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    Recipes » Salad Recipes » Mexican Salads

    Pulled Pork Salad

    Published: Mar 2, 2023 by Marissa Stevens · 8 Comments

    Gluten Free

    This post may contain affiliate links.

    Jump to Recipe

    Pulled Pork Salad is a light and refreshing way to enjoy leftover pulled pork! A crunchy blend of lettuce and cabbage piled high with succulent chunks of Mexican pulled pork, tomatoes, cotija cheese, avocado and topped with a creamy, spicy jalapeño ranch dressing. It's irresistible!

    Pulled Pork Salad served in a white bowl and photographed from the top.

    Assemble the salads individually or serve all of the ingredients family style. Serve the lettuce and cabbage mixture along with all of the toppings separately and let everyone build their own their perfect salad with just the right amount of creamy dressing.

    Jump to:
    • Ingredients You Need to Make Pulled Pork Salad
    • How to Reheat Pulled Pork
    • Recipe Options
    • More Great Ways to Enjoy Leftover Pulled Pork
    • Pulled Pork Salad
    • 💬 Comments

    Ingredients You Need to Make Pulled Pork Salad

    For the Jalapeño Ranch Dressing

    Jalapeno Ranch Dressing Ingredients on a white marble board.
    • Sour Cream: or Mexican crema
    • Jalapeño: look for a fresh Jalapeño pepper with firm, smooth skin
    • Garlic: fresh garlic clove
    • Cilantro: fresh cilantro leaves and tender stems
    • Chives: fresh chives or green onions
    • Lime: fresh lime juice
    • Kosher Salt

    For the Salad

    Pulled Pork Salad Ingredients on a white marble board.
    • Romaine Lettuce: or other crunchy lettuce or mixed greens
    • Green Cabbage: or purple cabbage
    • Avocado: ripe avocado
    • Cherry Tomatoes: or grape tomatoes or diced plum or roma tomatoes
    • Cotija Cheese: or queso fresco or shredded Monterey Jack cheese
    • Pulled Pork: ideally this Carnitas / Mexican pulled pork leftover or just made
    • Cilantro: fresh cilantro leaves

    Think of this as a beautiful, extra-hearty taco salad that's fun to share with family and friends. And not only that, it's also an excellent option for meal prep because you can store all of the ingredients and salad dressing separately in the refrigerator for a quick and easy lunch or dinner. 

    How to Reheat Pulled Pork

    To reheat pulled pork on the stovetop: heat a small drizzle of oil in a non-stick or cast iron skillet over medium heat until the meat is heated through and the edges are crisp and golden brown, adding reserved cooking liquid or broth as needed to moisten the meat. You can do this in batches if you have a large amount of pork to reheat.

    leftover pulled pork in a cast iron skillet
    pulled pork crisped in a cast iron skillet

    Recipe Options

    • Add thinly sliced fresh or pickled jalapeño peppers, or several dashes of your favorite hot sauce for extra spicy kick.
    • In the summertime, top salads with a handful fresh corn kernals cut from the cob for added sweetness and crunch.
    • Add sharp cheddar or your favorite Mexican cheese blend for an extra cheesy salad.
    • Top with pinto beans or kidney beans for added flavor and heft.

    More Great Ways to Enjoy Leftover Pulled Pork

    • Pulled Pork Quesadillas
    • Pulled Pork Nachos
    • Pulled Pork Enchiladas
    • Pulled Pork Chili
    • Or see my roundup: The Best Leftover Pulled Pork Recipes
    Pulled Pork Salad served in a white bowl and photographed from the top.

    Pulled Pork Salad

    Marissa Stevens
    A hearty and vibrantly flavorful salad that's a wonderful way to enjoy leftover pulled pork.
    5 from 2 votes
    Save Recipe Saved! Print Recipe Pin Recipe
    Prep Time 20 mins
    Total Time 20 mins
    Course Main Course, Salad
    Cuisine Mexican
    Servings 6 people
    Calories 338 kcal

    Ingredients
      

    Jalapeño Ranch Dressing:

    • 1 ½ cups sour cream or Mexican crema
    • 1 jalapeño seeded and coarsely chopped
    • 1 clove garlic minced
    • ¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro leaves
    • 2 small green onions
    • 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
    • 1 teaspoon kosher salt plus more to taste

    Salad

    • 1 head romaine lettuce washed and torn into bite-size pieces
    • 2 cups thinly shredded green cabbage
    • 1 avocado peeled, seeded and thinly sliced
    • 1 pint cherry tomatoes
    • 2 ounces cotija cheese crumbled
    • 12 ounces pulled pork ideally this Carnitas / Mexican pulled pork leftover or just made, (see Recipe Note)
    • handful of fresh cilantro leaves for garnish

    Instructions
     

    • Combine jalapeño ranch dressing ingredients in a food processor (or blender pitcher) and process until smooth. Taste for seasoning and add more salt to taste; transfer to serving pitcher or jar. Refrigerate until ready to serve.
    • Divide salad ingredients among 6 salad bowls and serve dressing alongside for each person to spoon on their desired amount.

    Notes

    • This salad is great with cold pulled pork, but you can also warm it in a skillet until it has crispy edges before serving. (See post for photos and specific instructions.)

    Nutrition

    Calories: 338kcalCarbohydrates: 25gProtein: 13gFat: 23gSaturated Fat: 9gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 6gCholesterol: 67mgSodium: 876mgPotassium: 730mgFiber: 6gSugar: 15gVitamin A: 10113IUVitamin C: 40mgCalcium: 193mgIron: 3mg
    Keyword 4th of July, Cinco de Mayo, easy, father's day, Independence Day, summer
    Tried this recipe?I'd love to see it! Tag me on Instagram at @pinchandswirl or leave me a comment and rating below.

    More Mexican Salads

    • 50+ Recipes to Celebrate Cinco de Mayo!
    • Carne Asada Steak Salad with Mojo Dressing
    • Mexican Street Corn Salad

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

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      Recipe Rating




    1. jojobe says

      March 11, 2023 at 1:27 pm

      5 stars
      What do you think of using Jackfruit instead of Pork? I want an exciting presentation that is vegetarian.

      Reply
      • Marissa Stevens says

        March 14, 2023 at 8:24 am

        Hi Jojobe! I imagine you're asking about jackfruit that has been cooked and spiced to mimc pulled pork? If so, then yes, absolutely! I think that would work well as a vegetarian take on this recipe.

        Reply
    2. Chef Mimi says

      March 10, 2023 at 5:18 am

      Wow. This looks fabulous! Much nice than ground meat.

      Reply
      • Marissa Stevens says

        March 14, 2023 at 10:31 am

        Thanks so much, Mimi!

        Reply
    3. Valentina says

      March 05, 2023 at 5:16 pm

      Pulled pork is the best and I love a main course salad that's hearty (and pretty!) like this one. And that dressing . . . . YUM! 🙂 ~Valentina

      Reply
    4. Ben | Havocinthekitchen says

      March 02, 2023 at 5:06 pm

      5 stars
      Beautiful salad - bright, offering the variety of textures and flavours, and also filling. Perfect choice as the main course for me!

      Reply
    5. angiesrecipes says

      March 02, 2023 at 6:12 am

      So very yummy, versatile and nutritious! I like to make salads with leftover roast...gotta try it next time when I make pulled pork.

      Reply
      • Marissa Stevens says

        March 02, 2023 at 1:36 pm

        Thanks so much, Angie! I hope you will.

        Reply

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