SlickStream Icons

My RecipeTinSearch Recipes

Evolving Table

Healthy, simple, family-friendly recipes.

Mobile Only

Home » Recipes » Instant Pot Tacos al Pastor

Instant Pot Tacos al Pastor

70 mins 265 cals 8 servs

Dairy-FreeDinnerGluten-FreeNut-FreePaleoPoultry, Red Meat & PorkRecipesRefined Sugar-FreeSoy-FreeTacos & Wraps

Jump to Recipe Print Recipe

Instant Pot Tacos al Pastor are super tender, full of fresh pineapple and spicy chipotle, and are a simple Instant Pot pork recipe.  Serve these Instant Pot tacos al Pastor for a quick and easy weeknight dinner in gluten-free corn tortillas or over cauliflower rice for a Paleo alternative.

A middle taco in a row of tacos al pastor with pineapple and chipotle.

If you have ever visited Texas you probably already know that tacos are all the rage. (Especially Tacos al Pastor!)

Every corner you turn there is another food truck, taqueria, or fancy taco shop.

Texas tacos range from being slightly too-fancy-and-fussy-for-my-taste to that-taco-is-drowning-in-so-much-grease-I-can-barely-pick-it-up.

So when you find that hidden gem of a taco spot, that happens to make incredible al Pastor tacos, you definitely take note.

Gluten-free Instant Pot Tacos al Pastor on a serving slate with lime wedges on the side.

This past weekend we were out celebrating a buddy’s 30th birthday party.

We happened to be in the center of downtown Austin, where the food is oftentimes over-priced and not-so-good.

We ordered a few tacos, including their tacos al Pastor, and waited at a table with our friends.

An overhead picture of gluten-free al pastor on a slate.

Suffice it to say, my expectations were anything but high.  I was hungry, and there were tacos.  That’s all I was there for.

However, when we received our variety of tacos (Cohl can consume A LOT of tacos!!) I was beyond surprised.

Of the four different tacos we ordered, the tacos al Pastor were the best… by far!!

They blew my mind so much that I could not stop thinking about them for DAYS.  (Hence, the inspiration for the Instant Pot Tacos al Pastor!)

A row of tacos al pastor on slate to eat for an easy lunch.

What Kind of Instant Pot is Best?

After a bit of research, I found that the 6-quart Instant Pot is the way to go.  It has enough room for large batches of soup, but it is still a great size to fit into your cabinets with ease.

I have the Instant Pot Duo Plus 6-quart, 9-in-1, and it works for just about any and every use you can imagine!

However, if you think you will be making A LOT of bone broth, or enormous batches of soup, you might want to look into the Instant Pot Duo Plus 8-quart.

A delicious row of Pork al pastor tacos with fresh pineapple and spicy chipotle.

A Few Things To Note about these Instant Pot Tacos Al Pastor:

While you can adapt this Instant Pot al Pastor recipe to your preference, there are a few points I want to make sure you don’t forget!

  • Fresh pineapple is KEY here.  If you get the canned variety they will taste WAY too sugary.
  • Don’t forget the chipotle peppers in adobo sauce.  These bad boys give the tacos al Pastor their signature taste.
  • Please marinate for AT LEAST 1 hour.  The longer the better.  I marinated mine overnight and they were perfect!

How Can You Evolve this al Pastor Recipe?

There are a few changes you can make to these Instant Pot tacos al Pastor to make them a bit healthier:

  • If you would like to make this recipe whole30 compliant, simply substitute the maple syrup for date paste or syrup.
  • Feel free to use a leaner cut of pork.  Pork shoulder is traditional and definitely tastes the best, but you can always try other cuts.
  • If you prefer your al Pastor a little spicier, add a bit of cayenne pepper to the recipe.
Gluten-free Instant Pot Tacos al Pastor on a serving slate with lime wedges on the side.
4.45 from 25 votes
Print

Instant Pot Tacos Al Pastor

Instant Pot Tacos al Pastor are super tender, full of fresh pineapple and spicy chipotle, and are a simple Instant Pot pork recipe.  Serve these Instant Pot tacos al Pastor for a quick and easy weeknight dinner in gluten-free corn tortillas or over cauliflower rice for a Paleo alternative.

Course Dinner, lunch, Main Course
Cuisine Mexican
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 55 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 10 minutes
Servings 8 tacos
Calories 265 kcal
Author London

Ingredients

  • 2 cups pineapple fresh, roughly chopped
  • ¾ cup red onion finely chopped
  • 2 cloves garlic crushed
  • ⅓ cup maple syrup
  • 2 Tbsp. apple cider vinegar or white wine vinegar
  • 2 chipotle peppers in adobo sauce
  • 2 Tbsp. lime juice
  • 1 Tbsp. chili powder
  • 1 tsp. cumin
  • ½ tsp. paprika
  • 1 ¼ teaspoon salt
  • ½ tsp. pepper
  • 2 pounds pork shoulder trimmed of excess fat and cut into 2-inch cubes
  • 8-16 corn tortillas*
  • ½ cup pineapple fresh, finely diced
  • ¼ cup red onion finely chopped, optional
  • Cilantro optional
  • Avocado optional

Instructions

  1. In a high speed blender or food processor combine pineapple, onion, garlic, maple syrup, vinegar, chipotle peppers, lime juice, chili powder, cumin, paprika, salt, and pepper.

  2. Blend for 1-2 minutes or until marinade is completely smooth.

  3. Place trimmed and cubed pork shoulder in a gallon-sized zip-top bag along with the marinade. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour or up to 8 hours.

