Pumpkin Pulled Pork Burrito Bowls

If you can't get enough pumpkin this October, have no fear. Sara at Cake Over Steak decided to throw a #virtualpumpkinparty, and invited over 70 bloggers to share all things pumpkin! We're basically going full-on pumpkin cannon on the internet today! 

I knew right away I wanted to make something savory for the pumpkin party. And I knew right away I wanted it to be something Mexican-inspired with a heavy dose of fall flavors. Enter: pumpkin pulled pork burrito bowls! 
Pork, cooked until tender and shreddy, in a mixture of pureed pumpkin, apple cider, and warm fall spices like cinnamon and cloves combined with Mexican flavors like cumin and chili powder. When its done, the pork is in a thick pumpkiny sauce, which is amazing piled on top of rice and beans, and topped with cool, creamy avocado, fresh cabbage and cilantro, pepitas and baked tortilla strips for crunch, and a dollop of sour cream. Tons of texture and flavor! All things burrito and all things fall in one bowl!  


Pumpkin Pulled Pork Burrito Bowls
Cooked white or brown rice mixed with a bit of chopped cilantro, fresh lime juice, and a pinch of salt
Pinto beans, cooked and warmed
Pumpkin pulled pork (recipe below)
Thinly sliced cabbage
Diced or sliced avocado
Cilantro
Pepitas/ roasted pumpkin seeds
Tortilla chips or baked tortilla strips 
Sour cream
Hot sauce

Layer ingredients in bowl, in order listed. Use as much or little of each item as desired. 

Pumpkin Pulled Pork
Makes enough for about 4 burrito bowls

1.5 lb pork shoulder or loin
1 small can pumpkin puree (NOT pumpkin pie mix, make sure it�s just pumpkin. Or use homemade, about 2 cups)
1/2 cup apple cider 
Juice of half a lime (reserve other half for rice)
1/2 white onion, diced
Two cloves garlic, minced
half teaspoon of each: cumin, cinnamon, chili powder, oregano
Two whole cloves
1/2 teaspoon salt
pepper

Preheat oven to 350. 

Trim major fat off of pork shoulder (ok to leave a little bit, but get as much as you can), and cut pork into 4-5 big chunks, and pat dry. 

On the stovetop, heat a large oven-proof stockpot over medium-high. Sear each pork piece, just 1-2 pieces at a time, (too many in the pot will make it steam) on each side until just browned. 

Whisk together pumpkin, cider, lime, onion, garlic, spices, cloves, salt and pepper, and pour into pot with all the seared pork chunks. 

Bake covered for about 3 hours, until pork is tender enough to shred easily with a fork. Check after about 2 hours, and add 1/2 cup of water if sauce seems too thick.  

Right in the pot, shred with a fork and stir into the sauce (remove any fat pieces that might be in there). The pork should be fall-apart tender.



Wait, there�s more! 
An insane amount of delicious pumpkin recipes await you. From cookies, cakes, and milkshakes to pastas, soups, and cocktails! Check out all the other Virtual Pumpkin Party participants:

Savory things:
B. Britnell: Pumpkin & Goat Cheese Macaroni 
I Am a Food Blog: Roasted Pumpkin and Pork Stuffed Shells 
Well and Full: Harissa-Spiced Pumpkin Gnocchi 
Two Red Bowls: Pumpkin & Caramelized Onion Galette 

With Food + Love: Creamy Pumpkin Polenta with Balsamic Roasted Beets
Feed Me Phoebe: Thai Pumpkin Curry with Shrimp and Bok Choy
The Yellow Table: Coconut-Curry Pumpkin Soup
Ginger & Toasted Sesame: Pumpkin Ricotta Gnudi
Earthy Feast: Pumpkin-Stuffed Turnip-Ravioli with Pepita Pesto 

