Easy & Flavorful Instant Pot Pork Tacos with Zesty Slaw and Avocado Cream
Discover the ultimate weeknight meal: Instant Pot Pork Tacos. These tender, citrus-infused pork tacos are effortlessly made in your pressure cooker, then loaded into warm tortillas with crunchy Mexican coleslaw and a luscious avocado cream.
There are days when the craving for vibrant, savory tacos hits hard, but the thought of spending hours tending a skillet or slow-roasting meat just doesn’t fit your schedule. That’s precisely when these incredible Instant Pot Pork Tacos come to the rescue. They offer a hands-off, quick, and supremely satisfying solution to your taco desires.
The beauty of this recipe lies in its simplicity and the consistent, outstanding results. With minimal prep time, your Instant Pot transforms a humble pork shoulder into exceptionally tender, citrus-marinated pulled pork that’s bursting with flavor. This recipe is also incredibly generous, making enough to comfortably feed a large family gathering or to provide you with delicious, versatile leftovers for the entire week.
I often dedicate a Sunday afternoon to whipping up a batch of this flavorful pork in my Instant Pot. It’s truly a “set it and forget it” kind of dish. Once cooked, the fragrant, garlicky, and citrusy pork shreds effortlessly, ready to be repurposed throughout the week. From delightful rice bowls to cheesy quesadillas or, of course, more irresistible tacos, the possibilities are endless. The bright notes of lime and lemon infuse the pork with a freshness that perfectly complements its rich tenderness.
What truly elevates these tacos from good to extraordinary is the thoughtful combination of toppings. The tangy, Mexican-style coleslaw provides a much-needed crunch and a zesty contrast, while the smooth, creamy avocado topping adds a luxurious finish. Together, these elements create a textural symphony – crisp, rich, fresh, and delightfully messy in all the best ways. Every bite is a harmonious blend of flavors and textures that will leave you craving more.
Why You’ll Love These Easy Instant Pot Pork Tacos
These Instant Pot Pork Tacos aren’t just a meal; they’re a revelation for anyone seeking maximum flavor with minimal effort. Here’s why they’re destined to become a regular in your rotation:
- Effortless, Hands-Off Cooking in the Instant Pot – The Instant Pot is a game-changer for busy cooks. Once you’ve added your ingredients, you can essentially walk away and let the pressure cooker do all the heavy lifting. This makes it an ideal solution for chaotic weeknights when time is short, or for those relaxed weekends when you prefer a low-effort culinary adventure. The pork cooks quickly and efficiently, delivering fall-apart tender results every time.
- Bursting with Flavor from Simple Pantry Staples – You don’t need exotic ingredients to create something spectacular. This recipe relies on a straightforward blend of aromatic garlic, earthy ground cumin, fragrant oregano, and essential salt and pepper. These classic spices work in harmony with the bright citrus to infuse the pork with a deep, authentic flavor that tastes like it’s been slow-cooked all day, but in a fraction of the time.
- Perfect for Meal Prep or Feeding a Crowd – A 4-5 pound pork shoulder yields a generous amount of succulent pulled pork. This means you’ll have plenty to feed a hungry crowd at your next gathering, or you can easily portion it out for delicious lunches and dinners throughout the week. The cooked pork holds up beautifully in the refrigerator for several days, making future meal assembly a breeze. Its versatility ensures you won’t get bored, as it can be transformed into various dishes.
- Unbeatable Texture Combination – Beyond the tender pork, the toppings are what truly make these tacos shine. The crisp, zesty Mexican coleslaw adds a refreshing crunch and tangy counterpoint to the rich meat, while the velvety smooth avocado cream provides a cool, rich finish. Every bite is a delightful interplay of textures and temperatures – warm, tender pork, cool, crunchy slaw, and creamy sauce – a truly satisfying experience.
Gather Your Ingredients: Essential Components for Delicious Tacos
Creating these sensational pork tacos requires a few key components, divided into three main sections: the flavorful pork, the refreshing Mexican coleslaw, and the creamy avocado topping. Here’s a detailed look at what you’ll need to assemble this culinary masterpiece:
For the Instant Pot Pork
- Pork Shoulder (Boston Butt): The star of the show. A boneless cut works best for easy shredding and remains incredibly tender under pressure, absorbing all the wonderful flavors.
- Fresh Garlic: Minced garlic provides a pungent, aromatic foundation for the pork’s seasoning.
- Limes & Lemon: The fresh citrus juices are crucial. They tenderize the pork, cut through its richness, and add a bright, zesty counterpoint to the savory spices, creating a balanced flavor profile.
