What to Make with Leftover Pork Chops: 26 Recipes That Taste Totally Gourmet (original) (raw)

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Oh, leftovers. They’re the secret to putting together easy, economical dinners in almost no time. But pork chops can be tricky to repurpose or use up. While we’re not above slapping a few slices on sandwich bread with a little mayo and calling it a day—we can all do better than that. Presenting 26 leftover pork chop recipes to clean out your refrigerator (that still taste totally gourmet).

leftover pork chop recipes: pork milanese with cucumber yogurt and greens on a plate

2. Pork Milanese with Cucumber Yogurt

A few pantry staples transform a modest boneless pork chop into something totally Insta-worthy. Fresh garlic and dill (stems included) infuse the yogurt dip with a ridiculous amount of flavor.

leftover pork chop recipes: lemongrass pork chop yakisoba on a plate, topped with sesame seeds and scallions

3. Lemongrass Pork Chops with Carb-Free Yakisoba

Yes, you'll need to marinate the pork chops in a savory mix of ginger, lime juice, honey and fish sauce for eight hours—but we promise it's worth the wait. This allows the acidic ingredients to tenderize the pork as it soaks.

leftover pork chop recipes: pork scallopini with lemon, capers and radicchio on a plate

4. Pork Scallopini with Lemon, Capers and Radicchio

As long as you slice your pork chops as thinly as possible, this classy comfort dish is within reach. Serve with mashed potatoes, white rice or arugula salad.

leftover pork chop recipes: five herb-crusted pork cutlets on a platter

5. Herb-Crusted Pork Cutlets

The thinner you slice the pork chops, the crispier they'll turn out. The panko coating is spiked with your choice of fresh herbs (we're partial to a mix of thyme, rosemary, tarragon, sage and oregano).

leftover pork chop recipes sweet and sour pork skewers with pineapple recipe

6. Sweet-and-Sour Pork Skewers with Pineapple

This recipe calls for pork tenderloin, but you could swap in cubes of leftover pork chop for a similar effect. Cook it on the barbecue if the weather allows and on a grill pan if you're cooking indoors—you don't want to miss out on those char marks.

leftover pork chop recipes warm ginger scallion pork and kale salad recipe

7. Warm Ginger-Scallion Pork & Kale Salad

A few slices of leftover pork chop in place of ground pork would take this salad to a whole new level. The real highlight is the zingy rice vinegar-honey dressing, which is bursting with fresh grated ginger.

leftover pork chop recipes cuban sliders recipe

8. Cuban Sliders for a Crowd

You can either substitute your leftovers in place of the ham or add them in addition to it. Traditional Cubanos are made with roast pork shoulder, but a chop would do in a pinch. (Work with what ya got, no?)

leftover pork chop recipes mini nachos recipe

9. Mini Nachos

Skip the shredded chicken and use a lingering pork chop from last night for carnitas-inspired nachos. Finish each chip pile with a drizzle of hot sauce and a dollop of guac.

leftover pork chop recipes baking sheet quesadilla recipe

10. Baking Sheet Quesadillas

Is it just us, or are quesadillas one of the best ways to use up fridge finds? These are made on a single baking sheet, so you won’t have to stand by the stove flipping tortillas to feed a crowd. (You can find rectangular tortillas at your grocery store's deli, or try substituting thin lavash flatbread or gluten-free coconut wraps.)

leftover pork chop recipes chicken and snap pea stir fry recipe

11. Chicken and Snap Pea Stir Fry

Yep, this recipe works with leftover pork too. Just slice it thin and add it to the skillet at the very end (since it's already prepared), so it doesn't overcook and dry out. Serve over rice noodles to keep the recipe gluten-free.

leftover pork chop recipes easy rotisserie chicken ramen recipe

12. Rotisserie Chicken Ramen

Ditch the rotisserie chicken in favor of a few slices of pork chop. It’s not as succulent as pork belly, but it’ll still be ready in 35 minutes flat...and that's what we care about most on a busy weeknight.

