Smoky and hearty, this low-effort leftover pulled pork casserole makes the perfect refreshed meal.
Along with poblano peppers, corn, rice, and salsa, this pulled pork casserole loads a lot of flavor into a simple dish!
This casserole packs a lot of flavor into a single dish, without skimping on the cheesy goodness. If you love a good crowd-friendly comfort food meal like this, add Can-Free Tater Tot Casserole and Leftover Turkey Casserole with Wild Rice to your must-make list!
Why we love this casserole recipe
UTILIZES LEFTOVERS: Doesn't matter how many mouths you feed; you always end up with leftover pulled pork! This recipe is perfect for using leftover pulled pork when you're tired of just pork.
CROWD-PLEASER: Of course, another perk of casseroles - they feed a lot of people! This casserole will serve 6-8, making it great for a group or for meal prep.
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Ingredients of note
PULLED PORK - You can use any pulled pork for this recipe, whether you're using leftover pulled pork or store-bought. I prefer smoked pulled pork for the overall smokey flavor it lends the casserole, but use what you've got access to!
Note that the flavor of the pulled pork you use will definitely come through on the recipe, so if you use BBQ pulled pork, the barbecue sauce flavor will still be present.
RICE - Providing the bulk of the casserole! We used basmati rice and loved the results. Feel free to use brown rice, but the cook time might be longer.
POBLANOS - I love the smoky flavors of poblanos, and I think they work so well with pork! If you can't get your hands on poblanos, you can use bell peppers instead.
CORN - I used fresh corn cut from cob for this recipe because I developed it during peak corn season, but you'll be able to use canned or even frozen corn.
SHREDDED CHEESE - I greatly preferred cheddar cheese for this casserole, but use whatever you've got on hand! A Mexican blend or gouda works well too.
SALSA VERDE - I loved the flavor salsa verde provided for this casserole! If you'd like a spicier casserole, choose a spicier salsa. Salsa verde not your thing? Use whatever salsa you'd like.
Instructions
I did my best to keep this casserole recipe as simple as possible, since one of the draws of a good casserole is dumping everything in the dish and baking away!
That said, I do recommend broiling the poblanos (and corn, if you have it on the cob) to enhance that smoky flavor in the overall casserole.
Here's the play-by-play:
- Set the oven to broil and put the poblanos and ears of corn on a sheet pan. Toss in a little olive oil, then pop under the broiler for 4-5 minutes on each side. Transfer the peppers to a heat-safe bowl and cover with plastic or silicon wrap to let them steam for about 10 minutes. Turn off the broiler and set the oven to 375 degrees F.
- Meanwhile, prep the rest of the ingredients. If needed, slice the corn off the cob. Add the corn, rice, pulled pork, salsa verde, spices, and cheese to a large bowl. Once the peppers are cool enough to handle, peel off the outer layer with your hands and chop into smaller pieces. Add to the bowl and stir to combine everything.
- Dump the mixture into a 9x13 casserole dish. Pour the broth in. Cover and bake for about 45 minutes. Uncover, top with extra cheese, and bake for another 5-10 minutes, until the cheese on top has melted. Garnish with parsley or scallions and serve!
Variations and Substitutions
Looking to change things up? Here are a few substitutions you can make!
- Use bell peppers - replace one or all of the poblanos with bell peppers.
- No pulled pork? Use chicken or turkey - shredded rotisserie chicken, Dutch oven shredded chicken, or leftover roast turkey work great for this casserole!
- Use your favorite salsa in place of salsa verde - No salsa verde on hand? Use whatever you've got. I love the tomatillo and lime flavor for this casserole, but a tomato-based salsa works great as well.
- Add jalapeno - spice it up by dicing a jalapeno and stirring it in before baking.
- Change the cheese - I liked cheddar for this casserole, but you can easily change the overall flavor by changing up the cheese. Gouda, swiss, or a specialty cheese like Cotswold would be awesome for this casserole!
FAQs
If you've got leftover roast chicken or turkey to use instead of pulled pork, this recipe still works! Go for it!
I like cheddar cheese for this casserole, but other cheeses work. Mozarella, monterey jack, gouda, swiss, or even specialty cheeses like Cotswold or Prairie Breeze make great options.
Related recipes
Love casseroles and one-skillet dishes? Try Skillet Pizza Chicken or Gluten Free Breaded Chicken Cutlets with Mushroom Sauce.
Spaghetti Squash & Meatball Casserole makes a great dinner or meal prep option. Or give Chicken Bacon Ranch Spaghetti Squash Casserole a shot for a dairy free casserole with classic CBR flavor!
Have you made this leftover pulled pork casserole? I'd love to hear what you think! Comment below or tag me on Instagram.
Print📖 Recipe
Leftover Pulled Pork Casserole with Poblanos
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 45 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour 15 minutes
- Yield: 6-8 servings 1x
- Category: Entree
- Method: Baked
- Diet: Gluten Free
Description
Smoky and hearty, this low-effort casserole makes the perfect refreshed meal for leftover pulled pork, but you can use shredded chicken or turkey in a pinch if you'd like, too!
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
- 6 large poblano peppers
- 2 ears fresh corn, husked OR 2 cups frozen corn kernels, thawed
- 1 red onion, quartered
- 1 15-oz. can no-salt-added kidney beans, drained
- 16 oz. shredded smoked pork
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt
- 2 teaspoons ground cumin
- 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese, divided
- 1 ½ cups salsa verde, plus more for garnish if desired
- 2 ½ cups beef broth
- 1 ½ cups uncooked basmati rice
- ¼ cup fresh cilantro leaves, chopped, for garnish
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to broil with the oven rack 6 inches from the heating element. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil. Place poblanos, corn (whether on the cob or scattered on the aluminum foil), and red onion on the baking sheet and drizzle with 1 tablespoon olive oil. Broil, turning every 3-4 minutes, until charred on all sides (about 15 minutes total). Remove from the oven and reduce temperature to 375 degrees F.
- Transfer poblanos to a large heatproof bowl and cover with plastic wrap or silicon wrap and set aside for about 15 minutes, until cool enough to handle.
- Meanwhile, grease a 9x13 baking dish with 1 tablespoon olive oil. When cool enough to handle, cut corn kernels off of the cob and add them to a large mixing bowl. Dice the red onion and add to the mixing bowl. Add the kidney beans, pork, salt, cumin, rice, salsa, broth, and 1 ½ cups cheese. When the poblanos are cool enough, slip the charred skins off of them, remove the stems and seeds, and dice. Add to the bowl and stir until everything is combined.
- Transfer to the mixture to the baking dish and use a spatula to spread to the edges. Cover with aluminum foil and bake for approximately 40 minutes. Uncover and carefully sprinkle remaining ½ cup cheese overtop. Return to the oven for 5-10 minutes, until cheese on top has melted and started to bubble and rice is cooked through.
- Remove from oven and let cool slightly. Top with fresh cilantro and extra salsa verde, if desired.
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