Pulled pork is the gift that keeps on giving. Turn those leftovers into an 8-inch circle of delight with a Pulled Pork Quesadilla!
After two marathon weeks of recipe testing and video shooting for Slow Cooker Pulled Pork and Instant Pot Pulled Pork, we were left with enough leftover pulled pork to open a barbecue stand.
If you’ve ever experienced a similar influx of leftover pulled pork, then you know sometimes you need to make something with pulled pork besides sandwiches.
My answer: Pulled Pork Quesadilla.
Tender pulled pork, black beans, and green chiles folded in a crispy tortilla and bound with melty cheese, this pork quesadilla is a tasty culinary mashup that will breathe new life into your dinner routine.
Although quesadillas can be used as a joke to describe someone’s lack of cooking ability (e.g. it was my roommate’s turn to make dinner and she cooked us CHEESE QUESADILLAS), when cooked thoughtfully, they can be a fast, healthy, and truly delicious dinner!
In fact, during my first year of marriage, I cooked so many different versions of quesadillas that I suspected the universe had endowed me with a tortilla-centric purpose in life. (Sweet Potato Black Bean Quesadillas and make-ahead Breakfast Quesadillas are still two I make regularly.)
Leftover pork quesadillas are so easy and yet make so much sense.
- The black beans will help stretch your leftovers and provide important health benefits like fiber and whole grains.
- Canned green chiles add instant spice that’s a lovely pairing with sweet barbecue flavors.
- And the cheese melted inside a golden, toasted tortilla? There’s a reason kids (and honest adults) go crazy for it!
TIP!
Don’t miss the Steak Fajita ‘Dillas in The Well Plated Cookbook. The fajita-inspired filling cooks in the oven, hands-free!
5 Star Review
“This was so easy and SO GOOD. Great combination of flavors and it gave our leftover pulled pork new life. Thanks!”
— Maddie —
How to Make an Easy Pulled Pork Quesadilla
The next time you have a batch of leftover pulled pork (or the next time you need an excuse to cook a great big batch of it!) a pork quesadilla is what to make.
This Mexican pulled pork quesadilla filling takes all of 5 minutes to stir together (seriously!) and you can freeze it for future fast dinners if you please.
The Ingredients
- Pulled Pork. Whether it’s from your favorite local barbecue joint, homemade, or Costco, pulled pork makes a tasty base for a protein-packed quesadilla.
- Black Beans. Rather than making the ‘dillas with pork alone, I like to add a can of black beans to the filling. It stretches servings, black beans are nutritious, and they give the quesadillas a Mexican flare.
- Tortillas. You can use any size you like! I prefer the taco sized (8-inch) folded in half because they are easier to flip, but you can also use two that are stacked with the filling in between.
- Canned Green Chiles. You’ll always find a can of these in my pantry. They’re a fantastic, convenient way to add both moisture and flavor to everything from the Green Chile Chicken Enchiladas in my cookbook to Green Chile Chicken Burgers.
- Cilantro + Red Onion. A hit of freshness and color.
- CHEESE! For the best results, grate it yourself (prebagged cheeses are coated with a starchy substance and thus don’t melt as easily).
The Directions
- Place the pulled pork and filling ingredients in a large mixing bowl.
- Stir to combine.
- Place a tortilla in a lightly oiled skillet. Sprinkle cheese on half, then add your filling.
- Add more cheese atop the pork.
- Fold tortilla in half and cook on both sides until the tortilla is golden and the cheese is melted. ENJOY!
Storage Tips
- To Store. Refrigerate leftover filling for up to 5 days. Cook the quesadillas just before serving.
- To Reheat. Heat quesadillas in a nonstick skillet over medium heat to warm the filling and recrisp the outsides. You also can play around with reheating quesadillas in the oven on the upper-third rack at 375 degrees F. Flip them over halfway through.
- To Freeze. Leftover filling can be frozen for up to 3 months. Let thaw overnight in the refrigerator.
Meal Prep Tip
The next time you make pulled pork, set aside 1 1/2 cups for quesadillas.
Leftover Ideas
In addition to making a killer quesadilla filling, you can use this recipe for pulled pork burritos, tacos, or a hearty burrito bowl. Or, try adding it to this Mexican Salad.
What to Serve with Pulled Pork Quesadillas
Recommended Tools to Make this Recipe
- Mixing Bowls. Durable, glass stackable mixing bowls with 10 different sizes, and dishwasher safe.
- Non-Stick Skillet. A reliable non-stick and PFOA-free skillet.
- Cutting Board. Non-porous surface with drip-catching edges, this is used everyday in our house.
The Best Instant Pot
Use this tool to cook your BBQ pulled pork FAST. Watch a step-by-step of Erin making the recipe HERE.
Never will I ever be too old for quesadillas. I hope this pulled pork spin livens up your weeknight dinners, the way it does for us.
