Tacos Al Pastor: Classic, Vegan and Pescatarian Recipes

I can’t miss tacos al Pastor. According to the recent survey, over 60% of Mexicans said that al pastor tacos are their favourites. They are top of mind.

And no wonder why – the flavours, the textures, the colours and the vibrancy are all there in just one taco.

Al Pastor trompo was brought to Mexico by Lebanese immigrants who used to make shawarma at home. The recipe was quickly adapted to suit the Mexican palate, and the marinade (recipe below) usually features guajillo and ancho chillies, along with annatto seeds (achiote paste), which together give the protein a shiny, dark orange colour.

I have tried different proteins and ingredients for the tacos Al Pastor, and here are my recommendations and a review of what works and what does not.

Pork Al Pastor

The classic option, which is used at classic taquerias with trompo; the result is succulent meat with those distinct caramelised edges. It goes brilliantly with charred pineapple pieces and zesty or spicy salsas.

Chicken Al Pastor

Many countries prefer chicken as their best protein, and I obviously wanted to try how it works. Unfortunately, if you follow the same logic and recipes and replace pork with chicken, the results aren’t that great. The chicken turns out to be mushier, as I think pineapple very quickly affects the chicken. But if you marinade chicken for a much shorter duration, the flavours won’t stick that much. So the result is either a bit mushy or a bit flavourless.

Fish Al Pastor

Don’t raise your eyebrows yet. Now, this is a non-orthodox protein for this taco, but I decided to try. Obviously, I’m not suggesting using trompo, but simply to marinate the fish and then quickly pan-fry it. I’ve started with tilapia, which is incredibly easy to work with, and it cooks in less than 7 minutes. I found it beneficial to use an al pastor marinade, which masks that slight off-putting tilapia flavour and makes the fillet quite tasty. I’ve also tried red snapper, and it was very good with meatier fish as well. 

Here is my take on the tilapia al pastor, with a quick slaw (my fave slaw recipe here), lime mayonnaise (thanks to Masienda and Vitamina T cookbook, I now know that mixing juust 1/2 cup of mayo with the juice of 1 lime gets me that zesty crema I found working so well here), just a touch of avocado-onion-cilantro topping and a few proper double-cooked chips. 

The result is not fish and chips, not Baja fish (no batter) either, and obviously it’s not a trompo al pastor. But! It’s amazingly vibrant, delicious and satisfying. To the point that I’ve finished it at midnight, and I had real good conversation with myself about cooking another batch. Suffice to say, I highly recommend!

Vegan Ingredients and Proteins for Al Pastor

As I mentioned earlier, I still haven’t figured out what could be done so vegan birria could be flavourful (yes, I know there are many recipes online, but I’ve tried many and none were really to my satisfaction), so I wanted to check how another top Mexican preparation, like Al Pastor, can work. Oh and do try vegan Tinga, it works amazingly with mushrooms or jackfruit.

What worked for me: oyster mushrooms and jackfruit. They were both (I’ve made two separate preparations) delicious, offering texture and enough spicy kick.

What did not work for me that much: tofu and soy chunks. I’ve featured tofu al pastor tacos earlier on in my tofu tacos article. They aren’t a bad idea, but in comparison with the other options, they lack texture and are somewhat similar to my chicken observations: marinating for a short period of time gives a flavourless result, longer time makes the whole substance mushy.

You can try slicing seitan, marinating and then frying, so you get the crisped texture you want, but I also found it sort of lacked in flavour.

Oh, sometimes common sense must tell you not to follow some crazy suggestions from bloggers – no cauliflower al pastor, please. These two flavour profiles of a cruciferous vegetable and tropical and spicy al pastor marinade are just not a match at all.

Al Pastor Tacos: Recipe and Method

What do you need:

• 1 kg protein (I’ve used pork below)
• 2-3 pineapple rings
• chopped onion-coriander topping 

Marinade

• 1 tsp guajillo chile powder
• 1/2 tsp ancho chile powder
• 1 tsp achiote powder
• 1 tsp dried oregano
• 3 garlic cloves, peeled
• 1/2 medium onion
• pinch of ground cloves
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp ground cumin
• 1/4 cup white vinegar
• 1/4 cup pineapple juice
• 1/4 cup pineapple chunks 

Method

Combine all ingredients and cook on a low heat for 20 minutes so the chillies are activated and fragrant. Do not skip on achiote – it won’t be a traditional al Pastor otherwise. I ordered mine via Amazon and got it forwarded.

Cool down so it is safe for the blender, and turn it into a paste. Add a touch of pineapple juice just to get the blades working.

For the classic pork Al Pastor, cut the pork into fairly thin strips and cover with marinade. Keep in the fridge for at least 3hours, but better overnight.

When you are ready, get the griddle on a high heat, make sure your oil is sizzling and then add strips. Fry for just a few minutes on each side and then cover and let it rest for at least 5 minutes.

Al Pastor Taco assembly 

1. Prepare fresh tortillas (here is how to make tortillas at home, and here is which masa harina to choose).
2. Get your salsas and toppings ready. I’ve tried both salsa verde and salsa taquera for this taco, and they both work. Salsa verde would work better with fattier proteins, as it cuts through fat much better. Salsa taquera would work where you don’t need to add the freshness and tartness, but an additional layer of flavour or contrast. I loved a tiny bit of it with mushrooms and jackfruit.
3. Grilled protein is ready. I have used thin strips of grilled pork as they are. But you can also opt for cutting it into bite-sized pieces, especially if your pork was cut a bit thicker than mine.  
4. Top with small chunks of grilled pineapple. 

The result is sheer vibrancy of textures, flavours and contrasts of spicy, sweet, sour and tropical. 

Don’t forget to drizzle some lime juice, and you’re off to delight yourself and your loved ones, regardless of which Al Pastor Tacos you’ve decided to make – classic, vegan or fish. Provecho!

[Taco Craft | Salsa Magic | Proper Tortillas]