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Sweet Pork Cauliflower Rice Bowls

These Sweet Pork Cauliflower Rice Bowls have all the Cafe Rio flavors-sweet pork, cilantro lime cauliflower rice, & creamy tomatillo dressing. They have all the elements you love from Cafe Rio but lighter and healthier! Using Cauliflower Rice means these bowls are just as flavorful but filled with veggies.
Author Shannon Lyon

Ingredients

1 Batch of Creamy Tomatillo Ranch Dressing (see full recipe here)

  • make 1-2 hours up to a day ahead

Sweet Pork

  • 2 lb. pork tenderloin (no bone)
  • 2 teaspoons garlic salt
  • 3-4 cups water
  • 2 cups Coke / Coca-Cola (not diet)
  • 1 4 oz. can diced green chiles
  • 1 10 oz. can red enchilada sauce
  • 1½ cups brown sugar
  • 1 teaspoon chili powder

Cilantro Lime Cauliflower Rice

  • 6 cups riced cauliflower (I typically buy the frozen kind, but you can buy fresh or frozen) (two 12-oz. bags)
  • 2 tabelspoons olive oil
  • 2 teaspoons garlic salt
  • 1 teaspoon onion powder
  • 2 limes juiced
  • 1/2 cup fresh cilantro, chopped

Seasoned Black Beans

  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 2 cloves garlic, finely minced
  • 1 teaspoon cumin
  • 1 can black beans, strained but not rinsed (15 oz.)
  • 1 can diced green chiles (4 oz.)
  • 3/4 cup tomato juice
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 cup fresh cilantro, finely chopped

Toppings

  • pico de gallo I get mine at my local Kroger store (Fred Meyer here). Be sure it includes tomatoes, onions, serrano peppers or jalapenos, and lime or lemon juice). I like to buy this pre-made because it's been sitting and softening the ingredients and letting them marinate. You can make your own but you'll need to chill it for a couple hours to a day before using.
  • queso fresco, crumbled
  • fresh lime juice
  • fresh cilantro, finely chopped
  • avocado or guacamole (optional)

Instructions

Creamy Tomatillo Ranch Dressing

  • Make and chill several hours to 1 day before serving. See recipe here.

Sweet Pork

  • Place pork in crock pot. Add water and garlic salt. Cook on high for about 3-4 hours (or low for 6-7), until it’s cooked through and shreds easily.
  •  Remove pork from crock pot into a large bowl. Drain any liquid left in the pot. Shred pork into 1-2 inch pieces with forks. Return to (empty) crock pot.
  • In a food processor or blender blend coke, green chilies, enchilada sauce, brown sugar, and chili powder. Blend until smooth. Pour over pork in crock pot.
  • Cook on low for 2 hours. Serve with tongs!

Cilantro Lime Cauliflower Rice

  • Heat a nonstick skillet pan to medium-high heat.
  • Add riced cauliflower rice and olive oil. Heat for 5-6 minutes, stirring frequently, until cooked through.
  • Add fresh lime juice, garlic salt, and onion powder and mix well, cooking for 2-3 more minutes until some spots are lightly browning.
    Once lightly browning, remove from heat and add in diced cilantro. Mix well.

Seasoned Black Beans

  • In a nonstick skillet, cook garlic and cumin in olive oil over medium heat until you can smell it. 
  • Add beans, green chiles, tomato juice, and salt. Continually stir until heated through. Just before serving stir in the cilantro.

Assembly

  • Assemble the bowls starting with the cauliflower rice, black beans, and pork. Then layer with pico, queso fresco cheese, fresh cilantro, and lime juice. Top with tons of the Tomatillo Ranch Dressing. Enjoy!!