Delicious, crispy Pulled Pork Wontons. We veer from traditional wonton soup and fill wrappers with leftover smoked pulled pork, barbecue sauce, cheese, and onions.
Some of the best meals start with leftovers.
Pork shoulder smoked to perfection—juicy, tender, and finely pulled—is already a winner. Turning those leftovers into Smoked Pulled Pork Wontons is an inspired next step. Whether you’re working with freshly made pork or leftovers from an event or weekend cook, these wontons make excellent use of extra meat.
Table of Contents
- Tips for Making Pulled Pork Wontons
- How to Make Pulled Pork Wontons
- Wine Pairing
- Leftover Pulled Pork Recipes
- Smoked Pulled Pork Wontons
Leftover smoked pulled pork is more common than you think. We often smoke pork butt for events with our catering company or for family weekends and end up with extra meat to freeze or reinvent. Pulled pork freezes well—reheat gently in a skillet and, if it seems dry, add a splash of apple cider vinegar or a little BBQ sauce to restore moisture.
Pro tip: freeze pulled pork in portioned containers so you can thaw exactly what you need.
One of our favorite leftover transformations is these wontons: crispy outside, flavorful inside, and perfect with a tangy dipping sauce.
Tips for Making Pulled Pork Wontons
After testing a few versions of this recipe, a few things stood out:
- Keep the filling moist. Mix pulled pork with BBQ sauce, diced green onions, and shredded cheese to add flavor and the right amount of moisture.
- Make a complementary dipping sauce. Instead of a traditional sweet chili dip, a creamy sauce with sour cream, horseradish or hot sauce, and BBQ flavors pairs beautifully with these wontons.
- They reheat well. If you don’t eat them all at once, reheat in the oven on a baking tray so they stay crisp rather than soggy.
How to Make Pulled Pork Wontons
- Prep the pulled pork: Use leftover smoked pulled pork or prepare smoked pork shoulder in advance.
- Make the filling: Combine pulled pork, diced green onions, shredded cheddar, and BBQ sauce in a bowl. Adjust the amount of sauce to reach a moist but not soggy consistency.
- Assemble wontons: Spoon about 1 teaspoon of filling into the center of a wonton wrapper. Lightly brush the edges with egg wash (1 beaten egg with a little water). Fold into a triangle, press out any air, then bring the two corners together and seal. Take care not to overfill to avoid tearing during frying.
- Fry until golden: Heat oil in a pan to medium-high (about 1–2 inches deep). Fry a few wontons at a time, turning occasionally, until golden and crispy, about 2–3 minutes. Drain briefly on a rack set over a baking sheet or paper towels to remove excess oil.
Kids can help with folding wrappers—results may be imperfect but fun, and they usually love eating what they helped make.
Wine Pairing
Traditional wontons often pair well with a slightly sweet Riesling because the sweetness and acidity balance spicy or sweet flavors. These pulled pork wontons, however, are BBQ-inspired: creamy dipping sauce meets smoky meat and fried wrappers.
Best pairings: A dry, fruity rosé or a sparkling wine (or sparkling rosé) complements the crispy texture and stands up to the sweet-tangy BBQ flavors. An ice-cold beer is also an excellent, classic match.
Leftover Pulled Pork Recipes
If you have more pulled pork to use, try other crowd-pleasing options like tacos, enchiladas, nachos, lettuce wraps, spring rolls, or a breakfast hash. Mixing leftover pork with your favorite BBQ sauce also makes a simple, satisfying sandwich.
*This recipe was originally published in August 2015 and updated with new photos. The recipe remains the same.*
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Smoked Pulled Pork Wontons
Ingredients
For the wontons
- 2 cups pulled pork
- ½ cup green onion, diced (mix of green and white parts)
- ½ cup shredded cheddar cheese
- 3 tablespoons BBQ sauce (or more depending on the moisture of the meat)
- 1 egg, beaten
- 36 wonton wrappers
- cooking oil for frying (canola, vegetable, or avocado oil)
For the dipping sauce
- ¼ cup sour cream
- 1 tablespoon creamy horseradish sauce
- 1–2 tablespoons BBQ sauce
- 1 teaspoon hot sauce
- 1 teaspoon fresh squeezed lemon juice
Instructions
For the Filling:
- In a large bowl, combine pulled pork, green onion, cheddar cheese, and BBQ sauce. Taste and adjust: add more BBQ sauce or a tablespoon of apple cider vinegar if it seems dry.
For the Egg Wash:
- Whisk the egg with a tablespoon of water.
To Assemble the Wontons:
- Place one wonton wrapper in your palm. Add 1 teaspoon of filling. Lightly brush edges with egg wash. Fold into a triangle, seal tightly, then bring the two opposite points together and seal. Repeat with remaining filling.
To Fry the Wontons:
- Add oil to a frying pan or wok up to two inches deep and heat to medium-high. Test with a single wonton—the oil should brown it quickly.
- Fry a few wontons at a time without crowding, turning occasionally, until golden brown (about 2–3 minutes). Drain on a rack over a baking sheet or on paper towels.
- Serve with the dipping sauce.
For the Wonton Dipping Sauce:
- Combine sour cream, horseradish, BBQ sauce, hot sauce, and lemon juice in a bowl. Taste and adjust—use less horseradish for milder heat or more BBQ sauce for sweeter flavor.
Nutrition
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Carbohydrates: 8 g
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Protein: 3 g
Nutrition information is an approximation.