This Santa Maria seasoned pork roast is cooked to savory, tender, spicy perfection in the Instant Pot. It’s served inside lettuce wraps, with tangy homemade quick pickled cabbage and creamy avocado.
It’s finally getting warmer here in Virginia, and I can taste spring! The birds are singing and the tulips are blooming, and I want to eat something bright and flavorful.
This Santa Maria pork is perfect! It’s very flavorful and slightly spicy, and it’s cooked in the Instant Pot until it’s very tender. Then it’s shredded into small pieces that are easy to eat.
To serve, I put the pork inside a crisp piece of butter lettuce and add pickled cabbage on top to make it brighter and give it more texture. I then add avocado and cilantro on top to make it all balance out.
But the thing I love most is that this meal is incredibly easy to make. I love my Instant Pot for making quick and easy meals like my Buffalo Chicken Sweet Potatoes. This is almost as easy as those. I promise, it’s almost as easy as ordering take out, except way, way better (and better for you!).
This pork roast from AdapTable Meals comes already seasoned and marinated, so all I have to do is put it in the Instant Pot and turn it on! I make quick pickled cabbage while it cooks, and dinner is pretty much ready!
You’ll need the following items to make this Instant Pot Santa Maria Pork recipe at home. Start making your shopping lists now.
The Santa Maria style of barbecue features a flavorful, garlic-studded pork roast cooked over an open oak wood fire. This regional California specialty yields incredibly moist and tender meat with a lightly smoky essence. While the roast itself is undeniably delicious, every main dish needs some tasty accompaniments to round out the meal.
In this article, we’ll suggest 25 complementary side dishes that can take your Santa Maria pork experience to the next level From classic veggies to creative potato preparations, read on for inspiration on what to serve alongside this iconic barbecue dish.
Appetizing Accompaniments for Santa Maria Pork Roast
Here are 25 appealing sides to consider pairing with a savory Santa Maria seasoned pork roast:
1. Classic Mashed Potatoes
Buttery, smooth mashed russet potatoes are a no-brainer match for pork. For extra richness, use heavy cream instead of milk. Stir in roasted garlic or crumbled bacon for extra flavor.
2. Mashed Sweet Potatoes
Give mashed potatoes a seasonal twist by using sweet potatoes instead. This orange-hued side has added vitamins, fiber and antioxidants. Jazz it up with cinnamon, nutmeg or brown sugar.
3. English Jacket Potatoes
These twice-baked potatoes are crispy on the outside and fluffy on the inside. Fill the hollowed shells with sour cream, butter, cheese and chives. Hearty and satisfying.
4. Baked Sweet Potatoes
Sweet potatoes develop an amazing caramelized flavor when oven roasted Serve them whole with butter or browned marshmallows for topping
5. Dauphinoise Potatoes
Also known as gratin potatoes, this French classic involves layering thinly sliced potatoes with cream and cheese. It bakes up rich and irresistible.
6. Scalloped Potatoes
Similar to dauphinoise but a bit simpler, scalloped potatoes are sliced thin and baked in a cream sauce with onions. The potatoes soak up all the flavor.
7. Parmesan Potatoes
Dice russets or reds into 1-inch cubes Toss with olive oil, salt, garlic and shredded parmesan then roast until crispy and cheesy
8. Roasted Sweet Potatoes
Cube sweet potatoes, coat in oil and seasonings, then roast until caramelized. Toss with parsley or chipotle powder for extra oomph.
9. Smashed Potatoes
Boil petite red or white creamer potatoes until tender, smash them flat, then pan fry in butter or bacon grease until golden brown and crispy edged.
10. Cheesy Potato Gratin
Layer potatoes with cream and shredded cheese like scalloped potatoes, but finish by topping with crispy panko breadcrumbs for crunch.
11. Loaded Baked Potatoes
Baked russets or sweet potatoes overloaded with all the fixings – bacon, sour cream, cheese, green onions, butter, etc. A fully-loaded spud!
12. Crispy Roasted Potatoes
Cube larger russets, coat with oil, and roast at high heat until super crispy and browned. Season with rosemary or other herbs.
13. Garlic Mashed Cauliflower
For lower carb diets, mashed cauliflower makes a tasty stand-in for mashed potatoes. Roasting it adds flavor. Mix in garlic and butter.
