Super Easy Super Tasty Tacos al Pastor

Super easy, super tasty tacos al pastor - or simply tacos with marinated pork or chicken and pineapple. It's usually made as a rotisserie, but we are simplifying the method yet maximizing the flavors!

 

 

Tacos al Pastor is a Mexican dish derived from the Lebanese immigrants' shawarma. The meat is marinated in chiles, pineapple, and other spices and slow-cooked on a vertical rotisserie, with a pineapple on top. Sounds like uh - a lot of work - so, today we are doing this super easy yet super tasty.

 

For more Cinco de Mayo recipes, why not try these beef and beans enchiladas, vegan chili sin carne, or a mango chicken salad? All are packed with Mexican flavors, yet are vastly different - so it all depends on your cravings!

 

 

Ingredients

 

The marinade includes

 

• Ancho chile - the most common chile in Mexico. It is relatively mild, sweet, and fruity. The flavor is said to be reminiscent of raisins.
• Guajillo chile - is complex and fruity, and a little more spicy than the ancho. It is used a lot in marinades, like here!
• Fresh pineapple - I cannot stress the importance of using fresh pineapple for pretty much anything. Canned pineapple lacks flavor and is too sweet. I use 1 whole pineapple for the entire dish, including the salsa below. The pineapple in this dish helps break down the meat, making it tender and juicy and it needs to be fresh.
• Yellow onion - tenderizes the meat and brings a level of umami.
• Chipotle chile in adobo sauce - adds spiciness, and a complex, smoky flavor. If you don't like spicy, limit the use of chipotles in adobo sauce, if you love it, go for it. 
• Vinegar - to balance all the heat.
• Fresh garlic - garlic goes with anything and needs to be in a marinade like this. It's an umami bomb!
• Salt - enhances flavors and should never be omitted!
• Cinnamon - the secret ingredient that makes this dish something different! The warmth works of cinnamon works so well with the spicy!
• Dried oregano - just a little sprinkle of herbs to enhance the flavors even more.
• Ground paprika - for color and flavor.

 

The pineapple salsa has

• Fresh pineapple
• Fresh cilantro
• Cinnamon
• Cumin
• Dried oregano
• Optional: fajitas spice

 

 

And then you need some small corn tortillas, shallot onion, fresh lime, sour cream, and maybe even salsa verde to assemble this beauty!

 

Step-by-step instructions

 

Traditionally, you make tacos al pastor with pork. However, I often use chicken. You can use either or for this recipe, it doesn't alter the instructions.

 

This recipe is adapted from No Recipes, however I decided to make this the easy way, because sometimes you just want delicious food without all the fuss. Don't get me wrong, I like fuss too, but who has time for that every day?

 

So, instead of using a whole pork butt, putting it in the freezer, slicing it up, adding pineapple in between, and then marinade it, we'll do it differently. We are hungry now, right?

 

The marinade

 

You need to begin with the dried chiles. Remove the seeds if you want to, but I like the heat so I'm keeping mine. Boil water pour over the chiles and allow them to rehydrate for around 10 minutes (1).

 

Put the rehydrated chiles in a food processor, along with all the other marinade ingredients (2), except for the meat obviously, and process until smooth (3).

 

Pour the marinade into a pot and bring to a boil for around 5 minutes (4). This is important as it breaks some of the enzymes in the fresh pineapple, which could eventually turn your meat into mush.

 

Turn off the heat and let it cool to room temperature. This could easily be made in advance.

 

Marinade the cubed meat for no more than an hour (5) - the pineapple still has a lot of enzymes that tenderize meat.

 

Heat a pan and fry the meat until the meat is cooked through, a couple of minutes on each side (6).

 

 

Homemade pineapple salsa

 

Save some of the pineapple to make a fresh pineapple salsa. Cut the pineapple into small cubes, and mix with chopped cilantro, cinnamon, cumin, oregano, and maybe some fajitas spice if you have it on hand. Awesome.

