The title compound, [Zn(C50H26N8)(C5H5N)]·C6H5NO2·C3H7NO, is a nitrobenzene clathrate of a five-coordinate zinc–pyridine–porphyrin complex with different substituents at the meso positions of the metalloporphyrin core. The complex adopts a domed conformation with the central zinc ion deviating from the plane of the macrocyclic ring towards the apical pyridine ligand. The crystal packing is characterized by a layered arrangement of the porphyrin molecules with dipole–dipole interactions and weak hydrogen bonding contributing to the stabilization of the crystal structure. While the nitrobenzene solvent is well localized within the open porphyrin layers, molecules of the dimethylformamide are severely disordered in elongated interlayer channel voids