Quick and Easy Pork Carnitas Tacos with Pickled Onions

These pork carnitas tacos are a faster, weeknight-friendly version of the traditional slow-cooked dish. By using ground pork and a blend of fajita spices, you can achieve deep, rich flavor in a fraction of the time. The pork becomes saucy and delicious, perfect for piling onto warm tortillas.

Toppings are key here: tangy pickled onions, fresh tomatoes, cilantro and a drizzle of lime crema. Set everything out and let everyone build their own tacos for a fun, interactive dinner.

Log in to save recipes and build weekly shopping lists.

Ingredients

1 unit Red OnionView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

1 unit Poblano PepperView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

0.5 ounce CilantroView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

2 unit Roma TomatoView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

1 unit LimeView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

5 teaspoon White Wine VinegarView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

20 ounce Ground PorkView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

1 tablespoon Fajita Spice BlendView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

2 tablespoon Tomato PasteView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

1 unit Chicken Stock ConcentrateView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

4 tablespoon Sour CreamView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

12 unit Flour TortillasView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

0.5 cup Monterey Jack CheeseView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

2 teaspoon SugarView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

4 teaspoon Olive OilView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

Salt to tasteView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

Pepper to tasteView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

Instructions

1. Wash and dry all produce. Halve and peel the onion. Finely chop one half; thinly slice the other half into rings. Core, seed and finely chop the poblano. Roughly chop the cilantro. Core and dice the tomatoes. Halve the lime; cut one half into wedges for serving.
2. In a medium bowl, combine the sliced onion, white wine vinegar, 2 teaspoons sugar, ½ teaspoon salt and 1 tablespoon water. Toss until the sugar and salt are mostly dissolved. Set aside to marinate, tossing occasionally.
3. Heat a large drizzle of olive oil in a large pan over medium-high heat. Add the ground pork, breaking it up into pieces. Season with salt and pepper. Cook until browned, 4-5 minutes. Use a slotted spoon to transfer the pork to a plate. Pour out and discard any excess grease from the pan.
4. Heat another drizzle of olive oil in the same pan over medium-high heat. Add the chopped onion and poblano. Season with salt and pepper. Cook, tossing, until softened, 3-4 minutes. Return the pork to the pan and add the fajita spice blend, 2 tablespoons tomato paste, the chicken stock concentrate and 2 tablespoons water. Cook, stirring, until everything comes together in a saucy mixture, 2-3 minutes.
5. In a small bowl, combine the sour cream, a squeeze of lime juice and a pinch of salt and pepper. Stir in a splash of water to create a drizzling consistency. Wrap the tortillas in a damp paper towel and microwave until warm, about 30 seconds.
6. Divide the pork filling among the tortillas. Top with diced tomatoes, Monterey Jack cheese, cilantro, pickled onion and a drizzle of crema. Serve with lime wedges on the side.

Recipe Tips

FAQ

Can I use ground chicken or turkey instead of pork?

Yes, ground chicken or turkey works well as a substitute. Just be sure to adjust the cooking time as needed.

How do I store leftovers?

Store the pork filling and toppings separately in airtight containers in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Reheat the pork in a skillet before serving.

Can I make this recipe gluten-free?

Yes, simply use corn tortillas instead of flour tortillas. Check that your spice blend and stock concentrate are gluten-free.