Pulled Pork Casserole with Cornbread Topping

5 from 3 votes

A zesty filling of bbq pulled pork, peppers, onions, and corn is topped with a cheesy cornbread crust in this easy pulled pork casserole!

Course Dinner

Cuisine American, Southern

Keyword leftover pulled pork casserole, leftover pulled pork recipes, pulled pork casserole

Prep Time 15

Cook Time 30

Resting Time 10

Total Time 55

Servings - 6 people

Calories 511kcal

Author Blair Lonergan

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 medium onion, diced
1 green bell pepper, seeded and diced
¾ cup barbecue sauce
1 cup frozen corn kernels (you do NOT need to thaw the corn in advance)
2 cups pulled pork
1 cup (4 ounces) grated cheddar cheese, divided
1 (8.5 ounce) box Jiffy corn muffin mix, plus additional ingredients called for on the box (egg and milk)
Kosher salt and ground black pepper, to taste

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly grease a 2-quart baking dish (an 11 x 7-inch dish or a deep square dish); set aside.

Heat the olive oil in a large skillet or Dutch oven over medium-high heat.
Add the onion and bell pepper; cook and stir just until the onion is translucent and the bell pepper is tender, about 5 minutes.
Reduce the heat to low, add the barbecue sauce, and simmer until the sauce thickens slightly (about 1-2 minutes). Stir in the frozen corn and the pulled pork. Taste the pork mixture and season with salt and pepper to taste.
Spread the pork mixture in an even layer in the bottom of the prepared baking dish. Sprinkle with ½ cup of the grated cheese.

In a separate bowl, prepare the cornbread batter according to the package directions.
Stir in the remaining ½ cup of grated cheddar cheese.
Spread the cornbread batter over the pork mixture. I like to do this by using a large spoon to dollop the batter all over the top of the casserole. Then use the back of the spoon to gently spread it around until it covers most of dish.

Bake the casserole for 30-35 minutes, or until the crust is golden brown and cooked through. Let stand for about 5-10 minutes before serving.

To feed a larger family, double all of the ingredients and bake the casserole in a 13 x 9-inch dish.
If you don't have access to pulled pork, you can use leftover bbq beef, the meat from a store-bought rotisserie chicken, or other leftover chicken.
Make it spicy with the addition of chopped jalapeno peppers, hot sauce, or a dash of cayenne pepper.
Add a can of drained diced tomatoes or Rotel tomatoes with green chilies to the pulled pork mixture.
Use leftover pulled pork from a previous meal, purchase a tub of prepared pulled pork from the grocery store, or pick up takeout pulled pork from a local restaurant.
Grate a block of cheddar cheese by hand so that it melts smoothly into the cornbread topping.
Taste the pulled pork mixture and season with salt, pepper, or extra spices (like chili powder, cumin, or cayenne), if desired, before transferring the mixture to the baking dish. The amount of salt and pepper that you need will depend on the seasoning on your meat, on the bbq sauce that you use, and on your personal preferences.
Garnish the casserole with chopped fresh herbs (such as parsley, cilantro, or chives) or sliced green onions.