Tacos al Pastor
Iconic Mexico City street tacos with achiote-marinated pork, caramelized pineapple, fresh cilantro, and onion on warm corn tortillas. A vibrant blend of Lebanese and Mexican culinary traditions.
Servings
Ingredients
Nutrition
Per serving
Steps
Toast and soak the chilies
Toast the guajillo chilies in a dry pan over medium heat for about 30 seconds per side, until fragrant and a bit darker but not burnt. Put them in a bowl, cover with the boiling water, and let them sit until soft.
- 3
- 2 cups boiling water
✅ Done when: chilies are soft and bend easily
Make the marinade
Drain the soaked chilies and put them in a blender with the , pineapple juice, vinegar, garlic, and cumin. Blend until completely smooth.
- 3 tbsp
- 1/2 cup pineapple juice
- 2 tbsp white vinegar
- 3 cloves garlic
- 1 tsp ground cumin
✅ Done when: smooth, deep red-orange puree with no chunks
Marinate the pork
Put the pork slices in a large bowl, season lightly with salt, and pour the marinade over them. Mix with your hands so every piece is coated, then cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours, or overnight for best flavor.
- 500g pork shoulder
- to taste salt
✅ Done when: pork looks evenly red-orange and coated
Grill the pork and pineapple
Heat a grill or cast-iron pan over high heat and brush with the oil. Cook the pork slices 2-3 minutes per side until cooked through with dark, slightly charred edges, grilling the pineapple slices alongside until golden with grill marks.
- 500g marinated pork (from step 3)
- 1/2 pineapple slices
- 1 tbsp vegetable oil
✅ Done when: pork is cooked through with charred edges, pineapple is golden
Chop and mix
Chop the grilled pork into small pieces and cut the grilled pineapple into small cubes, then mix them together in a bowl.
- 500g grilled pork
- 1/2 grilled pineapple
✅ Done when: pork and pineapple are evenly chopped and mixed
Warm the tortillas
Heat each corn tortilla over a gas flame or in a dry pan for about 30 seconds per side, until it puffs slightly and gets a few dark spots. Stack the warm tortillas in a clean kitchen towel to keep them soft.
- 12 corn tortillas
✅ Done when: tortillas are puffed with a few dark spots
Assemble the tacos
Stack two warm tortillas for each taco and fill with the pork and pineapple mixture. Sprinkle with chopped cilantro and serve right away.
- 12 corn tortillas
- 1/2 cup chopped cilantro
Toast and soak the chilies
Toast the guajillo chilies in a dry pan over medium heat for about 30 seconds per side, until fragrant and a bit darker but not burnt. Put them in a bowl, cover with the boiling water, and let them sit until soft.
- 3
- 2 cups boiling water
✅ Done when: chilies are soft and bend easily
Make the marinade
Drain the soaked chilies and put them in a blender with the , pineapple juice, vinegar, garlic, and cumin. Blend until completely smooth.
- 3 tbsp
- 1/2 cup pineapple juice
- 2 tbsp white vinegar
- 3 cloves garlic
- 1 tsp ground cumin
✅ Done when: smooth, deep red-orange puree with no chunks
Marinate the pork
Put the pork slices in a large bowl, season lightly with salt, and pour the marinade over them. Mix with your hands so every piece is coated, then cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours, or overnight for best flavor.
- 500g pork shoulder
- to taste salt
✅ Done when: pork looks evenly red-orange and coated
Grill the pork and pineapple
Heat a grill or cast-iron pan over high heat and brush with the oil. Cook the pork slices 2-3 minutes per side until cooked through with dark, slightly charred edges, grilling the pineapple slices alongside until golden with grill marks.
- 500g marinated pork (from step 3)
- 1/2 pineapple slices
- 1 tbsp vegetable oil
✅ Done when: pork is cooked through with charred edges, pineapple is golden
Chop and mix
Chop the grilled pork into small pieces and cut the grilled pineapple into small cubes, then mix them together in a bowl.
- 500g grilled pork
- 1/2 grilled pineapple
✅ Done when: pork and pineapple are evenly chopped and mixed
Warm the tortillas
Heat each corn tortilla over a gas flame or in a dry pan for about 30 seconds per side, until it puffs slightly and gets a few dark spots. Stack the warm tortillas in a clean kitchen towel to keep them soft.
- 12 corn tortillas
✅ Done when: tortillas are puffed with a few dark spots
Assemble the tacos
Stack two warm tortillas for each taco and fill with the pork and pineapple mixture. Sprinkle with chopped cilantro and serve right away.
- 12 corn tortillas
- 1/2 cup chopped cilantro
The Story Behind the Dish
Tacos Al Pastor were born from the fusion of Lebanese shawarma and Mexican cuisine. Lebanese immigrants arrived in Mexico in the early 20th century, bringing their vertical spit-roasting technique. Mexican cooks adapted this method, replacing lamb with pork and adding local ingredients like achiote, pineapple, and chili peppers.
The name 'al pastor' means 'shepherd style,' a nod to the Middle Eastern shepherds who originally roasted meat on vertical spits. The iconic trompo (spinning meat cone) became a fixture of Mexico City's street food scene by the 1960s.
Today, tacos al pastor are considered Mexico City's signature street food, with thousands of taquerías serving them from dusk to dawn.
⭐ Why It's Famous
Al Pastor represents the beautiful cultural fusion that defines Mexican cuisine. The combination of smoky marinated pork, sweet pineapple, and fresh cilantro creates an irresistible flavor that has made it the most ordered taco in Mexico City.
💡 Fun Fact
A skilled taquero can slice meat off the trompo so fast that thin pieces fly directly onto waiting tortillas — a technique that takes years to master.
Mexico City, Mexico
19.43°N, -99.13°W
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