These incredibly flavorful pork nachos are served with melted cheese, corn, beans, tomatoes, avocado, a drizzle of sour cream and lime. The pulled pork is the star of this dish, rich and succulent and braised until fork-tender. You can have it ready in advance and assemble the nacho tray at the last moment.
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Flavorful appetizer
Also known as sheet pan nachos, this is the best way to use a bag of tortilla chips, in my opinion.
Layers of pulled pork, nachos, cheese and fresh Mexican-inspired toppings. It's all baked and served hot to take advantage of the melted cheese and warm pork.
You'll get raves, and no one will know how easy it is to assemble it once you have the pulled pork ready.
This recipe is requested chiefly for 5 de Mayo (obvs!), game day, and Father's Day around here. Personally? I like to assemble it every time I have leftover pulled pork, no matter the day of the week or time of year.
For the pork, you can use the carnitas we use for the pork tacos, or make it in the slow cooker with BBQ sauce (use homemade and it'll be a breeze). They have different flavor profiles, and both work. So choose your adventure.
If you're more into chicken, the filling of chicken tinga tacos or spicy chicken taquitos also fits the bill.
Testing Notes
Ratio of ingredients: Go easy on the cheese and balance it out with the amount of tortillas and pork to get a good bite. Too much of either of these, and the appetizer will either lack flavor or one flavor will overpower the rest.
Divide the cheese into two parts: I found it melts better and doesn't get as clumpy when eating the nachos.
Serve it immediately after you remove the tray from the oven. A warm bite differentiates between a great appetizer and a soggy, uninteresting one. So plan.
Ingredient Notes
Quantities are listed on the recipe card towards the end of this post. The Ingredients page has more details and lists the brands we use.
- Tortilla chips or nachos: homemade or store-bought.
- Pulled pork: I like to use carnitas or make bbq pulled pork (see recipe card).
- Baked beans: homemade or from a can.
- Corn: fresh or frozen kernels, thawed.
- Cheese: Cheddar and Monterey Jack cheese are popular; we use them, but feel free to use another one.
The pulled pork
I give two options. Both work very well, of course, but bring different flavors to this appetizer dish.
Cutting the pork: it's the way to go if you're braising the meat and making carnitas. The pieces should be no smaller than 1-inch chunks in order to cook slowly but remain juicy.
Whole piece of pork: it takes longer, but it's more difficult to get dry meat. I recommend it if using a slow cooker (or Instant Pot).
- You can oven-braise the pork pieces until juicy. You mustn't let them dry out.
- Using the slow cooker is another great way to get tender, juicy pork, especially if you cook the whole piece of pork shoulder.
Assemble the nacho bake
Pull the pork
Use two forks to tear the meat into opposite sides, creating strings of pork. The juices will be mixed with the shredded meat.
Tortilla chips
Spread them out well so you can lift them more easily. They will overlay, and that is fine.
Cheese
The shredded cheese is layered in two parts so it doesn't get goopy or too clumpy.
Step 4
Spread the pork and add-ins to cover most of the tortillas so everyone gets a full bite.
Nacho toppings
It's essential to add freshness to this dish. We love avocados, tomatoes, sour cream with lime, cilantro, and sometimes jalapenos. Adjust to your liking.
Kitchen Notes
- Choose the right cut of pork: opt for well-marbled cuts like pork shoulder (my favorite) or pork butt, as they become tender and flavorful when slow-cooked, making them ideal for pulled pork.
- Season generously-don't skimp on the seasonings. This is key for overall flavor. You can adjust the heat of the pork by using hot paprika, cayenne pepper or chili powder. Or add more jalapenos or a hotter chili at the end.
- Crispy carnitas: for crispier pork edges, transfer the shredded pork to a skillet and cook it a bit longer after simmering, allowing the edges to caramelize and become crispy. Be careful not to dry it too much or make sure to add enough of the remaining roasting juices to moisten them.
- Make the pulled pork ahead and keep it covered with its juices (important!) in the fridge for up to 3 days.
- Serving: besides the fresh toppings in the recipe card below, you can also sprinkle chopped red onions or green onions. Serve the tray along with a bowl of guacamole, avocado salsa, classic salsa or pico de gallo, and the sour cream on the side, instead of drizzled.
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Pulled Pork Nacho Tray
Ingredients
To assemble the nacho tray:
- ½ pound pulled pork with juices, from these carnitas tacos or bbq sauce pork, see Notes below for recipe
- 8 ounces of tortilla chips
- ½ cup cooked black beans
- ½ cup corn kernels, fresh or frozen
- 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
Toppings (added after baking):
- ½ cup diced avocado
- ½ cup diced tomato
- ¼ cup sour cream
- 1 tablespoon lime juice
- fresh cilantro, chopped
- jalapeño slices, optional
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C).
- On a large baking sheet or oven-safe dish, spread 8 ounces of tortilla chips in a layer. They will overlap, and that is fine.
- Sprinkle ½ cup of shredded cheddar cheese over the chips.
- Add ½ cup cooked black beans, ½ cup corn kernels and the pulled pork evenly over the chips. Top with the remaining ½ cup of cheddar cheese.
- Bake in the preheated oven for 8-10 minutes, until the cheese is fully melted and bubbly.
- Remove the nacho bake from the oven and top with ½ cup diced avocado, ½ cup diced tomato and ¼ cup sour cream mixed with 1 tablespoon lime juice to make it more fluid. Garnish with chopped or whole fresh cilantro and jalapeño slices if desired, and serve immediately.
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