Instant Pot pork tacos come out killer with a ton of flavor. Little prep time and fork tender in no time. Ninja Foodi or any pressure cooker.

Ready for some ultimate YUM? Try making Instant Pot pork tacos this week for your family. Shredded and piled high with cabbage and sauce all of you will surely love these. One of many quick Instant Pot recipes on our site. (affiliate links present, originally published 6/21)
Instant Pot Tacos al Pastor
There are so many ways to make Instant Pot pulled pork really. Of course you need some sort of broth, water or liquid to reach pressure. Then add all the seasonings and this dish is on fire y’all….not heat wise. 😉
Adding in a sauce or dry rub amps up the flavors from good to great though. Then shred with 2 forks and serve as you like, great for an army of people for sure.
FIRST – You should sign up for my free newsletter so you get new posts emailed to you twice a week and never miss out on anything! Now let’s start with a few basic tips:
- Make sure to Bookmark our InstaPot recipes page. We add new ones each week!
- Then PRINT this —–> Instant Pot cooking times cheat sheet that will help you understand how long meat, vegetables and beans take to cook in your pressure cooker.
- This is a great InstaPot cookbook and a set of wooden utensils are great to grab too.
- I HIGHLY recommend you buy this non stick pot.
- You should still deglaze pressure cooker after sautéing but it won’t have as many issues with this better liner.
For reference, this is the pressure cooker I have (a 6 quart) and use for all recipe creations.

Pressure Cooker Pork Tacos
I’m telling you every single person in our household loves these. I make them fairy regularly for Taco Tuesday nights. Just coat, saute, cook and it is done…and tastes like our favorite restaurant’s dish too. WIN! If you like a bbq flavor you can use our Instant Pot pork butt recipe too.
Is carnitas the same as pulled pork?
Well they are both shredded with tons of flavors. Instant Pot carnitas have more Mexican style flavors though. I mean you could use either of these recipes and wrap them in tortillas.
Can you overcook pulled pork in Instant Pot?
I mean I guess so but the longer it’s cooked the more tender it becomes. At some point it would get too soft so make sure you follow cook times and directions properly. If you have a Ninja Foodi you can make this pulled pork.
I’ll tell you that I have made large hunks of meat a lot this way. I do like to remove the bone and cut into larger chunks at the beginning. Sauteeing with a bit of oil will sear the outsides which adds texture. That isn’t a must step though and if you skip it you’ll still be fine.

What part of pork is used for tacos?
You can use pork shoulder, butt, pork roast, or loin. For the latter it takes less time since there isn’t a bone and the meat is already more tender. That is what we used here cut into large chunks. Makes it ready super fast.
You can even use this Instant Pot frozen pork shoulder recipe if you forget to take the meat out but it will take longer! I know I’m guilty of doing this and freaked out the first go around. SO I figured out how to save myself next time and shared my tips with you as well so you don’t have to be embarrassed. 😉
You have a choice when it comes to the liquid used for this. Once you rub on the seasonings all over, water or broth can be added. The latter will yield more flavor for sure, it depends on what I have on hand really.
Some like an added citrus flavor and choose to use orange or apple juice instead. I will say that cider works phenomenally well when making IP or Ninja Foodi ribs.

Pork Tacos Recipe
Ready to get going and see if you have what you need already in your fridge and cupboards? Here is what you’ll want to have on hand to throw this together for your next lunch or dinnertime. Lemme know if you add anything else!
- 2-3 lbs. of pork cut into large chunks, ours didn’t have a bone and was quite lean.
- Olive oil
- Cumin
- Garlic powder
- Chili powder
- Paprika
- Water or broth for cooking liquid, some like orange juice
- Lime juice for the end is a nice touch
I mean there are so many options really. You need flour or corn tortillas, and cole slaw is a must for us. From there I love avocado, guacamole, sour cream, and homemade pico de gallo salsa is great.
Let your imagination go though. Setting up a taco bar or burrito bowl is great for Cinco de Mayo or any other get together too. Put everything in to small bowls and create an assembly line for your guests.

I have an entire printable recipe card at the bottom of this post that has the entire ingredient list and specific instructions. Here is a quick step by step to get you started so you can see just how simple this is to make.
Ninja Foodi Pork Tacos
Cut pork into large chunks. In a bowl combine seasonings and then rub on all sides of meat. Set pressure cooker to saute and add olive oil. Once hot add meat and sear the pork pieces on all sides until no longer pink, about 2-3 minutes on each side. Turn saute function off and add water.
- Close and lock lid and steam valve.
- Set to high pressure cook for 30 minutes with a natural release of 10 – 15 minutes when done.
- Release remaining pressure and lift lid carefully facing lid away from you.
- Use fork to shred pork in the pot. Leave in the sauce until ready to remove and add to tacos.
- Use tongs to add meat, cole slaw, hot sauce inside small tortillas with a squeeze of lime on top and enjoy. OR serve over rice.
If you want the edges crispy, set on baking sheet and broil for 2-3 minutes. Great recipe for your family or a gathering because there are usually a bit of leftovers that taste great warmed up the next day!

Super simple right?? Serve on top of a bed of brown rice too if you’d rather. I do that with my leftovers the next day for sure. Save some of the yummy liquid in the pot in a container to use the next day too.
- Looking for a bit of a healthier option? Try our air fryer fish tacos too!!
That is a great thing to add when you want to reheat it. This will add lots of moisture and flavor. Do NOT get rid of it. First allow it to cool to room temperature and pour into a container that can be sealed. Store in the fridge until you’re ready to pour on top and heat meat again.
How do you reheat cooked pork?
The fastest way is to use your microwave honestly. Make sure you add some of your liquid on top and toss together so it doesn’t dry out. You could add some gravy too if you want it more Southern style. Nuke for 30 seconds, stir, and then repeat until it is as hot as you’d like.
Want to try this in a Crockpot too? It turns out great if you can remember to put it in early in the morning. Follow our slow cooker carnitas recipe here for that method.

Storing what is left over is just as easy. Always make sure when you’re saving meat that it cools down completely before you package it up. If you don’t you could risk more bacteria growing and could make you sick.
I love using freezer bags instead of tupperware myself. One thing is I always lose those dang lids, but besides that I don’t have to wash the container once I heat what’s left.
Just throw the bag away, heat and enjoy for another meal. Since we always have lunch left for me it goes a long way which makes for a really cheap pressure cooker recipe. Feeding all 5 of us and then me the next day is a total win win in my book for sure. Let us know what y’all think too!
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Instant Pot Pork Tacos
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2-3 lbs pork tenderloin or loin cut into large chunks
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tsp cumin
- 1.5 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp chili powder
- 1 tsp paprika
- 1 c water or vegetable broth
- tortillas
- cole slaw
Instructions
- Cut pork into large chunks. In a bowl combine seasonings and then rub on all sides of meat.
- Set pressure cooker to saute and add olive oil. Once hot add meat and sear on all sides until no longer pink just on outside, about 2-3 minutes on each side.
- Turn saute function off and add water. Close and lock lid and steam valve.
- Set to high pressure for 30 minutes with a natural release of 10 minutes when done.
- Release remaining pressure and lift lid. Use fork to shred pork in the pot. Leave in the sauce until ready to remove and add to tacos.
- Use tongs to add meat, cole slaw, hot sauce inside small tortillas with a squeeze of lime on top and enjoy.
Video
