Leftover Roast Pork Pasta with a Spicy Tomato Sauce is the perfect way to turn Sunday lunch leftovers into a tasty and filling meal. An easy recipe that’s ready in 30 minutes, ideal for busy Mondays.
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Roast pork on a Sunday afternoon is a big favourite. Robyn absolutely loves apple sauce, so getting her to actually eat the pork can be a struggle, but still.
I love a big comforting roast with Yorkshire puddings (yes, we have them with all of the meats!) gravy, stuffing, and roast veggies. It’s such a filling meal, with plenty of vegetables and goodness.
From being a kid a Sunday roast has always been one of my favourite meals. Nothing fancy, just lovely homecooked food and classic flavours.
When I was younger, leftovers were always either sandwiches (nothing like a roast pork and stuffing sandwich with apple sauce, crackling and gravy!) or a reheated roast.
With my kids though, I’ve tried to vary things a little bit.
Leftover roast meat is still meat. It’s easy to cook with, fast, seeing as it’s already been cooked, and you can use it for pretty much anything that you’d usually use meat for.
This Recipe for Leftover Pork Pasta is perfect for Monday night’s because it’s super fast and simple, you’ll have most of the ingredients in your cupboard and if you are short on meat you can bulk out your Spicy Pork Pasta with extra veggies, more pasta and garlic bread.
You can also make this recipe with leftover pork chops. Just spread or dice any meat that you’ve got left and follow the recipe.
How Long Can You Keep Leftover Roast Pork?
I typically try to eat my leftover meat on Mondays. But, leftover roast pork, as long as it was in date when you cooked it and has been kept covered in the fridge is usually ok for up to 2 days.
So, if you wanted to make Leftover Roast Pork with Pasta on Tuesday, it should be fine.
However, when reheating leftovers, you should always trust your instincts. Even if it was in date, cooled quickly and stored safely, if it’s a funny colour, texture, or smells off, don’t eat it. I often refer to this guidance when it comes to storing and reheating food safely.
Can You Make Pulled Pork from Leftover Roast Pork?
You can make pulled pork from leftover roast pork.
Actually, it’s really easy. Once the pork has cooled, you can just tear strips off with your fingers going with the grain. It takes a while, but it’s super simple.
For this Easy Pork Pasta I actually just slice the cooked pork into thin strips using a sharp knife. You could also dice it, chop it into chunks, or if you prefer a Spicy Pulled Pork Pasta, you can use your fingers to pull it from the joint, like I do in my leftover pulled pork flatbread pizzas recipe.
What to do with Dry Leftover Roast Pork
Dry leftover roast pork might not be great for sandwiches, but it’s perfect for a Leftover Pork Pasta Sauce.
If your pork is very dry, shredding, pulling or thinly slicing will be better than chopping into larger chunks.
Cooking dry pork in a liquid, like this Spicy Pasta Sauce is a great way to soften it up and give it new life. Taste a bit of pork after 20 minutes and if it’s still fairly chewy, add some extra water or stock and simmer for longer to let it soak up more of the sauce.
Making Leftover Roast Pork Pasta
This Leftover Pork Tenderloin Pasta (or any other cut) is sooo easy, very much like my spicy sausage pasta.
You just fry up some onions, garlic, and peppers, add your strips of pork and then simmer in a simple spicy sauce until the pork is piping hot and the veg is soft.
If your Pork Pasta Sauce is too watery, you can simmer for a little longer to thicken it up.
Is Leftover Roast Pork Pasta Spicy?
I make my Pork Pasta Tomato Sauce fairly spicy, but Robyn is only 5 and she enjoys it, so I don’t think it’s too spicy.
I use a chilli puree like a Very Lazy Chilli (affiliate link) because it’s easy to keep in. You could add a diced fresh chilli instead, or chilli powder and chilli flakes.
What Spices Should You Use with Pork?
I add around 1tsp of chilli puree and 2 tsp of smoked paprika for spice. You could use less for a milder flavour or add more. You could also add 1tsp of Cayenne pepper, or (and?) a pinch of chilli flakes if you want your Spicy Pork Ragu to be even hotter.
I always think smoked paprika works with pretty much everything. I add a touch of cumin to my Spicy Pork Pasta Recipe too, for extra flavour.
More Ways to Use up Leftover Roast Pork
If you like this Leftover Roast Pork and Pasta you might also want to take a look at:
And for other leftovers:
Leftover Roast Pork Pasta
Ingredients
- Cooking Spray or Oil
- 400 g Leftover Roast Pork (Sliced into thin strips or pulled/shredded)
- 1 Red Onion (Finely Diced)
- 3 Cloves Garlic (Crushed)
- 1 teaspoon Red Chilli Paste (or swap for 1 finely diced red chilli)
- 2 Bell Peppers (Diced)
- 400 g tin Chopped Tomatoes
- 300 ml Chicken Stock
- 2 teaspoon Smoked Paprika
- 1 teaspoon Cumin
- Pinch Salt and pepper
- Pasta to serve (Cooked to packet instructions)
Instructions
- Mist a large frying pan with cooking spray, or heat 1 tablespoon of oil.
- Add the onions and garlic and fry for 5 minutes until soft.
- Stir in the peppers and pork and mix well.
- Add the chilli paste and stir in until well distributed.
- Pour in the stock and tinned tomatoes.
- Add the paprika, cumin, and a pinch of salt and pepper.
- Simmer for 20 minutes, stirring often until the sauce has thickened.
- Serve straight from the pan with pasta of choice.
Notes
- I use Very Lazy Chilli, or similar (affiliate link).
- Add more chilli or a pinch of chilli flakes for a spicier pasta sauce.
- I use red, orange, or yellow peppers. Use what you’ve got, or what you like.
- I use Rigatoni for this spicy pork pasta, but use your favourite.
- Simmer for a little longer if the sauce is still watery.
- Nutritional information does not include pasta.
Nutrition
Any nutritional information is given as a general guide only and may not be accurate. The information is provided using an online calculator and is specific to my ingredients. Please make your own calculations if you want precise information.
We decided to have this recipe with rice instead of pasta, with the smoked paprika , it tasted like a good goulash , great taste 😋😋😋
Thanks Graham! I’m glad you enjoyed it.