Spanish Pork Chops Stuffed with Chorizo, Manchego, and Olives
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My Spanish pork chops have a pocket cut into each thick chop, filled with chorizo Ibérico, manchego, salty green olives, sweet roasted red peppers, and sun-dried tomatoes. They cook in one pan in 20 minutes, and the filling seasons the pork from the inside.
My Spanish pork chops carry their flavor on the inside. Each chop gets a pocket cut into it, filled with thin slices of chorizo Ibérico and manchego, then packed with a full cup of chopped green olives, roasted red peppers, sun-dried tomatoes, parsley, and garlic.
It’s a lot of filling for four chops, but I think that is what makes them work. The olives, peppers, and sun-dried tomatoes are all salty and oily, and as the chops cook, they release that seasoning into the meat around the pocket. A lean loin chop ends up seasoned from the inside, not just the surface, which is why these don’t need a sauce to finish them.
I make this recipe in one pan. Five minutes a side over medium heat to brown the chops, then the lid goes on, and the heat comes down until the center cooks through and the manchego melts into the filling. Use more toothpicks than you think you need, since the chops will be full right to the edge.
What to serve with Spanish pork chops
The chops come out salty and briny on their own, so I keep the rest of the plate simple. Smoky roasted potatoes with Spanish paprika are the easy call, since the stovetop is busy with the chops and the oven is sitting empty. Basmati rice does the same job with less attention.
For something green, garlic butter asparagus stands up to the filling without competing with it. A green salad with a sharp vinaigrette works just as well, since the acid cuts the richness of the chorizo and manchego.
Make ahead
To make these ahead, stuff the chops the night before, cover them, and keep them in the fridge until you are ready to cook. The filling holds up fine overnight. I wouldn’t cook them ahead and reheat them, since they are noticeably better fresh out of the pan.
If you are cooking for guests and would rather not stand at the stove, bake them instead. Put them into a small baking dish, drizzle with a bit of olive oil, and bake uncovered at 350°F for about 40 minutes, until the center reaches 145°F.
Spanish Pork Chops Stuffed with Chorizo, Manchego, and Olives
Ingredients
- 1 cup pitted green olives (chopped)
- ½ cup chopped roasted red peppers
- 2 tablespoons chopped sun-dried tomatoes
- 2 tablespoons minced parsley
- 1 clove garlic (finely minced)
- 1 teaspoon black pepper (divided)
- 4 boneless pork loin chops (minimum 1-inch thick)
- 2 ounces thinly sliced chorizo Ibérico
- 2 ounces sliced manchego cheese
- 2 teaspoons smoked paprika
- ½ teaspoon sea salt
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
Instructions
- In a medium-sized bowl, mix the olives, roasted red peppers, sundried tomatoes, parsley, garlic, and ½ teaspoon of black pepper.1 cup pitted green olives, ½ cup chopped roasted red peppers, 2 tablespoons chopped sun-dried tomatoes, 2 tablespoons minced parsley, 1 clove garlic
- Cut a pocket in each pork loin. Cut from the side that has no fat and stop your cut at the fat cap.4 boneless pork loin chops
- Stuff the pork first with the chorizo and manchego. Then divide the filling between the pork chops (they will be very full!) and use toothpicks to secure them so the stuffing doesn't fall out. Sprinkle the smoked paprika, sea salt, and remaining ½ teaspoon of pepper over the chops.2 ounces thinly sliced chorizo Ibérico, 2 teaspoons smoked paprika, ½ teaspoon sea salt, 2 ounces sliced manchego cheese
- Heat the olive oil in a large, non-stick or cast-iron frying pan over medium heat. Add the stuffed pork chops to the pan and let them cook for 5 minutes, or until nicely browned on one side. Carefully flip them and let them cook for another 5 minutes. Reduce the heat to medium-low, cover the pan, and cook for another 10 minutes, or until the middle of the stuffing registers 145 degrees on an instant-read meat thermometer. Let them rest in the pan off the heat for 5 minutes before removing the toothpicks and serving.2 tablespoons olive oil
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Nutrition
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Delicious! I like the savory flavor added to the pork chops. They were juicy too. I put mine in the oven. A keeper recipe.
So glad these were a hit! Juicy pork chops with that savory flavor coming through is exactly what you want, and the oven sounds like it treated them perfectly. Love that it’s a keeper. 😋
One of the best recipes I’ve made in a long time. Definitely on the short list.
I’m so happy to hear that, Melissa!
I’m not sure of the cheese in my area. Is there a substitute that would work?
Manchego is a fairly mild cheese so (for this recipe) I would substitute it with jack cheese or mozzarella. Both are more melty, but I don’t think that is a bad thing here.
Years ago we discovered the fool-proof way to make tender (never-dry) pork chops – it works beautifully for grilling, baking, or like these, pan-fried. Brine your pork chops in a big pyrex of very salty room temperature water for an hour before you cook them (just covering the meat). If it’s more than an hour, that’s ok, too. I would brine the chops whole and slice them open just before stuffing and cooking them. Brilliant!
Thanks so much for that tip, Rachel!!
Wow, this was such a flavorful dish. Followed the instructions and was rewarded with an incredible dinner. Restaurant quality. We had double cut bone in chops on hand.
After some careful surgery on the chops to remove the ribs and chine , I was concerned if I erred in doing so.
The chops came out moist, fantastic and so delicious. Big flavor, with minimum effort. Thank you for sharing this wonderful dish
I’m so happy to hear that the recipe as a hit!
look amazing! thank you diana
Thanks, Diana!
Hi Kristen,
I love your blog. I want to make this for my cooking club of 12 people and make it the day before. How do you suggest I heat this up so it does not dry out. Also what do you suggest as sides. Thank you. Jill
I wouldn’t suggest cooking and reheating it. I’ve done that for leftovers and it’s good, but it’s better fresh. You could stuff the chops the night before and keep them covered in the fridge. When you cook them, bake them at 350 for about 40 minutes rather than pan frying them. That way you’ll be hands free as your guests arrive!
If doing this, keeping overnight, then baking in the oven, would you also pan sear them or just bake? Going to try this way, so as to give to neighbors for gifts for them to cook at their home., a la meals to go!
I would suggest assembling them then letting your neighbours sear them before dinner. 🙂