Ground Pork Tacos are full of flavor and topped with all the classic taco toppings! Use this flavorful taco meat for hard shell or soft shell tacos, burritos and more!
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Tacos are a family favorite in our house, so they're on the menu quite often (not just for Taco Tuesday)!! Being on the farm, our freezer tends to be stocked with ground pork at all times.
Though most people consider ground beef to be a classic taco meat, these easy ground pork tacos prove that pork can be an equally delicious option!! I love pork on tacos so much, in fact, that I used pork chops in some street tacos to help me WIN a show (Big Bad Budget Battle) on the Food Network channel!!!
Why We Like Ground Pork Tacos
- Ground pork is versatile and its mild flavor gives it the ability to take on lots of flavor!
- Pork is a great source of protein, iron and zinc and contains all 9 essential amino acids.
- Though it can fluctuate, ground pork is typically an inexpensive protein!
- They're customizable and can be topped to your liking!
Ingredients Needed (amounts in recipe card below)
- Ground Pork - You can typically find this next to the other ground meats at the grocery store.
- Taco Seasoning - Depending on your heat preference, you can choose mild, medium or hot. You can also opt to use a low-sodium taco seasoning if you'd like.
- Salsa - I like to use a chunky salsa (it looks like I spent time chopping onions, tomatoes and bell pepper...but it's just salsa! (One of my favorite short cuts!)
- Water
- Taco Shells - You can use flour or corn tortillas, hard shell or soft shell!
- Your Favorite Toppings - The best part about tacos is the variety of toppings!!
How to Make Ground Pork Tacos
This recipe is super simple, making it perfect for those busy weeknights!!
Start by browning a pound of ground pork (or your favorite ground meat) in a large pan. Drain the excess fat and return the skillet to the stovetop over medium-high heat.
Next, you'll add the taco seasoning, salsa and water. Bring the mixture to a simmer for 1-2 minutes and serve with shells and your favorite toppings.
Two Types of Tacos
Though there are SO many different toppings for a taco, I like to go one of two routes.
- The Classic Americanized Taco. For the classic (what I grew up with), I'll use a hard taco shell or soft flour tortilla and add shredded cheddar cheese, shredded lettuce, diced tomatoes or pico de Gallo, sour cream and taco sauce. If I'm cooking for my entire family, this is the route I go!
- The Elevated Street Taco. This is my current favorite style of taco! I'll warm up corn tortilla shells on the skillet then add the meat, cotija cheese, a few slices of pickled red onion, a simple avocado crema, a squeeze of lime juice and fresh cilantro. You can even add some finely diced fresh pineapple for a bit of sweetness!
Frequently Asked Questions
Out of store-bought taco seasoning or prefer to make your own? It's easy to make it yourself with a combination of chili powder, garlic powder, onion powder, cayenne pepper, etc. Make a small batch (to replace one packet of seasoning) or a large batch to last awhile.
Once completely cool, you can store leftover taco meat in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days and in the freezer for up to 3 months. You can use taco meat in lettuce wraps, tacos, burritos, soups, etc. I like to purposefully make a double batch of the meat so I can use the leftovers to change up taco night with my easy Taco Braid recipe!
Chips and salsa is a classic side dish for easy tacos. You can also make a side of black beans or refried beans and/or Mexican rice. For dessert, it doesn't get better than Fried Ice Cream Pie and Churro Bites!!!
Other Taco Recipes We Love
Ground Pork Tacos
Equipment
- 1 Large Skillet
Ingredients
- 1 pound ground pork
- One 1 ounce packet taco seasoning
- ½ cup salsa
- ½ cup water
- 8 hard shell tacos shells or flour tortillas
- 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
- 1 cup shredded lettuce
- ½ cup pico de gallo
- ¼ cup sour cream
- ¼ cup taco sauce
- Other toppings if desired
Instructions
- Brown the ground pork in a skillet; drain the excess grease.
- Return the skillet to the stovetop and add the taco seasoning, salsa and water.
- Stir and cook until thickened and bubbly; remove from the heat.
- Spoon the taco meat into the shells and top with cheese, lettuce, pico, sour cream, taco sauce and/or any of your favorite taco toppings!
Notes
Nutrition
Nutritional Disclaimer
“Dance Around the Kitchen” is not a dietician or nutritionist, and any nutritional information shared is an estimate. If calorie count and other nutritional values are important to you, we recommend running the ingredients through whichever online nutritional calculator you prefer. Calories and other nutritional values can vary quite a bit depending on which brands were used.
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