- Chicken Broth: This liquid creates the necessary steam for the Instant Pot and infuses the pork with additional moisture and savory depth.
- Ground Cumin: A classic Mexican spice, cumin adds warmth, earthiness, and a distinctive aroma that defines the flavor of the pork.
- Oregano: Dried oregano contributes a herbaceous, slightly bitter note that complements the other spices beautifully.
- Salt & Black Pepper: Essential seasonings to enhance all the flavors and bring everything into delicious balance.
For the Refreshing Mexican Coleslaw
- Coleslaw Mix: A convenient pre-shredded cabbage and carrot mix saves prep time and delivers a perfect crunch.
- Mayonnaise (Mayo): Forms the creamy base of the dressing, binding the slaw together.
- Lime Juice: Freshly squeezed lime juice adds essential tang and brightness to the slaw dressing, cutting through the richness of the mayo.
- Fresh Cilantro: Chopped cilantro brings a burst of fresh, herbaceous flavor that is quintessential to Mexican cuisine.
- Salt: To season the slaw and balance the flavors in the dressing.
For the Velvety Avocado Cream
- Ripe Avocado: The foundation of this creamy topping, providing healthy fats and a smooth texture.
- Sour Cream: Adds a tangy, creamy element that enriches the avocado and makes the sauce more spreadable.
- Lime Juice: A splash of lime juice brightens the avocado cream, prevents browning, and adds a zesty kick.
- Salt: To season the cream and enhance the natural flavors of the avocado.
For Assembly and Serving
- Tortillas: Your choice of corn or flour tortillas, warmed, are essential for wrapping your delicious fillings.
- Optional Garnishes: Consider extra cilantro, cotija cheese, pickled red onions, or a dash of hot sauce for an extra layer of flavor and texture.
Step-by-Step Guide: Crafting Your Instant Pot Pork Tacos
Making these Instant Pot Pork Tacos is surprisingly straightforward, delivering complex flavors with minimal fuss. Follow these steps to create a truly memorable meal:
- Prepare & Pressure Cook the Pork: Begin by cutting your pork shoulder into large, roughly 3-inch chunks. This helps the meat cook evenly and absorb more flavor. Place these chunks into your Instant Pot. Add the chicken broth, the freshly squeezed juices from your limes and lemon, minced garlic, ground cumin, oregano, salt, and black pepper. Secure the Instant Pot lid, ensure the valve is sealed, and pressure cook on high for 45 minutes. Once the cooking cycle is complete, allow a natural pressure release for 10 minutes before carefully venting any remaining pressure. This natural release step is crucial for keeping the pork incredibly juicy and tender. Once the pressure is fully released, open the pot and use two forks to easily shred the tender pork directly in the pot, mixing it with the flavorful cooking liquid.
- Whip Up the Slaw Dressing: While the pork is cooking, prepare the vibrant coleslaw dressing. In a small mixing bowl, combine the mayonnaise, fresh lime juice, finely chopped cilantro, and salt. Whisk these ingredients together until you achieve a smooth, well-blended consistency. The tang of the lime and freshness of the cilantro are key here.
- Assemble and Chill the Coleslaw: Take your coleslaw mix (pre-shredded cabbage and carrots are perfect for convenience) and add it to the bowl with the prepared dressing. Toss everything gently until the coleslaw mix is thoroughly coated with the creamy, zesty dressing. Once mixed, cover the bowl and refrigerate the coleslaw until you’re ready to serve. Chilling allows the flavors to meld and the slaw to become even more refreshing.
- Blend the Silky Avocado Cream: For the luscious avocado topping, combine the ripe avocado (scooped out of its skin), sour cream, a squeeze of fresh lime juice, and salt in a food processor or a small blender. Process these ingredients until the mixture is completely smooth and creamy, with no lumps remaining. Taste and adjust seasoning if needed. Transfer the avocado cream to a small bowl, cover it tightly, and chill it in the refrigerator until serving. This helps it thicken slightly and enhances its cool, refreshing taste.
- Warm Your Tortillas: Just before assembling your tacos, lightly warm your corn or flour tortillas. You can do this in a dry skillet over medium heat for about 15-20 seconds per side, microwave them briefly wrapped in a damp paper towel, or stack them in foil and warm them in the oven. Warming makes them pliable and prevents them from breaking when filled.
- Assemble Your Perfect Tacos: Now for the best part! Take a warm tortilla and fill it generously with a spoonful of the tender, shredded Instant Pot pork. Next, pile on a healthy portion of the tangy Mexican coleslaw for that essential crunch. Finish each taco with a generous drizzle of the creamy avocado topping.
