One-Pot Pulled Pork Pasta
Leftover pulled pork gets browned with a spice rub, then simmered right in the pot with Prego sauce and pasta for a fast, no-drain weeknight dinner.
Prep: 10 · Cook: 20 · Total: 30 · Serves: 5 · Difficulty: Easy · Rating: 4.8/5 (241 reviews)
INSPIRED BY
Campbell's Kitchen (website)
Adapted from Campbell's Kitchen's One-Pot Pulled Pork Pasta, which turns leftover pulled pork into a fast weeknight pasta.
Story
Y'all, I make pulled pork on Sundays for exactly this reason, so there's a container left in the fridge by Tuesday and I don't have to think too hard about dinner. The original [Campbell's Kitchen](https://www.campbells.com/recipes/one-pot-pulled-pork-pasta/) recipe just dumps everything in the pot at once, which is fine, but I found that if you brown the pulled pork with a little smoked paprika and garlic powder first, it gets these crispy little edges instead of just going soft and saucy right away. My kindergartner calls it "the pasta with the crunchy meat" and asks for seconds, which around here is basically a five-star review. The picky one still picks out the parsley, but that's a battle for another night.
By sam
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 2 cups leftover or store-bought pulled pork
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder
- 1/2 tsp onion powder
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
- 1 jar (24 oz) Prego Traditional Italian Sauce
- 2 1/2 cups chicken broth
- 12 oz uncooked rotini or penne pasta
- 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
- 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
- 1 lemon, cut into wedges
- Salt, to taste
Instructions
- In a small bowl, stir together the smoked paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, and black pepper. Toss the pulled pork with the spice rub.
- Heat the olive oil in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the seasoned pulled pork and let it sit undisturbed for 2 to 3 minutes so it picks up some crispy edges, then stir and cook 2 more minutes.
- Pour in the Prego sauce and chicken broth. Scrape the bottom of the pot with a wooden spoon to loosen any browned bits, then stir them into the sauce. Bring to a boil.
- Stir in the uncooked pasta, pressing it down so it's mostly covered by liquid. Cover, reduce heat to a simmer, and cook 12 to 14 minutes, stirring every few minutes so the pasta doesn't stick to the bottom.
- Once the pasta is tender and the sauce has thickened, take the pot off the heat. Sprinkle the mozzarella over the top, cover, and let it sit off heat for 2 minutes until melted.
- Stir in the fresh parsley and a squeeze of lemon juice right before serving. Taste and add salt if needed, then serve with extra lemon wedges on the side.
Chef Tips
- No leftover pulled pork? Rotisserie chicken pulled into shreds works fine too, just skip the low-and-slow cooking time.
- Stir the pasta every few minutes while it simmers, this is a one-pot pasta so it wants to stick if you walk away too long.
- If the sauce looks too thick after the pasta cooks, splash in a little extra broth or water to loosen it up.
- This reheats great the next day, add a splash of water when you warm it up so it doesn't dry out.
Cook's Notes
- **Browning matters:** Don't skip searing the pork first, even 3 minutes gives it real texture against the soft pasta.
- **Stir often:** This is a one-pot pasta, it wants to stick to the bottom if you don't stir every few minutes while it simmers.
- **Cheese timing:** Add the mozzarella off heat so it melts gently instead of turning greasy.
- **Leftovers:** Add a splash of broth when reheating, the sauce thickens a lot in the fridge overnight.