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Mexico City · Mexican

Tacos al Pastor (Marinated Pork Tacos with Pineapple)

Mexico City's iconic taco: pork marinated in dried chilies, achiote, and pineapple, roasted until the edges crisp, then piled into warm corn tortillas with onion, coriander, and a hit of salsa. A spit-roast classic reworked for the home oven.

By Table & Traditions Editors

Published June 20, 2026

Three tacos al pastor on doubled corn tortillas, piled with crisp-edged red-stained pork, diced golden pineapple, white onion, and chopped coriander, with lime wedges alongside.

Tacos al pastor — 'shepherd-style' — were born when Lebanese immigrants brought spit-roasted shawarma to central Mexico in the 20th century. Mexican cooks swapped lamb for chili-and-achiote-marinated pork stacked on a vertical trompo, crowned with a pineapple that drips its juices down the meat. The taquero shaves off crisp slices to order. It's the defining street taco of Mexico City.

Yield
Makes about 12 tacos
Prep
30 min (plus marinating)
Cook
40 min
Total
1 hr 10 min (plus marinating)
Difficulty
Intermediate

Tacos al pastor are the soul of Mexico City street food: chili-and-achiote-marinated pork roasted until the edges crisp, shaved into warm corn tortillas, and crowned with sweet roasted pineapple, raw onion, coriander, lime, and salsa. The flavour is unmistakable — fruity, smoky, earthy, a little sweet — and the colour is a deep brick red.

The dish has a wonderful immigrant history: Lebanese settlers brought spit-roasted shawarma to Mexico, and local cooks made it their own, trading lamb for adobo-marinated pork stacked on a vertical spit (the trompo) with a pineapple perched on top, dripping juice down the meat. The taquero shaves off crisp slices to order.

The adobo is everything

You don’t need a trompo, but you do need the marinade. The adobo is a blend of rehydrated dried chilies (guajillo for colour and fruit, ancho for depth, árbol for heat), achiote paste for its earthy red character, plus garlic, pineapple juice, vinegar, oregano, and warm spices. Blend it smooth, coat thin slices of pork shoulder, and let it marinate overnight. Achiote is the one ingredient worth a trip to a Latin grocery — it’s what makes al pastor taste like al pastor.

Faking the trompo

To get that crisp-edged, spit-roast texture in a home oven, stack the marinated slices tightly into a loaf shape (on a skewer or in a loaf tin), top with pineapple, and roast hot. Then slice the stack thin and give the pieces a final crisp-up in a screaming pan — that’s where the costra, the caramelised crusty bits, come from. Short on time? Just sear the marinated pork in batches and chop it; it’s nearly as good.

Build it right

A proper al pastor taco is small and balanced: two doubled-up corn tortillas, a pile of crisp pork, diced roasted pineapple, a scatter of sharp white onion and coriander, a squeeze of lime, and salsa. Set everything out and let people assemble their own.

Looking for more taco night inspiration? Browse the full recipe collection, or read more cultural stories on the traditions behind the food.

Ingredients

Makes
12

For the pork

  • 1 kg pork shoulder, thinly sliced Sliced into thin, wide pieces about 0.5 cm thick. Some marbling keeps it juicy.

For the marinade (adobo)

  • 3 guajillo chilies Stemmed, seeded, and rehydrated in hot water. Mild, fruity, and the colour base.
  • 2 ancho chilies Rehydrated; deep and raisiny.
  • 2 chiles de árbol (optional) For heat — adjust to taste.
  • 2 tbsp achiote (annatto) paste The earthy, red-orange seasoning that gives al pastor its colour. Sold in blocks at Latin groceries.
  • 120 ml pineapple juice Fresh if possible — it tenderises and sweetens.
  • 3 tbsp white vinegar
  • 4 cloves garlic
  • 1 tsp dried oregano (Mexican if possible)
  • 1 tsp ground cumin
  • 1/2 tsp ground cloves and a pinch of cinnamon
  • salt

To cook and serve

  • 1/2 fresh pineapple, sliced Roasted alongside or grilled, then diced.
  • 1 white onion, finely diced
  • 1 bunch fresh coriander, chopped
  • 24 small corn tortillas Doubled up, two per taco, warmed. Corn is traditional.
  • to serve lime wedges and salsa

Method

Tap a step’s number to check it off as you go.

