Pulled Pork Nachos
Loaded with flavorful shredded pork, melty cheese, and any toppings you desire, Pulled Pork Nachos are an easy, tasty appetizer or fun meal. Ready in 30 minutes, these baked nachos are perfect for game day and entertaining!
Easy BBQ Pulled Pork Nachos
One of the best things about making pulled pork is having leftovers to make Pulled Pork Nachos!
Baked (or grilled!) nachos work great as a hearty appetizer or a main dish for game day, or any time you’re craving some fun comfort food. It’s a regular menu item for our family – just like homemade pizza night and taco night, nobody tires of nacho night!
Why We Love This Recipe
Some of our favorite family meals have centered around watching a movie together, with a big ol’ sheet pan of pork nachos. Here’s why we love this recipe!
- The FUN factor. Eating fun food always increases the enjoyment and liveliness of a meal. And there’s no denying it. Nachos are FUN!
- Flavorful. This dish has a LOT of flavor going on: tender pork with a flavorful bbq dry rub, crispy tortilla chips, melty cheese, fresh toppings, and any variety of your favorite sauces and dips.
- Quick & easy. When you have leftover pulled pork on hand, a hot pan of nachos is ready in just 30 minutes!
- Customizable. You can change up any of the ingredients, to enjoy a these nachos however you like. There are so many delicious ways to prepare this, with a plethora of toppings, garnishes, and dips!
What You’ll Need
At the base of these baked BBQ pork nachos is just 3 ingredients. Then add as many toppings as you’d like!
Scroll down to the printable recipe card below for exact ingredient measurements.
- Tortilla chips – Use sturdy tortilla chips so the nachos can hold up to all the toppings.
- Pulled pork – Use my pulled pork recipe, flavored with a simple bbq dry rub. You can make it in the oven, or in a slow cooker or Instant Pot. Whenever I make pulled pork, I freeze a portion or two so I can make pulled pork nachos later! (You could also substitute bbq pulled pork for carnitas.)
- Shredded cheese – Monterey jack, cheddar, or a Mexican blend all work well. Each one will vary the flavor and texture a bit.
Tip: For even more bbq flavor, mix the shredded bbq-dry-rubbed pork with a bit of bbq sauce. You can use my homemade barbecue sauce or your own favorite bottle. This makes the pork extra tasty and adds a lot of flavor to the nachos overall.
BBQ Pork Nacho Topping Ideas
The toppings and dips are the extra fun part of any sheet pan nachos. Here are some of our favorites – choose whatever you like!
Items to add before or after the nachos are baked, or offer on the side:
- Jalapenos – Use sliced or diced fresh jalapenos, or pickled jalapenos
- Tomatoes – Halved or quartered grape tomatoes, or chopped Roma tomatoes (Scroll down to the Tips For The Best Baked Nachos section where I talk about “Say no to soggy chips!”)
- Onions – Chopped green onion, yellow onion, or red onion
- Sweet bell peppers – Any color you like, chopped or sliced
- Black beans – Rinse and drain them well
- BBQ sauce – To amplify the BBQ flavor of the shredded pork, it’s fun to drizzle some barbecue sauce over the nachos either before or after it’s baked!
- Pickled onions – SO GOOD!
Items to add after the nachos are baked, or offer on the side:
- Sour cream or Greek yogurt
- Fresh avocado slices or chunks, or guacamole
- Queso blanco
- Pico de gallo
- Salsa
- Roasted chili corn salsa
- Cilantro – I usually sprinkle some over the top, right before serving.
- Lime wedges – For individuals to squeeze over their own serving, right before eating
How to Make Pulled Pork Nachos
Here’s how to make these baked pork nachos in just a few easy steps.
- Assemble the nachos. Spread the tortilla chips on the baking sheet, sprinkle with the shredded cheese, and top with the pulled pork. Add more shredded cheese on top, along with any other toppings you’d like, such as chopped tomatoes, onions, peppers, etc.
- Bake. Bake for 10 to 15 minutes, until the cheese is melted and bubbly.
