Loaded Nachos Pulled Pork (Printable Version)

Crispy chips layered with pulled pork, melted cheese, jalapeños, and fresh toppings for a flavorful Tex-Mex dish.

# Ingredient List:

→ Pulled Pork

01 - 2 cups cooked pulled pork
02 - 2 tablespoons barbecue sauce (optional)

→ Nachos Base

03 - 9 ounces tortilla chips

→ Queso

04 - 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
05 - 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
06 - 1 cup whole milk
07 - 1¼ cups shredded cheddar cheese
08 - ½ cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese
09 - ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
10 - ¼ teaspoon smoked paprika
11 - Salt, to taste

→ Toppings

12 - ½ cup pickled jalapeño slices
13 - ½ cup sour cream
14 - ¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro
15 - ¼ cup diced red onion
16 - 1 medium tomato, diced
17 - 1 avocado, diced (optional)
18 - Lime wedges, for serving

# Directions:

01 - Preheat the oven to 375°F.
02 - If using cold pulled pork, combine with barbecue sauce if desired and heat in a skillet over medium heat until warmed through.
03 - Melt butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Stir in flour and cook for one minute. Gradually whisk in milk and cook until slightly thickened, about 2 to 3 minutes. Add cheddar, Monterey Jack, garlic powder, smoked paprika, and a pinch of salt. Stir until smooth and fully melted, then remove from heat.
04 - Spread tortilla chips evenly on a large baking sheet or oven-safe platter. Evenly distribute warm pulled pork over the chips and drizzle half of the queso sauce over the top.
05 - Bake in the preheated oven for 8 to 10 minutes, until heated through and edges of chips become crisp.
06 - Remove from oven. Drizzle remaining queso over the nachos. Top with pickled jalapeños, diced red onion, tomato, avocado, and cilantro.
07 - Add dollops of sour cream and serve immediately with lime wedges.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • They come together faster than you'd expect, leaving you time to actually enjoy your guests instead of being stuck in the kitchen.
  • The combination of textures—crispy chips, creamy queso, tender pork—hits different every single time.
  • Everyone feels welcome to customize their plate, which somehow makes people more relaxed about the whole thing.
02 -
  • Don't skip tempering the milk when making queso—add it slowly while whisking or you'll end up with lumpy, broken sauce that can't be fixed.
  • The second you pull this from the oven is when it's perfect; waiting even ten minutes lets everything cool and the chips start to soften, so timing is everything.
  • If you're making the queso ahead, reheat it gently over low heat with a splash of milk stirred in, because cold queso hardens into something that won't coat properly.
03 -
  • Cold queso that hardens can be saved by reheating gently over low heat with a splash of milk and a whisking—don't microwave or you'll get broken, greasy sauce.
  • Keep your pulled pork warm in the skillet while your queso comes together so everything hits the oven at the same temperature.
  • If you're feeding a crowd, make the queso in advance and store it in a covered container; reheat it slowly in a saucepan right before assembling.
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