20+ Leftover Pork Chop Recipes to Dig Into Tonight

June 16, 2020
Photo: Dominic Perri; Styling: Gerri Williams for James Reps 
Got a couple of leftover pork chops in the fridge after last night's dinner? Cook once, eat twice with these recipes that either call specifically for cooked pork, or can be easily adapted to use up extra meat. See how versatile leftover pork chops can be with everything from a Copycat McRib Sandwich to Cuban Nachos.
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Pork-and-Shaved Vegetable Salad

Photo: Victor Protasio; Food Styling: Torie Cox; Prop Styling: Kay E. Clarke
Pork-and-Shaved Vegetable Salad Recipe

If you’re looking for a hearty salad that can serve as your entire meal, then this Pork-and-Shaved Vegetable Salad is perfect. A mixture of fresh vegetables, tender pork, crispy bacon, and even candied pecans come together for a flavorful combination. This main-dish salad is perfect for family dinner or lunch the next day.

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Caramelized Onion, Spinach, and Pork Strata

Photo: Victor Protasio; Food Styling: Torie Cox; Prop Styling: Kay E. Clarke
Caramelized Onion, Spinach, and Pork Strata Recipe
If you’re in need of a breakfast casserole for hungry guests or even a savory one for dinner, this pork strata is perfect. Everyone will be loving the combination of crunchy bread cubes, creamy cheese, and tender pork. Using leftover pork chops saves time; simply skip cooking the chops in the slow cooker and toss cooked strips with the onion and apple cider mixture.

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Cuban Nachos

Photo: Daniel Agee; Food Styling: Julia Levy; Prop Styling: Kashara Johnson
Cuban Nachos Recipe
With the succulent pork, Swiss cheese and mustard sauce, and bread-and-butter pickles, this crowd-pleasing play on a Cuban sandwich packs a powerful load of flavor. Although they may seem out of place at first glance, the briny-sweet pickles are a perfect balance for the savory pork and the funky Swiss cheese sauce.
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Pork Congee

Photo: Thomas J. Story
Pork Congee Recipe
Congee is one of East Asia's best comfort foods--a soft, almost puddingy rice soup with any number of toppings. Usually it's made with raw rice, but the beauty of this recipe is that it uses up both leftover cooked rice and leftover sliced pork.

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Hoppin' John Starter

Photo: Hector Sanchez; Styling: Caroline M. Cunningham 
Hoppin' John Starter Recipe
It's hard to beat homemade hoppin' john, a dish that's especially popular around New Year's day—making this starter perfect for gifting. Prep the flavorful ham mixture by combining bacon, pork sautéed in the drippings, and a jarred ham soup base—this mixture can be refrigerated in a glass jar for up to two weeks. Pair with a custom mix of black-eyed peas, rice, and seasonings. To cook the hoppin' john, combine the ham soup mixture, peas, and water in a slow cooker and cook on low for 7 to 8 hours.

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Shrimp Mandu (Shrimp Dumplings)

Photo: Iain Bagwell; Styling: Mary Clayton Carl
Shrimp Mandu (Shrimp Dumplings) Recipe
These delicious homemade steamed shrimp dumplings get their flavor from a savory mix of shiitake mushroom caps, green onions, garlic, tofu, and boneless pork loin chops. To adapt the recipe to use cooked pork instead of raw, simply toss finely diced meat with the mushroom mixture in the same step as the tofu, salt, pepper, and and sesame oil.
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Delfina's Carbonara Pizza

Thomas J. Story
Delfina's Carbonara Pizza Recipe
This is the best home pizza dough we've ever tried—smooth, supple, and easy to work with. You can use regular flour, but for a truly awesome, springy-yet-crunchy crust, go for high-protein Italian "00" (finely milled) flour. Weigh the flour for best results. Since pork cheek can be tough to find, diced cooked pork chop makes a fine substitute.

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Italian Jambalaya

Photo: Beth Dreiling Hontzas; Styling: Lisa Powell Bailey
Italian Jambalaya Recipe
Orzo pasta replaces rice in this clever twist on a Creole favorite. The sauce is also delicious spooned over hot cooked spaghetti. Depending on the level of heat you prefer, use mild or regular tomatoes with green chiles or a can of each. To use cooked pork chops, simply add after the chicken is cooked through.

