t need a culinary degree. You don’t need fancy gadgets. You just need a craving for something bold and a little time to make it right.

Once you taste it? Yeah, it’ll probably land on your regular rotation. And you won’t even be mad about it.

Print