Gringas de Pastor (Flour Tortilla Pastor and Cheese Quesadillas)
Crisp flour tortillas folded around melted cheese, charred pastor pork and sweet pineapple, a street food classic from Mexico City.
Made with Flour tortillas and Al pastor marinade. Make a batch of the base first, then this takes minutes. Skip to the method
- Time35 min
- LevelEasy
- Costabout £1.46 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 thinly sliced pork with your ready made al pastor marinade (see the base recipe). Cover and chill for at least 4 hours or overnight.
- 2
Heat a large frying pan over a high heat with the oil. Cook the pork in two batches for 3 to 4 minutes per side until charred and cooked through with no pink. Chop it small and stir in the pineapple.
4 min - 3
Wipe the pan clean and turn the heat to medium. Lay a flour tortilla in it and sprinkle over a quarter of the cheese, leaving a 1 cm border.
- 4
Pile a quarter of the pork and pineapple on the cheese, scatter over some onion and coriander, then top with another tortilla and press down firmly.
- 5
Cook for 2 to 3 minutes per side, pressing with a spatula, until the cheese has melted and both tortillas are crisp and blistered. Repeat with the remaining three gringas.
2 min 30 s - 6
Cut into wedges and serve straight away with lime wedges for squeezing.
Tips
- A gringa uses flour tortillas, which is what separates it from a taco or a corn quesadilla.
- Grate the cheese yourself. Pre-grated cheese is coated in starch and melts less smoothly.
- Press the gringa down as it cooks so the cheese glues the two tortillas together and the edges crisp.
- Add a spoonful of salsa verde on the side for dipping if you like heat.
Storing and freezing
Best eaten fresh. Cooked pastor pork keeps in the fridge for up to 3 days, and the assembled gringas reheat in a hot dry pan for 2 minutes per side until steaming hot all the way through.
Questions
What is the difference between a gringa and a quesadilla?
A gringa is a flour tortilla quesadilla filled with cheese and al pastor meat, usually pineapple too. A plain quesadilla may be corn or flour and does not need the meat.
Which cheese is best?
Oaxaca cheese melts into long strings. In the UK, low moisture mozzarella is the easiest swap and melts just as well.
Can I make them ahead?
Yes. Cook the filling up to 2 days ahead and chill it, then assemble and crisp the gringas just before serving.
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.