The Bojon Gourmet: Pumpkin Flatbread with Gruy�re and Crispy Sage (gluten-free)
Tending the Table: Roasted Pumpkin with Tamarind and Coriander Chutney
My Blue & White Kitchen: Roasted Pumpkin Risotto with Crispy Prosciutto
Le Jus d'Orange: Lentil-Stuffed Acorn Squash, Crispy King Oyster Bacon + Aged Goat Cheese
The Scratch Artist: Japanese Pumpkin Temaki with Ginger Kale Chips
Heartbeet Kitchen: Pumpkin Swirled Mashed Potatoes
Okie Dokie Artichokie: Creamy Pumpkin and Chorizo Pasta Bake
Kale & Caramel: Pumpkin Goat Cheese Polenta with Brown Butter Thyme Mushrooms & Kale
Sprouted Routes: Creamy Vegan Pumpkin Risotto with Sweet & Spicy Roasted Pepitas (gluten free)

Breakfast things:
A Couple Cooks: Pumpkin Spice Almond Butter 
Girl Versus Dough: Pumpkin Challah 
Kitchen Konfidence: Yeasted Pumpkin Waffles with Candied Ginger 
Chocolate + Marrow: Pumpkin Scones with Cinnamon Butter Swirl 
Salt & Wind: Apple Cinnamon Pumpkin Muffins with Pepita Streusel 
A Cookie Named Desire: Pumpkin Crepes with Cinnamon Ginger Cheesecake 
Erin Made This: Pumpkin Rye Waffles with Coconut Caramel 
Brewing Happiness: Caramelized Apple Pumpkin Muffins
The Speckled Palate: Pumpkin Brown Butter Streusel Muffins with Maple Cream Cheese Glaze
Tasty Yummies: Grain-Free Pumpkin Spice Pancakes
The Little Epicurean: Maple Pumpkin Butter Brioche Toast
Vigor and Sage: Maple Pumpkin Harvest Smoothie
The Fauxmartha: Baked Pumpkin Donuts
The Sugar Hit: Pumpkin Everything Bagels

Dessert things:
Cake Over Steak: Pumpkin Ginger Cookies with a Vanilla Glaze 
Snixy Kitchen: Black Sesame Pumpkin Mochi Cake 
Hungry Girl por Vida:  Pumpkin Chocolate Crumb Cake 
Donuts, Dresses and Dirt: Pumpkin Spice Latte Truffles 
The Frosted Vegan: Dark Chocolate Pumpkin Gingersnaps 
Warm Vanilla Sugar: Dulce de Leche Pumpkin Ice Cream + Affogato 
An Edible Mosaic: Pumpkin Spice Latte Snack Cake with Brown Butter Buttercream 
The Pig & Quill: Pumpkin Pie Milkshakes with Pumpkin Spice Caramel + Coconut Cream 
Nommable: Pumpkin Moon Pies 
The Crepes of Wrath: Pumpkin Pie Cake 
The Swirling Spoon: Pumpkin Hand Pies 
Beard and Bonnet: Pumpkin Spice Pizzelle Ice Cream Sandwiches 
My Name is Yeh: Pumpkin Slice and Bake Cookies 
Broma Bakery: Pumpkin Pie White Chocolate Brownies 
Sprinkled with Jules: Pumpkin Spice French Macarons 
Feast + West: Dark Chocolate Pumpkin Seed Toffee Bark 
Fix Feast Flair: Japanese Pumpkin Spice Cheesecake with Quick Caramel 
Appeasing a Food Geek: Pumpkin Ale Cake 
Long Distance Baking: Pumpkin Pie Ice Cream + Pumpkin Pancakes
Fork Vs. Spoon: Pumpkin Buttermilk Pudding
Alyssa & Carla: Pumpkin Tea Bread (in a Coffee Can!)
Twin Stripe: Pumpkin Spice Toffee 

Blogging Over Thyme: Homemade Candied Pecan Pumpkin Ice Cream Drumsticks 

Cookie Dough and Oven Mitt: Pumpkin Gingersnap Pie
Style Sweet CA: Chocolate Stout and Pumpkin Checkerboard Cake
Fork to Belly: Pumpkin Orange Brulee Pie
P�te � Chew: Pumpkin Almond Cake with Almond Butter Frosting 

