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Create a Cafe Rio Salad at home, just like they do at the restaurant complete with black beans, lime cilantro rice, sweet pork and their creamy cilantro ranch dressing.
Cafe Rio Salad with creamy tomatillo ranch dressing is what I always order when I get a chance to eat at Cafe Rio. I love, love, love it! Since I don’t live near a Cafe Rio, I have found a way to recreate it at home.
Ingredients Needed
- Sweet Pork
- Cilantro Lime Rice
- Black Beans
- Cilantro Ranch Dressing
- Lettuce
- Tomatoes, chopped or use fresh pico de gallo
- Guacamole
- Tortilla Strips
- Cilantro
- Cotija Cheese.
- Homemade Tortillas
- Fresh limes, quartered
How to Make a Cafe Rio Sweet Pork Salad
- Flour Tortilla. The base of the salad is a large flour tortilla. Place it on your plate or I like to serve it in disposable foil pans just like they do at the restaurant. If you don’t want to make your own tortillas I like the raw tortillas you can buy at the grocery store and then cook at home. My tortillas were smaller so I used two!
- Add a layer of lime cilantro rice and black beans.
- Top with sweet pork or you can also used shredded chicken or barbacoa beef.
- Add shredded lettuce, chopped tomato, a scoop of guacamole, some tortilla chips, a sprinkle of cotjia cheese and some fresh cilantro.
- Finish it off with creamy tomatillo dressing. Cafe Rio serves a tomatillo ranch dressing that is a yummy combination of buttermilk ranch, tomatillos, and cilantro.
Tips from leigh Anne
- If you prefer, you can substitute the black beans with pinto beans or refried beans.
- Add a scoop of sour cream or guacamole to your salad.
- This is the perfect meal to fix for a crowd. Let everyone assemble their own salads according to their own taste preferences.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long will the creamy cilantro dressing last?
Stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator the dressing will last up to 2 weeks.
Where can I find the metal tins?
I buy them at the Dollar Store. You can also find them at the grocery store or a restaurant supply store.
So next time you get a Cafe Rio craving – make it yourself at home. And if you won’t get a Cafe Rio craving because you’ve never had Cafe Rio before, make this salad anyway!
Check out more main dish salad recipes:
- Cobb Salad
- BLT Salad
- BBQ Chicken Salad
- Tri Tip Steak Salad
- Oriental Chicken Salad
- Harvest Bowl Salad
Be sure and follow me over on You Tube for weekly cooking demos.
Cafe Rio Salad
Cafe Rio Salad is a delicious full meal in a salad. Lettuce, sweet pork, cilantro lime rice, black beans and creamy tomatillo dressing all served over a tortilla.
Prep:25 minutes
Cook:4 hours
Total:4 hours 25 minutes
Ingredients
Sweet Pork
- 1.5 lb boneless pork carnitas or shoulder
- 12 oz Coca Cola 1 can, not diet or zero sugar
- 1 c brown sugar divided
- 10 oz enchilada sauce
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 4 oz diced green chilies
Cilantro Rice
- 2 tsp fresh cilantro
- 1 c white basmati rice
- 2 c water
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1 lime juice
Black Beans
- 30 oz black beans 2 cans, drained
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 2 tsp cumin
- 3 tbs olive oil
- 1 1/2 C tomato juice
- 1/4 c cilantro chopped
- salt and pepper to taste
Creamy Tomatillo Dressing
- 1 Hidden Valley Ranch Mix Traditional
- 1 c mayonnaise
- 1 c buttermilk
- 2 tomatillos
- 1/2 bunch fresh cilantro
- 1 clove garlic
- 1 lime juice
- 1 jalapeño
Instructions
Sweet Pork
- Marinade pork overnight in can of coke and 1/4 C brown sugar.
- Pour pork and liquid into crock pot and cook on high for 4 hours.
- Remove meat and shred.
- Discard liquid, Return meat to crock pot and add enchilada sauce, garlic, green chilies and brown sugar.
- Cook on low for 30-60 more minutes.
Cilantro Rice
- Bring water to boil, add rice and cover.
- Cook until rice is tender, about 15-20 minutes.
- Add lime juice, salt and cilantro. Stir to incorporate and fluff with fork.
Black Beans
- In a pan, sauté garlic, cumin and olive oil over medium heat until you can smell it! About 1 minutes.
- Add beans, tomato juice and seasoning and simmer until some of the liquid is absorbed and evaporated.
- Stir in chopped cilantro when ready to serve.
Creamy Tomatillo Dressing
- Put all ingredients together in the blender and blend to desired consistency.
Salad
- Place flour tortilla on your plate and add a layer of rice and black beans to the top.
- Top with sweet pork.
- Add shredded lettuce, chopped tomato, a scoop of guacamole, some tortilla chips, a sprinkle of cotjia cheese and some fresh cilantro.
- Finish it off with creamy tomatillo dressing.
Nutrition Facts:
Calories: 641kcal (32%) Carbohydrates: 79g (26%) Protein: 25g (50%) Fat: 26g (40%) Saturated Fat: 5g (31%) Polyunsaturated Fat: 10g Monounsaturated Fat: 8g Trans Fat: 0.03g Cholesterol: 47mg (16%) Sodium: 754mg (33%) Potassium: 777mg (22%) Fiber: 9g (38%) Sugar: 27g (30%) Vitamin A: 615IU (12%) Vitamin C: 21mg (25%) Calcium: 140mg (14%) Iron: 4mg (22%)
* Disclaimer: All nutrition information are estimates only. Read full disclosure here.
Miriam says
I am a former Utah resident living in Belgium, so finding fresh tomatillos is going to be impossible. I had a friend bring me canned, will it still call for 2?
Leigh Anne says
I have never used canned tomatillos but I would think it would be the same amount. Enjoy!
Becca says
How much dressing does the tomatillo dressing yield? Thanks, Becca
Leigh Anne says
approx. 2 cups
Donna Bateman says
I made this for my family today. My husband was pretty skeptical as I was cooking. My oldest son, who lived in Provo 8 years, didn’t think I could come close to Cafe Rio. The others were impatient because they were super hungry (they think you should eat immediately after church no matter what time you meet that year). Everyone was bowled over and said I should make them whenever we have company. Thanks, LeAnne! (BTW, I am friends with your sister, Karen!)
Leigh Anne says
I am so glad it was a hit with your family! Thanks for letting me know.
Teri says
I made all of the recipes (pork, black beans, cilantro lime rice and dressing) for dinner Friday night and it was outstanding! We layered everything on a flour tortilla in the order you suggested with Monterey Jack cheese and then rolled them up burrito style. Great dinner, and lots of leftovers for the weekend. Thanks Leigh Ann.
Leigh Anne says
Teri – how fun that you made all the recipes. So glad that you enjoyed them!
Cathy B says
Hi Leigh Anne, we switched internet companies and I forgot to update my email with you. I got it back, just in time to get in on your Cafe Rio recipes. I can’t wait to try it!
Leigh Anne says
So glad you’re back!