Name: Carnitas Nachos
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 7 min
Total time: 12 min
Yield: 6
Cuisine: Mexican
Ingredients: 1/2 cup sour cream; 1/2 cup guacamole; 1/2 cup salsa; 1/4 red onion, sliced; 1/2 cup cilantro, chopped; 2 cups pork carnitas; 1 cup queso fresco cheese, crumbled; 1 cup cheddar cheese, shredded; 12oz bag tortilla chips

Got leftover carnitas? Look no further, Carnitas Nachos are a fast and simple meal or appetizer that use up those leftover carnitas. Your family will love this recipe and you will love how it only takes 15 minutes to make!

This post may contain Affiliate Links.

a sheet pan full of carnitas nachos topped with cilantro, red onion, guacamole, and more

Jump to Section

Loaded Pork Carnitas Nachos

Whether you are looking for an awesome appetizer or a super quick meal for your leftover carnitas you have come to the right place.

We can all agree nachos are amazing right? So you can imagine just how great they are once you add some carnitas!

Chances are if you are looking at this recipe you already have made the pork carnitas (hopefully from my recipe because it is amazing) BUT if you still need to make some no worries, I have got you covered.

Get my classic Crockpot Carnitas recipe here.

Or if you are into spicy foods check out my Chipotle Pineapple Carnitas, for a little extra heat and flavor.

sheet pan full of nachos with carnitas, cheese, and toppings

So Let’s Make Some Carnitas Nachos!

Here is what you will need, keep in mind you will want to keep the base of the recipe as written but you can go crazy with any additional toppings!

Pork Carnitas
Queso Fresco Cheese
Cheddar Cheese
A Bag Tortilla Chips
Sour cream
Guacamole
Salsa
Red Onion
Cilantro

ingredients need to make leftover carnitas nachos

Now making them couldn’t be any easier. To start preheat your oven to 350ºF.

If the carnitas are not already warm you will want to warm them slightly. In a microwave safe container, warm up the carnitas about 2 minutes so they are no longer cold (they will continue to heat in the oven so they don’t have to be hot).

Line sheet pan with tortilla chips in an even layer, you don’t have to use a full bag of chips depending on how many people you are serving, most of the time I only use about 3/4’s of a bag.

Spread the carnitas evenly overtop the tortilla chips. Overtop the carnitas and chips spread both of the cheese evenly.

Transfer the sheet pan to the oven, bake 7 to 8 minutes until the cheese is melty and chips are crispy.

Remove from the oven and evenly over the top add the sour cream, guacamole, salsa, red onion, and cilantro to your liking, serve immediately.

steps of making the nachos before they go in the oven, after they are baked in the oven, and after they are topped with toppings

See so freaking easy! So whether this is an appetizer for a tailgate or a weekend lunch for your family it will be done fast and get devoured almost immediately!

a fork on a sheet pan full of carnitas nachos pulling some off onto a plate

If you are looking for more recipes that use leftovers check out my:

Or check out my Black Bean Nachos!

Yield: 6 servings

Carnitas Nachos

Got leftover carnitas? Look no further, Carnitas Nachos are a fast and simple meal or appetizer that use up those leftover carnitas. Your family will love this recipe and you will love how it only takes 15 minutes to make!

Prep Time 5 minutes

Cook Time 7 minutes

Total Time 12 minutes

Ingredients

2 cups pork carnitas
1 cup queso fresco cheese, crumbled
1 cup cheddar cheese, shredded
12oz bag tortilla chips

for topping:

1/2 cup sour cream
1/2 cup guacamole
1/2 cup salsa
1/4 red onion, sliced
1/2 cup cilantro, chopped

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350ºF. If the carnitas are not already warm you will want to warm them slightly. In a microwave safe container, warm up the carintas about 2 minutes so they are no longer cold (they will contunue to heat in the oven).
Line sheet pan with tortilla chips in an even layer, you don't have to use a full bag of chips. Spread the carnitas evenly overtop the tortilla chips. Overtop the carnitas and chips spread both of the cheese evenly.
Transfer the sheet pan to the oven, bake 7 to 8 minutes until the cheese is melty and chips are crispy.
Remove from the oven and evenly over the top add the sour cream, guacamole, salsa, red onion, and cilantro to your liking, serve immediately.

Notes

When choosing tortilla chips I recommend a thicker brand that can hold the weight of the nachos.

If needed you can use all cheddar cheese instead of the two varieties, but I wouldn't necessarily recommend the same for the queso since its so wet and doesn't melt super well (which is why I use both varieties in the first place).

Feel free to top the nachos with more/less/different toppings as you like!

Loaded Leftover Carnitas Nachos