- Serve and Enjoy Fresh: These tacos are best enjoyed immediately after assembly when the pork is still warm and the toppings are cool and fresh. Serve them up and watch them disappear!
Pro Tip: No Instant Pot? No problem! You can easily make the flavorful shredded pork in a slow cooker. Simply add the pork shoulder chunks, broth, citrus, garlic, and seasonings to your Crockpot and cook on low for 8–10 hours, or on high for 4-5 hours, until the pork is incredibly tender and easy to shred. Then, proceed with the coleslaw and avocado cream instructions as directed.
Expert Recipe Tips & Flavor Enhancements
To ensure your Instant Pot Pork Tacos are nothing short of spectacular, consider these helpful tips and suggestions:
- Opt for Boneless Pork Shoulder for Ultimate Texture: While bone-in pork shoulder can work, boneless is highly recommended. It shreds much more easily, resulting in a consistently tender and juicy pulled pork without the hassle of navigating bones. This cut is forgiving and stays moist even under pressure.
- Never Skip the Citrus!: The fresh lime and lemon juices are vital to this recipe’s success. They don’t just add flavor; their acidity helps to break down the pork’s fibers, contributing to its incredible tenderness, and they provide a bright counterpoint that expertly balances the richness of the pork and the savory spices.
- Embrace the 10-Minute Natural Pressure Release: This step is not just about safety; it’s about flavor and texture. Allowing the Instant Pot to naturally release pressure for 10 minutes before manually venting helps the pork reabsorb its juices, resulting in meat that is significantly more tender, moist, and flavorful. Don’t rush it!
- Chill the Avocado Cream for Enhanced Flavor and Consistency: Just like fine wine, the avocado cream benefits from a little time to rest. Chilling it in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes (or up to an hour) allows the flavors to fully meld and deepen. It also helps the cream to thicken slightly, achieving that perfect, luxurious drizzle consistency.
- Customize the Heat Level to Your Liking: If you’re a fan of spice, these tacos are a perfect canvas for extra heat. Consider adding finely chopped jalapeños or serrano peppers to the Instant Pot with the pork, stirring in a pinch of chipotle powder for smoky spice, or drizzling your favorite hot sauce over the assembled tacos.
- Prepare the Mexican Coleslaw Ahead of Time: For the best flavor and a truly stress-free assembly, make the coleslaw earlier in the day, or even the day before. The dressing needs time to soften the cabbage slightly and allow all those vibrant flavors to meld beautifully, creating a more cohesive and delicious slaw.
- Experiment with Different Tortilla Varieties: While corn and flour tortillas are classic choices, don’t be afraid to mix things up! Try small street taco-sized tortillas for a more authentic feel, or larger flour tortillas for burritos. For a lighter, low-carb option, crisp lettuce wraps make a fantastic alternative.
- Consider a Quick Broil for Crispy Edges: After shredding the pork, if you prefer slightly crispy edges, spread the shredded pork onto a baking sheet and broil for a few minutes until some of the edges are caramelized. This adds another layer of texture and flavor that some taco enthusiasts adore.
- Don’t Forget the Fresh Garnishes: A sprinkle of fresh cilantro, a crumble of cotija cheese, or a dash of finely diced white onion can add an extra layer of authentic flavor and visual appeal to your finished tacos.
Serving Suggestions & Variations for Your Pork Tacos
These Instant Pot Pork Tacos are fantastic on their own, but they also lend themselves beautifully to various serving styles and creative variations:
- Classic Taco Bar: Set out all the components individually – warm tortillas, shredded pork, Mexican coleslaw, avocado cream, and optional garnishes like diced onions, extra cilantro, radishes, or pickled jalapeños – and let everyone build their perfect taco.
- Pork Rice Bowls: Serve the shredded pork over a bed of cilantro-lime rice, topped with black beans, corn salsa, a generous scoop of the Mexican coleslaw, and a dollop of avocado cream for a hearty and satisfying bowl.
- Loaded Quesadillas or Burritos: Use the seasoned pork as a filling for quesadillas with cheese, or roll it into burritos with rice, beans, and your favorite salsa.
- Taco Salad: Create a refreshing salad with a base of mixed greens, topped with the pork, coleslaw, avocado cream, and crushed tortilla chips for crunch.
- Add More Toppings: Experiment with other toppings like finely diced red onion (pickled or fresh), a sprinkle of crumbly cotija cheese, a drizzle of your favorite hot sauce, or a fresh pico de gallo.
