Made with leftover pulled pork, this 20-minute BBQ Pulled Pork Pizza recipe is sweet, savory, and ready in practically no time at all! Repurpose leftover pulled pork into an irresistible pizza that your whole family will love!
Don't let your slow-cooked, succulent pulled pork leftovers go to waste. Whether you made Slow Cooker Pulled Pork or Dutch Oven Pulled Pork, chances are you worked hard to make that perfectly seasoned, melt-in-your-mouth, shredded pork.
This super simple pizza is the perfect way to put those leftovers to good use. Premade pizza crust is layered with sweet BBQ sauce, leftover pulled pork, thinly sliced red onions, generous handfuls of cheese, and fresh arugula.
When served alongside a Grinder Sub Salad or Caesar Salad with Cornbread Croutons, you've made a meal nobody will resist.
Jump to:
- Why you'll love this recipe
- Ingredients
- How to make Leftover BBQ Pulled Pork Pizza
- Expert tips
- Substitutions and variations
- How to store, freeze, and reheat
- What to serve with Pulled Pork Pizza
- Frequently asked questions
- Leftover BBQ Pulled Pork Pizza
- Pork recipes you might also like
- Hungry for more?
- 💬 Comments
Why you'll love this recipe
- Super simple: Making leftover pulled pork pizza is way easier than ordering takeout pizza!
- Premade ingredients: This recipe is perfect for beginners, with all pre-cooked ingredients and virtually no prep time. It's just as easy as this 4-Ingredient BBQ Chicken Flatbread!
- Creative: There's no need to eat the same leftover pulled pork meal for days when you can repurpose the leftovers into new and satisfying meals!
- Easy to double: If you have a lot of leftover pulled pork to use up, feel free to double or triple the pizza recipe, especially if you're feeding a crowd!
- Your kids will love it: My kids devour this pizza, especially when I make it with a sweeter BBQ sauce!
Ingredients
- Leftover Dutch oven BBQ pulled pork: Leftover BBQ seasoned pulled pork is best, but plain (without BBQ sauce or seasonings) will also work.
- Pizza shell: You'll need a 12" pre-cooked fresh or frozen pizza shell. Homemade pizza dough is also an option. However, the recipe steps and cooking time will change if you make your dough from scratch.
- Barbeque sauce: The best pulled pork pizza sauce is a thicker, glaze-like BBQ sauce. I prefer sweet BBQ sauces, but you can use whatever sauce is your favorite!
- Red onion: The red onions will caramelize slightly while the pizza cooks and add some tangy flavor.
- Cheddar cheese: Freshly shredded cheddar cheese adds sharp, creamy flavor.
- Arugula: Fresh arugula gives the pizza a pop of vibrant green color and peppery flavor. If arugula is too bitter for you, try any of these substitutes for arugula.
How to make Leftover BBQ Pulled Pork Pizza
Recipe rundown
- Reheat the leftover pulled pork on the stove.
- Layer the pulled pork pizza toppings on the pizza shell.
- Bake until warm and melty, and enjoy!
Step-by-step instructions
Before you begin assembling your pizza, preheat your oven to 450°F.
Step 1: Reheat the leftover pork in a skillet on the stove over low heat for about 2-3 minutes. Reheating cooks off some of the fat that solidifies when the pork cools down.
Step 2: Spread a thin layer of BBQ sauce on your pizza shell. Leave a small amount of space around the edges for the pizza crust.
Step 3: Layer a generous amount of pulled pork on top of the BBQ sauce.
Step 4: Spread thinly sliced red onions on the pulled pork.
Step 5: Sprinkle a handful of shredded cheddar cheese over top of the pork and onions.
Step 6: Place the pizza directly on the oven racks of your preheated oven. Bake until the cheese is gooey and melted, about 8-10 minutes.
Step 7: Remove the pizza from the oven and top it with fresh arugula. Let it rest for 2-3 minutes before slicing.
Step 8: Slice the BBQ Pulled Pork Pizza into six equally-sized pieces, and enjoy!
Expert tips
- Keep a close eye on the pizza while it bakes. Cooking times may vary depending on what pizza crust you're using. Look for golden brown crust and bubbling cheese.
- It's always important to use quality ingredients, especially when your recipe only calls for a few items! I recommend splurging on your favorite BBQ sauce and a high-quality cheese, such as Cabot or Organic Valley.
- Let the pizza rest for a few minutes after it's done baking. This allows the ingredients to settle, making it easier to slice.
- Pizza is best when it's fresh out of the oven. Enjoy it while it's hot!
