Slow Cooker Italian Pork Recipe – Gluten Free, Paleo & Keto Friendly

This Slow Cooker Italian Pork recipe stars pork shoulder, Italian spices & zoodles. They come together for the perfect low carb dinner recipe.

This slow cooker Italian pork recipe is straight from our weekly low carb meal plans. It can be hard to find low carb Italian recipes but this one fits the bill! The Italian herbs give the pork so much rich flavor while the zoodles keep the meal light and low on carbs. You can of course sub actual pasta if you like or do a half and half mix – make it your own!

Another reason I love this recipe? It's perfect for my “cook once, eat twice” strategy, which is one of my favorite meal prep tricks for saving time. The slow cooker pork is versatile and the recipe makes enough to serve two separate family meals.

Instead of simply serving the zoodle bowls two nights, I love using the pork in a totally different way on another night. This is easy to do by simply serving the pork alongside green beans or roasted cauliflower, or atop a salad! If you're not low carb, try serving it with mashed sweet potatoes and broccoli, it's a great combination.

 

What is the nutrition like in this slow cooker Italian pork recipe?

This slow cooker Italian pork recipe doesn't require a lot of ingredients but each one packs a nutritional punch. Here are some of the nutritional benefits this recipe offers:

Zucchini (Vitamin A, Vitamin C, Manganese, Potassium, Magnesium)

Zucchini is rich in many vitamins, but is especially high in vitamin A, which supports vision and immune function. In addition, the zucchini skin is high in antioxidants. Super low in carbs, zucchini is also a great choice for those following a Keto or low carb diet.

Tomatoes (Vitamin A, Vitamin C, Vitamin E, Potassium)

Packed with antioxidants, tomatoes may help reduce the risk of several kinds of cancer. Furthermore, they contain vitamin A, vitamin C, vitamin E and potassium, many of which most people don't get enough of.

Bonus tip? Combining tomatoes with healthy fats boosts absorption of tomatoes' phytochemicals!

Pork (Thiamine, Selenium, Zinc, Vitamin B12, Vitamin B6, Iron, Protein)

In addition to its many vitamins and minerals, Pork is high in creatine which supports muscle growth. The combination of pork's creatine and its high protein content makes it an excellent food to incorporate into your diet to help you build and maintain muscle mass. Pork also contains antioxidants such as taurine and glutathione.

Goat Cheese (Vitamin B2, Calcium, Vitamin A)

If dairy bothers your stomach, you may want to try goat cheese. Goat cheese, and hard goat cheese in particular, is easier on digestion, due to differences in the protein structure and lowers levels of lactose.

Italian Herbs

Italian herb blends can vary but often include basil, oregano, rosemary, sage and thyme. Each of these herbs provides substantial health benefits.

A significant source of Vitamin K, basil may also reduce memory loss, blood pressure, and depression. Simply Inhaling the scent of rosemary can improve memory, focus and mood. Thyme is thought to potentially help lower blood pressure, improve immunity and help improve your mood.

Using an Italian herb blend is a great way to incorporate these herbs regularly!

Garlic (Beneficial Sulfur Compounds, Manganese, Vitamin B6, Vitamin C, Selenium)

Garlic has been used in homeopathic remedies for thousands of years and is thought to reduce the risk of heart disease, high cholesterol and some types of cancer. Eating garlic may also help prevent colds and other minor illnesses.

Scientists believe these substantial health benefits may stem primarily from garlic's sulfur compounds such as allicin, diallyl disulfide and sallyl cysteine.

Is this low carb pork recipe good for meal prep?

Yes! Like all Prep Dish recipes, this low carb pork recipe is specifically designed for meal prep. I would argue this is one of the best recipes to start with if you're new to meal prep because, as I mentioned above, it makes enough pork to use in two separate family meals. It also requires very minimal prep!

To prep ahead, spiralize your zucchini and store in the fridge. You can of course purchase pre-cut zoodles to save time if you like. If you'd like to try making your own, I have a short video to show you how!

Next, rub the pork shoulder with salt, Italian herbs and garlic powder.

And that's it! All you'll have to do on the day you plan to serve the meal is cook the pork in the slow cooker, quickly steam the zoodles and toss everything together.

What are some other low carb dinner recipes?

I'm not personally low carb but many of our Prep Dish subscribers are. I've spent years perfecting the low carb meal plan. I understand what it takes to create a low carb dinner recipe that's still completely satisfying so you don't find yourself reaching for a snack an hour later. Here are a few of my favorite low carb dinner recipes. You can also download a FREE low carb meal plan using the button below!

Mediterranean Lamb Burgers: These lamb burgers pack a ton of flavor and offer an unexpected twist on the classic. Serve the burgers on lettuce wraps or atop a salad to keep the meal low carb. Topped with red onion, goat cheese and avocado, this dinner has plenty of protein and healthy fat to keep you satisfied without the bun.

Keto Pesto Chicken with Zoodles: Have you tried making homemade pesto? It's so much easier than you would think and tastes so fresh…you may never buy store bought again! This pesto chicken is delicious over zoodles but you can also easily serve over pasta for any kiddos or carb lovers in your family.

Parsley Chicken w/ Kale & Goat Cheese: If you get tired of chicken, introducing a new marinade to the mix can really help keep things interesting. This simple marinade has olive oil, fresh parsley, garlic, lemon juice, salt and pepper. It adds so much bright flavor to the dish and is perfect over zoodles!

Italian Sausage Pizza Soup: This pizza soup has all the wonderful flavor of pizza, packed into a tasty, low carb soup!