These delicious pulled pork nachos are loaded with tasty, tender pulled pork, Monterey Jack and cheddar cheese, pickled jalapenos, tomatoes, crisp corn, green onions, barbecue sauce, sour cream, and cilantro. Serve these for an easy weeknight dinner, gameday snacks, or movie night nibble.
Ingredient Notes and Substitutions
See the complete list of ingredients on the recipe card below.
- Pork butt: also known as Boston butt. You can substitute pork shoulder.
- Smoked paprika: This is a different spice from sweet paprika. The peppers are smoked over an oak fire before grinding. The spice adds a lot of flavor dimension.
- Garlic powder: I love Kinder’s wood-fired garlic. It is so flavorful with just the right amount of smoke, but you can use any garlic powder.
- Ground cayenne: This small amount does not add heat; it adds flavor.
- Apple cider vinegar: You can substitute white wine vinegar or sherry vinegar.
- Barbecue sauce: Use your favorite brand or make homemade bbq sauce.
- Chips: Choose sturdy, thick chips that will hold up under the weight of all the toppings.
- Cheese: Pick any cheese that melts well and complements the dish, such as Monterey Jack, Cheddar, Colby Jack, or Pepper Jack.
- Pickled jalapenos: Transform ordinary jalapeños into zesty pickled jalapenos with this quick and easy recipe.
How To Make Pulled Pork Nachos
This is a summary version; for the complete list of ingredients and instructions, please refer to the recipe card below.
- Mix the seasoning and rub it over the meaty parts of the pork and let it rest for 1-2 hours. If resting longer than that, refrigerate it.
- Add the cut onion to the bottom of the crock pot. Place the pork butt on top of the onions, fat side up.
- Add the Worcestershire sauce, vinegar, and Dr. Pepper. Cover and cook on high for 4-5 hours or on low for 7-8 hours. Using 2 forks, shred the pork.
- Spread the chips in a layer on a parchment paper-covered baking sheet and top with the cheese and shredded pork. Pop them in the oven for about 5-7 minutes or until the cheese melts.
- Top with pickled jalapenos, tomatoes, crisp corn, green onions, barbecue sauce, sour cream, and cilantro.
Preparation Tips
- Cook the pork butt 1-3 days in advance. Do not shred it until ready to serve. Cover well with plastic wrap and refrigerate it. You can also store it in an airtight container. Reheat it with a little chicken broth or apple juice in a covered baking dish at 250 degrees for about 30 minutes. Use half the meat for the nachos and the other half for pulled pork sandwiches.
- Customize the nachos with your favorite toppings. The variety of toppings is only limited by your imagination.
- For extra crispy chips, place them in the oven for 3-4 minutes before adding the goodies.
- Add a layer of cheese before the pulled pork to create a moisture barrier.
- Only prepare the amount of nachos you will eat within a short period of time. Nachos with toppings need to be refrigerated, and they do not reheat very well.
More Snack Food
Pulled Pork Nachos
These delicious pulled pork nachos are loaded with tasty, tender pulled pork, Monterey Jack, cheddar, pickled jalapenos, tomatoes, crisp corn, green onions, sour cream, and cilantro.
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Servings: 8 servings
Calories: 451kcal
Ingredients
- 2 teaspoons smoked paprika
- 2 teaspoons dry mustard
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- ¼ teaspoon ground cayenne pepper
- 4-5 lbs pork butt or pork shoulder
- 1 medium yellow onion, large diced
- 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
- 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
- 12 ounces Dr. Pepper (not diet)
- 8 ounces tortilla chips
- 1-1½ cups shredded cheddar cheese
- 1-1½ cups Monterey Jack cheese
- pickled jalapenos optional
- halved grape or cherry tomatoes optional
- corn kernels optional
- sliced green onions
- sour cream
- chopped cilantro
Instructions
- Mix the smoked paprika, dry mustard, garlic powder, salt, black pepper, and ground cayenne pepper. Rub it over the meaty parts of the pork and let it rest for 1-2 hours. If resting longer than that, refrigerate it.
- Add the cut onion to the bottom of the crock pot. Place the pork butt on top of the onions, fat side up.
- Add the Worcestershire sauce, vinegar, and Dr. Pepper. Cover and cook on high for 4-5 hours or on low for 7-8 hours. Using 2 forks, shred the pork, removing the cartilage and fat. Shred only the amount of pork you will be using at this time.
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Cover a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Spread the chips in a layer on the prepared sheet and top with the cheese and shredded pork. Pop them in the oven for 7-8 minutes or until the cheese melts.
- Top with pickled jalapenos, tomatoes, crisp corn, green onions, and cilantro or your choice of toppings.
Notes
- Do not shred any pork you will be using later. See above for cooking the pulled pork in advance.
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-4 days.
- Nachos are best consumed as soon as they are cooked. If you need to reheat them, the air fryer is your best option.
Nutrition
Calories: 451kcal | Carbohydrates: 28g | Protein: 29g | Fat: 25g | Saturated Fat: 11g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 7g | Trans Fat: 0.1g | Cholesterol: 93mg | Sodium: 771mg | Potassium: 467mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 654IU | Vitamin C: 2mg | Calcium: 362mg | Iron: 2mg
Did You Make This Recipe?Mention @smalltownwomanfoodnut or tag #smalltownwomanfoodnut!
Elizabeth F
The end result looked fabulous. I found your ingredients list quite impressive and the final dish is worthy of applause. Enjoy!
Sonia Seivwright
Using leftover slow cooker pulled pork for these nachos is such a good idea. I usually just make sandwiches the next day, but piling it onto tortilla chips with the Colby Jack sounds way more fun.
Beth Pierce
I agree, Sonia!
Jocelyn
These pulled pork nachos were a huge hit for my family. Perfect for a meal in itself or an appetizer for parties or occasions like movie night or game days.
Kat
Thick chips are a total game changer for these heavy toppings since nobody likes a soggy base. I usually throw on extra cilantro to cut through the vinegar and rich barbecue sauce.
Yonca
This is a wonderful site with so many great recipes. Everything looks delicious. This recipe is also explained in a way that makes it easy to follow and prepare.
Beth Pierce
Thank you, Yonca! I am so glad that you like my recipes.
Tammy
This was such a delicious idea for serving pulled pork. These were the best homemade nachos we’ve made. Highly recommend this recipe!
Beth Pierce
Thank you, Tammy!
Alejandra
I made these nachos for dinner, and it was a hit. Tender meat, cheese layers… so quick and delicious for busy weeknights!
Beth Pierce
So happy that you liked them, Alejandra!
Catalina
I made these for a movie night and they were a huge hit. Crispy chips with tender pork and melted cheese were perfect together!
Ben
I made this last night for a meal instead of an appetizer because I’m a grownup, and I can. LOL. I LOVED it.
Beth Pierce
I understand, Ben! We love them too!
Terri
This is crazy good. I had some leftover pork butt that I’d already shredded with BBQ sauce, so I used that and your other ingredients. Yummy.