Pork Belly Tacos Recipe
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These pork belly tacos are the best of all worlds! Warm tortillas are stuffed with seasoned pork belly, crunchy cabbage, cilantro, and a drizzle of our easy homemade taco sauce. They come together easily, and they’re ready in an hour!
Tacos are one of my all-time favorite foods—right up there with pork belly—so it felt inevitable that the two would eventually meet. These pork belly tacos really are the best of both worlds. The recipe is intentionally simple, letting the pork belly take center stage, seasoned with my homemade taco seasoning for just the right amount of warmth and spice.
The pork belly bakes until deeply browned and crispy, with rich, juicy meat underneath. Once it’s sliced, I pile it onto warm tortillas and balance all that richness with crunchy cabbage, fresh cilantro, and a generous drizzle of creamy, tangy taco sauce. The contrast is everything here: crisp pork, soft tortillas, cool crunch, and bright acidity from a squeeze of lime.
I love how flexible these tacos are, too. The taco sauce is a favorite, but guacamole, chipotle aioli, or a combination of sauces all work beautifully—because more sauce is never a bad idea. With just a handful of ingredients and bold, satisfying flavors, these pork belly tacos are the kind of meal I crave again as soon as the plates are cleared.
For more mouth-watering pork belly recipes, try my irresistible pork belly slices and pork belly sandwich!
What to eat with pork belly tacos
You can make these pork belly tacos your own by adding toppings you love like pickled red onions, sliced jalapeños, avocado, salsa, cotija cheese, or your favorite hot sauce.
They are a lighter meal on their own but they pair wonderfully with other Mexican foods if you’re serving a crowd.
Mexican sides that taste great with tacos
Crispy Pork Belly Tacos Recipe
Ingredients
For the pork belly
- 1 lb pork belly (sliced into ½" strips – SEE NOTES)
- 1 tablespoon taco seasoning
- 1 teaspoon brown sugar
- ½ teaspoon sea salt
For the tacos
- 8 small tortillas (warmed)
- 2 cups shredded cabbage
- Taco sauce, limes, and cilantro (to serve)
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Slice the pork belly into ½-inch strips (see notes) then sprinkle the taco seasoning, brown sugar, and sea salt evenly over both sides.1 lb pork belly, 1 tablespoon taco seasoning, 1 teaspoon brown sugar, ½ teaspoon sea salt
- Lay the pork belly slices onto the baking sheet and bake for 30 minutes. Turn the slices over and continue to bake for another 20-30 minutes, until the pork belly is browned and crispy – SEE NOTES. Prepare the toppings for the tacos while the pork belly cooks.
- To assemble the tacos, lay a warm tortilla on a plate and top it with a slice of pork belly, some cabbage, cilantro, and a drizzle of taco sauce.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
We have thoroughly tested this recipe for accuracy. However, individual results may vary. See our full recipe disclosure here.
Does the carb count include the tortillas?
It does!
30 minutes at 400F and my pork belly was charred. I was complacent in following the recipe and that was my downfall. I should have checked earlier. I have never cooked pork belly before, but, I did realize it would have to be well cooked in order to render the fat and make it crispy. If I would have flipped and put it in for another 20 minutes it would have been completely inedible. As it was, we tried it, it would have been more enjoyable if cooked a little less and I would have never served it to company. The flavor was good, I think some of the darkness was the spices getting dark. Next time I will be more diligent at checking, probably 15-20 minutes and I’ll set the oven on convect 350F-375F. So, while not totally successful I will try the recipe again but watch it more closely. (My oven is pretty accurate, maybe about 5F cooler than what it is set at.)
I’ll admit that I like my pork belly a little on the crispy side, just like bacon. Question: did you buy pre-sliced pork belly? I find that needs less cooking time – about 30 minutes to cook it crispy.