  4. Once ready to cook, add pork and marinade into the Instant Pot.

  5. Cover, make sure pressure release valve is sealed, and cook on high pressure for 45 minutes.

  6. Once the timer goes off, let the pork sit in the Instant Pot for 10 minutes for a 10 minute natural pressure release (NPR).

  7. After 10 minutes, release the pressure valve and let it ventilate until you are able to open the Instant Pot.
  8. Shred the pork and let it sit for 10 minutes before serving.
  9. Serve shredded pork on corn tortillas with diced pineapple, red onions, cilantro, and avocado. Enjoy!

Recipe Notes

  • If your pork shoulder was very fatty you may have a bit too much liquid. If so, double up the corn tortillas to make sure your tacos do not fall apart!
  • Nutritional information is calculated for 1 taco with 1 corn tortilla.

Nutrition Facts
Instant Pot Tacos Al Pastor
Amount Per Serving
Calories 265 Calories from Fat 36
% Daily Value*
Fat 4g6%
Saturated Fat 1g6%
Cholesterol 59mg20%
Sodium 525mg23%
Potassium 600mg17%
Carbohydrates 31g10%
Fiber 3g13%
Sugar 14g16%
Protein 24g48%
Vitamin A 795IU16%
Vitamin C 27.9mg34%
Calcium 67mg7%
Iron 2.3mg13%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Want more recipes like these Instant Pot al Pastor Tacos?

Slow Cooker Pineapple Pulled Pork Tacos

Black Bean & Sweet Potato Tacos

Blackened Fish Tacos with Avocado Sauce

Instant Pot Hard-Boiled Eggs

Note: Some of the links in this post may be affiliate links.

Most Recent Recipes

Mobile Only

Are you ready to evolve?

Sign up to get delicious updates delivered straight to your inbox!

Author Box – Mobile Only

Hey!! I'm London.

Come join me as we cook up uncomplicated healthy recipes your family will love, learn the basics of nutritious eating, and begin to slowly evolve..one healthy bite at a time!
First Time? Start Here!

Desktop only

Are you ready to evolve?

Sign up to get delicious updates delivered straight to your inbox!

Reader Interactions

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published.

Comments

  2. Karl Althaus says

    4 stars
    I thought the meat came out very sweet compared to other tacos al pastor I’ve had. I may cut the syrup in half next go around. I would also suggest searing the meat on the “saute” function for a few minutes just before pressure cooking. This will caramelize some of the sugars in the marinade and help seal in some of that pork flavor. It may just be the way instant pots cook, but the meat is more of a hybrid between carnitas and al pastor. I need to try and see if frying the meat in some oil on the flat top gives it more of a carnitas crunch. Outside of the sweetness and the meat not being “traditional” I think this recipe has a ton of flavor. Will try again with some modifications.

    Reply

    • London says

      Love all of your feedback, Karl! Searing the meat at the beginning is a great idea. Will definitely need to try that next time. Thanks for your comment and rating 🙂

      Reply

  3. Jenn Fox says

    My husband and I are making this RIGHT NOW 🙂 and he cut the pork way smaller than 2-inch cubes. Do you think we should make a modification on time? Marinating tonight…cooking tomorrow. Thanks if you see this!

    Reply

    • London says

      Hi Jenn!! The time should still work well for the pork! They’ll probably just come out a bit more tender 😉 Can’t wait to hear what you think!

      Reply

  4. Anonymous says

    This was the very first meal that I made in my instant pot and it was a huge success in my house. I’ve made it several times since then. I’m trying it today with chicken and hoping for the same result. I’m adjusting the time for cooking. I’m going to try 15 minutes and hope for the best. Any advice? Especially were doing chicken is concerned.

    Reply

    • London says

      Hi!! So happy you have enjoyed it! What type of chicken are you going to use? Chicken breasts, boneless, bone-in, etc? If you’re using boneless chicken breasts, these actually cook pretty quickly so somewhere in the 10-15 minute range should be just fine. There is plenty of liquid, so you will not need to worry too much about it drying out! Would love to know how it turns out for you 🙂

      Reply

    • London says

      Hi Linh! The nutritional value does not include a tortilla (since tortillas vary so drastically in their nutritional content!) The nutritional information is only for one serving of pork.

      Reply

  6. Alma Montelongo says

    5 stars
    Delicious and authentic. My coworker got me craving my beloved Texas food that cannot be found in Florida so I have to make my own! I actually added a bottle of Mexican beer to the pot.

    Reply

    • London says

      Hi Alma!! I am so happy it was able to cure your craving! Funny enough, we are actually in Florida right now! Your addition of Mexican beer sounds delicious… will have to try that soon! Thanks so much for your comment and rating 🙂

      Reply

  7. Elena says

    Working on your Al Pastor recipe… looking forward to eat some:-) I hope it turns as good as my favorite Mexican restaurant cooks their Al Pastor:-)

    Reply

  8. Heather says

    5 stars
    How much longer should I cook if I got an almost 4lb shoulder?? It’s been marinating all night, can’t wait to taste later!!

    Reply

  9. Cheryl says

    Hi. This recipe sounds delicious! I do not have an InstantPot though, and I was wondering how long do you think this recipe would you take in a slow-cooker? Thank you, Cheryl

    Reply

    • London says

      Hi Cheryl! I have not personally tried this recipe in a slow cooker, but I would give it 5-6 hours on low, and shred the pork towards the last 30 minutes! Let me know how it turns out if you try it!

      Reply
shares