The perfect meal prep lunch doesn’t exi-…….
No seriously, it does. And it’s THIS. I prepared this bowl with pork tenderloin, but I want you to know that you can prepare it with any protein of your choice. It works beautifully with chicken, tofu or shrimp.
If you like to meal prep, here’s a few ways to make this ahead!
Meal prep friends, you can marinate the meat overnight OR you can prepare it ahead of time. Reserve the sauce in a separate bowl and keep the meat in a sealed container. To meal prep this salad, you can slice the slaw ingredients and combine them ahead of time. You can also prepare the dressing up to a week ahead and keep it in a jar in the fridge. Finally, make the rice ahead of time and store in the fridge. This is perfect for meal prep and assembling!
Something else to note is that you can make this gluten-free by using Tamari and a certified gluten-free rice in the bowl. All in (including marinating time) this takes about 45 minutes to make, but I still think of it as a 30 minute meal in terms of cook time.
Gochujang Pork and Veggie Bowl
Ingredients
For the protein marinade:
- 1 pork tenderloin (or 1 lb of another protein) cut into 2-inch cubes
- 2 tsp Gochujang paste
- 6 tbsp tamari or soy sauce
- 2 tbsp honey
- 3 tbsp rice vinegar
- 3 cloves of garlic minced
- 1 scallion sliced on a bias
For the bowl:
- 1 1/2 cups short grain rice
- 1 tbsp toasted sesame oil
- 1/4 head red cabbage thinly sliced
- 1 large carrot sliced into matchsticks
- 1 large cucumber seeds removed, sliced on a bias
- 2 tbsp white sesame seeds
- 2 scallions sliced on a bias
For the slaw dressing:
- 2 tbsp toasted sesame oil
- 2 tbsp soy sauce
- 1 tbsp rice vinegar
Directions
- In a bowl, mix the Gochujang, soy sauce, honey, rice vinegar, garlic and the sliced scallion. Mix well. Place the pork into a large shallow dish or zip lock bag and pour the marinade over the the pork. Coat well. Marinate in the fridge for at least 30 minutes or overnight.
- While the pork is marinating, prepare the rice according to the package.Add 1 tsp rice vinegar, 1 tsp agave nectar or sugar, and a generous pinch of kosher salt to the water. Adjust seasoning afterwards if needed. If you want to take a shortcut, buy microwavable short grain white rice.
- Also use this time to prepare the the slaw dressing by mixing together the slaw dressing ingredients. Add the carrot, cabbage, and cucumber to a mixing bowl. Add half of the scallions. Pour the dressing over the slaw and toss until fully coated.
- Once the pork is done marinating, heat a skillet on medium high heat. Add 1 tbsp of toasted sesame oil to the pan. once the oil is shimmering, add the pork and marinade to the skillet and cook until marinade comes to a boil. Cook for 5 minutes to kill off any bacteria. If you have an internal thermometor, take the temperature to make sure it hits 145 degrees F. Remove the pork from the pan and reserve the sauce for topping.
- Assemble your bowl. Place the rice first. Top with slaw. Add pork on top along with extra sauce. Garnish with scallions and sesame seeds.
Rate & Review
WHAT DID YOU THINK OF THIS RECIPE?
One of the best meals I’ve made in a really long time. I made this a day ahead with chicken and it couldn’t have been easier. Thank you!!
I am so happy to hear that! Thank you for leaving a review!