Cajun Pork Rice Bowl - quick, savoury and properly filling
Spiced pork, fluffy rice and a sharp little lettuce salad. Ready in 20 minutes with 40g of protein.
Fast, grounding and unfussy. A good midweek option when you want something warm and filling that still feels balanced without any extra effort.
CAJUN PORK RICE BOWL
SERVES 2 // READY IN 20 MINS // 536 CALS
This is one of those dinners that looks simple but eats really well. The pork gets savoury and sticky with the Cajun spice, tomato paste and a touch of honey, while the rice does its quiet, reliable job underneath. At 536 calories with around 40g of protein, it’s a steady, satisfying bowl that doesn’t need much thinking about.
CAJUN PORK RICE BOWL
SERVES 2 // READY IN 20 MINS // 536 CALS
INGREDIENTS
120g (1 cup) basmati rice
250g (9oz) minced (ground) pork 5% fat
1 baby gem lettuce
1 tsp olive oil
1 tbsp cider vinegar
1 tsp sugar
2 tsp cajun spice mix
1 heaped tsp garlic paste
2 tbsp tomato paste
1 tsp vegetarian stock powder
1 tbsp honey
30g (1oz) cheddar cheese
METHOD
STEP 1
Boil a half-full kettle.
Rinse the rice before adding to a large saucepan. Pour in boiled water, so you have approximately double the amount of water to rice.
Bring to the boil and simmer for 10-12 minutes (lid on).
STEP 2
Heat a large frying pan on a med-high heat.
Once hot, add the minced pork. Season generously with salt and pepper. Fry until the mince has browned, 5-6 mins, breaking it up as it cooks.
STEP 3
Meanwhile, trim the baby gem lettuce and thinly slice. In a medium bowl, combine the cider vinegar, olive oil and sugar. Season with salt and pepper. Add the lettuce to the bowl and toss to coat.
STEP 4
When the mince is cooked, turn the heat down to low. Add the garlic paste, tomato paste and cajun spice mix. Fry for 1 minute.
Add a small amount of water to the pork (about 50ml/3 tbsp), plus the stock powder and honey. Stir and cook through for another 3 minutes.
STEP 5
Grate the cheese.
Share the rice between your bowls. Add the baby gem salad and spiced pork. Sprinkle over the grated cheese.
NUTRITIONAL INFO (PER SERVING)
536 CALS // 40G PROTEIN // 12G FAT // 65G CARBS
Free Recipe Card
Want this recipe in a neat, printable format? Download it here:
Cajun Pork Rice Bowl. Fast, grounding and unfussy. A good midweek option when you want something warm and filling that still feels balanced without any extra effort.