Tacos al Pastor
Mexican spit-roasted pork tacos
Ingredients
- 700 g Pork shoulder
- 30 g Guajillo chilies
- 20 g Ancho chilies
- 1 Orange
- 4 cloves Garlic
- 1 tsp Ground cumin
- 12 Corn tortillas
- 1 Onion
- ½ Pineapple
- 2 tbsp Neutral oil
- 1 tsp Salt
- 4 tbsp Cilantro (optional)
- 2 Lime (optional)
Method
- Toast the guajillo and ancho chilies in a dry pan over medium heat until fragrant, then soak them in hot water until soft and pliable.
- Juice the orange, then blend the softened chilies with the garlic, cumin, orange juice, and salt into a smooth adobo.
- Slice the pork shoulder thin and coat it in the adobo, then leave it to rest for at least 20 minutes.
- While the pork marinates, finely dice the onion, chop the cilantro, and cut the pineapple into small cubes.
- Sear the marinated pork hard in the oil over high heat until charred at the edges and cooked through, then chop into small pieces.
- Warm the corn tortillas on a dry pan until soft and pliable.
- Fill the tortillas with pork, onion, cilantro, and pineapple, and finish with a squeeze of lime.
Tap “Start cooking” for live timers that flag what to get ahead on while something simmers.
About Tacos al Pastor
Tacos al pastor are among the most iconic street tacos of central Mexico, a dish that grew out of the shawarma brought by Lebanese immigrants and was reinvented with pork, dried chilies, and pineapple. Traditionally the marinated pork is stacked on a vertical trompo, roasted slowly, and shaved off in thin, charred slivers — hence the name, which means "in the style of the shepherd." The heart of the flavor is the adobo: guajillo and ancho chilies are toasted and softened, then blended with garlic, cumin, and fresh orange juice into a smooth, brick-red marinade that stains the pork and gives it its deep, faintly sweet warmth. Thin-sliced pork shoulder soaks up that adobo before it hits the heat.
The result is savory and gently spiced rather than blazing hot, with the guajillo and ancho contributing fruit and earth more than fire, and the pineapple adding a bright, tropical acidity that cuts the richness of the pork. Served on warm corn tortillas and finished with raw onion, cilantro, and a squeeze of lime, they are the definitive taquería order, eaten two or three at a time standing up. This version adapts the trompo to a home kitchen by searing the marinated pork hard over high heat to build char at the edges, then chopping it fine — capturing the crisped, caramelized bits that make the original so craveable without any special equipment.
Tacos al Pastor: frequently asked questions
How many calories are in Tacos al Pastor?
A serving has about 650 calories — 42.3g protein, 67.9g carbs, 24.1g fat, 10.5g fiber. Figures are estimated from the ingredient amounts and will shift with your portions and brands.
Is it high in protein?
Each serving has about 42.3g of protein, roughly 26% of its calories.
Is Tacos al Pastor gluten-free?
Based on its ingredients, Tacos al Pastor has no gluten-containing components, so it's naturally gluten-free — as always, check that any packaged ingredients you use are certified gluten-free to be safe.
How long does Tacos al Pastor take to make?
About 60 minutes start to finish, but only around 40 of those are hands-on — the rest is largely unattended cooking time you can step away from. In the Homecooked app the timers and parallel steps are sequenced for you so the hands-on part feels even shorter.
Do I need every ingredient to make Tacos al Pastor?
The core ingredients are essential, but you can leave out cilantro, lime — they're optional and mainly there for extra flavor or finish.
How many servings does Tacos al Pastor make?
This recipe makes 4 servings. In the app you can scale it up or down and the ingredient amounts adjust automatically.