These Pulled Pork Enchiladas are made with Pork Carnitas and topped with a delicious homemade Enchilada Sauce!
This post is part of a series of meals made using Easy Slow Cooker Pork Carnitas (Mexican Pulled Pork) that I posted last week. It freezes so well and defrosts quickly, making it great to have on hand for fast meals – like Enchiladas. However this recipe can be made using any pre cooked meat – shredded chicken in particular would be fantastic. It takes a mere 15 minutes to assemble (if that), then just pop it into the oven.
Pulled Pork Enchiladas (Pork Carnitas)
There are so many ways to make enchiladas, but this is definitely my favourite, made with Pork Carnitas (Mexican Pulled Pork). Shreds of moist pulled pork are mixed up with golden kernels of corn and black beans encased in a tortilla and topped with enchilada sauce and gooey melting cheese…..just describing it makes me go weak at the knees.
It goes without saying that I love cooking (and eating), and I do love taking my time in the kitchen, experimenting or making things that require patience. But on a day to day basis, I don’t just whip up a Duck Ragu with Homemade Pappardelle. 90% of my mid week dinners take me less than 15 minutes of prep (90% of which are on the table in 15 minutes!).
This is one of those dinners. 15 minutes of assembling, then throw it in the oven to do its thing. No chopping required. Just opening a couple of cans and crisping up the pulled pork to get the crunchy brown bits, the crowning glory of Pork Carnitas.
Roll up the tortillas, top with enchilada sauce and cheese, then bake until bubbly and golden on top. I like to leave the edges of the Pulled Pork Enchiladas without sauce which lets them brown nicely and go a little crisp which adds great texture. But I use enough sauce that you could cover all the enchiladas, if you wanted to.
In my books, Pork Carnitas are the ultimate “freezer stock” for seriously tasty fast food. You can make enchiladas (obviously), quesadillas, tacos, soups, salads and burritos, to name a few. I also make Mexican Sloppy Joes, Mexican Spring Rolls and Taco Soup – I’ll be sharing my recipe for these in the coming weeks.
Whenever I make Pork Carnitas, I use the largest pork I can fit into my slow cooker so I can make as much as possible, then I freeze them in small batches for convenience. I usually defrost it in the microwave (usually 1 minute per cup of pulled pork). Then I always pan fry, not to warm it through but to get the brown crunchy bits. It only takes a minute or two, and is a “must do” in my books – Pork Carnitas without the brown crunchy bits is like sausage rolls without tomato sauce, it just shouldn’t be done. You can read more about my ravings on the brown crunchy bits in the recipe I shared for Pork Carnitas.
Though I love Enchiladas the most when made with Pork Carnitas, I often make this with other meat, usually shredded chicken as I always seem to have this on hand. I’ve also made this with diced beef too. But because the Pork Carnitas are already flavoured with Mexican spices, if I use another meat I add a sprinkle of spices – instructions for this are included in the recipe below.
This Pulled Pork Enchiladas is a great recipe to add to your midweek meal rotation – it’s so fast and SO delicious! I hope you try it!– Nagi x
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Pulled Pork Enchiladas
Ingredients
- 2 cups (packed) Pork Carnitas (Mexican Pulled Pork) or other shredded meat (see notes)
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 cup tinned black beans or red kidney beans , drained
- 1 can (15oz / 400g) corn kernels , drained
- 2 cups shredded cheese (any good melting cheese)
- 8 tortillas
- 3 cups (750ml / 25oz) Enchilada Sauce (homemade or store bought)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350F/180C.
- Heat 1 tbsp olive oil in a pan over high heat. Add the pork carnitas and cook until the bottom is nicely browned - about 1 1/2 minutes. Do not turn, just make the bottom crispy (to keep the pulled pork as moist as possible), then remove the pulled pork into a bowl. It does not matter if the top isn't heated through, it will heat in the oven.
- Add the corn, black beans, 1/2 cup enchilada sauce and 1/2 cup cheese into the bowl and mix to combine.
- Spread 1/2 cup of Enchilada Sauce on the bottom of the baking dish.
- Place 1/2 packed cup of filling (from step 3) into a tortilla and roll up and place in the baking dish.
- Pour over the remaining Enchilada Sauce, and bake for 10 minutes.
- Remove from oven and scatter the cheese on, then bake for a further 10 to 15 minutes until the cheese is bubbling and golden.
- Let stand for 5 minutes before serving.
Recipe Notes:
Nutrition Information:
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I would eat your own bum if I knew you loved it so much
wow i would eat your own bum if iknew i loved it so much
can you use green enchilada sauce and sourcream inside?
wow i would eat my own bum if iknew i loved it so much
Yummy!
These were delicious. Made them with defrosted pork from tacos a couple of months back and it worked perfectly. My partner and I both went back for seconds!
I made these using some leftover pulled pork I froze from a roast a few weeks ago. Used the seasonings as indicated in the note and enchilada sauce from Trader Joes. Super easy to put together and my son who normally will not eat pork told me it was really good!
Best enchiladas ever. Period.
The sauce is so simple to make, I have even made it on a camping stove and it is just as good.
I have been cooking dinner for my friend once a week for 10+ years. She is always very appreciative, but tonight I made this and she said it’s in the top 3 things I’ve ever made. Winner!
Amazing! So happy to have a recipe for leftover pulled pork.
It’s a keeper!
Loved this recipe. I followed the instructions to a ‘T’; only hiccup – I only had enough filling to make 6 enchiladas. I used 8-inch tortillas and filled with 1/2 cup of filling. Any ideas why I didn’t have enough filling for 8 enchiladas?
Same thing happened to me. The enchiladas were wonderful. I used a little less sauce.
These were delicious! I made the pulled bbq pork the week before & used leftovers in this recipe. Super fast, super good. It’s snowing here in Colorado, so this was a perfect comfort meal. Thanks Nagi. I’m loving your recipes.
Can the pork mixture be frozen?
I made the Pork Carnitas enchiladas using a prepared pork carnitas you just heat up in the microwave. I made your recipe of the enchilada sauce and the whole family loved it!
A new family favourite! Made the pulled pork and enchilada sauce from the linked recipes. Super tasty and easy recipes which is a bonus. Your recipes are the best Nagi, they never let me down.
Hi Nagi. Michelle from the Shetland Islands in the North Sea here. My family and I love your pork carnitas recipe. Tonight I decided to try your Pulled Pork Enchiladas recipe and your homemade Enchilada Sauce. It was awesome! My whole family loved it. I added some of the left over juice from the Pork Carnitas recipe when I fried it up. It was lush!!!
I made your Enchilada sauce and pork Carnitas. Loved the simplicity of the recipes and it’s all very delicious. I hid the beans using refried beans because my husband doesn’t “like” beans. Also Squeezed lime into the Carnitas. Wonderful!
Hi Nagi! Kim from Perth here! Enchiladas in the oven now.. for the pork just a heads up if you ( or hubby) doesn’t like cumin you can swap out ground fennel seed and it fills the gap perfectly and is delicious! I do this with every Mexican, indian, middle eastern recipe that calls for cumin! . I didn’t have oranges all I had was golden circle orange and mango juice , it worked perfectly!. For the enchilada sauce, I had about about 1 litre of salsa and 1 litre of hot salsa frozen from giant ALDI special buys bottles and so I blended them with stick blender. I didn’t use it all on top I think it was too much. Just wanted to share my substitutions. Cook from your shelves people! ❤️
What kind of tortillas,… corn or flour?
Hi Fred, either will work fine here, I usually use flour. N x
I’ve used your enchilada sauce recipe several times, never going back to premade! It’s yummy and idiot proof!