Tacos are a weeknight win—fast, versatile, and delicious. This ground pork taco recipe delivers bold flavors and vibrant textures in under 30 minutes, perfect for a quick dinner or casual lunch. With savory pork, zesty spicy crema, tangy pickled onions, melty cheese, and warm flour tortillas, these tacos are a crowd-pleaser.
Savory Pork Filling
Ground pork mixes quickly with diced poblano peppers and red onions, seasoned with a fajita-inspired spice blend. The result is a hearty, aromatic filling with mild heat and depth. Swap pork for turkey or chicken for a leaner option.
Spicy Crema
This creamy topping combines lime juice with chipotle powder for a tangy, smoky kick. Adjust the spice to taste or make it mild for a cooling contrast. Prep ahead and store in the fridge for up to 3 days.
Fresh Tomatoes
Diced Roma tomatoes add juicy sweetness and vibrant color. Toss with salt and lime juice for extra zing.
Pickled Onions
Thinly sliced red onions pickled in a brine bring tangy crunch. Make ahead and refrigerate up to 3 days.
Melty Cheese
Monterey Jack melts into gooey goodness, adding richness without overpowering. Try pepper Jack for a spicy twist.
Warm Flour Tortillas
Microwave tortillas in a damp paper towel for 30 seconds to make them soft and pliable, perfect for holding all the fillings.
Assemble and Serve
Spoon filling into warm tortillas, top with tomatoes, pickled onions, the cheese, and a drizzle of crema. Garnish with cilantro if desired. Serve three tacos per plate for a satisfying meal.
Why You’ll Love It
- Quick: Ready in under 30 minutes.
- Customizable: Adjust spice or toppings to your taste.
- Make-Ahead: Crema and onions can be prepped early.
- Delicious: Balanced flavors and textures everyone loves.
These ground pork tacos are simple yet restaurant quality. Try them for your next taco night and share your favorite toppings in the comments! And if you try this dish, I’d love to hear how it turned out. Happy cooking!
Ground Pork Carnitas
Three delicious tacos made with ground pork, poblano, onion, chicken stock, and a homemade spice blend. Toppings include pickled onions, tomatoes, melty cheese, a homemade smokey crema, sprinkled with fresh cilantro. This dish also works well with corn tortillas.
Ingredients
For The Pickling Brine
For The Lime Crema
For The Taco Filling
For The Spice Blend
Other Toppings
Instructions
Mise En Place
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Prep The Aromatics
Pick leaves from cilantro and rough chop, discarding stems. Add to a spice bowl and set aside.
In a spice bowl, combine chili powder, onion powder, ground cumin, garlic powder, paprika, and oregano, and set aside.
Don't add the Chipotle Powder here, reserve it for a later step! -
Pickle The Onion
Halve and peel onion. Chop one half of the onion into a small dice, add to a prep bowl, then set aside.
In a clean serving bowl. combine the vinegar, water, sugar, and salt, and mix thoroughly until dissolved. Thinly slice the other half of the onion and add to the serving bowl. Turn the sliced onions in the bowl to coat with the brine. Set aside and turn occasionally to recoat.
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Make The Crema
Slice one of the limes into wedges and place in a serving bowl. Cut the other lime in half and set one of the halves aside. Slice the remaining half of the lime into wedges, add to the bowl, and set it aside.
In a sauce bowl, combine the sour cream, juice from the reserved half of lime, add chipotle powder to taste, and mix thoroughly.
Stir in 1 tsp water at a time until the sauce loosens up and thins out to a drizzly consistency. Season lightly with salt and pepper and set bowl aside.
Cut any remaining limes into similar size wedges and add to the serving bowl. -
Finish Up
Shred cheese, add to a clean serving bowl, and set aside.
Core tomatoes then chop into a ½-inch dice. Add to a clean serving bowl and set aside.
Core and deseed poblano, then chop into a ½-inch dice. Add to a prep bowl and set aside.
Let's Get Cooking!
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Cook The Meat
In a large pan over medium-high heat, add a drizzle of olive oil. Add the ground pork, breaking up into bits, and lightly season with salt and pepper. Cook through until browned, about 4-6 minutes.
Temporarily transfer to a container and set aside, then wipe the pan clean.
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Make The Filling
To the hot pan, add another drizzle of olive oil. Add the diced onion, diced poblano, and lightly season with salt and pepper. Cook until softened, about 3-4 minutes.
Reduce the heat to medium and return the cooked pork to the pan. Stir in the spice blend, the stock concentrate, and the tomato paste.
Deglaze the pan by adding 1/3 cup water, scraping up any fond. Â and reduce slightly until thickened, about 2-3 minutes.
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Warm The Tortillas
Wrap the tortillas in a damp paper towel. Microwave on high for 30 seconds.
Bringing It All Together
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Presentation 1
For each tortilla, spread a scoop of filling, making a line in the middle.
Layer toppings in order as desired: Tomatoes, Pickled Onions, Shredded Cheese, Lime Crema, and sprinkle with Cilantro.
Serve 3 tacos per plate, with lime wedges on the side.
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Presentation 2
Set all the bowls together in the middle of the table, or if you prefer a countertop, put them in a line. Let people make their own tacos!