 

 

To assemble; use small corn tortillas, minced shallot onion and cilantro, sour cream, and the pineapple salsa. Finish off with lime wedges. You can also add in a little salsa verde, although I find the homemade pineapple salsa much more important than the salsa verde.

 

Substitutions

 

• The protein: The chicken or pork can be substituted with fish, shrimp, or tofu for a different feeling. You'd follow the same marinade but cook according to the best way for each protein, in terms of heat and time.
• Ancho chiles have a rich, slightly sweet flavor with mild to moderate heat, making them a versatile ingredient in many Mexican dishes. The ancho chile can be substituted with mulato, pasilla, New Mexico chiles, and yes, even guajillo. 
• Guajillo chiles have a fruity, slightly tangy taste with moderate heat, so you'll want to choose a substitute that can replicate these characteristics. And those are the same as mentioned above!

 

Variations

 

Tacos are meant for endless variations. You can change the meat and chiles mentioned above, but you could also switch out the salsa verde with salsa rioja, add more fresh vegetables, use mango instead of pineapple in the salsa, or top it with cheese!

 

If you don't like corn tortillas, feel free to use wheat tortillas. You could even make it healthier by wrapping it in a lettuce leaf like we do with Korean bulgogi.

 

Equipment

 

You will need a food processor to make the marinade smooth, however, if you have a very strong blender, it could most likely also work. 

 

Other than that, it's basic kitchen supplies like a saucepan, skillet, chopping board, and knives. 

 

Storage

 

As I mentioned above, you cannot let the meat marinate for more than an hour, or else it turns into mush because of the pineapple. However, when it's already cooked, the meat can be stored, covered, in the refrigerator for 3-4 days. Make sure the meat is cooled to room temperature before placing it in the refrigerator.

 

The meat is also easy to freeze. 

 

The pineapple salsa lasts for 3-4 days in the refrigerator. If it sits in liquid, it will spoil faster, so make sure it's not too moist when you put it in the refrigerator. 

 

Recipe FAQs

What is the traditional meat for tacos al pastor?

The traditional meat for tacos al pastor is thinly sliced pork marinated in a blend of spices, chilies, and pineapple juice. It is then cooked on a vertical spit called a trompo.

 

Do I need a vertical spit to make tacos al pastor?

This recipe would be embarrassing if not... While a vertical spit is traditional for authentic tacos al pastor, you can achieve similar flavors by grilling or cooking the meat over high heat.

 

The key is to replicate the flavors of the marinade and the caramelization of the meat.

What kind of chilies should I use for the marinade?

Guajillo and ancho chiles are those that are most commonly used for tacos al pastor. As they complement each other perfectly, they are best used together, however, you can use just either one of them.

 

They are moderately spicy and fruity, making them delicious in marinades.

 

How do I warm up leftover tacos al pastor?

Reheat leftover tacos al pastor gently in a skillet or the microwave until heated through. Be careful not to overcook the meat to avoid drying it out.

 

I generally avoid reheating meat in the microwave as it can turn a little gummy and unpleasant, but I've found that many people don't notice this!

Are tacos al pastor gluten-free?

As we usually go for corn tortillas, it can be gluten-free. However, you need to make sure you use a chipotle in adobo sauce that is gluten-free to be completely sure this dish is gluten-free.

 

Enjoy!

 

Did you like this recipe? Here are more Cinco de Mayo recipes I think you'd enjoy:

 

• Fresh and zesty guacamole
• Mango salad with avocado dressing
• Cheesy beef and beans enchiladas
• Vegan chili sin carne

 

I’d love to hear your thoughts. Comment below or tag me @thegingerwithspice on Instagram. And don’t forget to Pin it for later! To make sure you’re never missing another recipe, please feel free to subscribe to my newsletter. 

 

As thanks, you will receive a free e-cookbook Travels Through the Seasons, with many delicious recipes from around the world that suit different seasons of the year. 

 

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This recipe was originally published on October 9th, 2017, but updated on April 21st, 2024 for better photos and content.

And here's an old photo of the recipe, just because: