These easy crockpot Pulled Pork Sliders will be the star of your appetizer table. Sweetened with dates but loaded with flavor, they’ll let you enjoy game day while sticking to your healthy New Year’s resolutions!
Appetizers are one of my favorite things to make. Give me a plate of Pulled Pork Sliders and Creamy Queso Blanco and I’m a happy camper. And I’m especially happy when these skinny pulled pork sliders are on the menu! They are super tender because they spend 6 hours cooking in the crock pot and the sauce, which was inspired by my Braised Short Rib sauce, is incredible. Seriously guys, I could bathe in this sauce it’s so good—it has tomato sauce, balsamic vinegar, garlic galore, and then dried dates for a sweetener. Can you say yum-factor!?
What Makes These Pulled Pork Sliders Better Than the Rest
Trust me, these pulled pork sliders are going to steal the show at your next party! (But they’re also easy enough to whip up for a weeknight dinner.) Here’s what makes them a standout:
- Practically dump-and-go recipe. The crock pot does all the heavy lifting here, transforming the pork into juicy, saucy, fall-apart tender meat. Just throw everything into your slow cooker, let it work its magic, and shred it!
- Incredibly flavorful. Smoky paprika, sweet dates, rosemary, garlic, and tangy balsamic create a richly flavored sauce that’s SO much better than cloying store-bought BBQ.
- Not just for sliders. Use this amazing pulled pork in tacos, quesadillas, grain bowls, or salads.
What You’ll Need
Here are all the ingredients you’ll need for these easy pulled pork sliders. Scroll down to the recipe card to find the ingredient quantities and recipe instructions.
- Boneless pork loin – A choice that’s lean but tender when slow cooked.
- Seasonings – Sea salt, black pepper, garlic powder, smoked paprika, and rosemary make the pork delicious.
- Tomato sauce – The base of our pulled pork sauce.
- Dates – Adds natural sweetness and also helps thicken the sauce a bit.
- Balsamic vinegar – Bright and tangy, but also a little bit sweet.
- Garlic – Smashed garlic infuses the pork with savory flavor.
- Slider buns – Use any kind you like!
How to Make Pulled Pork Sliders
Look how easy it is to make this recipe! Seriously, this crockpot pulled pork is almost effortless.
- Season the pork. Mix the salt, pepper, garlic powder, smoked paprika, and rosemary; rub all over the pork loin.
- Add to the crock pot. Place the pork in the slow cooker and add the tomato sauce, dates, balsamic vinegar, and smashed garlic.
- Cook. Cook on HIGH for 6 hours until fork-tender.
- Shred and serve. Use two forks to shred the pork in the crock pot; toss to coat in the sauce. Spoon onto slider buns and enjoy.
Tips and Variations
Here are a few more pointers for these easy pulled pork sliders.
- Swap in another cut of pork. I developed this to be a skinny pulled pork slider recipe, but if you prefer a richer option, you can swap pork loin for pork shoulder or Boston butt.
- Top the sliders. I love topping these pulled pork sliders with creamy slices of avocado and crunchy red cabbage! Pickles and slaw would be awesome too.
- Make it extra smoky. The smoked paprika adds a nice smoky flavor to the pork, but for extra smokiness, you can add some liquid smoke.
Serving Suggestions
To make these pulled pork sliders a meal, serve them with a side like Deviled Egg Potato Salad or Sriracha Mac and Cheese. Yum!
If you’re putting together a party spread, pair these sliders with crowd-pleasing appetizers like Garlic Parmesan Wings and Mexican Street Corn Dip.
Storage and Reheating
- Refrigerator: Store leftover pulled pork in an airtight container for up to 4 days.
- Freezer: Freeze the pork (without the slider buns) for up to 3 months; thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating.
- Reheat: Warm in a skillet or microwave with a splash of water or broth until heated through; or reheat in the slow cooker on LOW.
More Pork Recipes
Easy Pulled Pork Sliders
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 6 hours
- Total Time: 6 hours 5 mins
- Yield: 24 sliders 1x
- Category: Appetizer
- Method: Crock Pot
- Cuisine: American
Description
These easy crockpot pulled pork sliders are lightened up, but still have ALL the smoky, sweet, tangy flavor you love. Perfect for parties!
