Originally, I made this pulled pork queso to use up leftovers from a weekend cookout, and honestly, it’s become one of those recipes I find myself making again and again. Warm, creamy cheese mixed with tender pulled pork just works, whether you’re watching the game, hosting friends, or just having a regular Tuesday night. It’s the kind of dip that disappears fast, so fair warning—you might want to make extra.
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Easy Pulled Pork Queso
This recipe works for just about anything—game day spreads, tailgate parties, backyard cookouts, or even a camping trip if you’re feeling ambitious. The melted cheese and pulled pork combo is hard to beat, and people always go back for seconds. Serve it with tortilla chips, and you’ve got a crowd-pleaser.
What You Need for Pulled Pork Queso
- Leftover Pulled Pork (2 cups) — this is the recipe I make the day after a big smoke when there’s pulled pork in the fridge. The smoke flavor carries through to the finished dip and makes it taste completely different from plain queso. Break it into smaller chunks before adding — long stringy pieces aren’t dip-friendly.
- Cream Cheese (8 oz block) — take it out of the fridge an hour before you start. Cold cream cheese won’t beat smooth and you’ll get lumps in the dip. I use full fat — the sour cream is already lightening this up.
- Cheddar and Mozzarella — grate both yourself from a block. Pre-shredded cheese has added starch that prevents it from melting smoothly. Cheddar adds flavor; mozzarella adds stretch and the golden top.
- Sour cream, BBQ sauce, garlic, jalapeño
How to Make Pulled Pork Queso
Step 1: Prepare The Pulled Pork
Preheat the oven to a high 350°F. Transfer your pulled pork to a large bowl and break it into even chunks.
Tip: This step is especially important if you have refrigerated leftover pulled pork. Long and bulky bits of pork aren’t dip-friendly!
Step 2: Add The Other Ingredients
Add the softened cream cheese, sour cream, BBQ sauce, garlic, and shredded cheddar to the bowl with the pulled pork. Beat until combined — if the cream cheese is properly softened this takes about 2 minutes. Taste it now. It should be noticeably smoky and savory with a slight tang from the sour cream. The BBQ sauce flavor intensifies when it bakes so don’t oversalt at this stage.
Transfer the pulled pork dip to a cast-iron skillet or round baking dish, smooth the surface, and top with mozzarella cheese and minced jalapenos.
Note: This is the part where you can get creative. Why not add some black beans or sweet corn? Top with green onions or even green chilies for a bit of heat.
Step 3: Bake
Bake at 350°F for 25–30 minutes. At the 20-minute mark, the edges will be visibly bubbling — don’t pull it until the bubbles have reached the center; that means the whole dip is hot through. Switch to broil at 450°F for 2–3 minutes to brown the mozzarella on top. Watch it constantly at this stage — it goes from perfect to burnt in under a minute. Pull when the top is golden brown with darker spots and the whole surface is bubbling.
Note: If the queso browns before it heats through, lower the oven temperature and cover it with foil.
Step 4: Serve The Queso
Remove from the oven and serve with tortilla chips, crackers, sliced baguette, pita chips, or veggies!
This is the second part to stimulate that creative mind! Just ask yourself a key question… What do you enjoy dipping into delicious, gooey cheese?
The answer: Everything and anything!
What Temperature To Cook The Queso?
Cook the queso at 350°F in the oven. This higher temperature heats the cheese evenly and helps you get the right consistency! We want those picture-perfect cheese strings! The queso will take around 30 minutes to heat through and start browning. Broiling the top will only take a couple of minutes! Total cook time: roughly 40 minutes!
The Signs To Know Your Queso Is Ready
The queso should be bubbling and have a slightly brown top/sides. The bubbles show it has heated through. The browning on top and the sides is the Maillard reaction.
How To Store Leftovers
Store leftover queso in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. To reheat, place in a 325°F oven, covered with foil, for 15 minutes, then remove the foil for the last 5 minutes to re-melt the top. A microwave works in a pinch — heat in 30-second intervals, stirring between each. Do not freeze — cream cheese breaks down when frozen and the texture goes grainy when thawed.
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Looking for More Game Day Recipes?
Here are some of my favorite recipes for the Super Bowl. Crispy Smoked Chicken Wings are the natural companion — wings and queso on the same table is the game day spread that never fails. Brisket Nachos use similar ingredients in a different format — make both and put them out together. Shotgun Shells add something impressive and different. Pulled Pork Flatbread is a good way to use up any remaining pulled pork from the same batch.
More Appetizers to Go With Queso
Grilled Jalapeno Poppers
Smoked Jalapeno Poppers
Duck Jalapeno Poppers
Smashed Meatball Sliders
Smoked Onion Bombs
Pulled Pork Queso Dip
Equipment
- Medium bowl
- Airtight container
- Aluminum foil
- Cast Iron Skillet/Baking Dish
Ingredients
- 2 cups leftover pulled pork
- 8 oz block cream cheese room temperature
- 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
- 1 cup shredded mozzarella
- 1/2 cup sour cream
- 1/4 cup your favourite BBQ sauce
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1 jalapeno minced
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to a high 350°F.
- Transfer your pulled pork to a large bowl and begin breaking the pork apart into even chunks.
- Add softened cream cheese, sour cream, BBQ sauce, garlic, and shredded cheddar.
- Beat well until combined.
- Transfer the pulled pork dip to a cast iron skillet or round baking dish, smooth the surface, and top with mozzarella cheese and minced jalapenos.
- Bake the queso at 350°F for roughly 25-30 minutes. The dip should be hot all the way through and the edges should start to brown. Switch to broil at 450°F for 2–3 minutes until the mozzarella is golden brown and bubbling. Watch constantly — it burns fast.
- Just make sure you watch carefully as it can go from great to bad in a hurry!
- Remove from the oven and serve with tortilla chips, crackers, sliced baguette, pita chips, or veggies!
Smoke On!
Charlie
Author: Charlie Reeves
Hi, I’m Charlie, I have been meat-smoking and grilling for the past 15 years. I have an array of different smokers, thermometers, and have a love for finding the right wood and charcoal combo My favourite recipes are my EXTRA CRISPY smoked pork belly, juicy pulled pork, smoked brisket, duck poppers, and ANY SEAFOOD I grill).
I loves sharing his tips with beginners, helping them navigate the world of smoking. I find it’s not just about cooking; it’s a quest for that perfect smoky flavor.
You will usually find me playing with the kids, perfecting my brisket bark, or sipping beers with boys around the fire. Can’t wait to share all my delicious smoking and grilling recipes with you!
You can read more about me on our About Us page.
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