Pulled Pork Quesadilla Video
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Pulled Pork Quesadilla
Ingredients
FOR THE FILLING:
- 1.5 cups leftover slow cooker pulled pork or your favorite BBQ pulled pork
- 1 15-ounce can reduced sodium black beans, rinsed and drained
- 1/4 medium red onion finely chopped
- 1 4-ounce can diced green chiles in their juices
- 1/3 cup chopped fresh cilantro*
- 2 cups shredded cheddar pepper jack, or Monterey jack cheese (I used cheddar)
- 8 8-inch flour tortillas
- Nonstick spray canola oil, or butter, for grilling the quesadillas
FOR SERVING:
- Homemade BBQ sauce or your favorite BBQ sauce
- Nonfat plain Greek yogurt or sour cream
- Chopped green onions or cilantro
Instructions
- If you’d like to keep your quesadillas warm between batches, preheat the oven to 200 degrees F.
- To a large mixing bowl, add the pulled pork, black beans, red onion, green chiles, and cilantro.
- Stir to combine.
- Assemble the quesadillas and cook: Warm a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Lightly coat the skillet with nonstick spray or lightly brush with olive oil. Lay a tortilla in the skillet and sprinkle 2 tablespoons cheese over half. Top with ½ cup of the pork mixture.
- Sprinkle an additional 2 tablespoons cheese on top, the fold the tortilla over the cheese to create a half moon. To cook 2 quesadillas at the same time, slide the folded quesadilla to one side of the skillet with the straight edge running down the middle, then cook a second quesadilla beside it (the open sides of the quesadillas will point away from each other).
- Cook quesadillas on both sides until the tortillas are golden and the cheese is melted, about 5 to 6 minutes total. If desired, transfer cooked quesadillas to a clean baking sheet and place on the lower rack of the oven to keep warm. Repeat with remaining quesadillas.
- Transfer the quesadillas to a cutting board and let rest 1 to 2 minutes. Slice into wedges and serve hot with a drizzle of BBQ sauce (I like to warm the sauce first), Greek yogurt, and green onions or cilantro as desired.
Notes
- *If you aren’t a fan of cilantro, you can simply omit it.
- TO STORE. Refrigerate leftover filling for up to 5 days. Cook the quesadillas just before serving.
- TO REHEAT. Heat quesadillas in a nonstick skillet over medium heat to warm the filling and recrisp the outsides. You also can play around with reheating quesadillas in the oven on the upper-third rack at 375 degrees F. Flip them over halfway through.
- TO FREEZE. Leftover filling can be frozen for up to 3 months. Let thaw overnight in the refrigerator.
Nutrition
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Thanks to its versatility and ease, you can do so much with pork. Here are some of my favorite pork recipes:
This was so easy and SO GOOD. Great combination of flavors and it gave our leftover pulled pork new life. Thanks!
I am so happy to hear how much you enjoyed it Maddie, thanks!
This is exactly what we need. Can’t wait to try them as my pulled pork quesadillas have been lacklustre at the best. Leave it to Erin to figure this out for me.
Yay, so glad to hear that Lynn!
I made these for lunch and they were delicious and very filling! I had a tomato and some corn that I needed to use, so I threw those in as well and they were a great addition!
Hi Elizabeth! So glad you enjoyed them! Thank you for this kind review!
I have been trying to make this recipe ever since you emailed it out and FINALLY got to tonight. It was everything I hopped it would be and more!!
I’m a southern girl living in the north west and I need ways to get more bbq pork in my life lol We dipped ours in Carolina bbq sauce which was heavenly. Thank you for this amazing recipe! ❤️
Hi KateLynn! So glad you enjoyed the recipe! Thank you for this kind review!
Just made these tonight and they were delicious. I am not bean person nor Mexican food but I am in love with this recipe. I had so much leftover pulled pork and needed a new way to serve, I found it!!!
Hi Carol! So glad you enjoyed the recipe! Thank you for this kind review!
I had no idea how this would go over since I have Mexican food purists to feed, and our leftover pork had a distinct barbecue sauce flavor, but it was a huge hit! It was so easy, and beyond the pork, it was just a pantry pull recipe for us. The only changes I made in preparation were that I added the cheese (mixed Jack and sharp cheddar) and cilantro into the pork and bean mixture up front, and we don’t use oil or butter when toasting the quesadillas— just a well seasoned cast iron pan. We did serve our quesadillas with sour cream, salsa and some guac that was previously leftover on the side. I made a chopped salad with romaine, red cabbage, apples, Asian pears, cranberries, and a honey vinaigrette that went great with it. Best use ever for leftover pulled barbecued meat!!! This is now in our family forever favorites recipe box.
Hi! So glad you enjoyed the recipe! Thank you for this kind review!
Must be a mistake in the recipe. You state 1.5 cups of pulled pork for 8 tortillas, 1/2 cup per tortilla. At that rate you would only be able to make 3 quesadillas. Please advise.
Hi Debbie! Since the pork mixture that you place in the tortillas includes more than just the pork, it ends up stretching a bit more. I hope this helps!
Did this used to be a sweet/spicy Asian quesadilla? Do you still have that recipe up? It was a favorite. Thanks!
Hi Erin! Yes I did. Here is a link to the recipe: https://www.wellplated.com/wprm_print/35274
Made this recipe tonight and everyone loved it! I made it exactly as written and really appreciated the “tips”! Next time we are going to try using pepper jack cheese or a combo of pepper jack and chedder. I was concerned our 4 year old might find it too spicy even just with the green chilies, but he did not. He liked it! Well continue to make his with only cheddar! Thanks for this recipe. It’s a keeper!!
Hi Mary! So glad you enjoyed the recipe! Thank you for this kind review!