Quick Ground Pork Carnitas Tacos with Pickled Onions and Lime Crema

These quick ground pork carnitas tacos are your shortcut to taco night bliss. Instead of slow-cooking pork for hours, we use ground pork and a bold fajita spice blend to create a rich, saucy filling in minutes. The result is incredibly flavorful and perfect for busy weeknights.

Each taco is loaded with seasoned pork, tangy quick-pickled red onions, fresh tomato salsa, melted Monterey Jack cheese and a drizzle of zesty lime crema. Set everything out in bowls and let everyone build their own – it’s a fun, interactive meal that’s sure to become a family favorite.

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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; very thinly slice the other half from pole to pole. 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, 1/2 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. Transfer to a plate using a slotted spoon. Pour out and discard any excess grease from the pan.
4. Heat another large 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 or two of water to give the crema a drizzly consistency. Meanwhile, wrap the tortillas in a damp paper towel and microwave on high until warm, about 30 seconds.
6. Divide the filling, tomatoes, cheese, cilantro, pickled onion and crema among the tortillas. (Tip: You can put everything in individual serving bowls and let everyone assemble their own tacos.) Serve with lime wedges on the side for squeezing over.

Recipe Tips

FAQ

Can I use ground turkey or chicken instead of pork?

Yes, ground turkey or chicken work well. Just be sure to adjust cooking time as needed and add a little extra oil if the meat is lean.

How do I make the crema thicker or thinner?

For a thicker crema, use less water. For a thinner drizzle, add more water a teaspoon at a time until you reach your desired consistency.

Can I make these tacos dairy-free?

Absolutely! Omit the cheese and use a dairy-free sour cream alternative. The pickled onions and fresh salsa add plenty of flavor.