Cheesy tacos al pastor — known in Mexico as gringas — layer achiote-marinated pork al pastor between two flour tortillas with melted Oaxaca cheese and pineapple, then griddle the package until the cheese melts and the tortillas crisp. The dish is a 1970s Mexico City invention that combines the al pastor format with a quesadilla-style melt.

A single batch yields 8 cheesy al pastor tacos in 4 hours 30 minutes total time, with 20 minutes of prep, 4 hours of marinating, and 20 minutes of griddling. Each gringa serves 1 person at 6 oz pork + 2 oz cheese + 2 flour tortillas, plus pineapple and salsa.

[Order al pastor tacos at Taco Pros](../../tacos/al-pastor-tacos-pork/) — same al pastor pork on the standard tortilla format.

## What Are Cheesy Tacos al Pastor (Gringas)

Cheesy tacos al pastor — gringas in Mexico City Spanish — are al pastor pork tacos with melted Oaxaca cheese sandwiched between two flour tortillas, griddled until the cheese melts and the tortillas crisp. The defining attributes are double flour-tortilla format, melted cheese center, and the signature al pastor pork-and-pineapple filling.

The dish appeared in Mexico City taquerias around 1970, allegedly named after a "gringa" (American woman) customer who requested cheese added to her al pastor. Two CDMX taquerias claim the invention: El Tizoncito (Condesa) and El Tizoncito's competitor in Polanco. The dish became a CDMX standard by the 1990s and reached US Mexican menus around 2010.

The gringa format differs from regular al pastor in 3 measurable ways: tortilla type (flour vs. corn), tortilla count (two vs. two-doubled), and cheese (mandatory vs. absent).

The "gringa" name is sometimes politically charged in modern Mexican-American context. Authentic Mexico City taquerias still use the term as the standard menu name.

Authentic gringas retain four traits: al pastor pork (achiote-and-guajillo-marinated), flour tortillas, Oaxaca cheese melt, and pineapple component.

## Ingredients

The recipe uses 2 lb pork al pastor, 8 flour tortillas, 8 oz cheese, and pineapple. The list below covers exact quantities for 8 gringas.

### For the al pastor (use the [tacos al pastor recipe](../tacos-al-pastor/) — yields 1.5 lb cooked al pastor)

-   2 lb pork shoulder, sliced 1/4-inch thick
    
-   4 dried guajillo chiles
    
-   2 dried ancho chiles
    
-   2 oz achiote paste
    
-   1/4 cup white vinegar
    
-   1/4 cup pineapple juice
    
-   1/4 cup orange juice
    
-   4 garlic cloves
    
-   1 small white onion (quartered)
    
-   1 tsp ground cumin
    
-   1 tsp Mexican oregano
    
-   1 tsp ground cloves
    
-   1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
    
-   2 tsp kosher salt
    
-   1 tsp black pepper
    
-   1 fresh pineapple, sliced (for broiling and chopping)
    

### For the gringa assembly

-   8 large flour tortillas (8-inch)
    
-   8 oz Oaxaca cheese (shredded; Asadero or Monterey Jack substitutes)
    
-   1/2 cup white onion (finely diced, for serving)
    
-   1 cup fresh cilantro (chopped)
    
-   1/2 cup salsa verde
    
-   4 limes (cut in wedges)
    

The flour tortilla is non-negotiable. Corn tortillas don't crisp properly when sealing two together; only flour delivers the structural quesadilla-style melt.

## Equipment

The recipe needs 3 pieces of equipment, all standard.

-   1 large plancha, comal, or 12-inch cast-iron skillet (for griddling)
    
-   1 spatula (for flipping)
    
-   1 lid or aluminum foil (for cheese melting)
    

A panini press at 400 °F substitutes for the griddle and produces a more uniform melt.

## How to Make Cheesy Tacos al Pastor

The method assumes the al pastor is already cooked from the [tacos al pastor recipe](../tacos-al-pastor/). For from-scratch al pastor, follow that recipe first.

The gringa method runs in 4 stages: build the gringa, griddle one side, flip and melt, slice and serve. Total active time is 20 minutes.

### Stage 1 — Heat the griddle (5 minutes)

Heat the plancha or cast-iron skillet to 400 °F over medium-high heat for 5 minutes. A properly heated surface starts the tortilla browning in 30 seconds.

### Stage 2 — Build the gringa (5 minutes)

Place a flour tortilla on the hot griddle. Layer 1 oz shredded Oaxaca cheese, 3 oz chopped al pastor, 1 tablespoon chopped grilled pineapple, and another 1 oz cheese. Top with a second flour tortilla. The two-cheese-layer construction prevents the meat from soaking the tortilla.

### Stage 3 — Griddle and melt (8 minutes)

Cook the gringa 90 seconds without moving until the bottom tortilla turns golden. Flip carefully with a spatula. Cover loosely with a lid or foil for 90 more seconds — the cover traps heat and fully melts the inside cheese. Remove the cover and cook 30 more seconds to crisp the second tortilla.

### Stage 4 — Slice and serve (2 minutes)

Transfer the cooked gringa to a cutting board. Slice into 4 wedges with a sharp knife or pizza wheel. Top with 1 tablespoon diced onion, 1 tablespoon cilantro, and a drizzle of salsa verde. Serve immediately with lime wedges.

The eating sequence is fixed: pick up a wedge, bite from the pointed end, the cheese stretches dramatically (the visual signal of a proper gringa).

## How to Serve Cheesy Tacos al Pastor

Serve 1 gringa per person (sliced into 4 wedges) with 1 tablespoon extra salsa verde, 2 lime wedges, 1 tablespoon diced pineapple, 1 tablespoon onion, and 1 tablespoon cilantro per plate. Authentic Mexico City service plates the gringa whole and lets the diner cut at the table.

## Variations

Three documented variations alter the recipe meaningfully.

-   Gringa de carne asada — replaces al pastor with grilled chopped beef. Northern Mexico variant.
    
-   Gringa de pollo — uses chicken thighs in the same achiote marinade. Lighter version.
    
-   Gringa con frijoles — adds a thin layer of refried beans between the cheese and pork. Heartier; CDMX standard at some taquerias.
    

A larger version uses a 12-inch flour tortilla and serves as a meal — 2 people share one large gringa cut into 6 wedges.

## Storage and Reheating

Cooked gringas don't store well — the tortilla softens and the cheese seizes within 30 minutes. Cook to order.

The components store separately: cooked al pastor keeps 4 days refrigerated; shredded cheese keeps 7 days; flour tortillas keep 5 days. Build fresh gringas from stored components.

## Nutrition (per 1 gringa, 4 wedges)

Attribute

Value

Calories

685 kcal

Protein

38 g

Total fat

32 g

Saturated fat

14 g

Carbohydrates

56 g

Sodium

1,180 mg

Fiber

4 g

Reduce calories by 30% by using one tortilla open-faced instead of two. Reduce sodium by 30% by using low-sodium tortillas and halving the salt in the al pastor marinade.