Got leftover pulled pork? Treat your family to this cheesy, smoky, delicious pulled pork casserole. It’s got a creamy, sauce, spiked with green chiles and tossed with pasta. We love this cozy leftover pulled pork recipe when the weather outside is cold and gray. I bet you will too.
This recipe has been updated since its original publication in 2017.
The first time I made this recipe for dinner (5 years ago), my husband was blown away. He loved the smoky richness of the pork with pasta in the lush cheese sauce spiked with hatch chiles and kept going back for spoonful after spoonful.
He also claimed the leftovers for his lunch the next day and promptly told me never to make it again, because he has no self-control around this baked pork and pasta dish.
Fast forward to today and he rubs his hands greedily in anticipation of this pulled pork casserole whenever I buy a Boston butt (pork shoulder).
Why you’ll love this pulled pork casserole with pasta
- It has a smoky, rich cheese sauce that coats and seasons the leftover pulled pork and pasta.
- Feeds 6-8 people with a side salad or 4 hungry diners without.
- It’s not overly spicy, even for sensitive palates.
- You can make it ahead of time.
- It tastes like a smoky, meaty adult mac and cheese.
- It’s easily customizable to suit your tastes and diet.
Ingredients for leftover pulled pork casserole
- Olive Oil
- Onions
- Celery
- Green Bell Pepper
- Garlic
- Butter
- Flour
- Kosher Salt
- Black Pepper
- Cayenne Pepper
- Chicken Stock or Braising Liquid (from homemade pulled pork)
- Leftover Green Chile Pulled Pork (or other leftover pulled pork recipe)
- Cheddar Cheese
- Smoked Gouda (optional)
- Hatch Chiles
- Cilantro
- Buttered Breadcrumbs (recipe given)
What’s the best pulled pork to use for this casserole recipe?
For this recipe, I used my leftover green chile braised pork. It’s slow simmered in beer with hatch chiles and salsa verde for a warm, smoky flavor that’s irresistible.
Using the Southwestern-style hatch chile pulled pork in this casserole recipe is heaven on earth, however, you can also use store-bought or other leftover pulled pork for this tasty dish.
How to make this homemade pulled pork casserole
- In a large skillet, sweat the onions, bell pepper and celery in butter until they’re tender and translucent. Add the garlic and cook for one minute until softened and fragrant.
- Sprinkle the flour, kosher salt, pepper and cayenne (if using) over the cooked vegetables and stir to coat.
- When there are no dry bits of flour left, stir in the leftover braising liquid (from the Hatch chile pork) or use a low sodium chicken stock. I recommend adding the liquid a little at a time, stirring after each addition, until it’s blended and smooth.
- Stir in the milk and heat the mixture to a boil, stirring constantly. Cook for one minute until the mixture thickens slightly and remove from the heat.
- Add the grated cheddar cheese, stirring until it melts and is incorporated into the sauce.
- Stir in the leftover hatch chile pulled pork. (If you’re using a different pulled pork recipe, also add in the chopped hatch chiles and cilantro).
- Add the cooked pasta to the pork and cheese sauce mixture and toss to coat so that the penne noodles are filled with saucy bits.
- Transfer half of the casserole mixture to a 2-quart baking dish.
- Add the layer of sliced or grated smoked gouda (if using) and top with the remaining pasta and pulled pork mixture.
- Top with buttered breadcrumbs and bake for 25-30 minutes at 350°.
- For an extra-toasty topping put the pulled pork casserole under the broiler element in the oven for 1-2 minutes.
What we love about this casserole is that there’s no “single flavor” that dominates. It’s an amalgam of the cheesy, smoky, subtly spiced sauce with shreds of leftover pulled pork tossed with tender pasta. You don’t have to add the smoked gouda layer, but it’s really tasty and intensifies the flavors in casserole, while adding a bit of a cheese-pull when you serve it.
Variations:
- Swap pulled chicken or beef for the pork.
- Use leftover Carolina smoked pork or this healthier Instant Pot pulled pork tenderloin.
- Try other cheeses, like Monterey Jack, Colby Jack or Pepper Jack.
- Add more vegetables to the leftover pulled pork casserole. Try mixing in 1-2 cups of mixed frozen soup veggies (carrots, green beans, peas and corn) or frozen chopped broccoli or stir 2 cups of chopped fresh kale into the mix.
- Instead of fresh breadcrumbs, top with canned onion rings or an extra layer of cheddar cheese.
- For a healthier casserole, substitute butternut squash puree or homemade pumpkin puree for the cheese. This gives the pulled pork casserole a sweeter flavor with less calories and fat.
FAQ’s
Yes. Assemble the casserole without the breadcrumb topping. Cover and refrigerate for up to 2 days. Remove the dish from the refrigerator about half an hour before baking, so it can come to room temperature (otherwise, a cold casserole will take longer to bake). Add the breadcrumbs just before you put it in the oven.
You can keep leftover pulled pork casserole for 3-5 days in the refrigerator.
Yes. You can prep the casserole but don’t add the breadcrumbs. Wrap it well and freeze for up to 2 months. Cooked casserole can be stored in food storage containers and frozen for up to 1 month. Defrost before reheating.
Yes. Look for pasta with a tube or cup shape to collect the creamy cheese and pork sauce. Rigatoni, orecchiette or medium shell pasta would work well.
Yes. Substitute vegan butter or margarine and almond or oat milk for the sauce. Substitute butternut squash or pumpkin puree for the cheese and adding about 1/4 to 1/3 cup of nutritional yeast for flavor. (Or use your favorite cheese substitute).
Yes. Use gluten free flour for the sauce and gluten free pasta for the casserole. Top with gluten free breadcrumbs.
Pro-Tips:
- Under-cook the pasta so that it’s just shy of al dente by 1 or 2 minutes. Why? it will continue to cook and soften in the oven.