Ingredients
- 2–3 lb. boneless pork loin
- 1/2 tablespoon of sea salt
- 1 teaspoon of black pepper
- 1/2 tablespoon of garlic powder
- 1/2 tablespoon of smoked paprika
- 1/2 tablespoon of dry rosemary
- 15 oz. tomato sauce
- 3 dates (dried and pitted)
- 1/2 cup of balsamic vinegar
- 6 garlic cloves, peeled and smashed
- 24 slider buns
Instructions
- In a small bowl, add sea salt, pepper, garlic powder, smoked paprika, and rosemary. Mix to combine.
- Rub dry rub all over pork loin and place in a crock pot.
- To the crock pot add, tomato sauce, dates, balsamic vinegar and garlic cloves. (just throw them in it will all get cooked together in the end)
- Cook pork loin on HIGH for 6 hours.
- Using two forks begin to shred pork in crock pot until there are no more chunks, toss shredded pork around in the sauce.
- Serve on top of slider buns.
29 comments on “Easy Pulled Pork Sliders”
Krista, I would love to use the frozen pork shoulder that I already have. Same weight — do you think it would be a good subst. for loin?
Thank you in advance!!
Making these this week! One question…do you have to blend up the dates at all or do you just put them straight in to the crock pot? Can’t wait!!
you can put them straight in the crock pot, they will puff up and then you can discard them if you choose later
Aw, another spectacular recipe to try! My mom will definitely love this Skinny Pulled Pork Sliders, so healthwise! Do best restaurants in Central have this?
She will totally love it Lea! The flavor from the pork is out of this world good! And I’m sure restaurants have pulled pork sandwiches, just not with this type of flavor! 🙂
Sliders that are lightened up? This definitely is a recipe for me! They look awesome… and i’m sure what they lack in calories they make up for in flavour!
haha.. thanks Thalia! Skinny anything is good in my book, that just means more cookies later in the night right? hehe
Krista your pictures are just gorgeous and these look so yumm!!
Thanks so much Ami! That means alot! 🙂
I’m so happy to find a lighter pulled pork recipe! Can’t wait to make it! One question, though – what do you do with the coconut oil? It’s in the list of ingredients but then not mentioned in the instructions. Thanks!
whoops… thanks sheri, I probably got typing too fast and forgot to add it into the directions. Just updated it. 🙂
You always have the best messages 🙂 Love it and these sliders! They look totally mouth-watering and I love that you made them skinny and in the slow cooker!
Awww.. thanks Kelly. I just like to speak from my heart, its who I am. 🙂 That, and I like to stuff my face with these sandwiches! hehe
I’m lowkey obsessed with red cabbage. These sliders look amazing! Love the colors 🙂
haha.. I am too. The taste is awesome but I love the color!
Girl, my mouth is watering. That sauce and the fact that its pulled pork is making me rethink our dinner tomorrow 😉
And loving this post. I have just started to reevaluate where my path is to go this year. I need to start asking more questions it seems like. Thanks for reminding me 🙂
Do it … do it!! You won’t regret it, I promise you! 🙂
So glad you loved the post and left feeling encouraged and motivated. 🙂
DEAR GOD! You know this is absolutely KILLING me………….looks.so.good. We have got to get together for a cooking day.
haha.. I know right! 🙂
Hi Krista!
A. Thank you for your recipe pre-quel God will speak when you least expect Him to. I needed to read that and be reminded of who I was, who I belong to and that I was bought with the ultimate price.
Recipe excellent as always
Hurray! These are the kind of comments I love Christa! So glad God spoke to you today AND that you liked the recipe today! 🙂
Love that you made pulled pork healthier! This looks so good!
haha… thanks Jessica!
Umm you forgot to mention that you are awesome. And so are these sliders! Thanks for for making these a bit lighter so we all can enjoy!
well, I thought that was a given 🙂 hehe
And your welcome!!!
This was a great message (aside from the PERFECT recipe!). It’s good to have these reminders about faith and how we think of ourselves and talk to ourselves. I’m trying to dedicate more to devotions this year, so this was a wonderful post and there was a lot to think about in here! I LOVE pulled pork, and I never make it at home! I will have to try these!
So glad to hear it Sarah! 🙂 I’m trying to do the same thing this year, its so easy to get caught up in all the blog stuff and lose focus! 🙂
Hope you get a chance to try this sliders, they are dynamite!
You’ve so got me craving pulled pork now. Perfect pictures Krista!
It’s been too long since I’ve stopped by. Hope all is well with you!
I know right! I am just now getting around to commenting again now that i’m out of the whirlwind of the holidays.
Pulled pork rocks, especially this one because the flavor from the rub combined with the balsamic.. yeah I’ll just stop there! Make it!