Full of melty cheese and caramelized onions, this Pulled Pork Quesadilla is a great way to use up leftover pork and make it into a whole new dinner! These are also a great game day appetizer!
Easy Recipe for Leftover Pulled Pork
These pulled pork quesadillas are loaded with melty cheese, caramelized onions, BBQ sauce, and shredded pork. While it may sound intimidating to make, this recipe is far from complicated! In fact, it’s all about the leftovers!
With the fillings sandwiched in between two flour tortillas, this quesadilla is cooked until the exterior is nice and crispy for a lovely crunch. The pepper Jack cheese also adds a bit of sharpness to balance out the sweetness from the onions.
I promise you, nothing will deduct points from flavor or texture— even if you use the panini press to make them. Drizzled with your favorite BBQ or hot sauce for a spicy variation, biting into these pulled pork quesadillas will put all other quick dinners to shame.
What You’ll Need
Although these aren’t your average quesadillas, you’ll be glad to know they’re perfect for using up leftovers in the fridge. Check the recipe card at the bottom of the post for full ingredient amounts.
- Butter: Salted or unsalted is okay.
- Olive Oil: Vegetable, corn, and canola oil work too.
- Yellow Onion: This is the best onion for the recipe because of its sweetness, but you can also use white onion.
- Brown Sugar: Light or dark brown sugar will do.
- Salt and Pepper
- Flour Tortillas: I thought this out with flour tortillas, but feel free to use corn tortillas.
- Pulled Pork: Time to use up all your leftovers! Here is my pulled pork recipe, which is what I used to make these quesadillas. It’s super easy and made in your crock pot.
- Pepper Jack Cheese: Sharp cheddar, Monterey, and Muenster cheese all work.
- BBQ Sauce: Use your favorite bbq sauce, I love Sweet Baby Rays original.
How to Make Pulled Pork Quesadillas
For such an elevated quesadilla, 4 steps aren’t that much more complicated than regular ones. Here’s how to make the best pulled pork quesadillas in no time:
- Cook the onions. Melt 1 tablespoon of butter in a large pan over medium-low heat. Add the olive oil and onions. Cook them for about 30 minutes, stirring occasionally, until they are golden brown and caramelized. Add a pinch of brown sugar. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Remove from the heat and set it aside.
- Assemble the quesadillas. Lay 4 tortillas out on a flat surface. Evenly sprinkle them with cheese. Add caramelized onions and pulled pork to taste. Top with the remaining tortillas.
- Crisp them. Melt 1/2 tablespoon of butter in the pan over medium heat. Add the assembled quesadillas. Let them cook for 2-4 minutes on each side or until crispy. You may have to work in batches.
- Serve. Remove the quesadillas from the heat and slice them into quarters. Drizzle with BBQ sauce to taste, serve and enjoy.
Tips & Variation Ideass
These tips and variations will keep you rolling out unique pulled pork quesadillas every week:
- Use rotisserie chicken. Leftover rotisserie chicken is a great way to take a break from pulled pork but still enjoy a yummy lunch.
- Use the panini press. When you’re in a rush, popping the quesadillas into the panini press for 1-3 minutes will give you a crispy exterior on both sides in one go.
- Use store-bought crepes. This recipe works just as well with store-bought crepes, just let them crisp up too.
- Add hot sauce. To switch things up, change the BBQ sauce for hot sauce.
- Use leftover cheese. Shred all your leftover bits of cheese to make your own cheese blend.
- Use buffalo chicken wings. Chop them up and add them to the quesadillas instead of the pork. You won’t believe how good they are!
What to Serve with Pork Quesadillas
If you’re having them for lunch or dinner, try them with some refried beans and guacamole! Sour cream and a drizzle of bbq sauce are always welcome additions too.
How to Store Leftovers
Refrigerate any cooled leftovers in the fridge for up to 4 days.
More Recipes with Pulled Pork
- Pulled Pork Crescent Ring
- Pulled Pork Nachos
- Crock Pot Pulled Pork Recipe
- Pulled Pork Corn Chip Pie
- Pulled Pork Stuffed Sweet Potato
Pulled Pork and Caramelized Onion Quesadillas
With caramelized onions and lots of BBQ sauce, this pulled pork quesadilla recipe will be your new breakfast go-to.
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons butter, divided
- 1 teaspoon olive oil
- 1 large yellow onion, sliced
- pinch of brown sugar
- salt and pepper, to taste
- 8 small tortillas
- 2 cups (cooked) pulled pork
- 2 cups shredded pepperjack cheese
- bbq sauce, for garnish/dipping
Instructions
- Melt 1 tablespoon of butter in a large frying pan over medium-low heat.
- Once melted, add the olive oil and onions, stirring occasionally, until they are deep golden brown and caramelized – about 30 minutes. Add a pinch of brown sugar and season well with salt and pepper. Remove from heat and set aside.
- Lay 4 tortillas flat and divide the cheese evenly on all four tortillas. Top with caramelized onions and pulled pork. Top with a second tortilla.
- Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Add a 1/2 tablespoon of butter to the pan and let melt. Add quesadilla and cook for about 2-4 minutes, until golden brown on the bottom. Carefully but swiftly flip the quesadilla, and cook for another 2-4 minutes on the other side, or until the cheese is melted.
- Repeat the process until all 4 quesadillas have been cooked. Cut each quesadilla into 4 wedges and serve with a drizzle of bbq sauce.
Notes
Storage: Refrigerate any cooled leftovers in the fridge for up to 4 days.
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
4Serving Size:
1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 763Total Fat: 41gSaturated Fat: 21gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 17gCholesterol: 115mgSodium: 1091mgCarbohydrates: 62gFiber: 4gSugar: 5gProtein: 35g
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