BBQ Pork Alfredo Pasta Recipe

This flavorful dinner brings together tender BBQ pork, creamy herbed Alfredo pasta, and a simple veggie side—perfect for a well-rounded meal. My kids love it. It’s easy to adjust for dietary needs (including gluten-free by selecting the right pasta type). Each element complements the others and it doesn’t take too long to prepare.

Ingredients

For the Pork:

• 2-3 lbs pork (trimmed of fat and cut into bite-sized pieces)
• BBQ rub (your favorite blend)
• Black pepper to taste
• Accent seasoning (optional, but adds to the richness)
• 1/2 to 1 cup BBQ sauce
• Pork fat (or 2 tbsp cooking oil if fat is unavailable)
• Red wine (optional to add richness to the sauce)

For the Pasta:

• 12-16 oz gluten-free pasta (rotini, farfalle, fusilli, or shells)
• 2 tbsp butter or margarine
• 2 small zucchini (optional, sliced or diced)
• 1 bell pepper (optional, diced)
• 1 jar Alfredo sauce
• 1/4 cup milk
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tsp dried basil (or 1-2 tbsp fresh, chopped)
• 1 tsp dried oregano (or 1 tbsp fresh, chopped)
• Black pepper to taste

Optional Veggie Side (Pick One):

• Broccoli (steamed)
• Green beans (steamed and then sautéed in butter once soft)
• Brussels sprouts (sautéed in butter)
• Asparagus (sautéed or air fried with oil)
• Salt and black pepper to taste

Instructions

Prepare the Pork:

1. In a cast iron skillet, render trimmed pork fat over medium heat until it turns into liquid fat. If you don’t have a lot of fat to trim off, you can just use vegetable, olive, or canola oil for this step.
2. While fat renders, season bite-sized pork pieces with BBQ rub, black pepper, and Accent to taste.
3. Once oil is hot and fat is crispy, remove the crispy fat pieces and discard. Add pork pieces to hot oil.
4. Cook the pork, flipping once it begins to brown.
5. If excess liquid accumulates, drain it off (but reserve the liquid to mix with BBQ sauce later), then return the pork to the pan.
6. Continue cooking until the pork edges are well-browned and slightly crispy.
7. Add red wine first if you want to include it. Then, add BBQ sauce (and reserved juices, if desired) and lower the heat. Simmer on low and stir occasionally while you prepare the rest of the meal.

Cook the Pasta and Sauce:

1. Boil the gluten-free pasta according to package directions until al dente. Drain and set aside.
2. In the same pot, melt butter or margarine over medium heat.
3. Add zucchini and/or peppers. Season with salt and pepper. Sauté until they begin to soften.
4. Stir in minced garlic and cook until fragrant (about 1 minute).
5. Sprinkle in basil, oregano, and black pepper. Stir to coat the vegetables.
6. Pour in the Alfredo sauce and stir to combine.
7. Pour 1/4 cup milk into the empty Alfredo jar, shake to collect the remaining sauce, and add to the pot.
8. Simmer the sauce gently, then add the drained pasta back in. Stir until pasta is well coated.

Prepare the Veggie Side (Optional):

• Steam broccoli or green beans until just tender. Season with salt and pepper.
• Or, sauté Brussels sprouts in butter or asparagus in olive oil over medium heat until browned and tender. Season with salt and pepper.

Serve

Plate the creamy Alfredo pasta alongside a generous helping of BBQ pork and your veggie of choice. This meal balances rich, smoky, sweet, creamy, and salty flavors, making it perfect for weeknights or family dinners.

Best of all, it can be a very cost-effective meal—especially if select a pork cut and vegetable that is on sale (I try to find pork for under $2/lb)!

I’ve used all cuts of pork, including pork butt and pork loin—just ensure you take the time to trim the fat and cut it to bite sizes. Rendering the fat to liquid adds a richness to the meat that is totally worth your time! With a cast iron skillet, you can really get a hot pot to get the early sizzle and finish it out with the slow cook that softens the meat.