One of my favorite tapas recipes is pinchos morunos: delicious Spanish pork skewers that are marinated in a flavorful spice blend. Marinate them in advance to make a perfect quick dinner!
Looking for more pork tapas for a delicious dinner? Try these Spanish meatballs (albondigas) and this Córdoba favorite: flamenquines cordobeses, or fried pork roll.
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Introduction
Spanish pork skewers, called pinchos morunos in Spanish, owe their name to the Moors. These North African Muslims ruled Spain from the eighth to the fifteenth century. Since they avoided eating pork, they made these delicious skewers with lamb.
It's likely that Christian Spaniards created the pork version, using similar spices to traditional Moorish kebabs. These skewers are marinated in ras el hanout, a spice blend featuring cumin, oregano, coriander, turmeric, paprika, nutmeg, cayenne, peppercorn, and cinnamon.
The Moors have left an enduring mark on Spanish culture, and these juicy Spanish pork skewers are a flavorful way to experience their influence on Spain's cuisine. Each bite will bring you the flavor of southern Spain and Morocco!
Ingredients
Curious what you need to whip up a mouthwatering batch of Spanish pork skewers? Fortunately, pinchos morunos don't take a lot of ingredients, and they're customizable to your tastes!
- Pork: Use fresh pork loin that's been trimmed of excess fat and veins. After marinating it in the spice mixture, let it warm up for a few minutes before cooking for the best results.
- Olive Oil: Like most Spanish dishes, one of the key ingredients is good quality olive oil. Here's more information about choosing a Spanish olive oil if you're curious.
- Lemon Juice: The citric acid in the lemon juice makes the pork tender when it's cooked. Use freshly squeezed juice for the best flavor.
- Spices: This is where pinchos morunos get fun! I recommend using a mixture of sweet Spanish paprika, cumin, coriander, turmeric, oregano, cinnamon, salt, and black pepper, but you can customize this based on your preferences.
See recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.
Substitutions
- Pork: Don't want to use pork? These skewers work beautifully using chicken or lamb as well.
- Spices: There is no exact spice blend you must use for these. Adjust as you like and get creative. Try two versions and make half and half. The recipe below is delicious, but you can make these your own!
How to Make Pinchos Morunos
If you’d like to see the full ingredients and instructions, scroll to the bottom of the post for the printable recipe card.
- Trim the pork loin and cut it into cubes. (image 1)
- Place the meat in a large plastic bag. (image 2)
- Prepare the marinade by mixing together the spices, olive oil, and lemon juice until combined. (image 3)
- Pour the marinade into the bag and massage until the meat is coated. (image 4)
- Refrigerate for at least 2 hours. (image 5)
- When you're ready to cook the pork, take it out of the bag. (image 6)
- Place the pork cubes on metal or wooden skewers. (image 7)
- Meanwhile, heat the grill or a cast iron skillet. (image 8)
- Grill until cooked and juicy; the meat should reach an internal temperature of 145°F or 62°C. (image 9)
- Rest for 5 minutes before serving, then serve with lemon wedges. (image 10)
Recipe FAQs
Pinchos morunos translates to "Moorish skewers." They are a Spanish pork kebab (skewered meat) that's marinated with a spice blend called ras el hanout. The recipe originates in the Middle East, and is likely a remnant of Spain's Moorish history--though they would have originally been prepared with lamb. They are currently very popular throughout Spain, especially in the south, where they're common in Andalusia and Ceuta and Melilla.
It will depend on the size of your pork chunks and the heat of the grill. If you have cut the pork into 2-inch chunks and are using very high heat, you'll likely need only a few minutes per side. If using high-quality pork, you needn't worry about making sure the skewers are well done (medium to medium-well is fine). They should be fully cooked through but not overcooked, or they'll be dry.
You can store leftover pinchos in the fridge in an airtight container for up to three days. I recommend taking them off of the skewers if storing for more than 24 hours. You can also remove from the skewer and freeze for up to three months.
Serve
These pork skewers are perfect for a tapas feast! I like to pair them with lighter tapas such as gazpacho or marinated carrots, and vegetarian tapas like fried eggplant and honey or pimientos de padrón. See Spain's most popular tapas recipes for lots of other tasty ideas!
If you're serving them as part of a barbecue, you probably only need a simple ensalada mixta on the side.
Expert Tips
- Try making these with chicken or lamb instead of the pork; it's equally delicious!
- Experiment with different spices in the marinade based on your tastes and preferences.
