Weeknight Cheesy Ground Pork Tacos with Pickled Onion

Craving tacos but short on time? These cheesy ground pork tacos are your answer. Instead of slow-cooking pork shoulder, we use ground pork seasoned with a fajita spice blend and simmered with tomato paste and chicken stock for a rich, saucy filling. It’s all the flavor of traditional carnitas in a fraction of the time.

Each taco is loaded with warm, spiced pork, tangy quick-pickled red onions, fresh diced tomato and a generous sprinkle of Monterey Jack cheese. A drizzle of smoky chipotle crema ties everything together. Serve with lime wedges for a bright finish and let everyone build their own at the table for a fun, interactive meal.

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

0.25 ounce CilantroView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

1 unit Roma TomatoView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

1 unit LimeView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

5 teaspoon White Wine VinegarView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

10 ounce Ground PorkView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

1 tablespoon Fajita Spice BlendView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

1 tablespoon Tomato PasteView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

1 unit Chicken Stock ConcentrateView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

2 tablespoon Sour CreamView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

1 teaspoon Chipotle PowderView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

6 unit Flour TortillasView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

0.25 cup Monterey Jack CheeseView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

2 teaspoon SugarView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

2 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 red onion. Finely chop one half and very thinly slice the other half. Core, deseed and dice the poblano pepper into ½-inch squares. Roughly chop the cilantro. Dice the Roma tomato. Halve the lime; 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 the sugar and salt are mostly dissolved. Set aside, tossing occasionally.
3. Heat a 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, about 4-5 minutes. Transfer to a plate and set aside.
4. Heat another drizzle of olive oil in the same pan over medium-high heat. Add the diced poblano and chopped onion; season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring, until softened, 3-4 minutes. Return the pork to the pan along with the fajita spice blend, chicken stock concentrate, 2 tablespoons water and 1 tablespoon tomato paste. Cook, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom, until thickened and saucy, about 2-3 minutes.
5. In a small bowl, combine the sour cream, a squeeze of lime juice and a pinch of chipotle powder (adjust to taste). Stir in enough water to achieve a drizzling consistency, about 1-2 teaspoons. Season with salt and pepper. Wrap the tortillas in a damp paper towel and microwave on high until warm, about 30 seconds.
6. Divide the pork filling among the warm tortillas. Top with diced tomato, shredded Monterey Jack cheese, chopped cilantro, pickled onion and a drizzle of chipotle crema. Serve with lime wedges on the side for squeezing over.

Recipe Tips

FAQ

Can I use ground beef or chicken instead of pork?

Yes, ground beef or chicken work well in this recipe. Adjust cooking time as needed to ensure the meat is fully cooked.

How do I store leftovers?

Store the cooked pork, pickled onion and other toppings separately in airtight containers in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Reheat the pork in a skillet before assembling tacos.

Can I make the pickled onion ahead of time?

Absolutely! The pickled onion can be made up to a week in advance and stored in the refrigerator. It will only get more flavorful.