Pulled Pork Tacos with Fresh Mango Salsa

These pulled pork tacos with fresh mango salsa are so quick and easy to make and are bursting with fresh flavor. They are a perfect meal any night of the week.

A Fun Taco Recipe

We have done, and continue to do, a lot of traveling as a family. Coming from Minnesota, we love the warm climate destinations – especially the Caribbean. And, that’s one place where we get exposed to so many wonderful new recipes.

There, I have found a surprisingly large number of homemade salsa and taco recipes that are absolutely delicious and have so much flavor. They are easy recipes typically made with simple ingredients and use local fruits and vegetables. With such variety and diversity, the whole family can enjoy even with differences in what they like.

​These travels have taught me a couple of things. First, I have come to love the fruit salsa.

These fruit salsas start with a sweet fruit (think mangos, pineapples, papayas). The sweetness of the fruit is then often offset with different vegetables and herbs.

Second, these fruit salsas are the perfect balance to spicier and smokier meats. They bring a coolness that combines so well with a spicy meat.

For this recipe, I use sweet mango as the basis for the fruit salsa. I love the way they taste and they have really good integrity so are easy to work with. I combine mangos with onions and jalapeños, along with fresh cilantro to get that great fruit and veggie combo.

For the protein, I use pulled pork. It’s easy to work with and just tastes so good!

 

Easy Pulled Pork Taco Preparation

These tacos are made in minutes if your freezer is stocked with pulled pork. If you have the pulled pork on hand, then all you have to do is heat that up, add some taco seasoning and prepare the salsa. 

This is not high pressure cooking! Dinner’s on the table in less than 30 minutes.

Preparing Pulled Pork 

While I can purchase pulled pork at the local grocery store, I prefer to prepare my own in a bit larger quantity than needed and then freeze for later. After a quick thaw, I can use this pre-prepared pulled pork to pull together a delicious meal in no time.

I have two go-to recipes for pulled pork:

1. ​Slow Cooking: This recipe uses a slow cooker and can be done with either a pork butt or pork shoulder.
2. Smoker: If you have a smoker, I pretty much use this recipe exclusively when smoking pork.

Pulled Pork Substitute

You may not have the time to prepare or have any pulled pork on hand. In that case, I have also made this recipe with shredded chicken. 

I almost always have shredded chicken in the freezer. I buy one or two already-cooked rotisserie chickens, take them home and shred them. Then, I place approximately one pound of the chicken in a zip-lock bag and place in the freezer (remember to date the zip-lock bag so you know how long it has been in the freezer).

Having pulled pork and/or shredded chicken in your freezer can make for easy dinner preparation for those lazy weekends or when you need a quick weeknight dinner.

How to Adjust the Spiciness of the Pork Taco Recipe

If you like spicy foods, you will like this recipe. However, if you want to tone down the spiciness, there are a couple of things you can do.

1. I use about half a packet of Trader Joe’s taco seasoning (which is pretty spicy) to season the pork. If you want it to be milder, just add less seasoning (I suggest starting with a quarter of a packet).
2. I added a whole jalapeno to the salsa, so it has a kick as well. If you didn’t want a lot of heat, try adding just half of a jalapeno.

Soft Tacos versus Hard Taco Shells

The best part? I don’t think it really matters! I believe this is a great recipe regardless of using soft tortillas or hard shell tacos. 

It really comes down to your own preference. I very much prefer a slightly charred flour tortilla for this recipe. I like the consistency of the tortilla and frankly, it’s less messy than a hard shell taco!

The end result is so flavorful and tasty. It’s spicy, but the mango and the pork go together so wonderfully and the sweetness of the mango helps to cool things down a bit. Give these tacos a try and see for yourself how delicious they are!

Tips and Tricks 

• I love to use either this Smoked Pulled Pork when I have it on hand, or this easy Slow Cooker Pulled Pork.
• I like to buy the sliced fresh mango you can find in the produce section. I find it to be a big time saver when making the salsa.
• You can either heat the tortillas by wrapping in a paper towel and putting in the microwave for 30 seconds, or carefully char them slightly over the flame on a gas stove.

Ingredients Needed to Make Pulled Pork Tacos with Fresh Mango Salsa

Full instructions can be found below in the printable recipe card

• Fresh mango – Buying pre-sliced mango speeds up the process of making the salsa.
• Fresh jalapeno – I don’t feel that this adds too much heat to the salsa, but if you want very little heat you can substitute canned green chiles.
• Red onion – I like the pop of color as well as the milder flavor.
• Fresh cilantro – If you’re not a fan of cilantro, you can substitute fresh parsley, which will still add brightness to the salsa.
• Lime – This is my preference, but lemon can be substituted if that’s what you have on hand.
• Cooked pulled pork
• Taco seasoning – Use your preferred brand. 
• Flour tortillas – This is my preference, but corn tortillas also work.

How to Make Pulled Pork Tacos with Fresh Mango Salsa

• Prepare salsa by chopping ingredients.
• Combine mango, jalapeno, onion and cilantro in a medium bowl.
• Squeeze lime juice over ingredients and combine.
• Let salsa sit for 10-15 minutes to allow flavors to develop.
• Meanwhile, heat pork in a skillet over medium heat.
• Sprinkle taco seasoning over the top and stir to combine.
• Wrap tortillas in paper towels and heat in the microwave for about 30 seconds.
• Spoon pork onto the warm tortillas and top with the salsa.

Other Great Taco and Salsa Recipes

1. Grilled Fish Tacos with Southwestern Slaw Recipe
2. Chicken Taco Pinwheels: A Quick and Easy Appetizer
3. Grilled Fish Taco Bowls
4. 10 Minute Homemade Restaurant Style Salsa Recipe
5. Best Grilled Corn and Jalapeno Salsa Recipe

 

ENJOY!