9 of 21

Rainbow Fried Rice

Rainbow Fried Rice Recipe
To keep the rice texture firm in the finished dish, rinse the cold cooked rice and drain it well before adding it to the stir-fry. For variety, substitute chicken or shrimp for the pork.
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Barbecue Deviled Eggs

Barbecue Deviled Eggs Recipe
If you want to omit the chopped pork, Madelaine suggests adding a drop of liquid smoke to provide a barbecue-like flavor.

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Double-Stuffed Barbecue Potatoes

Double-Stuffed Barbecue Potatoes Recipe
Chopped barbecued pork chops make the perfect topper for these incredible twice-baked potatoes. The recipe calls for 8 potatoes, but you'll only use the pulp of 6 (which, when combined with the other ingredients, fills the 8 shells).

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Taquitos With Pork Picadillo

Oxmoor House
Taquitos With Pork Picadillo Recipe
Make Mexican night unforgettable with these simple and addictively tasty Taquitos with Pork Picadillo.
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Easy Brunswick Stew

Photo: Caleb Zorn; Styling: Nicole McLaughlin
Easy Brunswick Stew Recipe
Okra, lima beans, and chopped chicken make this stew a hearty, filling option for the slow cooker. Toss in whatever leftover pork you have on hand—be it pork chops, pulled pork, or tenderloin.

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Copycat McRib Sandwich

Time Inc. Video Studio
Copycat McRib Sandwich Recipe

The recent return of the McDonald’s McRib (to select locations only) inspired us to create our own rendition of the iconic fast food sandwich, consisting of a pork-based patty, shaped into the shape of a miniature slab of ribs. If you can’t get your hands on the “real” McRib (or even if you can), rest assured that this copycat version is well within your grasp—not to mention, a totally viable option to feed the family for dinner. Our Copycat MicRibs are easy to make and taste better than most anything you’ll find at a drive thru. 

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Smoked Pork and Split Pea Soup

Smoked Pork and Split Pea Soup Recipe
This hearty and filling Instant Pot soup showcases the perfect pairing of ham and pork with split peas, along with the "slow cook" function of this all-in-one appliance. Orange juice and orange zest, sherry, and a variety of spices lend this soup a depth of flavor you simply can't find in store-bought varieties.
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Scandinavian Stuffing

Photo: Romulo Yanes; Styling: Claire Spollen
Scandinavian Stuffing Recipe

Rye bread, dill, and smoked pork give this stuffing a hearty nordic flavor.

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Smoked-Pork-Stuffed Pasta Shells

Antonis Achilleos; Prop Styling: Kay E. Clarke; Food Styling: Emily Nabors Hall
Smoked-Pork-Stuffed Pasta Shells Recipe
A cool, autumn evening is the perfect time to serve a cheesy pasta bake for supper. Save time by using a pound of pork from your local barbecue restaurant, or use leftover cooked pork chops instead.

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Pork and Red Chile Tamale Filling

Photo: Thomas J. Story
Pork and Red Chile Tamale Filling Recipe
Cookbook author Marcela Valladolid showed us how to put on a tamalada--a tamale-making party--at her house near San Diego; this was one of the several tamales that day. Dried guajillo chiles have a rich, fruity flavor and mild heat. Look for chiles as supple as soft leather--they are fresher and better-tasting than dried-out crackly ones. Already got pork chops cooked and ready to go? Simply skip step 1.
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Orange-Sesame Pork with Napa Slaw

Photo: Brian Kennedy; Styling: Claire Spollen
Orange-Sesame Pork with Napa Slaw Recipe

Mix the slaw for this dish up to a day in advance, if you wish. The cabbage will absorb the flavors and still retain a satisfying crunch.

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Spiced Pork and Mango Tacos

Photo: Randy Mayor; Styling: Lindsey Lower
Spiced Pork and Mango Tacos Recipe
These fruity tacos are the perfect solution for when you've got leftover pork chops in the fridge and Taco Night on the brain.

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Rice Noodle Salad with Pork and Snow Peas

Photo: Dominic Perri; Styling: Gerri Williams for James Reps 
Rice Noodle Salad with Pork and Snow Peas Recipe
On a busy weeknight, Rice Noodle Salad with Pork and Snow Peas is a family-pleasing meal that's sure to satisfy.
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