Leftover Pulled Pork Mac and Cheese

Combine two classic comfort foods together to make this leftover pulled pork mac and cheese with garlic panko – one amazing dinner the whole family will be fighting over! Find more leftover pulled pork recipes here.

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Since we purchased our Big Steel Keg a few years ago, we have perfected smoking meats and grilling up delicious barbecue. So much so, that even my dad, who recently moved from Houston to San Diego leaving behind his beloved Texas barbecue, has proclaimed hubby’s smoked brisket and smoked pork roast equally delicious.

So, we make a lot of barbecue. I mean, A LOT OF BARBECUE. And a lot of barbecue means a lot of leftovers! It’s not a bad problem to have, don’t get me wrong.

Sometimes we freeze our leftover pulled pork and brisket, but many times, I work the leftovers into new recipes, from pulled pork pizza to this leftover pulled pork mac and cheese and the killer garlic panko topping.

What you must try this recipes

My eldest, The Professor, absolutely loves mac and cheese. I mean he’s not different from most kids, right? Well as he has grown up, his menu men choices has broadened and he is more willing to try new foods.

Although mac and cheese is still his number one comfort food, it has evolved a bit.

Now that he’s a young adult living on his own, well you get where I’m going. This recipe is for those of us who still love mac and cheese but have outgrown that blue and orange box stuff.

Cheese sauce baked into macaroni filled with delicious pulled pork and topped with a garlic panko crust.

Oh yes, this is the ultimate mac and cheese you MUST try!

Ingredients you need

• Macaroni: The iconic elbow macaroni is always a favorite as the base for any macaroni and cheese. It is short yet sturdy and holds up with the cheesy sauce. Almost any pasta can be used, but I would not use spaghetti, fettuccini or linguine type noodles. Other favorite pastas to use include: small shells, penne, fusilli, farfalle, rotini and ziti.
• Unsalted butter: I like to control the amount of salt in my foods so I prefer to use unsalted butter.
• Extra virgin olive oil: I use a combination of olive oil and butter to brown the panko crumbs. You can use only butter if you prefer.
• Panko breadcrumbs: Panko is bigger and offers more crunch than regular breadcrumbs. You can also make your bread crumbs.
• Garlic: I use fresh garlic for stronger garlic flavor.
• Parsley: You can use fresh or dried parsley.
• Pantry staples: All purpose flour and salt
• Milk: I usually have full fat milk in my refrigerator, but you can use any milk. For extra creaminess, you can use half and half.
• Shredded cheddar cheese: You can get very creative and use a wide number of cheeses, from the classic sharp cheddar to even brie. You can also combine cheeses to get more flavor. If you do combine cheeses, I suggest mixing a hard cheese with a soft cheese to balance flavor and add more creaminess.
• Shredded pulled pork: Whether it’s smoked or made in the slow cooker, use whatever leftover pulled pork you have on hand. You can also used shredded brisket or chicken.

Step-by-step directions

1. Boil water and cook your pasta until al dente. Drain in a colander and reserve.

2. Return pot to the stove and melt butter with olive oil. Stir in crushed garlic and cook until lightly browned. Stir in panko crumbs and dried parsley and cook 1 more minute. Transfer panko mix to a bowl and reserve.

3. Return pot to the stove and melt butter. Stir in flour and continue stirring and cooking for 1 minute then slowly whisk in milk. When milk is completely incorporated with the butter mixture, continue whisking until sauce thickens, about 7 minutes.

4. Stir in shredded cheese then remove from heat when cheese is completely melted into the cream sauce. Stir in reserved macaroni and mix well.

5. Transfer macaroni into an 8×8 pan. Top macaroni with shredded pulled pork and spread evenly. Spread the garlic panko evenly over the pulled pork.

6. Bake at 350ºF for 20 minutes or until the cheese is melted and bubbly and the breadcrumbs are golden brown.

Expert tips and recipe FAQs

There are several ways you can prepare and serve this dish. The entire meal can be assembled, ready to bake, but cover in foil and refrigerate to be baked later or the next day. Just make sure you are using a dish that can go from refrigerator to oven.

You can also bake the entire dish and reheat it later. To reheat your mac and cheese, bake in the oven at 350ºF for 20 minutes until warm and bubbly.

If you are using the types of pastas I suggested, you can freeze your mac and cheese. But I would not freeze them in a baking dish, but in freezer safe containers. Even better, divide them into individual serving sizes for easy reheating – especially for the always-hungry-teenager.

PS If you try this recipe, why not leave a star rating in the recipe card right below and/or a review in the comment section further down the page? I always appreciate your feedback.

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