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Instant Pot Al Pastor Tacos: 30-Minute Fiesta for Busy Weeknights

Al Pastor tacos are a vibrant Mexican street-food classic, featuring tender marinated pork with a tangy-sweet pineapple kick. This Instant Pot version cuts prep time to under 10 minutes and delivers restaurant-quality tacos in just 30 minutes—perfect for hectic weeknights!
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Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes
Course Appetizer Main Course Side Dish Dessert Soup Salad Breakfast Brunch Snack Beverage
Cuisine American Mexican Italian Chinese Japanese Indian Mediterranean Thai French Spanish Middle Eastern Korean Vietnamese
Servings 4 people
Calories 220 kcal

Equipment

  • 1 Instant Pot (6-8 quart)
  • 1 Sharp knife + cutting board
  • 1 Mixing bowl
  • 1 Tongs
  • 1 Skillet (optional, for charring pineapple)

Ingredients
  

  • For the Pork
  • 1.5 lbs 680g pork shoulder or carnitas (trimmed of excess fat)
  • 2 tbsp olive oil or lard for traditional flavor
  • 1/4 cup pineapple juice or orange juice
  • 2 tbsp soy sauce or coconut aminos for gluten-free
  • 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
  • 1 tsp dried oregano
  • 1 tsp cumin
  • 1/2 tsp chili powder
  • 1/2 tsp garlic powder
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1/4 tsp black pepper
  • For Assembly
  • 1 small pineapple fresh, pre-cut rings or chunks
  • 12-16 corn tortillas warmed
  • 1/4 red onion thinly sliced, pickled optional
  • 1/4 cup cilantro chopped
  • Lime wedges for serving
  • Tajín or chili-lime salt for sprinkling

Instructions
 

  • Prep the Pork Marinade
  • In a bowl, whisk together pineapple juice, soy sauce, vinegar, oregano, cumin, chili powder, garlic powder, salt, and pepper.
  • Cut pork into 2-inch chunks. Toss in the marinade to coat, then let sit for 5-10 minutes (or overnight for deeper flavor).
  • Cook in the Instant Pot
  • Select SAUTÉ mode. Add olive oil, then sear pork in batches for 2-3 minutes per side until browned. Remove and set aside.
  • Pour marinade into the Instant Pot, scraping up browned bits. Return pork to the pot.
  • Secure the lid, set valve to SEALING, and cook on MANUAL HIGH PRESSURE for 20 minutes.
  • Let pressure release naturally for 10 minutes, then quick-release remaining pressure.
  • Shred & Caramelize
  • Use two forks to shred the pork. Skim off excess fat if needed.
  • For extra flavor, switch to SAUTÉ mode and cook pork for 3-5 minutes to caramelize.
  • Char the Pineapple
  • Cut pineapple into thin rings or chunks.
  • In a skillet or directly in the Instant Pot (on SAUTÉ), char pineapple for 1-2 minutes per side until caramelized.
  • Assemble Tacos
  • Warm tortillas in a dry skillet or microwave.
  • Fill with pork, pineapple, pickled onions, cilantro, and lime juice. Sprinkle with Tajín.

Notes

  • Shortcut: Use pre-cut pineapple chunks and store-bought pickled onions to save time.
  • Meal Prep: Shred pork ahead and reheat in the Instant Pot with a splash of broth.
  • Vegetarian Swap: Replace pork with marinated tofu or tempeh.