Description
These Margarita Pulled Pork Nachos with Avocado Ranch Crema are a fiesta for your mouth! Tangy, lime-tequila pulled pork piled high on chips with cheese and all the fresh toppings and finished off with a quick and easy avocado ranch crema drizzle — these are to die for! All that’s missing is a salty-rimmed margarita to wash ’em down with!
Ingredients
Scale
For the Margarita Pulled Pork:
- Juice and zest of 2 limes
- Juice of ½ an orange
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- ½ teaspoon ground coriander
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar
- ¼ cup silver tequila
- 2 lbs boneless pork shoulder, cut into 3-inch pieces
For the Avocado Crema:
- 1 ripe avocado, peeled and pitted
- ½ cup sour cream or Greek yogurt
- ¼ cup ranch dressing
- Zest and juice of 1 lime
- Dash of hot sauce
- Salt and pepper, to taste
For the Nachos:
- 1 (15-oz) bag tortilla chips
- 2½ cups shredded cheese (I like a mix of sharp cheddar and monterey jack)
- ¼ cup finely diced red onion
- ¼ cup finely diced scallions
- ½ cup halved cherry tomatoes
- ¼ cup chopped pickled jalapenos (fresh also works!)
- Fresh cilantro, chopped or torn
- Lime wedges
- Cotija or queso fresco, crumbled (feta works in a pinch!)
Instructions
For the Pork:
- In the bottom of a slow cooker, combine all the ingredients (lime juice/zest through tequila), whisking well to combine.
- Add the pork pieces and turn so they are evenly coated in the seasonings.
- Cover and cook on HIGH for 5 hours or until the pork is fall-apart tender. If you are able to do so, turn the pork pieces once or twice during this time.
- Spoon ¼ cup of the cooking juices into a small bowl or measuring cup. Whisk in the cornstarch until smooth. Add the mixture back into the pot with the pork and stir to combine.
- Increase the heat setting to “Simmer” and cook until the juices are thickened. Alternatively, if your slow cooker does not have this function, transfer all of the cooking juices to a small pot and whisk in the cornstarch mixture. Simmer on the stove until thickened.
- Shred the pork right in the pot and stir to evenly coat in the reduced juices.
- Keep warm until you are ready to make the nachos. The pork can be made several days ahead and stored in the fridge. Warm it up in the microwave before using it on the nachos.
For the Avocado Crema:
- Place the avocado, sour cream/yogurt, ranch dressing, and lime zest/juice in the bowl of a food processor. Pulse until the mixture is completely smooth and creamy.
- Season, to taste, with hot sauce, salt, and pepper.
- If needed, thin the sauce a little bit with a splash of milk or water to make it easier to drizzle.
For the Nachos:
- Preheat the oven to 400°F and line a large rimmed baking sheet with foil or parchment.
- Spread the chips out in an even layer.
- Top the chips with the pork and shredded cheeses. Add half of the red onion, scallions, cherry tomatoes, and jalapenos to the cheese. Sprinkle everything with a little bit of salt.
- Bake for 10-15 minutes, or until everything is warmed through and the cheese is melted and gooey.
- Remove from the oven and top with the remaining onion, scallion, tomatoes, and jalapenos.
- Drizzle the avocado crema over top (use as much or as little as you like) and then garnish with cilantro, cotija/queso fresco, and another spritz of lime juice.
- Serve immediately with additional lime wedges on the side.
Notes
This recipe will yield leftover pork and avocado crema. Keep both in the fridge for up to a week.
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 5 hours (mostly inactive)
- Category: appetizers
Keywords: margarita pulled pork, margarita pulled pork nachos, pulled pork nachos, avocado ranch crema, avocado crema