Pork Tacos with Mulato Chile Sauce, White Bean Cream, and Warm Apple-Nopal Salad

Name: Pork Tacos with Mulato Chile Sauce, White Bean Cream, and Warm Apple-Nopal Salad
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 35 min
Total time: 65 min
Yield: 4
Cuisine: Comida Mexicana
Ingredients: 1.1 lb pork loin, cut into strips; 12 tortillas corn tortillas; 1 oz dried mulato chile; 4 cloves garlic; 1 cup white onion; 1 cup tomato; 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar; 1 tbsp grated piloncillo; 1 tsp ground cumin; 1/2 tsp dried oregano; 1 3/4 tsp salt; 1/2 tsp black pepper; 2 tbsp vegetable oil; 2 cups cooked white beans; 1/2 cup vegetable broth or water; 1/4 cup sour cream; 1 1/2 cups cooked nopal cactus strips; 1 medium red apple; 2 tbsp lime juice; 1/4 cup fresh cilantro; 1/3 cup crumbled fresh cheese

Original Mexican-inspired tacos featuring seared pork loin glazed in a mulato chile sauce, served on corn tortillas with silky white bean cream and a warm salad of nopal, apple, and onion. The dish balances smoky, sweet, and tangy notes with fresh yet comforting textures.

30 minPrep

35 minCook

65 minTotal

4Servings

High ProteinGluten-Free

Ingredients

Adjust servings

500 g pork loin, cut into strips (without exceso of grasa)
12 pieces corn tortillas (small)
30 g dried mulato chile (without stalk ni semillas)
12 g garlic (2 cloves for the sauce and 2 for the cream)
140 g white onion (en total; divided for sauce, carne and ensalada)
180 g tomato (diced, for the sauce)
15 ml apple cider vinegar (for the sauce)
12 g grated piloncillo (or sugar mascabado)
2 g ground cumin (divided)
1 g dried oregano (for the sauce)
10 g salt (or to taste, divided)
2 g black pepper (divided)
30 ml vegetable oil (divided)
300 g cooked white beans (escurridos lightly)
120 ml vegetable broth or water (for the cream of frijol)
60 g sour cream (for the cream of frijol)
200 g cooked nopal cactus strips (well escurridos)
160 g red apple (diced small)
30 ml lime juice (freshly squeezed)
15 g fresh cilantro (chopped)
40 g crumbled fresh cheese (for terminar)

Nutrition facts

per serving

515 kcal

Calories

31 g

Protein

39 g

Carbs

25 g

Fat

8 g

Fiber

31 g

Net carbs

Approximate nutritional information. Estimated from the recipe’s ingredients and amounts, using standard reference nutrition values. It may vary with brands, sizes and cooking method. For guidance only; not a substitute for medical or dietary advice.

Allergens

Dairy

Instructions

1
1. Place the dried mulato chile in a dry skillet over medium heat and toast for 20 to 30 seconds per side until fragrant, being careful not to burn it. Transfer to a bowl with hot water and soak for 10 minutes.
2
2. In the same skillet, heat 1 teaspoon vegetable oil and sauté 40 g onion, 2 garlic cloves, and the tomato for 5 minutes, until softened.
3
3. Blend the soaked mulato chile with the tomato mixture, apple cider vinegar, piloncillo, 1/2 teaspoon cumin, oregano, 60 ml (1/4 cup) water, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and a pinch of pepper until smooth.
4
4. Season the pork loin with 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/4 teaspoon pepper, and the remaining 1/2 teaspoon cumin.
5
5. Heat 1 tablespoon vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the pork and 50 g thinly sliced onion; cook for 6 to 8 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the meat is browned and fully cooked.
6
6. Pour the mulato chile sauce over the pork and cook 5 minutes more over medium heat until the sauce thickens and lightly glazes the meat. Keep warm.
7
7. For the white bean cream, heat 1 teaspoon vegetable oil in a small saucepan over medium heat. Add the remaining 2 garlic cloves and cook for 30 seconds. Stir in the white beans, vegetable broth or water, sour cream, and 1/4 teaspoon salt; cook for 4 minutes.
8
8. Blend the bean mixture until very smooth. If needed, add 1 to 2 extra tablespoons of water to adjust the texture to a thick but spreadable cream. Keep warm over very low heat.
9
9. For the warm salad, heat the remaining teaspoon of vegetable oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add the cooked nopal strips, the remaining 50 g onion, and the apple. Cook for 3 to 4 minutes, just until the apple is warmed through but still textured.
10
10. Add the lime juice, a pinch of salt, and the fresh cilantro to the warm salad. Toss and remove from the heat.
11
11. Warm the corn tortillas on a comal or skillet over medium heat for 30 to 40 seconds per side. If you prefer to keep them warm, wrap them in foil and place them in the oven for 5 minutes at 180 °C / 350 °F.
12
12. To serve, spread a little white bean cream on each tortilla, add the mulato pork, top with the warm apple-nopal salad, and finish with crumbled fresh cheese. Serve immediately.

Chef tips

Toast the chile only briefly to avoid bitterness. For deeper flavor, let the meat rest in the sauce for 10 minutes before serving. The salad should stay warm, not overly cooked, so the apple keeps a pleasant crunch.

Substitutions

You can swap the pork loin for boneless chicken thighs. Sour cream can be replaced with plain unsweetened yogurt, and fresh cheese with crumbled panela. If piloncillo is unavailable, use brown sugar.

What I used to make it

Generic kitchen tools that work for this recipe. You don’t need to buy anything to make it.

Illustrative image
Ninja Professional BL610 Blender
Smoothies, sauces and soups
- Smoothies, sauces and soups
- Easy-to-wash jar
- Check the power and jar size
View on Amazon
Illustrative image
Cosori Pro LE 5 Qt Air Fryer
Browning and baking with little oil
- Browns food with very little oil
- Handy for vegetables, chicken and reheating
- Check the basket capacity
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Illustrative image
TempPro TP19H Digital Thermometer
Checking doneness of meat and chicken
- Checks doneness of meat and chicken
- Quick reading
- Clean the probe after each use
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