Substitutions and variations
- BBQ sauce: I love sweet BBQ sauces, but you could try using a hickory smoked BBQ sauce, apple cider BBQ sauce, or bourbon BBQ sauce.
- Greens: If arugula is too bitter and peppery for you, try fresh spinach or romaine lettuce. Both greens are mild, without the strong, robust flavor that arugula has.
- Veggies: In addition to sliced red onions, try adding diced tomatoes, chopped red bell peppers, or jalapeno peppers.
- Pork: For a low-fat option, BBQ pulled chicken (Dutch oven) or slow cooker BBQ chicken thighs can be used in place of BBQ pulled pork.
How to store, freeze, and reheat
- How to store: Store leftover pizza in a glass, airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
- How to reheat: For a crispy crust, reheat leftover pulled pork pizza in the oven. Preheat your oven to 350°F, place the pizza on a baking sheet, and warm it in the oven for 7-10 minutes, or until heated through.
- How to freeze: Allow the cooked pizza to cool to room temperature. Tightly wrap the pizza in plastic wrap and place it in a ziplock freezer-safe bag. Freeze for up to 2 months.
What to serve with Pulled Pork Pizza
Pizza pairs wonderfully with sides like garlic bread, antipasto salad, Caesar salad, breadsticks, and chicken wings. Any of my popular side dishes listed below are great choices!
Frequently asked questions
Popular pulled pork toppings include BBQ sauce, creamy American coleslaw, fried onion rings, pickled red onions, and bacon.
Technically, yes, you can use pork tenderloin for pulled pork. However, pork tenderloin is not the ideal choice because it is much lower in fat compared to pork shoulder and pork butt. Pork tenderloin will become fork-tender, but it won't be as savory and melt-in-your-mouth as higher-fat cuts of pork are.
The rich and savory flavors in pulled pork lend well to pizzas. When topped with melty, cheddar cheese, the pulled pork becomes even more irresistible!
Sharp, aged cheeses like cheddar, gouda, and provolone are best. Mozzarella isn't as sharp, but will still provide rich and creamy flavor.
If you tried this BBQ Pulled Pork Pizza Recipe or any other recipe on my blog, please leave a 🌟 star rating and tell me how it went in the 📝 comments below. Thanks for visiting!
PrintLeftover BBQ Pulled Pork Pizza
Made with leftover pulled pork, this 20-minute BBQ Pulled Pork Pizza recipe is sweet, savory, and ready in practically no time at all! Repurpose leftover pulled pork into an irresistible pizza that your whole family will love!
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 16
- Total Time: 21 minutes
- Yield: 6 slices 1x
- Category: lunch, dinner
- Method: baking
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
- 1 ¼ cups leftover pulled pork
- 1 - 12" thin-crust, cooked pizza shell
- ½ cup BBQ sauce
- ⅛ cup red onion - thinly sliced
- 1 ½ cups shredded cheddar cheese
- 1 cup arugula
- Optional: Extra BBQ sauce for serving
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 450°F.
- Warm the leftover pulled pork in a medium-sized skillet over low heat for 2-3 minutes to cook off some of the fat that has solidified onto the pork. Remove from the heat and set it aside.
- Layer the pulled pork pizza toppings onto the pizza shell. Start with a layer of BBQ sauce. Spread the BBQ sauce almost to the edges, leaving a small amount of room for the crust.
- Top the BBQ sauce with the reheated pulled pork, followed by the sliced red onions, and shredded cheddar cheese.
- Transfer the pizza to the oven. Place it directly on the oven racks. Cook the pizza for 8-10 minutes, or until the cheese is hot and bubbly.
- Carefully slide the pizza out of the oven, onto a cutting board or baking sheet, then top it with fresh arugula.
- Let the pizza rest for 2-3 minutes before cutting it into six equally-sized slices. Enjoy!
Notes
- Keep a close eye on the pizza while it bakes. Cooking times may vary depending on what pizza crust you're using. Look for golden brown crust and bubbling cheese.
- BBQ sauce can be made from scratch or store-bought. I love a few store-bought brands and prefer to save time and buy the sauce! I recommend Rib Rack BBQ Sauce and Sweet Baby Ray’s BBQ Sauce.
- The nutrition information shown below is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for professional medical advice.
Nutrition
- Serving Size:
- Calories: 382
- Sugar: 19.5 g
- Sodium: 1052.3 mg
- Fat: 13.7 g
- Carbohydrates: 44.9 g
- Fiber: 2.4 g
- Protein: 18.7 g
- Cholesterol: 50.8 mg
Leave a Reply