Café Rio Sweet Pork Copycat

If you’ve been to Café Rio or Costa Vida, you know about their sweet pork! It’s the most popular menu item for a reason. Perfectly sweet and savory, amazing in tacos, burritos, salads, quesadillas, and super easy to make at home!

Oh Café Rio… how I miss thee. When I lived in Spokane, I had 3 separate friends that I would often have lunch dates with at Café Rio. It was not all that uncommon for me to end up eating there twice in one week. Almost immediately after I left Spokane, the Café Rio closed, and I can’t help but feel responsible. They were relying on my very frequent visits to stay afloat.

Now, I live in middle-of-nowhere Oklahoma, far from these friends, and with nary a Café Rio nor anything like unto it anywhere near by. And while nothing can replace those soul friends, I am very happy that I can at least make my favorite food from Café Rio at home! And, for a huge bonus in my surface-of-the-sun-climate, I don’t have to turn my oven on. That would be a winner, winner, sweet pork dinner.

I have written instructions for both the slow cooker and the instant pot, but I have to be honest and tell you that I prefer it in the slow cooker. My slow cooker went to that great kitchen appliance pasture in the sky, so I’ve only had an instant pot for the past year or so. And don’t get me wrong- It’s still absolutely delicious in the instant pot. It just doesn’t shred quite as well, and I think the flavor is slightly superior in the slow cooker. So use what time and equipment availability permits- but just know that if you have the choice, bust out the ol’ crockpot.

What you do with the sweet pork is up to you! My personal favorite is to make a salad with lettuce, cilantro lime rice (recipe for that coming soon!), black beans, pico de gallo, and my favorite Chuy’s Creamy Jalapeño Dip for the dressing. It’s absolutely amazing. If you want the full Café Rio salad experience, put a tortilla sprinkled with cheese in the oven for a couple minutes and top that with your salad.

My husband loves to wrap up the rice, beans, and pork in a big tortilla, smother in enchilada sauce and cheese, pop the whole thing in the oven and enjoy a giant smothered burrito. We love it on nachos, tacos, quesadillas, enchiladas… It’s versatile and the leftovers are even better than the first day.

As you’ll see in the recipe, you need some dark colored soda for the pork. I have used Coke and Dr. Pepper, both with stellar results. I think root beer would work too. I would guess Pepsi would work if you’re into that kind of depravity. Just do NOT use diet! You need the sugar from the soda.

The recipe also calls for red enchilada sauce. I have used probably every brand on the shelf, and it doesn’t make a big difference. Just use what you like and is available. Different brands use different sizes of cans, which is highly annoying, but any can with between 10-15 ounces will do ya fine.

This recipe really is spot on. Maybe next time I make it, I’ll FaceTime one of my Café Rio date buddies and prop the phone on the table feel like I’m really on a lunch date at my favorite place.

Give this one a try, friends! It couldn’t be easier and it’s so dang good.

Looking for more things to do with your instant pot? Crock Pot or Instant Pot French Dip Sandwiches, Fiesta Chicken {Slow Cooker or Instant Pot!}, and Chicken Taco Soup {Instant Pot or Crock Pot} are a few of my favorites!