- Make sure you use a skillet large enough to assemble all of your ingredients (holding at least 8 cups).
- Taste the hatch chiles before starting this recipe so you can tell how spicy they are. Then you can adjust the amount of chiles you add and/or the cayenne pepper to suit your tastes.
This hearty dish is a meal unto itself, but if you want to serve something else on the side, I’d recommend some simple vegetables or a salad.
What to serve with pulled pork casserole:
- Simple Green Leaf Salad
- Lemon Garlic Green Beans
- Steamed Asparagus with Dijon Sauce
- Mixed Vegetable Medley
- Grated Cucumber Salad
- Southern Greens
How spicy is this pulled pork casserole?
It’s actually pretty mild, but that will depend on the heat level of your hatch chiles and how much cayenne pepper you add to the sauce mixture.
I used mild chiles and just 1/8 teaspoon of cayenne, which gave the pork casserole a very subtle spice flavor.
If you’re nervous about it being too spicy I recommend tasting the hatch chiles BEFORE you season the sauce, that way you can gauge the spice level for yourself.
If you don’t like spicy, you can skip the hatch chiles and cayenne pepper completely.
More pork shoulder and leftover pulled pork recipes:
- Ultimate Pulled Pork Stuffed Potato Skins (a.k.a. Pigskins)
- Spicy, Sweet & Savory Asian Pulled Pork
- Amazing Tinga-Style Pork Shoulder Tacos
- Tangy Asian BBQ Pulled Pork Buns
- Leftover Braised Pork Tacos
- Hearty Homestyle Pork Ragout
- Braised Pork Italian Hoagie
Leftover Pulled Pork Casserole
ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 cup onion chopped (about 1 medium onion)
- 2 stalks celery chopped
- 1/2 sweet bell pepper chopped
- 2 large clove garlic
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 3 tablespoons flour
- 1 1/2 cups braising liquid from the hatch chile chopped pork or low sodium chicken broth
- 1/2 cup whole milk
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper freshly ground
- 1/8-1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional) use more if you like heat, less if you don't
- 4 ounces cheddar cheese shredded (can also use monterey jack, colby, mozzarella or other good melting cheese.)
- 3 cups Hatch Chile Chopped Pork or other leftover pulled pork, chicken or beef
- 1/2 pound penne pasta cooked to al dente, rinsed and drained
- 6 slices smoked gouda cheese optional but good
IF YOU'RE NOT USING MY HATCH CHILE PORK:
- 1/2 cup roasted and peeled hatch chiles chopped (I'd use mild chiles, but choose whatever heat level suits you)
- 1/4 cup cilantro chopped
FOR FRESH BREADCRUMBS:
- 1 slice bread
- 1 teaspoon butter
- 2 sprigs parsley
instructions
MAKE THE BREADCRUMBS:
- Tear the bread into chunks and place in a mini food processor. Add the butter and parsley. Pulse until fine breadcrumbs form. Set aside.
PREHEAT THE OVEN:
- Preheat the oven to 350°. Spray a casserole dish with vegetable spray and set aside.
COOK THE PASTA:
- Bring a pot of water to a boil and cook the penne pasta to al dente according to the package directions. Drain the pasta and set aside.
ASSEMBLE THE HATCH CHILE MIXTURE:
- Heat a large skillet over medium high heat. When the pan is hot add the olive oil. Stir in the onion, celery and green pepper. Cook for 3-4 minutes until softened and slightly translucent.
- Add the garlic and continue to cook for another minute until fragrant.
- Add the butter to the pan and once it's melted, sprinkle on the flour, kosher salt, black pepper and cayenne. Stir well to combine, so there are no dry bits of flour or seasoning left in the pan.
- Add the braising liquid (or broth) a little at a time, cooking and stirring until the mixture is smooth. Heat until the bechamel sauce mixture starts to bubble and boil, and add the milk, stirring constantly. Continue stirring until mixture comes to a boil. Cook and stir for one minute until the sauce thickens.
- Remove from heat. Add the grated cheddar cheese and stir until it's melted and is completely mixed into the sauce. Add the leftover hatch chile braised pork and stir until completely combined .
- Note: if you are using another leftover pulled pork reco[e, you'll want to stir in the diced hatch chiles and cilantro at the same time you add the meat to the sauce.
ASSEMBLE THE CASSEROLE:
- Add the cooked and drained penne pasta to the pulled pork and cheese mixture and toss well to coat, so that the sauce gets into the noodles.
- Transfer half of the noodle mixture to the casserole. Layer with slices or shreds of smoked gouda cheese and top with the remaining pork and noodle mixture.
BAKE:
- Sprinkle with the buttered breadcrumbs and bake for 25-30 minutes or until the casserole is bubbly and the breadcrumbs are toasted. (If you want extra golden brown, put the casserole under the broiler element for about 1-2 minutes until it achieves the color you want — but be careful not to walk away from it. You don't want it to burn.
Nutrition
“Pin It” For Later!
Perfect winter comfort food, I need a bowl of this right now. Great family midweek meal, adding to my meal plan.
Every once in a while, we need stuff like this, right?
This looks 100% faceplantworthy!! Love your step by step photos as well, what a beautiful way to show how simple and delicious this dish is. Thanks for sharing 🙂
I am always aiming for faceplantworthy! Thank you!
I used to make casseroles all the time, and recently I’ve completely forgotten about them! I need to change that- this looks so comforting (and cheesy!!!!)
This looks like such a creamy and comforting casserole. I need more recipes like this in my life.
Lisa, this braised pork casserole looks so delicious! My mouth is watering just looking at it!! I can’t wait to make it for hubby, he’s going to love it!!
Mmmm! Mouthwatering here! I really must try your recipe!