Cafe Rio Salad

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.

What’s in A Cafe Rio Salad?

• Sweet Pork
• Lime Cilantro Rice
• Black Beans
• Tomatillo Ranch Dressing
• Lettuce
• Tomatoes
• Guacamole
• Tortilla Strips
• Cilantro
• Cheese

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.

Where Do I Find the metal pans?

I buy them at the Dollar Store. They come in pack of three but you can also find them at the grocery store.

Cafe Rio Salad Dressing

Cafe Rio serves a tomatillo ranch dressing that is a yummy combination of buttermilk ranch, tomatillos, and cilantro.  Tomatillos can be found in the fresh produce section.  In my store they are near the peppers and jalepeños.  They look like a green tomato with a paper skin over them.  Be sure and remove the papery skin before using!

How to Make Dressing

• Combine ingredients in a blender.
• Pulse to blend until smooth.
• Store in the refrigerator

How Long Will Dressing Last?

Stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator the dressing will last up to 2 weeks.

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!

Other favorite main dish salads:

• Cobb Salad
• BLT Salad
• BBQ Chicken Salad
• Tri Tip Steak Salad
• Oriental Chicken Salad
• Harvest Bowl Salad

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Cafe Rio Salad Recipe