Carnitas and Guacamole Pizza

Why I Love This Recipe

So here's a quick story... every few weeks when the whole What's Gaby Cooking team comes together for a photoshoot there is a LOT of food. We all taste / nibble on each recipe as it comes off the set and then divide it up and take it home. By the end of the day we are stuffed and locked and loaded with food for the entire week. But every once in a while a recipe comes along and everyone going NUTS over it. This Carnitas and Guacamole Pizza is one of them. Normally we'd polish off a half pizza after shooting it, but this pizza was too good to let it go to leftovers and we all sat around a table and hosed it within minutes of shooting. The delicious carnitas with my favorite guacamole, tons of cheese and perfectly baked crust was exactly what everyone needed. And then we all proceeded to fall into a food coma 🙂 WORTH IT.

This carnitas and guacamole pizza is the ultimate mash-up of Mexican flavors and cheesy pizza night comfort food. Try it once and it’ll be on repeat.

Ingredients & Substitutions

• For the Carnitas
  • Pork shoulder or butt - Swap in shredded chicken, turkey or beef chuck roast
  • Beef stock - Chicken stock, veggie broth, or just water with a bouillon cube works in a pinch.
  • Freshly squeezed orange juice - Pineapple juice adds sweetness and zest, or try lime + a pinch of sugar if you’re low on juice.
  • Lime juice - Lemon juice or a splash of white wine vinegar for that bright tang.
  • Ground cumin/coriander - Dalkin&Co taco seasoning or chili powder
  • Chipotle salsa - Smoky adobo sauce, chipotle powder + tomato sauce, or your favorite smoky hot sauce.
• For the Guacamole
  • Hass avocados - Any ripe avocado
  • Red onion - Shallots or white onion for a softer bite; scallions for freshness.
  • Lime juice - Lemon or a tiny splash of orange juice works here
  • Fresh chives - Cilantro, green onion, or even a sprinkle of fresh herbs like basil or parsley
  • Salt & pepper - Sea salt, smoked salt, or Dalkin&Co Chili Lime seasoning
• For the Pizza
  • Store-bought pizza dough - Naan, flatbread, pita, or even a crispy tortilla base.
  • Chipotle salsa - Tomato sauce with chipotle powder or smoky BBQ sauce
  • Pepper jack cheese - Monterey Jack, mozzarella, cheddar or a mix with queso fresco
  • Cilantro garnish - Extra chives, green onion, or microgreens

*For a full list of ingredients and instructions please see recipe card below

How to Make Carnitas and Guacamole Pizza

Step 1: In a large oven proof pan combine the cubed pork, stock, orange juice and salsa, this mixture should totally cover the pork, if not add a little water until the pork is submerged. Bring to a boil. Once boiling, reduce heat to medium low and simmer with the lid on for 3.5 hours, at which point the pork should be falling apart to the touch. Remove the lid and let the pork cook for about 20 minutes more until most of the liquid is evaporated. 

Step 2: Remove the pan from the heat and shred the carnitas with 2 forks and set aside. Transfer the carnitas to a baking sheet and put into an oven on broil to crisp.

Step 3: For the Guacamole, combine everything in a large bowl and mash together until half smooth and half chunky. Cover with plastic wrap and set aside.

Step 4: Preheat the oven to 475 degrees F. Roll the pizza dough out on. Spread the salsa on the pizza dough in place of pizza sauce. Top the salsa with the shredded cheese and transfer to the preheated oven for about 8 minutes.

Step 5: Remove the baking sheet from the oven and sprinkle on the cooked and shredded carnitas. Transfer the baking sheet back into the oven for 5 minutes more until the cheese is golden and the crust is fully cooked.

Step 6: Remove the baking sheet from the oven and let it rest for a few minutes. Top with guacamole and cilantro serve immediately.

How to Store Carnitas and Guacamole Pizza

• Fridge - Store slices (without guac) in an airtight container, up to 3 days.
• Freeze - Wrap individually in foil/plastic, up to 2 months. Add guac fresh when serving.
• Reheat - Oven or air fryer at 375°F = crispy crust + melty cheese.

Tips & Tricks

• Carnitas First - Cook your carnitas a day ahead—flavor actually deepens overnight.
• Guac Fresh - Mash right before serving
• Dough Prep - Pre-roll and par-bake your crust so assembly is lightning fast
• Party Shortcut - Keep carnitas + dough ready in the fridge, then bake and top with fresh guac when it’s go-time.
• A Pizza Stone - a game changer for making pizza at home in your oven, but if you don't have one you can also use a baking sheet

If you tried this recipe, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it goes in the 📝 comments below. Thanks for visiting today