You may predict by the name "Tacos Arabes Puebla," that this Mexican recipe name translates to "Arab Tacos." These pork tacos marry flavors from two cultures (Mexican and Lebanese) who are both known for delicious food. Tacos Arabes are traditionally served in Pita Bread, instead of tortillas, and smothered in chipotle sauce.
About This Recipe
There's no question that Mexicans and Middle Easterners are rockstars in the kitchen, but I may be biased 😉. But seriously, how can you go wrong with blending ingredients from two cultures known for amazing food into one tasty new recipe?
Well, not exactly new... I found the story behind the creation of this recipe quite interesting and I think it's well worth the read (source). Don't feel like reading? Here's the Reader's Digest version.
Basically, a Lebanese family migrated from Lebanon to Puebla, Mexico, in search of new opportunities. In 1933, Mr. Galeana opened a Middle Eastern restaurant called La Oriental.
Using a mix of Mexican and Lebanese ingredients, he created Middle Eastern classics like Kebabs and Shawarma, and eventually created the first Tacos Arabes recipe.
Mr. Galeana substituted pork for lamb since pork was preferred by the locals. He marinated the pork in lime juice and various spices. The pork was then stacked in layers and roasted on a spit, similar to Chicken Shawarma and Gyros.
His Tacos Arabes were served with chipotle sauce, wrapped in pita bread or flatbread instead of tortillas. They were a hit with the locals!
By the way, if you love Taco Al Pastor, you can thank Mr. Galeana. His spit-roasting method led to the way in which Tacos Al Pastor are prepared. This method is still used in modern Mexican cuisine, including how Adobada (or Adovada) is prepared.
Luckily, you don't have to travel to Mexico to get your hands on some Tacos Arabes. I'll show you how to make these delicious Middle Eastern tacos in the comfort of your own kitchen.
Why This Recipe Works
Keeping the above story in mind, I chose ingredients that not only represent both cuisines but complement one another. I started with olive oil and orange juice as a base for the marinade.
Why orange juice instead of lime juice? Truthfully, I didn't have limes on hand. I did, however, have oranges, so it seemed like a good choice, and boy, was it ever!
Next, I chose some of my favorite spices that are frequently used in both Middle Eastern and Mexican cuisine: Chipotle pepper, thyme, oregano, and my own Shawarma Seasoning blend. I also added balsamic vinegar which really awakened the marinade flavors!
Instead of serving the Tacos Arabes with chipotle salsa, I chose to make a Chipotle Crema, inspired by the Fish Taco Sauce found in this Tastes Better From Scratch post. The two go together beautifully!
What Goes Into This Recipe
- Pork — You will need two pounds of boneless pork for this recipe. You can use boneless center-cut pork chops, which will be the healthier option, or you can use more fatty pork such as country-style boneless spare ribs, or a boneless pork butt roast, which will be tastier!
- Orange Juice — Instead of lime juice, I decided to go with orange juice. Orange juice adds an irresistible touch of sweetness to the recipe.
- Shawarma Seasoning — I use my own shawarma seasoning blend but store-bought shawarma seasoning is ok to use.
- Chipotle Crema — This delicious sauce is a must and goes perfectly with Tacos Arabes. If you don't like spicy food, use less chipotle peppers, or add more to make the sauce nice and spicy.
How to Make Tacos Arabes
Slice partially frozen pork into very thin slices, going against the grain, if possible.
Next, slice one large onion into rings. Set the pork and onion aside while you work on the marinade.
Marinade
Whisk marinade ingredients into a measuring cup.
Layer the marinade, onion, and pork into a glass dish or plastic bag.
Massage the marinade into the pork and allow the pork to marinate for 2 or more hours in the refrigerator.
Chipotle Crema
Meanwhile, add the chipotle crema ingredients to a blender or food processor. Pulse until smooth.
Add the sauce to a squeeze bottle using a funnel.
How to Cook Tacos Arabes
Once the Tacos Arabes meat is marinated, cook the meat in batches in a hot cast-iron pan until it is cooked through and has crispy edges. This should take approximately 3 minutes per batch.
If you are lucky enough to own a rotating spit on your grill, you can stack the meat on the spit and cook on the grill until the edges are charred and the meat is cooked through.
Yet another option is to stack the marinated meat onto a few skewers that are anchored on the top and bottom with one large onion, sliced in half.
Stand the spit on a foil-lined pan and bake in the oven at 350-degrees F for 45 minutes, broiling for a few minutes at the end.
