TacosMedium

Tacos al Pastor

Name: Tacos al Pastor
Prep time: 40 min
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 70 min
Cuisine: Mexican
Ingredients: 5 Guajillo chillies; 2 Ancho chillies; 3 Garlic cloves; 0.5 tsp Ground cumin; 2 Cloves; 1 White onion, diced; 800 g Pork leg or loin steaks, thinly sliced; 4 Limes; 0.5 tsp Dried oregano; 3 slices Pineapple slices; 1 to taste Salt; 0.25 tsp Black pepper; 24 Small corn tortillas; 3 tbsp Pineapple or cider vinegar; 1 bunch Fresh coriander, chopped; 50 g Achiote paste

70 min (40 prep + 30 cook) Medium 6 servings Ciudad de México

Edmond Bojalil

Recetas Mexas

Published: 4 Feb 2026 · Updated: 10 Mar 2026

Achiote and chilli-marinated pork with pineapple, onion, and coriander.

About this recipe

Tacos al pastor are arguably the most famous tacos in Mexico and the world. They were born from a fusion of the shawarma technique brought by Lebanese immigrants and traditional Mexican flavours. The pork is marinated in a blend of chillies, achiote paste, and spices, stacked on a vertical spit, and slowly cooked as it turns in front of the flame. They are served in small tortillas with pineapple, onion, coriander, and salsa. At home, they can be prepared in a frying pan or oven with delicious results.

History & Origin

Tacos al pastor are the result of one of the most successful culinary fusions in history: the Lebanese shawarma technique adapted with Mexican flavours. Lebanese immigrants arrived in Puebla and Mexico City in the early twentieth century, bringing their tradition of cooking meat on a vertical spit, but they replaced lamb with pork and pitta bread with corn tortillas. A marinade of chillies, achiote and Mexican spices took the place of Middle Eastern seasonings, and the inspired addition of a pineapple on top of the spit, whose juices caramelise the meat, completed the transformation. Each taquero is an artist who slices thin layers of meat directly from the spinning spit with a knife in one hand and a tortilla in the other. They are the most consumed taco in Mexico City, with more than 100,000 active spits every day.

Estimated cost

£11.28

Total cost

£1.88

Per serving

* Approximate prices based on UK supermarkets

Nutritional information per serving

450

Calories

25g

Protein

40g

Carbohydrates

20g

Fat

Fibre

650mg

Sodium

* Approximate values. May vary depending on ingredients used.

Method

1
Remove the veins and seeds from the guajillo and ancho chillies. Toast for 30 seconds on each side on a dry griddle, then soak in hot water for 15 minutes.
2
Blend the soaked chillies with the achiote paste, vinegar, garlic, cumin, black pepper, cloves, oregano, and a splash of the soaking water until very smooth.
💡 Achiote paste (recado rojo) is essential for the authentic al pastor colour and flavour. It can be found in Latin American grocery shops.
3
Cut the pork into thin steaks of 3-4 mm. Coat thoroughly with the marinade, cover, and refrigerate for at least 2 hours, or ideally overnight.
4
Cut the pineapple slices into medium-sized chunks.
5
Heat a large frying pan or griddle over high heat. Cook the pork steaks for 2-3 minutes on each side until charred at the edges and cooked through. Chop into small pieces.
6
In the same pan, sear the pineapple chunks for 2-3 minutes on each side until golden and caramelised.
7
Warm the tortillas on a dry griddle until soft and pliable.
8
Assemble the tacos: place chopped al pastor meat on each tortilla, top with pineapple, diced onion, chopped coriander, and a squeeze of lime. Serve with salsa.