- Let the marinated pork warm up for a few minutes at room temperature before cooking for tender, juicy results.
- Leftover pinchos keep in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 3 days. Take them off the skewers if storing for more than 24 hours.
- Freeze leftover pinchos for up to 3 months. Be sure to remove from the skewer before freezing.
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Pinchos Morunos (Spanish Pork Skewers)
Ingredients
- 2 pounds pork tenderloin cleaned of excess fat and veins
- 1 tablespoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon ground coriander
- 1 tablespoon sweet Spanish paprika
- 1 teaspoon ground turmeric
- 1 teaspoon oregano
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 5 garlic cloves minced
- ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
- juice of half a lemon for marinade
- lemon wedges for serving
Instructions
- Trim the pork loin of excess fat, and then cut into 1 ½ inch cubes. Place the meat in a large freezer bag.
- Mix the spices, olive oil, and lemon juice in a bowl, and then pour it into the bag of pork.
- Seal the bag and massage the pork until it's coated in the marinade. Marinate in the fridge overnight, or for a minimum of 2 hours.
- Remove the marinated pork cubes from the marinade and place on wooden or metal skewers. Leave a little bit of space between each cube of meat.
- Grill on a grill or in a cast iron skillet over a high heat until browned on the outside but just cooked through. The meat should have an internal temperature of 145°F (62°C). Be careful not to overcook, or they'll be dry!
- Rest the skewers for 5 minutes, then serve hot with lemon wedges and enjoy.
Notes
- Try making these skewers with chicken or lamb instead of the pork; it's equally delicious!
- Experiment with different spices in the marinade based on your tastes and preferences.
- Let the marinated pork warm up for a few minutes at room temperature before cooking for tender, juicy results.
- Leftover pinchos keep in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 3 days. Take them off the skewers if storing for more than 24 hours.
- Freeze leftover pinchos for up to 3 months. Be sure to remove from the skewer before freezing.
Nutrition
Photography by Giulia Verdinelli
Gaudi lover
Made this recipe as part of 2022 Christmas Day tapas. These pork skewers are so delicious! I broiled them and the warm spices made a lovely fragrance throughout the house. I marinated the pork, vacuum packaged it, froze it a week before I was going to use it. I thawed the package a day in advance and then broiled it on Christmas Day. My guests loved them and several asked for the recipe.
Laurie L
Could this be frozen while marinating, before cooking?
Lauren Aloise
Yes, definitely.
Ailsa
I made these as part of a tapas celebration for Valentine's Day at home, along with several other of your recipes. They were a huge hit - can't wait to make them again - they were absolutely fantastic!
Mick
Excellent recipe. Not as oily or hot as many other recipes for this dish. Use of lemon juice and cinnamon creates an inspired marinade.
Natalia
I am from Southern Spain. These pinchos are amazing. and authentic. So yummy.
Natalia
I am from Sourther Spain, the Canary Islands. I tried today this recipe for pinchos morunos and it is very authentic. Absolutely delicious. Thank you for sharing it.
Dave
FINALLY, a Pinchito recipe that looks authentic! When stationed in Rota in the early 70's we loved to go "tapa hoppin" and eat these skewers by the basket full along with a little glass of wine then move on to the next bar - you get the picture. After two hours of that, it was difficult to remember where we parked the car.
Frequented Seville as well and many other little off the beaten path villages on the motorcycle. All the country people there were so friendly despite my slaughtering of the Spanish language.
Lenny Kopple
Same here. If we could not find the blue or green Seat we just kept Tapa Hoppin around Rota. Good times. '80-'85.
Nyan
Definitely a crowd pleaser! I tried these with metal skewers and they turned out gorgeous.
Vanessa
Hi I lived in the mountains of Andalucia for quite some time, and I was fortunate that my Spanish friends shared recipes with me. Their mix for pinchos was pretty simple. Cumin, tomilo (thyme) garlic, pimento dulce (sweet paprika), coriander, black pepper and salt. Strangely enough I am making them tonight for our evening meal, the component parts are marinating as I type. I am adding mushrooms, celery, courgette, tomato. Not strictly authentic, however it is not frowned upon. Makes a meal just by itself, but having squashed garlic and cheese potatoes and corn on the cob, I am now starving...lol
Lauren Aloise
Yum! So jealous! That sounds delicious.
Greg Bolton
Awesome! It was worth shovelling out the BBQ and cooking in -15 degree weather. Took a double recipe to a potluck and it was the first dish to run out. Enjoyed by all.