14. Macaroni and Cheese
A comfort food classic! Elbow macaroni baked in a creamy, cheesy sauce made from cheddar, gruyere, and/or fontina cheese. Sprinkle panko on top.
15. Green Bean Casserole
Fresh green beans, cream of mushroom soup, and fried onion straws baked together to create a retro favorite side dish.
16. Honey Glazed Carrots
Fresh young carrots roasted with butter, brown sugar, and honey until caramelized and sweetly glazed.
17. Creamed Corn
Frozen or fresh corn simmered in cream or half-and-half with seasonings. So simple but so tasty!
18. Creamed Spinach
Chopped spinach cooked down in cream makes an indulgent, flavorful side. Often topped with nutmeg, parmesan, or fried shallots.
19. Roasted Brussels Sprouts
Fresh brussels sprouts tossed in oil and roasted to caramelized perfection. Toss with balsamic and bacon for extra oomph.
20. Glazed Butter Carrots
Another carrot preparation – small young carrots boiled then glazed in a buttery brown sugar and herb sauce. Delicious!
21. Green Bean Almondine
Blanched green beans sautéed with butter, garlic, and toasted sliced almonds. A restaurant favorite made easy.
22. Sweet Corn Soufflé
A fluffy corn casserole with corn, eggs, flour, cheese, milk, butter, and seasonings baked to puffy perfection.
23. Bacon Cornbread
Moist, golden cornbread flecked with crispy cooked bacon. Great for soaking up barbecue sauce and pork juices.
24. Garden Salad
Crisp lettuce, tomato, cucumber, shredded carrot, onion and garlic croutons. Tossed in a light vinaigrette dressing.
25. Berry Salad
Mixed greens topped with fresh local berries (strawberries, blackberries, etc) and tangy berry vinaigrette.
Match the Sides to Your Style
With so many options, mix and match from the list above to create a tailored plate of sides that suits your preferences. Favor rich and creamy dishes? Go for gratin potatoes, mac and cheese and creamed veggies. Seeking lighter sides? Choose salads, roasted veggies and fresh fruit. Create the perfect pork roast platter for your party!
Frequency of Entities:
Potato Side Dishes for Pork Roast: 1
25 Potato Side Dishes List: 1
Step by Step Instructions
To cook the pork, put the roast in the Instant Pot with one cup of liquid, like water or broth. Close the lid and turn to High Pressure for 55 minutes. While it’s cooking, move on to the next steps.
Let the natural pressure release (NPR) happen. This basically means to do nothing and let the pressure go away on its own. This process takes 10-20 minutes, depending on your Instant Pot.
Shred the Pork: Remove the pork and use two forks to shred into bite-sized pieces. Spoon a little bit of the liquid over the pork to keep it moist.
Make the Pickled Cabbage: While the pork is cooking, make the sugar-free pickled cabbage. Cut the red cabbage into very thin slices and put them in a large mason jar with a wide mouth. Press the cabbage down into the jar so that there is no extra space.
Together, put the apple cider vinegar and lime juice in a small sauce pan. Then, raise the heat and stir them around. Stir in the seasonings and garlic.
Carefully pour the mixture over the cabbage in the mason jar, using a funnel if necessary. Put it on the counter for 30 minutes to an hour, until it’s cool. Give it a quick stir.
Prep the Toppings: Slice the limes and avocado, and mince the cilantro. Wash the lettuce. Put everything out at once so that your family or guests can make their lettuce wraps the way they like them.
Pork Lettuce Wrap Ingredients
- Santa Maria Pork Roast. Chili pepper, garlic, and onion are used to season this roast from AdapTable. Use their store locator to find it near you!.
- Butter Lettuce or Bibb Lettuce
- Avocado
- Cilantro
- Lime
- Pickled Red Cabbage (keep reading!)
- Purple Cabbage. It’s a cruciferous vegetable that is also known as red cabbage. Putting cabbage in vinegar for a while makes it less harsh and gives it a nice acidic kick. Cut the cabbage into very thin strips with a very sharp knife or mandolin for the best results.
- Garlic
- Apple cider vinegar
- Lime juice, preferably freshly squeezed.
- Salt and pepper
Santa Maria Style Pork Loin Roasts
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