- Add the toppings. Once the nachos come out of the oven, load them up with your favorite toppings – and gather up some dips!
Tips For The Best Baked Nachos
Here are a few tips for making these pulled pork nachos.
- Use sturdy chips. You can use whatever tortilla chips you’d like, but I recommend ones that are a bit thicker and sturdier. The chips need to be able to handle the weight of the toppings and not get soggy.
- Spread the toppings out. While every single chip doesn’t need to be covered with every single ingredient, do try to spread the toppings out as evenly as possible.
- Customize your toppings. You will like the sheet pan nachos much more if you add toppings that you really like!
- Say no to soggy chips! If you want to add diced fresh tomatoes to the nachos before baking, I recommend using Roma tomatoes. First cut them in half, then remove the watery insides before chopping them – otherwise the liquid can make the tortilla chips soggy. Also wait to add any sour cream or salsas until after baking the nachos!
- Freshly shredded cheese melts better and tastes better…but if you want to keep it simple, pre-shredded will work just fine.
Serving Suggestions
The #1 Rule? Enjoy your nachos hot from the oven!
If serving a crowd, I most often offer the majority of the toppings on the side, so each person can add their own. This is especially true for ingredients like jalapenos, as so many people don’t like hot peppers.
Set out all your favorite salsas, dips, and nacho condiments, and ENJOY the FUN!
As for drinks, I’d choose a classic margarita, a salty dog, or a crisp beer to wash these nachos down. Great NA options would be a refreshing strawberry lemonade or blueberry lemonade – both are favorites in our family.
How to Store Leftovers
Nachos are best enjoyed immediately, as the chips will soak up moisture from the toppings and become soggy as they cool. So I do not recommend holding onto leftovers. But if you insist…
To store: Place leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 days.
To reheat: For the best texture, I recommend reheating the nachos on a pan in a preheated (300° F) oven, making sure to remove any ingredients like avocado and sour cream first. If you have a baking stone, that works well – just put it in the oven while the oven is preheating, then add the leftover nachos to the hot stone once the oven comes to temperature.
More Easy Appetizers Recipes:
- Baked Buffalo Chicken Dip
- Million Dollar Dip
- Everything Bagel Pigs In A Blanket
- Shrimp Dip
- Butter Board with Bacon Butter
Pulled Pork Nachos
Ingredients
- 12 ounces sturdy tortilla chips
- 2 cups prepared pulled pork *see Notes below
- 3 cups shredded cheese Monterey Jack, cheddar, or a Mexican blend
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375° F.
- Spread a layer of tortilla chips onto a large rimmed baking sheet.
- Sprinkle half of the shredded cheese over the tortilla chips, followed by the pulled pork, and then the remaining cheese.
- Bake for 10-15 minutes, or until the cheese is melted and bubbly.
- Remove the nachos from the oven and sprinkle them with your favorite toppings. Or just offer the toppings on the side, for individuals to add as they please.
- Serve immediately with your favorite salsas and dips.
- *See Notes below for toppings, salsas, and dips suggestions.
Notes
- Jalapenos – Use sliced or diced fresh jalapenos, or pickled jalapenos
- Tomatoes – Halved or quartered grape tomatoes, or chopped Roma tomatoes (First cut the Romas in half, then remove the watery insides before chopping them – otherwise the liquid can make the tortilla chips soggy.)
- Onions – Chopped green onion, yellow onion, or red onion
- Sweet bell peppers – Any color you like, chopped or sliced
- Black beans – Rinse and drain them well
- BBQ sauce – To amplify the BBQ flavor of the shredded pork, it's fun to drizzle some barbecue sauce over the nachos either before or after it's baked!
- Pickled onions – SO GOOD!
- Sour cream or Greek yogurt
- Fresh avocado slices or chunks, or guacamole
- Queso blanco
- Pico de gallo
- Salsa
- Roasted chili corn salsa
- Cilantro – I usually sprinkle some over the top, right before serving.
- Lime wedges – For individuals to squeeze over their own serving, right before eating.
Nutrition Information:
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