What to do with leftover pulled pork? Turn it into an easy salad featuring shredded lettuce, cabbage, french fried onions, a tangy barbecue dressing and more!
Pulled pork is a great option when it comes to entertaining and feeding a crowd, as one pork shoulder alone can feed up to 10 people. Now, if only we could serve the pulled pork and only the pulled pork. You've heard about everything being bigger in Texas, yes? Well, this applies especially to food.
Time after time, this Southern practice results in an inflated party menu, comprised of a number of dishes, expanding far beyond any group of human being's ability to consume. Inevitably, there is always a buffet of proteins scattered across the table, and we are left with a mountain of meaty leftovers. Of all the leftovers, pulled pork is by far my favorite to repurpose.
PULLED PORK IS GREAT FOR LEFTOVERS!
Pulled pork is most commonly cooked low and slow, via a braise in the oven, or on the smoker in the great outdoors. Pork shoulders are well-known for possessing a massive amount of marbling (i.e. vein-like streaks of fat) that runs throughout the pork shoulder.
When the cut is cooked at a low temperature for an extended period of time, it causes the fat to melt down all throughout the shoulder, ensuring a juicy and flavorful end product. I know it doesn't sound all that appetizing, but because of the coating of melted fat running throughout the pork shoulder, pulled pork stays tender and juicy, even when reheated! A definite bonus for our taste buds...but maybe not the waistline. Oh well, can't win 'em all.
USE LEFTOVER PULLED PORK IN A SALAD!
Wondering what to do with leftover pulled pork...besides boring ol' sandwiches? Friend, you've come to the right place. This salad is anything but boring, and it touches upon just about every flavor component one could possibly imagine. Savory, sweet and tangy, crunchy and soft -- it's got 'em all. The pulled pork salad begins with leftover, savory pulled pork and ends with a drizzle of quick and easy homemade barbecue dressing.
But, let's not overlook the middle: Pulled pork and coleslaw go hand-in-hand, and keeping this symbiotic relationship in mind, shredded cabbage is mixed in with Romaine lettuce to create the base of the salad. The bitter notes of the cabbage are perfectly complemented by the sweet crunch of the Romaine lettuce.
Next, in the bowl, pickled red onions, slices of crunchy dill pickles and bits of French fried onions give the salad both a contrast in texture and zingy complexity in flavor. And, if you happen to have a cheese obsession like I do, then might I suggest adding a generous pinch of Monterrey Jack to the mix?
If you too are looking for a way to use up all that leftover meaty goodness, go ahead and get your salad tongs ready. Leftovers don't get much better than this. Please, enjoy.
NEED A PULLED PORK RECIPE?
If you're also on the hunt for a pulled pork recipe, check out my Easy BBQ Pulled Pork in the Slow Cooker. It takes less than 10 minutes to prep, and packs a TON of flavor!
For a savory, spicy pulled pork recipe, try this recipe from BlogtasticFood.com.
7 MORE PORK RECIPES YOU'LL LOVE
- Pulled Pork Sliders are great for using up pulled pork leftovers! A great kid-friendly dinner idea or an inexpensive way to feed a crowd!
- Pulled Pork Quesadillas are loaded with flavor, over-the-top easy, and require all of 20 minutes to make!
- Pulled Pork Nachos is where BBQ meets Mexican food and the results are everything you could want them to be…and then some more!
- Oven Baked Crusted Pork Chops are perfect for quick, weeknight dinners. They come loaded with a Panko crust, and always bake up crunchy on the outside and tender on the inside!
- Oven-Baked Country Style Pork Ribs are fall-off-the-bone tender and absolutely perfect for slow-cooking on weekends.
- Pork Loin Roast is simple to prepare, feeds a crowd, and everything you need to cook it perfectly is straight ahead!
- The Best Pork Tenderloin is always succulent, never dry, and packed with flavor. Perfect for family dinners and entertaining.
