Loaded Nachos Pulled Pork (Printer-Friendly)

Tortilla chips stacked with tender pork, smooth cheese sauce, jalapeños, and fresh toppings for ideal party sharing.

# What You Need:

→ Pulled Pork

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

→ Nachos Base

03 - 9 ounces 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 - Set the oven to 375°F and allow it to heat fully.
02 - If pulled pork is cold, combine with barbecue sauce if using, and warm it in a skillet over medium heat until heated through.
03 - Melt butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Whisk in flour and cook for 1 minute. Gradually add milk, whisking continuously, and cook until slightly thickened, about 2 to 3 minutes. Incorporate shredded cheddar, Monterey Jack, garlic powder, smoked paprika, and salt. Stir until smooth and fully melted, then remove from heat.
04 - Arrange tortilla chips evenly on a large baking sheet or oven-safe platter. Spread warm pulled pork over the chips and drizzle half of the queso sauce on top.
05 - Bake in the preheated oven for 8 to 10 minutes until heated through and the edges of the chips are crisp.
06 - Remove from oven. Drizzle remaining queso evenly over the nachos. Scatter jalapeños, red onion, tomato, avocado if using, and cilantro on top.
07 - Dollop with sour cream and serve immediately accompanied by lime wedges.

# Expert Suggestions:

01 -
  • The queso is silky and actually stays smooth instead of breaking into an oily mess.
  • You can make everything ahead and just assemble when people arrive, which means you're not sweating in the kitchen while everyone else is enjoying themselves.
  • It tastes fancy enough to impress but the ingredient list won't stress you out.
02 -
  • Don't skip making queso from scratch—bottled cheese sauce never gets that silky texture because it's loaded with stabilizers and gums that break under heat.
  • Add the cold milk slowly to your roux or you'll end up with flour clumps that no amount of whisking can fix, so patience is actually the secret ingredient here.
  • Bake the nachos partially before adding fresh toppings or the heat will wilt the cilantro and turn the avocado mushy.
03 -
  • Make the queso in advance and reheat it gently in a double boiler or saucepan over low heat, whisking occasionally to keep it smooth and glossy.
  • If you love spice, use pepper jack cheese instead of Monterey Jack, or stir in a pinch of cayenne pepper to the queso base for hidden heat.
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