Gringas al Pastor (Pork and Pineapple Cheese Tortillas)
Mexico City street food: marinated pork and sweet pineapple with melted cheese folded inside a toasted flour tortilla.
Made with Flour tortillas and Al pastor marinade. Make a batch of the base first, then this takes minutes. Skip to the method
- Time45 min
- LevelMedium
- Costabout £3.06 a head
Cost is worked out from Aldi and Tesco shelf prices in October 2026. Your shop and brands will differ.
Ingredients
Tick what you need to buy. It goes on your shopping list.
Method
- 1
Toss the sliced pork with your ready made al pastor marinade (see the base recipe) in a bowl. Cover and marinate in the fridge for at least 2 hours, or up to 24 hours.
120 min - 2
Heat 1 tablespoon of the oil in a large frying pan over a high heat. Fry the pork in two batches for 4 to 5 minutes each until browned at the edges and cooked through.
10 min - 3
Add the pineapple to the last batch and cook for 2 minutes until it catches and caramelises. Chop everything into small pieces and keep hot.
2 min - 4
Warm a tortilla (see the base recipe) in a dry pan for 10 seconds. Scatter a quarter of the cheese on one half, top with a quarter of the pork and pineapple, and fold over.
- 5
Cook in a lightly oiled pan for 1 to 2 minutes a side until the cheese has melted and the tortilla is golden.
3 min - 6
Serve with chopped onion, coriander and lime, plus a salsa of your choice.
Tips
- Slice the pork thinly. If it is partly frozen for 30 minutes it is far easier to cut.
- Fry the pork in batches so it browns and does not stew.
- Do not marinate longer than 24 hours or the pineapple in the marinade can make the meat mushy.
- Pork must be cooked right through. Cut a piece open to check there is no pink.
Storing and freezing
Keep the cooked pork in the fridge for up to 3 days, and freeze for up to 2 months. Reheat until steaming hot all the way through. Assemble and crisp the gringas fresh.
Questions
What is the difference between a gringa and a quesadilla?
A gringa is a flour tortilla filled with al pastor pork and cheese, folded and griddled. A quesadilla can have any filling or just cheese, and can use corn or flour tortillas.
Why is it called a gringa?
The name is widely said to come from the use of a flour tortilla in place of corn, a style associated with foreign visitors, though stories about the origin differ and nobody is certain.
Can I cook the pork on a grill?
Yes. Thread the marinated slices onto skewers and grill over a hot barbecue, then chop. It gives a smoky flavour closer to the spit roasted original.
More made with flour tortillas
Double check before you cook. Recipes can contain mistakes. Any diet labels come from the ingredients as written in this recipe and are a guide, not a guarantee. Always check every ingredient and the packet label for allergens and cross contamination, and ask your doctor or dietitian what is right for you, especially with coeliac disease, diabetes or a serious allergy. This is not medical advice.