Storage & Reheating Tips
One of the best things about this Instant Pot pork is how well it stores, making it perfect for meal prep. Properly store each component to enjoy leftovers throughout the week:
- Shredded Pork: Store leftover shredded pork in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days. To reheat, gently warm in a skillet over medium-low heat with a splash of chicken broth or water to prevent drying, or microwave until heated through. The pork can also be frozen in an airtight container for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.
- Mexican Coleslaw: Store the coleslaw in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2-3 days. Note that the cabbage may soften slightly over time, but the flavors will still be delicious.
- Avocado Cream: Store the avocado cream in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 1-2 days. To prevent browning, press a piece of plastic wrap directly onto the surface of the cream before sealing the container. Stir well before serving.
More Delicious Dinner Recipes to Explore
If you loved the ease and flavor of these Instant Pot Pork Tacos, be sure to check out some of our other crowd-pleasing dinner recipes:
- BBQ Chicken Wrap
- Chicken Stuffed Shells
- Chipotle Chicken Bowls
- Chicken Broccoli Alfredo
- Taco Spaghetti
Instant Pot Pork Tacos Recipe
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Ingredients
For the Instant Pot Pork
- 4-5 pound boneless pork shoulder
- 6 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 limes, juiced
- 1 lemon, juiced
- 1 cup chicken broth
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
For the Mexican Coleslaw
- 2 cups pre-shredded coleslaw mix
- 2 Tablespoons mayonnaise
- 1 lime, juiced (about 2 tbsp)
- 2 teaspoons fresh chopped cilantro
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
For the Avocado Cream
- 1 ripe avocado
- 1/3 cup sour cream
- 1/2 lime, juiced
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
Instructions
For the Instant Pot Pork:
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To prepare the pork in the Instant Pot, start by cutting the pork shoulder into large, approximately 3-inch cubes. Place these pork chunks into the Instant Pot insert. Add the chicken broth, the juice from the 2 limes and 1 lemon, minced garlic, ground cumin, oregano, salt, and black pepper. Secure the lid, ensure the steam release valve is in the “Sealing” position, and set the Instant Pot to manual or pressure cook for 45 minutes on high pressure. Once the cooking cycle finishes, allow for a 10-minute natural pressure release (NPR). After 10 minutes, carefully quick release any remaining pressure by turning the valve to “Venting.” Once the float valve drops, open the lid. Use two forks to shred the tender pork directly in the pot, mixing it with the flavorful cooking liquid. This will keep the pork moist and infuse it with all the delicious juices.4-5 pound boneless pork shoulder, 6 cloves garlic, 2 limes, 1 lemon, 1 cup chicken broth, 1 teaspoon ground cumin, 1 teaspoon dried oregano, 1 teaspoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
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Slow Cooker Alternative: If you don’t have an Instant Pot, you can prepare the pork in a Crockpot. Add all of the pork ingredients (pork chunks, broth, citrus, garlic, and seasonings) to your slow cooker. Cook on low for 8-10 hours or on high for 4-5 hours, until the pork is incredibly tender and easily shreds with a fork. Once cooked, shred the meat directly in the slow cooker with its juices.
To make the Mexican Coleslaw:
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In a medium bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, the juice from 1 lime, salt, and fresh chopped cilantro until all ingredients are well blended and smooth. Add the pre-shredded coleslaw mix to the bowl. Toss thoroughly until the coleslaw is fully coated with the creamy dressing. Cover the bowl and place it in the refrigerator to chill until you are ready to assemble and serve the tacos. This allows the flavors to meld and the slaw to become even more crisp and refreshing.2 Tablespoons mayonnaise, 1 lime, 2 teaspoons fresh chopped cilantro, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 2 cups pre-shredded coleslaw mix
To make the Avocado Cream:
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In a small food processor or blender, combine the ripe avocado (scooped out), sour cream, the juice from 1/2 lime, and salt. Blend until the mixture is completely smooth and creamy, without any lumps. Ensure it’s well-pureed for a silky texture. Cover the avocado cream tightly to prevent browning and place it in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes, and up to 1 hour, before serving. Chilling helps the flavors develop and the cream to thicken slightly.1 ripe avocado, 1/3 cup sour cream, 1/2 lime, 1/4 teaspoon salt
To Assemble Your Instant Pot Pork Tacos:
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Warm your favorite corn or flour tortillas according to package directions or in a dry skillet until soft and pliable. Fill each warm tortilla generously with the shredded, flavorful Instant Pot pork. Top the pork with a spoonful of the chilled Mexican coleslaw for crunch and tang. Finally, drizzle each taco with a liberal amount of the creamy avocado cream. Serve immediately and enjoy the burst of flavors and textures!
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Additional Recipe Info
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