Pork Carnitas Tacos are a fantastic way to enjoy tender, slow-cooked pork carnitas. Picture lightly charred corn tortillas filled with shredded carnitas that have been crisped in a hot skillet for golden, crunchy edges. Finish with your favorite toppings and dig in.
Table of Contents
- What Toppings Go on Carnitas Tacos?
- More of My Favorite Taco Recipes
- How to Make Pork Carnitas Tacos
- Pork Carnitas Tacos Recipe
If there’s a go-to meal at our house, it’s tacos. Often we keep them simple: flour or corn tortillas, seasoned meat, cheese, sour cream, and hot sauce. But Pork Carnitas Tacos are a different level—rich, flavorful, and easy to assemble when you have carnitas ready in the fridge or freezer.
These tacos are perfect for weeknights and gatherings alike. Keep the carnitas warm in a slow cooker, set out stacks of tortillas and toppings, and let everyone build their own.
What Toppings Go on Carnitas Tacos?
Traditional street-style carnitas tacos are simple: charred corn tortillas topped with carnitas, finely chopped raw onion, cilantro, and a squeeze of lime. But you can customize them however you like. Popular options include:
- Finely chopped raw white or red onion
- Thinly sliced jalapeño
- Shredded cabbage
- Chopped fresh cilantro
- Crumbled cotija or shredded jack cheese
- Lime wedges for a bright squeeze of citrus
- Mexican crema or sour cream
- Guacamole or avocado slices
- Pico de Gallo
- Refried beans, either on the taco or as a side
This recipe is written to serve four, but it scales easily. With a full batch of slow-cooker carnitas kept warm, tortillas and toppings laid out, you can feed a crowd with minimal fuss.
The slow-cooker carnitas that pair with these tacos take about 15 minutes to prep and several hours to cook until fall-apart tender. A pork butt or shoulder, garlic, tomato and orange juices, a touch of chipotle hot sauce, and spices like cumin, oregano and cinnamon create deep, savory flavor. Crisp up the finished carnitas in a skillet for the ideal texture—great for tacos, burritos, quesadillas, and nachos.
More of My Favorite Taco Recipes
- Shrimp Tacos — crisp salt-and-pepper shrimp in charred tortillas with cabbage slaw and a creamy, spicy sauce
- Grilled Shrimp Tacos — cook everything on the grill for easy, crowd-pleasing tacos
- Carne Asada Tacos — tender, flavorful grilled steak served with classic toppings
- Pork Belly Tacos — crispy pork belly with tangy slaw and a spicy-sweet sauce
- Lamb Tacos — well-spiced lamb topped with lime crema and bright garnishes
How to Make Pork Carnitas Tacos
Step 1: Warm tortillas in a heavy skillet, giving them light char marks, then keep them wrapped in foil to stay warm.
Step 2: Heat a little oil in a cast-iron or nonstick skillet, add the carnitas, and cook until heated through and crisped at the edges.
Step 3: Fill each warm tortilla with carnitas and your chosen toppings. Serve immediately.
Pork Carnitas Tacos
Video
Ingredients
- 8 corn tortillas
- 1 tablespoon olive oil or more
- leftover cooking liquid from carnitas or broth optional
- 3 cups Slow Cooker Pork Carnitas
Suggested toppings:
- shredded jack cheese or crumbled cotija cheese
- thinly shredded green cabbage
- chopped cilantro
- finely chopped raw white onion
- Mexican crema or sour cream
- Guacamole or avocado slices
- Pico de Gallo
- Homemade Refried Beans on the bottom of the tacos or served on the side
Instructions
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Heat a dry cast-iron or heavy skillet over medium-high heat. Add one corn tortilla and cook about 30 seconds per side until softened and lightly charred. Transfer cooked tortillas to foil to keep warm; repeat with remaining tortillas.
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In another large skillet, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the carnitas and cook, stirring, until the meat is heated through and develops crispy edges. If the meat seems dry, add a little of the leftover cooking liquid or broth.
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Assemble each taco with about 1/3 cup carnitas on a warm tortilla and top as desired. Serve immediately.
Notes
- If you’re feeding a crowd, warm tortillas in the oven: wrap stacks of six tortillas in foil and heat at 350°F for 8–10 minutes. They won’t have the char but will be warm and soft.
- To crisp carnitas in the oven, spread it in a shallow layer on a foil-lined baking sheet and broil on high for 3–5 minutes until the edges brown. Add cooking liquid or broth if needed.
- For a family-style meal, keep tortillas wrapped in foil and serve warm carnitas and toppings in bowls so everyone can assemble their own tacos.
- Nutrition facts do not include toppings and are approximate.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated and should be used as an approximation.
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