How to Serve Tacos Arabes
Slice the cooked pork into thin strips. Serve Tacos Arabes with pita bread or flatbread, accompanied by Marinated Sumac Onions, or diced onion, salad, and some chipotle crema on the side.
Recipe FAQ's and Expert Tips
Tacos Arabes are Mexican/Middle Eastern Tacos that are made with pork and roasted on a spit, similar to cooking Shawarma and Gyros. They were introduced to Puebla Mexico by a Lebanese family in 1933.
"Al pastor" translates to “Shepherd-style." This refers to Lebanese immigrants who brought this spit-roasting method of cooking Shawarma, Tacos Arabes and eventually evolved into Tacos El Pastor.
Tacos Arabes are traditionally made with pork. But just like any recipe, this Tacos Arabes recipe can be modified to suit your personal preference.
- To slice the pork into thin slices, make sure it's semi-frozen. This makes slicing the meat a lot easier.
- If you need to, you can use lime juice instead of orange juice in the marinade. Just add a tablespoon of brown sugar to add some sweetness to the marinade.
- Shawarma Seasoning can be purchased on Amazon or any Middle Eastern market if you don't want to make your own.
- If you want to serve cheese with your Tacos Arabes, I suggest using Feta cheese or Queso Fresco.
Related Recipes
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Tacos Arabes Puebla (Arab Tacos)
Ingredients
- 2 pounds boneless pork spare ribs (may use pork chops for a healthier option)
Marinade
- ¼ cup olive oil
- ½ cup orange juice (or 1 large orange, juiced)
- 2 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
- 5 cloves garlic (crushed)
- 1¼ teaspoon sea salt
- 1 teaspoon chipotle pepper
- 1½ teaspoon Shawarma seasoning (seasoning recipe)
- 2 sprigs of fresh thyme (or 1 teaspoon dried thyme)
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon coriander powder
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- ½ teaspoon cumin
- ¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper
Chipotle Crema
- ½ cup plain yogurt
- ¼ cup sour cream
- ¼ cup mayonnaise
- 1 tablespoon lime juice
- 2 cloves garlic
- ¼ teaspoon sea salt
- ¼ teaspoon shawarma seasoning
- 2 chipotle peppers (in adobo sauce) (or more/less to taste)
Instructions
- Slice partially frozen pork into very thin slices, going against the grain, if possible. Next, slice one large onion into rings. Set the pork and onion aside while you work on the marinade.
Marinade
- Whisk marinade ingredients into a measuring cup.
- Layer the marinade, onion, and pork into a glass dish or plastic bag.
- Massage the marinade into the pork and allow the pork to marinate for 2 or more hours in the refrigerator.
Chipotle Crema
- Meanwhile, add the chipotle crema ingredients to a blender or food processor. Pulse until smooth.
- Add the sauce to a squeeze bottle using a funnel.
How to Cook the Tacos Arabes
- Once the Tacos Arabes meat is marinated, cook the meat in batches in a hot cast-iron pan until it is cooked through and has crispy edges. This should take approximately 3 minutes per batch.
- If you are lucky enough to own a rotating spit on your grill, you can stack the meat on the spit and cook it on the grill until charred on the outside and cooked all the way through.
- Yet another option is to stack the marinated meat onto a few skewers that are anchored on the top and bottom with one large onion, sliced in half.
- Stand the spit on a foil-lined pan and bake in the oven at 350-degrees F for 45 minutes, broiling for a few minutes at the end.
How to Serve Tacos Arabes
- Slice the cooked pork into thin strips. Serve Tacos Arabes with pita bread or flatbread, accompanied by Marinated Sumac Onions, or diced onion, salad, and some chipotle crema on the side.
Notes
- To slice the pork into thin slices, make sure it's semi-frozen. This makes slicing the meat a lot easier.
- If you need to, you can use lime juice instead of orange juice in the marinade. Just add a tablespoon of brown sugar to add some sweetness to the marinade.
- Shawarma Seasoning can be purchased on Amazon or any Middle Eastern market if you don't want to make your own.
- If you want to serve cheese with your Tacos Arabes, I suggest using Feta or Queso Fresco.
Christina Conte says
These look and sound soooo delicious! I wish I could reach through my computer screen for a nibble right now! Bookmarking for later, thank you!
Hilda Sterner says
Awww, thank you so much, Christina! I've had them for the last two nights and having friends over tomorrow for some. I guess you could say we're currently addicted.