leftover pork chop recipes easy lo mein recipe

13. Easy Lo Mein

When a fridge detox is in order, this simple lo mein will do the trick quite nicely. Toss in any less-than-pristine vegetables (snow peas! mushrooms! bell peppers! carrots!) alongside the leftover pork chop to clear some space.

leftover pork chop recipes pork pad see ew recipe

14. Pork Pad See Ew

Alternatively, you could make this Thai takeout favorite, stirring in cubed leftover pork chop at the end in place of sliced pork shoulder. If you can't find Chinese broccoli, substitute bok choy or broccolini.

leftover pork chop recipes pork fried rice recipe

15. Pork Fried Rice

In addition to the leftover protein, you’re best off using leftover rice too. It’ll be less likely to stick together and clump after a chill in the fridge. Make it even easier on yourself by using a frozen mix of diced veggies instead of fresh.

leftover pork chop recipes pineapple pork stir fry with peppers recipe

16. Pineapple Pork Stir Fry with Peppers

Pineapple and pork are like peanut butter and jelly: meant to be together. Substitute chops for tenderloin in this sweet-and-savory recipe that's mostly made with pantry staples.

leftover pork chop recipes caramelized pork tacos with pineapple salsa recipe

17. Caramelized Pork Tacos with Pineapple Salsa

The high heat and sweet stir fry sauce will ensure the pork gets golden brown and caramelized quickly on the outside, without turning dry on the inside (yep, even if you use leftovers).

leftover pork chop recipes banh mi recipe

18. Banh Mi

If the leftover pork is already cooked, you might not get the exact same flavor that comes from marinating tenderloin for at least 30 minutes…but that’s what extra sriracha mayo and pickled vegetables are for, right?

leftover pork chop recipes sweet potato hash with eggs and sausage recipe

19. Sweet Potato Hash with Eggs and Sausage

Goodbye sausage, hello leftover pork chop. (Or if you’re feeling extra, go ahead and include both.) It's a great way to use up leftover pre-baked sweet potatoes and fading produce, too.

leftover pork chop recipes pork pot pie recipe

20. Pork Pot Pie

Psst: The crust is made from store-bought puff pastry, making this an impossibly easy dinner that looks fussier than it is. Cut the leftover pork chops into small cubes or thin strips so it can soak up the creamy filling.

leftover pork chop recipes slow cooker maple chipotle pork with cheesy polenta recipe

21. Slow Cooker Maple Chipotle Pork with Cheesy Polenta

You know the drill: Skip the slow-cooked pork step and sub in your delicious leftovers. Easy-peasy. As for the buttery, cheesy polenta, stick to the recipe—it won't disappoint.

leftover pork chop recipes skillet chicken fajitas recipe

22. Skillet Fajitas

Which is tastier, boneless skinless chicken breast or flavorful pork? We'll let you decide. Either way, you'll only be left with one dirty dish to clean.

leftover pork chop recipes sheet pan lemon garlic butter veggies and sausage recipe

23. Sheet Pan Lemon Butter Veggies and Sausage

The original recipe calls for pre-cooked chicken sausage which, TBH, isn't all too different from a leftover pork chop in terms of convenience or flavor. Serve over white rice, buttered noodles or nothing at all.

leftover pork chop recipes pho recipe

24. Pho (Vietnamese Noodle Soup)

This comforting dish can be made with everything from beef to shrimp to chicken. Add your diced pork chop to the bowl just before serving (the real star is the deeply seasoned broth anyway) and let the compliments roll in.

leftover pork chop recipes sweet and sour pork recipe

25. Sweet and Sour Pork

This ingenious no-fry recipe starts by oven-roasting cubes of pork coated in cornstarch for crispiness. Since you're working with leftover pork chops, you can skip that step and move right to the sauce.

leftover pork chop recipes cheesy pork enchiladas with 10 minute smoky enchilada sauce recipe

26. Cheesy Pork Enchiladas with 10-Minute Smoky Enchilada Sauce

No one will ever suspect you started with kinda-sad leftovers, especially once they're wrapped in cheesy tortillas and doused in homemade enchilada sauce.

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Former Senior Food Editor

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Food Editor