30 Minute Al Pastor Tacos with Smashed Avocado.

30 Minute Al Pastor Tacos with Smashed Avocado. Reinvent taco night with these quick al pastor-style street tacos. Sweet, smoky, and spicy chipotle pineapple pork gets piled into warm tortillas with pineapple salsa verde and roasted corn smashed avocado. They’re the easiest way to bring all those street taco flavors home. Make a playlist, mix up a batch of margaritas, and let this menu be the perfect excuse to turn dinner into a little fiesta.

I spent last week in Austin, and I realized something pretty special about Texas. People there seem to turn even an ordinary weeknight into a small celebration.

Every evening at the Austin Proper, the restaurants and bars are full. People of all ages are gathered over dinner, sharing drinks, catching up with friends, and simply enjoying being together. The streets have that same energy too. No one seems to be in a rush to get home.

Watching them made me wonder if Texans have figured out the balance so many of us are chasing. They work hard, but they also make time to enjoy life.

A lot of that comes down to spending time outside and gathering around food.

I’ve always believed food has this incredible way of bringing people together. It gives us a reason to slow down, put our phones away, and be present with the people sitting across the table. There’s something really refreshing about that kind of simplicity.

And one thing you’ll find just about everywhere in Texas? Really good tacos.

Al pastor has always been one of my favorites. Traditionally, it’s made with pork slow-roasted until tender in a smoky, spicy chipotle-pineapple marinade, then tucked into warm tortillas with fresh toppings.

I already have a more traditional shredded pork al pastor recipe on the site, but sometimes I want those same bold flavors without waiting hours.

So this version is my weeknight shortcut.

Instead of slow-cooked pork, I use ground pork that simmers in a quick chipotle pineapple sauce. You still get all those sweet, smoky, spicy flavors, but dinner is on the table in just 30 minutes. Add fresh pineapple salsa verde, roasted corn smashed avocado, melty cheese, and warm tortillas, then pour yourself a margarita and turn an ordinary weeknight into something worth celebrating!

These are the Details

Ingredients

The Al Pastor

• ground pork or ground chicken
• yellow onion
• smoked paprika
• chipotle peppers in adobo
• red enchilada sauce
• canned pineapple chunks in juice
• sea salt
• hard or soft taco shells
• Oaxaca cheese

Pineapple Salsa Verde

• salsa verde
• fresh pineapple
• roasted corn
• fresh lime
• fresh cilantro
• toasted pepitas

Smashed Avocado

• ripe avocados
• fresh lime
• fresh cilantro
• grilled or roasted corn

From the Kitchen

You’ll need one large skillet for the meat, plus two medium bowls for the salsa verde and smashed avocado. A cutting board, sharp knife, wooden spoon, and citrus juicer are all you need.

If you’re using fresh corn, char it on the grill, under the broiler, or directly over a gas flame for a couple of minutes before cutting off the kernels. It adds the best smoky flavor, making these tacos even better.

The Steps

30 Minute Al Pastor Tacos with Smashed Avocado

5 from 2 votes

6

by Tieghan Gerard

calories 640kcal

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Prep15 minutes mins

Cook15 minutes mins

Total30 minutes mins

Turn an ordinary weeknight into a fiesta with these easy 30-minute al pastor-style tacos topped with pineapple salsa verde and roasted corn smashed avocado.

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Ingredients 

1x2x3x

• ▢ 2 pounds ground pork or chicken
• ▢ 1 yellow onion, chopped
• ▢ 1 tablespoon smoked paprika
• ▢ 1 to 2 chipotle peppers in adobo, chopped
• ▢ 1 cup red enchilada sauce
• ▢ 1 can (20-ounce) pineapple chunks in juice
• ▢ sea salt and black pepper
• ▢ 16 hard or soft taco shells, warmed
• ▢ shredded Oaxaca cheese, crumbled queso fresco, and fresh cilantro, for serving

Pineapple Salsa Verde

• ▢ 1 cup salsa verde
• ▢ 1 cup fresh pineapple chunks
• ▢ 1 cup roasted corn
• ▢ juice from 1 lime
• ▢ 1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro
• ▢ 2 tablespoons toasted pepitas, crushed

Smashed Avocado

• ▢ 2 avocados, diced
• ▢ 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
• ▢ 1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro
• ▢ 2 ears grilled corn, kernels removed

Instructions 

• 1. In a large skillet set over medium heat, add ground meat and onion. Cook, breaking up the meat with a wooden spoon, until browned and cooked through, 8 to 10 minutes. Stir in the smoked paprika, chipotle peppers, enchilada sauce, and the entire can of pineapple with its juice. Season with salt and pepper. Simmer 5 to 10 minutes, until the sauce thickens and coats the meat.

  2. To make the pineapple salsa verde. In a bowl, combine the salsa verde, pineapple, roasted corn, lime juice, cilantro, and pepitas. Season with sea salt.

  3. Mix the avocado. Mix the avocados, lime juice, cilantro, and corn. Lightly smash together, leaving the avocado slightly chunky. Season with sea salt.

  4. Stuff each warmed tortilla with cheese and spoon over the al pastor. Top with pineapple salsa verde, smashed avocado, fresh cilantro. Eat with lime wedges!

Nutrition

Calories: 640kcal

Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.

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