Quick Weeknight Pork Carnitas Tacos with Lime Crema

These pork carnitas tacos are a weeknight-friendly 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 with onion, poblano, tomato paste and stock concentrate until it becomes a saucy, irresistible filling.

Serve the carnitas in warm flour tortillas topped with shredded lettuce, Monterey Jack cheese, fresh cilantro, quick-pickled red onions and a creamy lime crema. Set out all the toppings so everyone can build their own perfect taco. It’s an easy, 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

1 unit Romaine LettuceView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

1 unit LimeView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

2 tablespoon 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

4 teaspoon Olive OilView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

2 teaspoon SugarView 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. Peel and halve the onion. Finely chop one half and very thinly slice the other half from pole to pole. Core, seed and finely chop the poblano. Roughly chop the cilantro. Thinly slice the lettuce crosswise into shreds. Cut the lime in half; cut one half into wedges.
2. In a medium bowl, combine the sliced onion, white wine vinegar, 2 teaspoons sugar, ½ teaspoon salt and 1 tablespoon water. Toss until 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 and season with salt and pepper. Cook, breaking up the meat into pieces, until browned, 4-5 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, 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 until softened, 3-4 minutes. Return the pork to the pan along with the fajita spice blend, tomato paste, 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 create 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 among the tortillas. Top with lettuce, cheese, cilantro, pickled onion and a drizzle of crema. (Tip: Place all toppings in individual bowls and let everyone assemble their own tacos.) Serve with lime wedges on the side.

Recipe Tips

FAQ

Can I use corn tortillas instead of flour?

Yes, corn tortillas work well. Warm them in a dry skillet or microwave before serving.

How can I make this recipe dairy-free?

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

Can I substitute ground pork with another protein?

Ground chicken or turkey can be used instead of pork. Adjust cooking time as needed.