Pulled Pork Salad
Ingredients
For the Barbecue Vinaigrette:
- ½ cup ketchup
- 2 tablespoons mayonnaise
- 2 tablespoon water
- 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
- 2 ½ teaspoons ground chili powder
- 1 ½ teaspoon ground cumin
- ½ teaspoon Kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ¼ teaspoon onion powder
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- ½ cup canola oil
Pickled Red Onion (optional):
- 1 cup red wine vinegar
- 1 tablespoon + 1 teaspoon granulated sugar
- ½ of a red onion thinly sliced
For the Salad:
- 5 cups shredded Romaine lettuce
- 2 ½ cups store-bought shredded cabbage
- 3 cups leftover pulled pork
- 4 Kosher dill pickles sliced thin (preferably Claussen brand)
- ½ cup French fried onions
- 1 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese optional
Instructions
Method:
- For the sauce, in a small mixing bowl, whisk together ketchup, mayonnaise, water, sugar, chili powder, cumin, salt, garlic powder, onion powder and black pepper. Slowly, drizzle in the canola oil, whisking all the while. Refrigerate until ready to use.
- If you are using pickled red onions, in a small bowl, whisk together the red wine vinegar and sugar. Add the sliced onions, and refrigerate for at least 2 hours. Alternatively, use plain, thinly sliced red onions.
- For the salad, combine lettuce and shredded cabbage and toss. Top with pulled pork, pickle slices, french fried onions, onion slices and shredded cheese (if using). Drizzle with desired amount of sauce, serve and enjoy.
Notes
Nutrition
Lauren says
This recipe has so much flavor and I love the idea of using leftover pulled pork!!!
Kelly Anthony says
Thank you, Lauren! You're comment is SO VERY appreciated 🙂 So glad you enjoyed your salad!
Jessica says
I love pulled pork and this is a great idea for a yummy fresh lunch rather than the usual bun! 🙂
Kelly Anthony says
Thanks, Jessica! I agree! Healthy choices are good for every now and again 😉
Jill McOwen says
I'm not sure why I've never thought to combine pulled pork with salad, but I'm glad you did. Great idea - looks and sounds delicious!
Kelly Anthony says
Thank you so much, Jill!
Pam Greer says
This is perfect timing! I have leftover pork in the fridge from this weekend, now I know what to do with it!
Lauren Vavala @ DeliciousLittleBites says
What a great use of leftover pulled pork! We always have a ton, but I haven't thought to use it on salad before!
Vicky says
I swear I just noticed that I had leftover pulled pork in my refrigerator. I didn't want to use it in a sandwich and this is a great alternative.
Kelly Anthony says
Oh yay! Thanks, Vicky!
Carrie Ditton says
I was literally talking with my co-workers just today about how a salad can be filling. They completely disagreed with me! I saw your recipe and was instantly inspired! I remembered that I had frozen some left over pulled pork from that last time I made it, so tomorrow our potluck will be graced with this awesome recipe! Thanks for helping me prove a point!
Kelly Anthony says
That's awesome! Thank you so much, Carrie!!! Salads can totally be filling 😉
Veena Azmanov says
I love using leftover meat on salads and make a complete meal. Though I'm not sure that pork would actually make it to the salad - looks so good. I'd be eating it just as is. Sounds so yum.
Kiki Johnson says
Finally, a pulled pork recipe that's light and low-carb! You can't always have tacos, right? I would love this for dinner tonight!
Kelly Anthony says
Ha! Thank you, Kiki! If only we could always have tacos 😉
Anna Hettick says
Pulled pork is not the first thing I think of when I think salad but this looks so good! Like seriously made my mouth water when reading!
Jenni LeBaron says
An excellent way to use leftover pulled pork! I love the look of this salad and think it would be perfect for dinner any night of the week!
Kelly Anthony says
Thank you so much, Jenni!
Anne Lawton says
what a great way to use up leftover pulled pork! I eat a lot of salads, and this will be added to my salad list.
Kelly Anthony says
Thank you, Anne!
Vanessa Vickery says
What a great way to use up leftover pulled pork!
Kelly Anthony says
Thanks so much!
Veronika's Kitchen says
Love this idea! I always make so much pulled pork and have lots of leftovers... I would never think to make a salad with it, but your recipe looks so wonderful! Saving it!!!
Kelly Anthony says
Thank you, Veronika!
Holly says
This is a prefect way to use up leftover pulled pork! I think some Asian pulled pork nachos would delicious as well!
Donna says
Oh I love this!!! I always have so much leftover pulled pork and never quite know what to do with it, this is perfect!
Emily Leary says
I always think of pulled pork as really decadent so using it in a fresh salad is a great idea. It looks really tasty.
Gwendy says
With the weather so hot already (May 2) , great recipe for supper and for not heating the kitchen. Especially liked the idea of dill pickles and french fries onions. Absolutely delicious!