Instant Pot Parmesan-Crusted Carnitas Quesadillas

These Instant Pot Parmesan-Crusted Carnitas Quesadillas are made with tender carnitas, crispy parmesan on a soft tortilla and loads of gooey cheese.

This post is sponsored by Smithfield.

I have another amazingly simple Instant Pot recipe for you today! We got back from our spring break vacation in Virginia beach yesterday (had a great time!) and the last thing I felt like doing was cooking. Then I remembered I still had a Smithfield Boneless Pork Shoulder Seasoned Carnitas in the fridge.

Delicious 100% pork, already slow-marinated and perfectly seasoned? Ready to be slow-cooked or pressure-cooked with ZERO prep? YES!!

I chose to slow-cook my roast this time but I’ve also pressure-cooked it in my Instant Pot and both work wonderfully. I’ve included instructions for both, so choose whichever fits your evening plans best. Both methods turn out meat that just falls apart with a fork – no knife necessary.

Smithfield Marinated Fresh Pork is my go-to for a delicious, hassle-free dinner that’s ready in about 30 minutes or less. With the prep work already done for you, simply slow-cook, grill, roast, or sauté for a meal that’s perfect for any night of the week. I love that it’s available in an assortment of mouthwatering flavors, such as Roasted Garlic & Cracked Black Pepper, Slow Roasted Golden Rotisserie, Sweet Teriyaki, or Applewood Smoked Bacon.

You could eat the pork as-is once it’s finished cooking with a side of rice or mashed potatoes and a vegetable for a full meal. I chose to make quesadillas with it and they are DELICIOUS and so simple!

Once the pork is done, I remove it and discard the liquid from the pot. Then I sauté some sliced onion, poblano pepper and red bell pepper until just starting to soften. I layer the meat and pepper mixture with some shredded cheese between two tortillas covered in a little butter and grated parmesan.

It’s SO. GOOD!

Seriously, the next time you’re looking for an easy dinner, make sure you have a Smithfield pork roast on hand to make your life so much easier. I’ve even frozen them and they still cook beautifully in my Instant Pot (I’d add about 15 minutes more time on high pressure if using the same roast in this recipe for frozen).

And if you still need more recipe inspiration, be sure to check out the Smithfield website!

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Instant Pot Parmesan-Crusted Carnitas Quesadillas

Yield: 4

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 15 minutes

Pressure Cook: 25 minutes

Total Time: 50 minutes

These Instant Pot Parmesan-Crusted Carnitas Quesadillas are made with tender carnitas, crispy parmesan on a soft tortilla and loads of gooey cheese.

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Ingredients

• 1 2 lb Smithfield Boneless Pork Shoulder Seasoned Carnitas
• 1 cup chicken broth
• 1/2 large onion, sliced
• 1 poblano pepper, sliced
• 1/2 large red bell pepper, sliced
• 3 cups shredded mexican-blend cheese
• 8 6-inch flour tortillas
• 1/4 cup unsalted butter, very soft
• 1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese
• 1/2 cup cilantro, chopped

Instructions

1. Place the chicken broth and pork shoulder into your Instant Pot. Slow cook for the suggested time on package or set timer for high pressure, 25 minutes.
2. When pork is finished cooking, remove pork and place on cutting board. Shred with two forks. Discard liquid from pot.
3. Set Instant Pot on Saute and put peppers and onions into pot. Saute for 5-7 minutes or until starting to soften.
4. Preheat a large skillet over medium heat. 
5. Spread butter onto one side of each tortilla, then sprinkle with parmesan cheese. Place tortilla, parmesan side down, into skillet. Add some cheese, then pork, pepper mixture and a little cilantro to the tortilla. Top with another parmesan-coated tortilla.
6. Flip when bottom side is nicely browned and cook until the other side is also browned. Cut into four squares and serve immediately.

Notes

Toss a pre-marinated roast in your Instant Pot and use it to make the best quesadillas!

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• 
  Instant Pot Duo 7-in-1 Electric Pressure Cooker, Slow Cooker, Rice Cooker, Steamer, Sauté, Yogurt Maker, Warmer & Sterilize

Nutrition Information:

Yield: 4 Serving Size: 1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 1540Total Fat: 101gSaturated Fat: 45gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 47gCholesterol: 350mgSodium: 1465mgCarbohydrates: 62gFiber: 4gSugar: 3gProtein: 92g

This data was provided and calculated by Nutritionix.

Try these delicious south of the border recipes next!

• Queso Dip with Hatch Chiles
• Hot Mexican Corn Dip
• Cinco de Mayo Recipes
• Taco Recipes for Taco Night
• Mexican Dessert Recipes

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Kristy Bernardo

Kristy Bernardo is the recipe creator behind The Wicked Noodle. She's a five-time cookbook author, has taught cooking classes to both kids and adults, and has been creating recipes for nationwide brands since 2009. She learned most of her cooking skills from her mom and grandmother, then honed those skills at boot camp at the Culinary Institute of America.

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