Loaded Nachos Pulled Pork (Printable Version)

Crispy chips layered with tender pork, creamy queso, jalapeños, and fresh toppings for a flavorful Tex-Mex snack.

# What You'll Need:

→ Pulled Pork

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

→ Nachos Base

03 - 9 oz 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 oven to 375°F.
02 - Combine pulled pork with barbecue sauce if using; warm in a skillet over medium heat until hot.
03 - Melt butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Whisk in flour and cook for 1 minute. Gradually whisk in milk and cook until slightly thickened, about 2 to 3 minutes. Add cheddar, Monterey Jack, garlic powder, smoked paprika, and salt. Stir until smooth and melted. Remove from heat.
04 - Arrange tortilla chips evenly on a large baking sheet or oven-safe platter. Top with warm pulled pork, spreading evenly. Drizzle half of the queso over the pork and chips.
05 - Bake for 8 to 10 minutes until heated through and chips are crisp around the edges.
06 - Remove from oven. Drizzle remaining queso over the nachos, then scatter jalapeños, red onion, tomato, avocado, and cilantro on top.
07 - Top with sour cream and serve immediately with lime wedges.

# Additional Tips::

01 -
  • The queso is silky and rich but somehow never feels heavy, especially when you cut through it with cool sour cream and fresh cilantro.
  • Everything comes together in under 45 minutes, which means you can make this on a whim without stress.
  • Pulled pork does the heavy lifting for flavor, so even if you're using store-bought, the result tastes like you spent hours in the kitchen.
02 -
  • Don't skip the one-minute flour cooking step in the queso—it's the difference between silky cheese sauce and one that tastes slightly raw and off.
  • Add the cheese slowly and stir constantly, because if you dump it all in at once or turn up the heat, the cheese will separate and you'll end up with an oily, broken sauce that looks sad.
  • Toast your tortilla chips in the oven for 3 to 4 minutes before assembling if they've been sitting in a bag for a while—it brings back their crispness and keeps them from getting soggy.
03 -
  • If your queso does break or separate, don't panic—pour it into a blender with a splash more milk and blend until smooth, then gently reheat it over low heat while stirring constantly.
  • Make your queso first and keep it warm in a small pot while you prep everything else; this way nothing is cold or cooling down when you assemble.
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