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My Family's Carnitas Taco Recipe Is So Delicious, I Make It Every Sunday

Juicy, smoky, tangy, and perfectly spicy.
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  • Recipes
  • What To Make With
  • Pork & Ham

The Most Delicious Carnitas Tacos

Janette ZepedaCulinary Producer

Andrea Rivera WawrzynFood Editor

published 2 days ago

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[four carnitas tacos topped with onion and cilantro, and a bunch of different sauces and toppings around them]

Credit: Photo: Alex Lepe; Food Styling: Janette Zepeda

When warm charred tortillas meet juicy tender pork carnitas, tangy pickled onions, and a spicy chile de arbol salsa, you get the ultimate taco experience.

Serves4 to 6

Prep25 minutes to 30 minutes

Cook30 minutes

Cook Mode+

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[four carnitas tacos topped with onion and cilantro, and a bunch of different sauces and toppings around them]

Credit: Photo: Alex Lepe; Food Styling: Janette Zepeda

Quick Overview

Why You’ll Love It

  • Make it your way: Customize the tacos with your favorite toppings and sauces. The arbol chile salsa is traditionally very spicy, but we’ve adjusted the heat level in this recipe to make it a bit more mild. If spice isn’t your thing, top with roasted salsa verde instead.
  • Bright and balanced : Carnitas tacos are absolutely delightful on their own, but the acidity from the lime and crunch from the radishes and onions cut through the richness of the carnitas perfectly.
  • Perfect make-ahead meal: You can make the pickled onions and salsa ahead of time, making taco night quick, easy, and stress-free.

Carnitas originated in Michoacan, Mexico, where it remains a staple and reflects a cultural blend of indigenous traditions and Spanish influence. I loved hearing my mom’s story about when she visited Michoacan and the smell of carnitas filled the air.

Growing up, carnitas were a regular fixture on my Mama Nena and Papa Cuco’s Sunday supper table. The carnitas were always slow-cooked, tender, and juicy — served alongside handmade tortillas, a special treat when my grandma would pull out her wooden tortilla press. There’s truly nothing like the combination of warm carnitas tucked into a lightly charred tortilla, topped with tangy pickled onions, and spicy salsa. The salsas typically served alongside these famous tacos (for us, it was always either salsa de molcajete or the classic chile de arbol salsa) have a big kick, but will keep you coming back for more, I promise. Most kids ( like me) were practically trained on the salsa as if we were heading straight for the spice olympics. It’s the combination of bright, fiery, and rich flavors that makes these tacos truly spectacular.

They come together fairly quickly, and bring one of Mexico’s most beloved taco fillings into your home, serving hungry loved ones with something that will satisfy everyone’s taco craving. I promise they’ll become a staple in your taco night rotation.

Credit: Photo: Alex Lepe; Food Styling: Janette Zepeda

Straight from Our Recipe Tester

“These tacos were a hit at my house. The pickled onions were citrusy and a little spicy and complemented the savoriness of the pork perfectly.” — Andrea, January 2026

Key Ingredients in Carnitas Tacos

  • Chile de arbol salsa: Adds smoky heat and complex flavor giving the carnitas tacos their signature spicy kick. Chiles de arbol are quite spicy, and this red salsa is my take on a traditional Michoachan-style salsa often served alongside carnitas.
  • Red onions: Thinly sliced and lightly pickled, they add a bright and tangy crunch to the tacos.
  • Pork carnitas: Carnitas are the star of the show; they provide savory depth and satisfying pork flavor.

How to Make Carnitas Tacos

  • Make the pickled onions: Combine sliced red onion, habanero, lime juice, salt and oregano in a medium bowl and let sit at room temperature.
  • Make the red chile de arbol salsa: In a small pan, toast arbol chiles and garlic until fragrant, blend along with tomatoes, water, and salt. Strain over a serving bowl, add dried oregano, and stir together.
  • Warm the tortillas and the carnitas: Heat tortillas and carnitas until warmed through.
  • Assemble the taco: Fill the tortillas with warm carnitas, then top with pickled red onions, radishes, diced onions and cilantro.
  • Serve: Top with chile de arbol salsa, salsa verde, and lime wedges.

Credit: Photo: Alex Lepe; Food Styling: Janette Zepeda

Helpful Swaps

You can replace arbol chiles with dried guajillos or pasilla peppers for a milder smoky salsa.

Storage and Make-Ahead Tips

  • The pickled red onions can be made up to 1 day ahead and refrigerated in an airtight container.
  • The red chile de arbol salsa can be made up to 1 day ahead and refrigerated in an airtight container. As the chile de arbol sits, it will begin to lose its heat. I recommend making it up to one day in advance if less heat is desired.

What to Serve With Carnitas Tacos

Comments

Carnitas Tacos Recipe

When warm charred tortillas meet juicy tender pork carnitas, tangy pickled onions, and a spicy chile de arbol salsa, you get the ultimate taco experience.

Prep time 25 minutes to 30 minutes

Cook time 30 minutes

Serves 4 to 6

Nutritional Info

  • Calories 544
  • Fat 24.8 g (31.7%)
  • Saturated 8.2 g (35.0%)
  • Carbs 41.6 g (14.2%)
  • Fiber 6.9 g (18.3%)
  • Sugars 5.4 g
  • Protein 40.7 g (34.7%)
  • Sodium 598.9 mg (39.9%)

Ingredients

For the pickled onions:

  • 1

large red onion, halved and thinly sliced (about 1 1/2 cups)

  • 1

habanero pepper, seeded and thinly sliced

  • 1/4 cup

freshly squeezed lime juice (2 medium limes)

  • 1/2 teaspoon

kosher salt

  • 1/4 teaspoon

dried oregano, preferably Mexican

For the red chile de arbol salsa (spicy):

  • 1/2 ounce

dried arbol chiles (about

  • 2 cloves

garlic, peeled

  • 2

medium roma tomatoes, coarsely chopped

  • 1/4 cup

water

  • 1 teaspoon

kosher salt

  • 1 pinch

dried oregano, preferably Mexican (optional)

For the tacos:

  • 2 pounds

warm Pork Carnitas (about 8 cups)

  • 16

warm corn tortillas

  • 8

red radishes, thinly sliced

  • 1

medium white or red onion, diced small

  • 1 cup

coarsely chopped fresh cilantro

Roasted Salsa Verde (optional)

  • 3

medium limes, cut into wedges

Instructions

Make the pickled onions:

Stir 1 halved and thinly sliced large red onion, 1 seeded and thinly sliced habanero pepper, 1/4 cup lime juice, 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, and 1/4 teaspoon dried oregano together in a medium bowl. Cover and let sit at room temperature, stirring occasionally, for at least 1 hour or up to 4 hours.

Make the red chile de arbol salsa:

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