  1. Rehydrate the dried chilies in hot water for 15 minutes, then blend with the achiote, pineapple juice, vinegar, garlic, oregano, cumin, cloves, cinnamon, and salt into a smooth, thick adobo.

    Why: Toasting and rehydrating the chilies, then blending, builds the complex, fruity-smoky base that defines al pastor. Strain it if you want it silky.

  2. Coat the sliced pork thoroughly in the adobo and marinate, covered, in the fridge for at least 4 hours, ideally overnight.

    Why: Time lets the chili-achiote marinade penetrate and the pineapple's enzymes tenderise the meat.

  3. To mimic the trompo at home, stack the marinated slices tightly into a loaf shape on a skewer or in a loaf tin, top with pineapple, and roast at 220°C/425°F for about 35–40 minutes, until cooked through and the edges char.

    Why: Stacking and roasting concentrates the meat so the outside crisps while the inside stays juicy — the closest a home oven gets to a vertical spit.

  4. Rest briefly, then thinly slice the stack and crisp the slices further in a hot, dry pan or under the grill for a minute.

    Why: The final sear gives you the caramelised, crisp-edged bits (the 'costra') that are the best part of a real al pastor taco.

  5. Dice the roasted pineapple. Warm the corn tortillas, double them up, and fill with pork, diced pineapple, onion, and coriander.

    Why: Doubling the tortillas keeps the taco from tearing under the juicy filling; the cool pineapple, sharp onion, and fresh herb balance the rich meat.

  6. Finish each taco with a squeeze of lime and a spoonful of salsa, and serve right away.

    Why: Al pastor tacos are an assembly-line, eat-now food — lime and salsa are added at the last second for brightness and heat.

A quick, anonymous tap — no review needed.

Variations

  • Grill or barbecue

    Grill the marinated slices and pineapple over charcoal for a smoky char closer to the original, then chop and serve. The smoke adds a lot.

  • Quick weeknight (chopped)

    Skip the stacking: just sear the marinated pork in a hot pan in batches until crisp at the edges, then chop. Less dramatic, equally delicious.

  • Chicken al pastor

    Use thinly sliced chicken thigh with the same adobo for a lighter version (pollo al pastor) that cooks faster.

Serving & Storage

Set out the pork, diced pineapple, onion, coriander, lime, and a couple of salsas (a smoky salsa roja and a fresh salsa verde) and let everyone build their own. Two small doubled corn tortillas per taco is the standard.

Pairs with: Salsa verde and salsa roja, Pickled red onions, Mexican rice, Horchata or a cold lager with lime.

Storage: The cooked pork keeps 4 days refrigerated and freezes well for 2 months — reheat and re-crisp in a hot pan. Keep tortillas and toppings separate until serving.

Nutrition

Per serving (2 tacos)

Calories
380
Protein
24 g
Carbs
34 g
Fat
16 g
Fiber
5 g
Sugar
8 g
Sodium
560 mg

Notable micronutrients: Vitamin C, Iron, Niacin

Estimated using standard ingredient data. Values vary with brands and substitutions.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is achiote and where do I find it?

Achiote (annatto) paste is a brick-red seasoning made from annatto seeds with spices, giving al pastor its earthy flavour and signature colour. It's sold in small blocks at Latin American groceries and online. If you truly can't find it, a mix of paprika and a pinch of turmeric approximates the colour but not quite the flavour.

How do I get the crispy spit-roast texture at home?

Stack the marinated slices into a loaf shape and roast, then thinly slice and crisp the pieces in a hot dry pan or under the grill. That final sear gives you the caramelised crusty edges (costra) that make al pastor. A chopped, pan-seared shortcut also works well.

Why pineapple?

On the trompo, a whole pineapple sits on top and drips juice down the meat as it roasts, both seasoning and tenderising it (its enzymes break down the pork). Diced roasted pineapple in the taco adds sweet-tart pops that cut the richness — a defining touch.

Corn or flour tortillas?

Corn, always, for authentic al pastor — and small ones, doubled up so they don't tear under the juicy filling. Warm them on a dry pan or comal until soft and pliable just before serving.

What to drink with this

All drinks →

Hand-picked pours to match this dish. Alcoholic pairings are for adults of legal drinking age (21+ in the US) — please drink responsibly.

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