Creamy Leftover Pulled Pork Pasta Recipe
This leftover creamy pulled pork pasta recipe is a perfect way to make a complete meal in under 30 minutes! It's a great pasta dish the entire family will love, without taking a lot of time or effort to prepare. It's my go to dish to make on night I have no desire to really "cook." The best part is that your protein is already cooked, so it's ready quickly, but it's rich in flavor!
Servings: 8
Calories: 343kcal
Ingredients
- 16 oz. Leftover Pulled Pork pre-made
- 8 oz. penne pasta dry & uncooked
- 2 Tbsp. olive oil for cooking
- 1 bell pepper chopped
- 1/2 cup red onion chopped
- 1 cup sweet corn frozen (defrosted) or fresh (cooked)
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- 1/2 cup sour cream
- 1/2 cup cheddar cheese shredded
- 1 tsp chili powder
- 1/2 tsp smoked paprika
- 1/4 tsp ground cumin
- 1/4 tsp. sea salt
- 1/4 tsp. ground pepper
- 1/2 cup reserved pasta water
Instructions
- Start cooking your pasta according to the directions on the package to al dente, reserving 1/2 cup of pasta water before draining the pasta. Be sure to salt your water generously.
- While you start the pasta water and wait for it to boil, you can go ahead and heat up a large skillet to medium heat and add olive oil.
- Once the skillet is warmed up, add the onion and peppers and cook until just tender, about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Now stir in the corn and cook about another 2 minutes.
- Add the chili powder, paprika and cumin and cook another 1 minute and reduce heat to medium low.
- Next, add the shredded pork, stir it well and let it warm up for about 3 minutes.
- Add the cooked penne pasta along with about 1/4 cup of the reserved pasta water.
- Give it all a good stir.
- Now, add the sour cream, heavy cream and cheese and stir it up until all the cheese is melted and it's all creamy and coated. If you feel it needs to be creamier, go ahead and add the remaining 1/4 cup pasta water.
- Let it thicken up on low for a couple more minutes and then it's ready to serve. (Optional- As seen in the final photos, you can top with some chopped green onion or some fresh cilantro or parsley)
Notes
Keep leftovers refrigerated and depending on the time the pulled pork was initially cooked, enjoy within 3-5 days max.
1. Pork Seasoning Note: Since leftover pulled pork is already fully cooked and seasoned (often with sweet or smoky BBQ rubs), be conservative with your initial salt. Taste the sauce after incorporating the pork before adding any extra salt.
2. Heavy Cream vs. Milk: For the absolute best restaurant-quality velvety texture, stick to heavy whipping cream. Half-and-half can be used in a pinch, but you may need to toss in an extra splash of starchy pasta cooking water to help it thicken up cleanly.
3. Veggie Additions: Want to add some green? Toss in two cups of fresh baby spinach or chopped broccoli florets during the last two minutes of simmering the cream sauce.
2. Heavy Cream vs. Milk: For the absolute best restaurant-quality velvety texture, stick to heavy whipping cream. Half-and-half can be used in a pinch, but you may need to toss in an extra splash of starchy pasta cooking water to help it thicken up cleanly.
3. Veggie Additions: Want to add some green? Toss in two cups of fresh baby spinach or chopped broccoli florets during the last two minutes of simmering the cream sauce.
Nutrition
Serving: 1cup | Calories: 343kcal | Carbohydrates: 38g | Protein: 14g | Fat: 15g | Saturated Fat: 8g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Trans Fat: 0.001g | Cholesterol: 57mg | Sodium: 462mg | Potassium: 207mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 12g | Vitamin A: 1101IU | Vitamin C: 22mg | Calcium: 115mg | Iron: 1mg