Savoury and cheesy on the inside, and golden brown and crispy on the outside, this pulled pork grilled cheese sandwich is the ultimate comfort food. This cheesy pork sandwich comes together quickly (and puts that yummy leftover pulled pork to good use).

Stack of three pulled pork grilled cheese sandwich halves.

I think I could pretty much have a sandwich for every single meal (especially if it involves melty cheese). You too?

Now that the weather is cooler, comfort food is definitely in order —well, isn’t that always the case?

Pulled pork is something I like to regularly make. On it’s own it’s great. But use it in recipes with other ingredients, like pulled pork rice bowls, pulled pork and beans and pulled pork quesadillas? So incredibly yummy!

That’s where this pulled pork grilled cheese comes into play. It’s such a great recipe to use leftover pulled pork. And paired with a big bowl of tomato basil soup? Talk about a wonderfully delicious combination.

How To Make a Pulled Pork Grilled Cheese

Here is an overview of how to make this pulled pork grilled cheese sandwich (full details are in the recipe card below):

Assemble the sandwich

Spread one side of each slice of bread with mayonnaise, then sprinkle over some black pepper, garlic powder and onion powder.
Generously top one of the slices with shredded mozzarella cheese.
Then layer on lots of pulled pork, sliced pickle and a good drizzle of your favourite barbecue sauce.
Top with more mozzarella cheese (because cheese … and yum).
Place the other slice of bread over top to form the sandwich.
Spread some mayonnaise over the outside of the top slice.

Collage of steps to assemble a cheesy pork sandwich.

Grill the sandwich

Heat a cast-iron skillet, then place the pork sandwich in there, mayonnaise side down. Cook until it’s golden brown and crispy on the bottom. Once it is (and before flipping), spread some mayonnaise over top.
Flip the sandwich, and continue to cook until the other side is golden brown and crispy and the cheese is nice and melty inside.

Collage of two sandwiches: before and after grilling in a skillet.

Mayonnaise for Grilled Cheese?

Most times when making grilled cheese I use butter (I adore the stuff). But butter is not the only option when making a grilled cheese … mayonnaise is a delicious alternative when you want to mix things up.

Mayonnaise adds richness and tang to your grilled cheese sandwich and helps the bread turn nicely golden brown and crispy.

I recommend using a full-fat mayonnaise over, say, a light or fat-free version. The fat and richness of the full-fat mayonnaise is where it’s at and will yield the best grilled cheese sandwich results, which is ultimately what you want.

And if you love both butter and mayonnaise, you can have the best of both worlds by using each. Use a little butter to spread over the inside of the sandwich bread, then use a little mayonnaise to spread over the outside.

If you aren’t a fan of mayonnaise, though, don’t sweat it! You can still make this pulled pork grilled cheese by using butter instead.

Hand holding one half of a pulled pork grilled cheese sandwich.

Mix Things Up

Add Some Spice: Instead of sliced pickles, for a little change, this pulled pork grilled cheese pairs great with pickled sliced jalapeno or banana peppers.
Cheese: I used a simple shredded mozzarella cheese, but you can use something else if you prefer. Just pick a good melting cheese. Other delicious options are fontina, Gruyere, Monterey Jack, or cheddar (a younger or mild version over, say, an aged cheddar because it melts better).
Bread: I used brioche, but sourdough, pumpernickel, white, or whole wheat bread are also great options.

What To Serve With It

For an extra substantial meal, try pairing this pulled pork grilled cheese sandwich with any of these delicious sides:

Potato chips (barbecue flavour would be a fun choice)
Pickles
Soup
French fries
Onion rings
Fried pickles

Two halves of a pulled pork grilled cheese sandwich on a plate with chips and pickle slices.

More Yummy Cheesy Sandwiches

If you make this pulled pork grilled cheese sandwich, be sure to leave a comment below!

Pulled Pork Grilled Cheese Sandwich

Dawn | Girl Heart Food

5 from 1 vote

Print Recipe Save Recipe

Prep Time 5

Cook Time 10

Total Time 15

Course Lunch, Main Course

Servings 1 sandwich

Ingredients

2 to 3 tablespoons mayonnaise, approximately (you want enough to cover both sides of each slice of bread)
2 slices sandwich bread, I love brioche but you can use your favourite sandwich bread
pinch freshly ground black pepper
pinch garlic powder
pinch onion powder
2 ounces shredded mozzarella cheese, about ½ cup (use a little more if you want your sandwich cheesier)
½ cup cooked pulled pork
6 to 8 slices dill pickle
1 tablespoon barbecue sauce

Instructions

To assemble the sandwich: Spread mayonnaise over one side of each slice of bread, then sprinkle over black pepper, garlic powder and onion powder. Top with ½ of the mozzarella cheese (¼ cup), then add pulled pork, pickle slices, drizzle of barbecue sauce and remaining mozzarella cheese (¼ cup). Top with the other slice of bread (with the mayonnaise side on the inside) to form the sandwich. Spread some mayonnaise over the top of the sandwich.
To grill the sandwich: Heat a cast-iron skillet over medium-low to medium heat. Place the sandwich in the skillet, mayonnaise side down, and cook for about 3 to 5 minutes. Spread remaining mayonnaise over top of the sandwich, then flip the sandwich and continue to cook for another 3 to 5 minutes or until it's golden brown and crispy on the outside and the inside is heated through and the cheese has melted.
Serve and enjoy!

A note on times provided: appliances vary, any prep and/or cook times provided are estimates only.

Keyword grilled cheese recipe, leftover pulled pork recipe

Tried this recipe?

If you do make this recipe, thank you!! It would mean so much if you could leave a comment below. Love to know how you enjoyed it, and it helps other readers too!