Southern Souffl�: Sorghum Pumpkin Souffl�s

SugarHero!: Cinnamon Swirl Pumpkin Pound Cake 

Tried and Tasty: Whole Wheat Pumpkin Sugar Cookies 

So... Let's Hang Out:  Grain-Free Apple Crumble Pumpkin Pie 

Biscuits and Such:  Pumpkin Pound Cake
A Little Saffron: Spiced Pepita Brittle
Farmette: "Tis Different" Pumpkin Pie

Drinks, dog treats, and other goodies:

Wit & Vinegar: Pumpkin Flaxseed Dog Treats
Dunk & Crumble: Pumpkin Roundup 

Holly & Flora: Pumpkin Pie Martini with Coconut Cream + Homemade Pumpkin Spice Syrup 

Floating Kitchen: Pumpkin Beertail with Tequila and Spiced Rum 

Jojotastic:  Pumpkin Cinnamon Rimming Sugar

Southwest Quinoa Burrito Bowl...Salad

Some of my gal pals are really into the no-salad-salad, as they call it. The no-salad-salad is basically a big bowl of salady stuff that isn't leafy green and lettuce-like. They throw in a whole bunch of veggies, beans, and baby corn. 

Ugh. Can I tell you something? I hate baby corn. It totally freaks me out. When I was a little kid I loved it...until one time, at a fancy restaurant (ahem, it was the O'Callahan's restaurant at the Shilo Inn in The Dalles, OR... which I thought was like, the fanciest of fancy...it wasn't) I yoinked a baby corn off of Mel's plate when she wasn't looking, and it was pickled or something, and it tasted awful, and I threw up. I've been super anti baby corn ever since that day. PS. this is totally not food-blog friendly, but I have a lot of stories that end with "and then I threw up." 

But I digress, this post really has nothing to do with baby corn or my wimpy stomach. It's all about no-salad-salad.

So anyway, whenever I try to make the standard no-salad-salad, I feel like it doesn't come out quite as good as when my friends do it. It feels like a big, jumbled, incoherent mess. That's why I like themed no-salad-salads. Like Greek-style salads loaded with chickpeas, cucumbers, tomatoes, and olives. Or, my favorite: a no-salad-salad with southwest flair. Otherwise known as a burrito bowl. Can we just call it a Southwest Quinoa Burrito Bowl�Salad? 

This one has so much goodness in it: sweet corn fresh off the cob (not the baby variety, thankyouverymuch), avocado, green onions, tomatoes, cilantro, black beans, and cotija cheese, all doused with fresh squeezed lime juice. You could definitely eat this as is. Or you could make it even better by tossing it with quinoa and a creamy southwest sauce. I vote you do that. I vote you do that right now. 

Southwest Quinoa Burrito Bowl Salad

Serves 4

Creamy Southwest Sauce

1/2 cup sour cream

1 teaspoon honey

1 tablespoon water

1/2 teaspoon of each: cumin, chili powder, garlic powder, onion powder, oregano

Splash hot sauce (I use Tapatio) 

Juice from half a lime

Salt & pepper to taste

For sauce, whisk together sour cream through hot sauce, until smooth and creamy. Save the other lime half for salad. Salt & Pepper to taste. 

Salad 

1 cup uncooked quinoa

1 can black beans, drained & rinsed

1 large tomato, diced

1 avocado, diced

Fresh corn off the cob from 1 ear

2-3 green onions, sliced

1/2 cup cilantro, chopped

1/3 cup crumbled cotija cheese

Juice from half a lime

Creamy Southwest Sauce

Cook quinoa: Rinse until water runs clear, drain. Add to a medium pot with 2 cups of water and a pinch of salt and bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat to medium low and simmer 15 to 20 minutes, until water is absorbed. Fluff with a fork and cool before mixing with salad. 

Stir together black beans through cotija cheese, and toss with lime juice. Add cooled quinoa, and stir until just combined (gently, so you don't moosh up the avocado). Salt and pepper to taste. To eat, either mix in the sauce, or add sauce to each serving.