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Stuffed Pork Chops
Stuffed pork chops are bursting with a creamy spinach and cheese filling. This easy and flavorful dinner recipe can be ready in just 30 minutes.
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Juicy stuffed pork chops are a flavorful easy dinner that you can have on the table in just 30 minutes. This amazingly simple weeknight dinner is something your whole family will love.
MORE RECIPES: Honey Garlic Pork Chops | Pork Tenderloin | Smothered Pork Chops
Bursting with a creamy spinach and cheese filling, stuffed pork chops is a satisfying dinner that is easy enough for busy weeknights, but still impressive enough to serve for company. Comfort food that delights your tastebuds, stuffed pork chops will soon be one of your favorite ways to cook pork chops.
These tender and juicy pork chops would be delicious served with mashed potatoes, a green salad, or creamed corn. Made in just 30 minutes, this delicious stuffed pork chop recipe is a dinner that will satisfy your whole family.
Stuffed pork chops are filled with a delicious and creamy spinach and cheese combination, seared to lock in the moisture, and then baked along with juicy cherry tomatoes. Impressive looking, and full of flavor, these tender stuffed pork chops are a savory dinner you won’t want to wait to bite into.
Stuffed Pork Chops Ingredients
- Butter - salted butter
- Spinach - baby spinach leaves
- Garlic - cloves garlic minced
- Cheese - grated mozzarella cheese
- Cheese - blue cheese crumbled (optional)
- Thyme - fresh thyme sprigs
- Pork chops - boneless pork chops
- Pepper - black pepper
- Salt - coarse sea salt
- Paprika
- Oil - canola oil
- Tomatoes - cherry tomatoes
Melting and oozing, you can use a variety of cheeses in your stuffed pork chops. While blue cheese goes well with spinach and pork, it does have a specific taste, and you can add more or less according to personal preference. you could also try Provolone, Swiss, Monterey jack, cream cheese, or even fontina cheese
For a moist, juicy result, brown both sides of the pork chops and then finish it in the oven, making sure not to overcook the cook. The internal temperature of the pork should register 145°F, and the meat should be mostly white
A cast-iron skillet works great for this recipe. If you don’t have an oven-safe skillet, simply sear each stuffed chop on the stovetop in the skillet you have, then transfer them to a baking dish to put them in the oven. Make sure that if you transfer to a baking dish, you pour all of your pan drippings into the casserole dish before baking in the oven.
How to Make Stuffed Pork Chops
FIRST STEP: In a 12-inch skillet over medium heat, saute spinach and garlic in the butter for 1 to 2 minutes until spinach begins to wilt and the garlic is fragrant.
SECOND STEP: Remove the skillet from the heat and stir in cheese.
THIRD STEP: Slice a slit into the side of each pork chop to make a pocket. Do not slice the pork chops all the way through.
FOURTH STEP: Spoon ¼ of the spinach/cheese mixture into the pocket of each pork chop.
FIFTH STEP: Preheat the oven to 400°F.
SIXTH STEP: Sprinkle both sides of the pork chops with salt, pepper, and paprika.
SEVENTH STEP: Spread a thin layer of canola oil in the bottom of a clean skillet and place the pork chops into the pan. Heat the skillet over medium heat, browning the pork chops on both sides (about 2 minutes on each side). Try to keep the spinach/cheese mixture inside the pork chops while browning and turning.
EIGHTH STEP: Remove the skillet from the stovetop and sprinkle with fresh thyme leaves and cherry tomatoes.
NINTH STEP: Place the skillet in the oven. Bake for about 10 minutes or until the pork registers 145°F on a meat thermometer.
TENTH STEP: Remove from the oven and allow pork chops to rest for about 5 minutes before serving.
How do you keep the filling from falling out of the pork chops?
The filling should stay in the pork chops if you pack it in quite tight. However, if you’re worried about it falling out, you can use toothpicks to secure the opening. Toothpicks are perfectly safe to put in the oven to hold your pork chops together. An alternative is to use small sections of dried spaghetti to hold the chops closed.
What can I add to the filling?
Adding sundried tomatoes or red bell peppers to the spinach/cheese would both be great additions and allow you to sneak in even more veggies. Bacon makes anything more delicious, including these pork chops. Add cooked bacon to the filling before stuffing the pork chops.
How do you keep the pork tender and juicy?
A quick sear to each side of the pork chops will lock in additional moisture and produce tender pork chops in this delicious recipe.
How to Store Stuffed Pork Chops
IN THE FRIDGE: Store leftover stuffed pork chops in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. If there is any leftover filling, store it in the fridge as well. Leftover filling can also be used spread on a sandwich, crackers, or mixed into scrambled eggs.
IN THE FREEZER: Store leftovers in the freezer wrapped in aluminum foil and stored in a freezer bag for up to 1 month.
Stuffed Pork Chops
Stuffed pork chops are bursting with a creamy spinach and cheese filling. This easy and flavorful dinner recipe can be ready in just 30 minutes.
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes
Servings 4
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons salted butter
- 5 ounces baby spinach leaves about 4 cups
- 2 to 3 cloves garlic minced
- 1 cup mozzarella cheese grated
- 2 to 4 ounces blue cheese crumbled optional
- 2 to 3 sprigs fresh thyme plus more for topping
- 4 pork chops boneless about 1-inch thick each
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- ½ teaspoon coarse sea salt
- ½ teaspoon paprika
- 2 tablespoons canola oil
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes
Instructions
- In a 12-inch skillet over medium heat, saute spinach and garlic in the butter for 1 to 2 minutes until spinach begins to wilt and the garlic is fragrant.
- Remove the skillet from the heat and stir in cheese.
- Slice a slit into the side of each pork chop to make a pocket. Do not slice the pork chops all the way through.
- Spoon ¼ of the spinach/cheese mixture into the pocket of each pork chop.
- Preheat the oven to 400°F.
- Sprinkle both sides of the pork chops with salt, pepper, and paprika
- Spread a thin layer of canola oil in the bottom of a clean skillet and place the pork chops into the pan. Heat the skillet over medium heat, browning the pork chops on both sides (about 2 minutes on each side). Try to keep the spinach/cheese mixture inside the pork chops while browning and turning.
- Remove the skillet from the stovetop and sprinkle with fresh thyme leaves and cherry tomatoes.
- Place the skillet in the oven. Bake for about 10 minutes or until the pork registers 145°F on a meat thermometer.
- Remove from the oven and allow pork chops to rest for about 5 minutes before serving.
Nutrition
Calories: 130kcal | Carbohydrates: 4g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 13g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 6g | Trans Fat: 0.3g | Cholesterol: 15mg | Sodium: 368mg | Potassium: 294mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 3725IU | Vitamin C: 21mg | Calcium: 47mg | Iron: 1mg
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Comments
Robyn Smith says
Sounds like it will be easy and good, so I'm try!!!1
Hettie says
I made this recipe. 5 stars. Easy and delicious.
Kris Eshleman says
Made this recipe for dinner tonight, & it was freaking delicious. I used Gorgonzola, & added freshly cracked pepper to the cheesy spinach filling. The fresh cherry tomatoes really helped cut through the greasy cheese & added another layer of flavor to the dish. I had some leftover filling that I’ll be making stuffed shells with.
Thank you, our mouths & stomachs are incredibly happy!
Mae says
Quick, easy and delicious! These stuffed pork chops will be included in our list of favorite meals.