What to Make with Leftover Pork Chops: 26 Recipes That Taste Totally Gourmet

• Time Commitment: 1 hour
• Why We Love It: special occasion-worthy, high protein, beginner-friendly

The trick to these melt-in-your-mouth chops? Salting them 45 minutes before cooking and letting them come to room temperature. Make double of the spice rub to use on steak, salmon, ribs or chicken thighs.

• Time Commitment: 1 hour
• Why We Love It: high protein, beginner-friendly, special occasion-worthy

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.

• Time Commitment: 8 hours and 25 minutes (includes marinating time)
• Why We Love It: beginner-friendly, high protein

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.

• Time Commitment: 20 minutes
• Why We Love It: <30 minutes, beginner-friendly

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.

• Time Commitment: 45 minutes
• Why We Love It: crowd-pleaser, <10 ingredients, beginner-friendly

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).

• Time Commitment: 1 hour and 20 minutes
• Why We Love It: crowd-pleaser, special occasion-worthy, kid-friendly

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.

• Time Commitment: 10 minutes
• Why We Love It: <30 minutes, dairy free, gluten free

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.

• Time Commitment: 30 minutes
• Why We Love It: kid-friendly, crowd-pleaser, beginner-friendly

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?)

• Time Commitment: 30 minutes
• Why We Love It: crowd-pleaser, <10 ingredients, sheet pan recipes

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.

• Time Commitment: 30 minutes
• Why We Love It: sheet pan recipe, kid-friendly, crowd-pleaser

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.)

• Time Commitment: 20 minutes
• Why We Love It: <30 minutes, dairy free, low carb, gluten free

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.

• Time Commitment: 35 minutes
• Why We Love It: crowd-pleaser, special occasion-worthy, beginner-friendly

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.

• Time Commitment: 25 minutes
• Why We Love It: <30 minutes, beginner-friendly, kid-friendly

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.

• Time Commitment: 35 minutes
• Why We Love It: beginner-friendly, kid-friendly, high protein

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.

• Time Commitment: 30 minutes
• Why We Love It: kid-friendly, one pan, beginner-friendly

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.

• Time Commitment: 25 minutes
• Why We Love It: <30 minutes, crowd-pleaser, beginner-friendly

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.

• Time Commitment: 25 minutes
• Why We Love It: <30 minutes, beginner-friendly, special occasion-worthy

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).

• Time Commitment: 1 hour and 5 minutes
• Why We Love It: special occasion-worthy, high protein, beginner-friendly

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?

• Time Commitment: 1 hour
• Why We Love It: Whole30-friendly, Paleo-friendly, beginner-friendly

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.

• Time Commitment: 45 minutes
• Why We Love It: kid-friendly, beginner-friendly, high protein

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.

• Time Commitment: 10 hours
• Why We Love It: special occasion-worthy, high protein, gluten free, slow cooker recipe

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.

• Time Commitment: 1 hour
• Why We Love It: high protein, dairy free, one pan

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.

• Time Commitment: 40 minutes
• Why We Love It: crowd-pleaser, beginner-friendly, sheet pan recipe

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.

• Time Commitment: 1 hour and 15 minutes
• Why We Love It: special occasion-worthy, dairy free, beginner-friendly

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.

• Time Commitment: 45 minutes
• Why We Love It: kid-friendly, beginner-friendly, high protein

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.

• Time Commitment: 10 hours
• Why We Love It: slow cooker recipe, high protein, special occasion-worthy

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.