Quick and Easy Pork Carnitas Tacos with Lime Crema

These pork carnitas tacos are a weeknight twist on the classic slow-cooked dish. By using ground pork and a bold spice blend, you get all the rich, savory flavor in a fraction of the time. The meat is cooked until nicely browned, then simmered with tomato paste and stock for a saucy, irresistible filling.

Serve with warm flour tortillas and a spread of toppings: tangy pickled red onions, fresh diced tomatoes, creamy Monterey Jack cheese and a bright lime crema. Everyone can build their own tacos, making this a fun and interactive meal that’s sure to please.

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 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, 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. Transfer the pork 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 can be substituted. Just be sure to cook until no longer pink and adjust seasoning as needed.

How can I make this recipe dairy-free?

Use a dairy-free sour cream alternative and omit the Monterey Jack cheese or replace it with a dairy-free shredded cheese.

Can I prepare the pickled onions in advance?

Absolutely! The pickled onions can be made up to a week ahead and stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator.