Delicious and Easy Crock Pot Cuban Pork Tacos with fried plantains! These healthy crock pot pork tacos are light, citrusy, and naturally sweetened with a plantain cabbage topping. Naturally gluten free and wholesome. Perfect for week night family meals or for make ahead multiple meals!
Okay. I know I’m not suppose to start off any conversation talking about the weather, but ya’ll… I’m crying in a pool of my sweat. It’s 104F today and all I want to do is boycott heat and bake sugar cookies or anything in pie form for comfort. Ha, ain’t gonna happen. Unless anyone wants a sauna baking session in our kitchen. Hmmm… now I’m brainstorming new business ideas. Kidding kidding. But I will tell you what is one MARVELOUS idea…. making crock cuban pork tacos. Heck, we live off of crock pot recipes ALL YEAR LONG! Especially crock pot tacos. THE BEST. No mess, no oven, no sweating outside on the grill. Nope, just pure cuban delight wrapped up in a corn tortilla. Ohhh me oh my that’s what I call mid week meal planning success. Plus the leftovers make for a great crock pot taco salad.. just sayin.
Okay, so truth is yes, it’s bloody hot out. But also, I was really itching to make another crock pot recipe with an tangy and slightly spicy marinade. Just like that garlicky green chicken, this one is so similar in the way it’s prepared but with cuban flavors and a nice piece of pork loin. Hmmmm, come to think of it, maybe Rio Olympics are rubbing off and me and my desire to cook more latin american recipes. That and my absurd obsession with toppings. Like cilantro, avocado, and fried plantains. Ahhhh soooo good!
Anyway, crock pot cuban pork tacos are where it’s at ya’ll! They get a gold medal for flavor and for ease of prep! LOL Yes, I just referred to the Olympics again. Doh!
But as you all know, my husband LOVES ALL things tacos. In fact, I made these cuban pork tacos more like the “street tacos,” you know smaller corn tortillas and all, just to see if we could ration out the pork filling. Um, that didn’t happen. The man just ate more tacos. Guess you can’t blame him, right?
So …let’s talk about the latino “cuban” flavors here. Mmm k? Cause it’s going to make you all giddy. The cuban pork taco meat filling cooks quite quickly.
And when I say quick, I mean crock pot quick! All you need to do is cut the pork loin down the middle, pour your Cuban taco marinade inside, cover and cook for 2 hrs high or low for 3.5hrs. Then just pull it apart for pulled pork style tacos.
The marinade itself is so simple and healthy! A little bit of orange juice, lime, cilantro, garlic, red pepper, oregano, and cumin. Don’t you just love a simple yet flavorful marinade? Yes!!
You can crank up the heat by adding extra red pepper or slicing up some jalapeños to go on top. Speaking of toppings, adding fried plantains and slaw on top of these tacos give them a little sweetness. It not only compliments the cuban spices but it adds in additional grain free carbohydrates and gut healthy prebiotic fibers; if you are needing extra in your diet. You get extra credit in my book if you do!
So basically these latin inspired pork tacos are my speedy Olympic version of healthy crock pot tacos. Bahaha see what I did there? I’m sure you all are rolling your eyes at my puns by now right?
Okay friends, time to share the crock pot love!
Nutrition for one pork taco with slaw, plantain, and avocado topping!
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Crock Pot Cuban Pork Tacos with Fried Plantains {Gluten Free}
- Total Time: 30 minute
- Yield: 6-7 depending on size of tortillas you use. 1x
- Diet: Gluten Free
Description
Crock Pot Cuban Pork Tacos with Fried Plantains {Gluten Free}
Ingredients
For the cuban pork Marinade:
- 1/4 cup cilantro – chopped
- 2 tbsp olive or avocado oil
- 3 garlic cloves
- 1/2 tsp cumin
- 1/4 tsp dried oregano
- 1/4 to 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes (1/2 tsp for spicier)
- 2–3 tbsp lime juice
- 1/2 c orange juice
In the crock pot:
- 1 small white onion chopped
- dash of salt and black pepper 1/2tsp or less
- 1 lb lean pork or pork loin
Toppings and fixings:
- 1 plantain (fried in 1/2 tbsp oil or butter)
- 1/3 cup chopped red onion
- served with 6–7 gluten free 6 inch or smaller corn tortillas
- avocado slices
- 1 cup shredded purple cabbage
- Cilantro for garnish
- Optional crumbled cheese
Instructions
For marinade.
- Chop cilantro and peel garlic. Place all ingredients for the marinate in a food processor or blender and blend. Set aside.
For the crock pot
- peel and chop your onion.
- Make a cut down the center of your pork loin, vertically so it runs from top to bottom.
- Place pork in the crock pot.
- Add your oil, salt, pepper, onion, and then pour your blended cuban marinade on top making sure it get in the cut part of the pork.
- Place on high for 2 hrs or low for 3.5 to 5 (check for doneness at 3 hrs)
- notes check around 90 minutes and pull or shred pork to get more juice in the meat.
- Once it’s done keep warm while you make the plantains.
Cooking the plantains
- Slice and peel your plantains like you do a regular banana. Place in an oil pan with your onion, oil/butter, and fry on medium high until tender. About 10 minutes.
- Scoop meat into corn tortillas, add your plantain slices, cabbage, avocado, and any extra cilantro red pepper, cheese, or spicy sauce you want.
- Additional salt/pepper if desired.
Notes
If you want to double this recipe you will need cook longer. Around 3- 3.5 hrs high and 5 hrs low.
- Prep Time: 5 min
- Cook Time: 2 hr
- Category: main meal
- Method: slow cooker
- Cuisine: latin
Mmmm mmm taco party time!
On that note, I will leave you with this. Cause I think you’ll find it amusing.
My first experience with Latin food was actually in Brazil. I spent a summer abroad in São Paulo when I was 12 years old. I stayed with a host family and ate all their homemade Latin meals. Loved them all!! Expect maybe the tuna fish pizza. Or whatever it was. Haha! I also had a major crush on one of the Brazilian boys. I basically played the “blonde American girl” cuteness factor in order to impress him. He was my first kiss! Gasp! Don’t tell the kiwi.
Latin lover!!!
Do you love Latin food?
Crock pot Cuban pork tacos just might be your new favorite then. Just sayin..:
[Tweet “#Easy Crock Pot Cuban Pork Tacos with fried plantains! #Glutenfree and Unreal GOOD!”]
Favorite taco topping? Sweet or spicy?
Cheers!
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Looking forward to trying this! Any tips on making this in the instant pot instead?
Hi Mandy! I haven’t tried this in the instant pot. But it might be worth updating to do so! I would make the marinade and combine it with the pork in a bag/dish. Let it marinade for 1 hour in fridge. Then, saute onion and garlic in the instant pot. Add the pork with remaining marinade sear/saute to brown meat, 4 minutes each side. CLose lid, pressure cook manually for 5 minutes, natural release for 8-10 minutes. Then shred meat. This is just a guess based on another instant pot pork tenderloin recipe i saw here. https://www.thekitchn.com/instant-pot-pork-tenderloin-22948815 My only concern is if the orange juice in marinade will cause it to burn. Does that make sense?
Hello Cotter,
Do you have any YouTube channel?
thnx
Thanks for sharing excellent informations. Your site is very cool. I’m impressed by the details that you have on this web site. It reveals how nicely you perceive this subject. Bookmarked this web page, will come back for extra articles. You, my friend, ROCK! I found just the info I already searched everywhere and just could not come across. What an ideal site.
Hi Cotter,
Reading the post, it seems it’s a delicious, nutritious, and mouthwatering dish. The cooking procedure you described is also easy to follow. Thanks for sharing your recipe. I will also try this recipe to increase my culinary skill.
You’re welcome! Enjoy!
I love this formula! I’ve made it previously and it was awesome. In any case, with meat choice restricted at this moment, I just have chicken legs in the cooler. Will this work? Also, assuming this is the case, do you have proposals on the cook time?
I already decided to try this recipe. You must understand that for a guy from a center Europe is probably too exotic and too many of flavours? but jesus it looks tasty. Lindsay, thank you 🙂
keep me posted Mike!
I love this recipe! I’ve made it in the past and it was fabulous. But with meat selection limited right now, I only have chicken legs in the freezer. Will this work? And if so, do you have recommendations on the cook time?
I think chicken legs would work! You might remove the skin and thaw out first. Then shred off the bone once cooked. Does that make sense?
Plus those plantains?! And btw..the heat. Seriously. Texas summers are not pleasant.
My hubs is Cuban, and I’m loving how easy you made the pork! This I can totally handle for an easy weeknight meal.
That’s a great recipe. I will definitely try it out. Thank you for sharing it.
★★★★★
Awesome take on tacos, will love to try out this Crock Pot Cuban Pork Tacos with Fried Plantains
★★★★★
This was my first impression the moment I landed here :))
Thanks, Lindsay, for such an amazing recipe. Definitely going to try it out this weekend.
Happy Easter everyone 🙂
★★★★★
Thank you Amol! Enjoy-and happy Easter!
Annnnnnd this needs to happen. I celebrate taco Tuesday every day. Pork is my favorite! I had one last night!
★★★★★
These are going on my wish list for next week! Thank you so much for sharing! Will report back with how I did
★★★★★
yes! Please do!
Please someone, tell me where can I get real plantain?
This looks mouth watering!
Hey Lindsay Cotter, I read the post entirely and couldn’t help thanking you for sharing with us this piece of the informative resource. Could you please explain the garlicky green chicken of the article a little more, so I can enhance the knowledge base of our community website Fitting Guy. Of course, you can do it in another post! Any effort appreciated!
are you wanting the link to the garlicky green chicken?
Lightly squeeze the block of tofu with paper towels to rid of excess water. …. this dish and I love your adaptation of using
Gonna try this recipe tonight, but with a Vegan Twist. Wish me Luck.
★★★★★
keep me posted Molly!
Hey! I absolutely loved this recipe and made a video of it and mentioned you! I’m a terrible cook but I most definitely tried! @LocalGoesGlobal
Jenny
Awesome recipe 🙂 love Cuban food!
Tacos + plantains… YES!! Need to make these again soon!
★★★★★
Loved this recipe. Gonna try this tonight for my husband.
yay! keep me posted
I think crock pot is cool when it gives lots of nice and simple recipes, but with delicious meals. I will try this at weekend and be back with my reviews.
★★★★★
I love my crock pot. You can make so many tasty things. This recipe looks tasty too!
Thank you so much for this great post and site.
★★★★
keep on posting these kind of nice post..
★★★★★
I like your post.keep up
★★★★★
These are going on my wish list for next week! Thank you so much for sharing! Will report back with how I did 🙂
yay! keep me posted!
Cuban food is absolutely delicious. Love this recipe! Would likely to try it tomorrow and I hope it would taste great.
Hello there,
Does anyone have this food short recipe?
Thanks in advance
Hello there,
Does anyone have this food short recipe?
Thanks in advance
Looks great and planning to make it this week. How long do you suggest marinading this for?
No need to marinate prior to cooking in the crock pot. It will be flavorful since it’s slow cooked. Does that make sense? Happy to help more!
Just gave this a try! loved it, the pork was perfect and so tender.
awesome! so glad Dave
Wow! I want to make these tomorrow! I too have a taco-loving husband. Do you think I could leave this on longer than 5 hours? Like 8 or 9? Maybe double the marinade?
Ohhh I love this recipe! Nom Nom Nom
My wife loves Pork!! Will add this also to my weekend.
let me know if you try it!
It was really tasty Lindsay 🙂 My wife enjoyed it 😀 We loved the flavor…
wonderful! so glad
Please someone, tell me where can I get real plantain?
This looks mouth watering!
I buy them at my local grocer. they are with the bananas
I love my crock pot. You can make so many tasty things. This recipe looks tasty too!
i so agree! crock pot to the rescue!
I love that guys have such big appetites. It’s always rewarding for the cook, and you are an AMAZING cook Lindsay. 🙂 There’s so many recipes to try, that I don’t know where to start. 🙂
testing
Lovely take on tacos! I’ll have to substitute the pork for tempeh and jackfruit instead of pork, but otherwise, I think this recipe looks phenomenal! Again, it’s still been relatively cool outside in comparison to July, but it’s sunny out!
Okay I so need to try jackfruit!! Let me know if you do
I have a crock pot that is pretty much a dust collector, however, recipes like this make me want to bust it out! Yum!
I wish plantains were easier to find in Australia as I loveeeeeeeee them!
These look so delicious Lindsay! Funny you’re having such a heatwave– I am still in Oregon, and it’s cold here! We’ve had two days this week that haven’t hit 60! But, supposed to be back up to 90 tomorrow. It’s hard to handle this cold after being so used to Malaysia.
Love love love tacos! This looks amazing. But I have a feeling the ones I make are going to be a hot mess and not nice and beautifully presented like yours.
but I met they will still taste great!
Crock pot! Awesome idea in this heat. Great recipe. Stay cool.
these tacos look amazing! so vibrant and delicious. i’ve actually never tried plantains before either so i am SO curious to know what these taste like!
Mmmm…I love making tacos in the slow cooker and this healthy version sounds SO good. Love the idea of topping with plantains!
i love the plantain for sweetness and texture. So easy too!
Ok, these are just genius!! My hubs is Cuban, and I’m loving how easy you made the pork! This I can totally handle for an easy weeknight meal. Plus those plantains?! And btw..the heat. Seriously. Texas summers are not pleasant.
Yes! i love them. That cuban flare is soooo good! the texas heat is not. Agreed. LOL!
Annnnnnd this needs to happen. I celebrate taco Tuesday every day. Pork is my favorite! I had one last night!
twin, brother… love it! red wine too?
As if you needed to specify… 😉
Plantains are so good! I’m loving that the crock pot does all the work too. This thing is loaded! Yummy! It made me tummy growl, haha.
yes! let me know if you try is Leslie
Looks like pork and plantain heaven and I love it! Actually just received Paleo tortillas yesterday and have yet to try them, good timing 🙂
which ones? YOu gotta try the new cassava and coconut ones –> OMG SO GOOD! I’ll have to send you the brand name. they are at whole foods.
I love Cuban food! The orange juice and plantains in here are genius! And don’t even get me started on the heat friend
for reals! i don’t even go outside. LOL!
I love Cuban food! The orange juice and plantains in here are genius! And don’t even get me started on the heat friend!
I love. LOVE. Cuban food. I wish that I could eat more of it. Fried plantains are basically savory candy. These sound Ah-MAZE-ing.
totally! nature’s candy + butter = HEAVEN