This Pork Pozole Verde is a rich and flavorful Mexican stew loaded with tender braised pork shoulder and hominy in a green chile broth. Pozole has always been one of my favorite comfort foods and this version is so, so good!
I love making this Mexican pork soup on Sundays because I have time to really let the pozole simmer. This isn’t a difficult recipe to make, but it does take some time. It’s a mostly hands-off recipe, making it easy to get on the table. It also freezes beautifully!
“This recipe was delicious. I made this for some friends and everyone praised it. I made it in batches because I didn’t have time the day of the dinner. I made the pork on Sunday and then roasted the vegetables on Monday and the put everything together the night of the dinner. It turned out perfect.” – Amy, So Much Food Reader
Table of contents
What Is Pozole?
Pozole is a meat and hominy stew, traditional to Mexican cooking. It’s typically made with pork and served with shredded cabbage or lettuce, onions, chile peppers, cilantro, radishes, avocado, and/or lime.
Pozole is a typical dish in various states such as Nayarit, Sinaloa, Michoacan, Guerrero, Zacatecas, Jalisco, and Morelos. It’s been around since the 16th century or so, and originated in Aztec culture as maize (corn) was a sacred plant and they created this dish to observe special occasions.
This pozole verde (meaning “green” in Spanish) is made with a green chile and cilantro broth. There’s also a red pozole where the broth is red due to the use of dried red chilies. I have a killer Pork Pozole Rojo (red) recipe if you’d like to try both!
Tools Needed
Ingredient Notes
You can find the full list of ingredients, quantities, and method in the recipe card at the end of the page.
- Pork shoulder. I love using bone-in pork shoulder because the bone adds tons of flavor to the broth.
- Onion. White onion is traditional both in the stew and for topping.
- Garlic. The more, the better!
- Poblano peppers. Poblano peppers add green color and flavor to the broth.
- Tomatillos. Tomatillos are traditional in many Mexican recipes and can be found in the produce section of most grocery stores. Note that tomatillos are NOT green tomatoes.
- Jalapeño. Roasting the jalapeños with the tomatillos and poblanos adds a bit of heat that the soup needs.
- Cilantro. Blending cilantro into the broth helps give it its signature green color and flavor.
- Chicken stock. Opt for homemade chicken stock or broth here if you can, it makes all the difference.
- Toppings. Pork pozole verde is all about the toppings! The traditional toppings include white onion, cilantro, finely shredded cabbage, sliced radishes, and lime wedges. I also add a bit of cotija cheese!
- Tortillas. It’s traditional to serve pozole with warm tortillas on the side for dipping. I’m partial to corn, but flour is great too.
How to Make Pozole Verde with Pork
- Sear the pork. I know it’s tempting to skip this step, but searing the pork adds tons of flavor to the green pozole. I love using my Dutch oven for this recipe because it can go from the stovetop to the oven and distributes heat evenly (i.e. there are no hot spots so my pork always develops an even crust all over when searing).
- Braise the pork at 350ºF. Add the onion, garlic, bay leaves, cumin, and chicken broth to the Dutch oven, place the lid on top, and braise for 3 hours. After cooking low and slow, the pork should be fall-apart tender.
Jenny’s Tip: Wait 30 minutes before shredding the pork. This not only lets it cool down somewhat, but it gives the meat time to soak up more of the flavorful braising liquid.
- Roast the peppers and tomatillos. I know, I know, why don’t we cook the peppers and tomatillos with the pork? Because the poblanos in particular taste grassier and more bitter when simmered vs roasted. Roasting the veggies enhances their flavor and adds so much richness to the pozole; if we braised them alongside the pork, your pozole verde would wind up tasting flat and blah. Trust me, I’ve tested this recipe both ways!
- Blend the veggies, then simmer it all together to finish. After roasting, the peppers and tomatillos are blended with the garlic and onion from the Dutch oven as well as the fresh cilantro. Return everything to the Dutch oven (shredded pork, blended veg, hominy, and pork bone) and simmer for 45 minutes to lock in all those flavors.
- Garnish and serve. The toppings add so much freshness and texture to an otherwise hearty, stick-to-your-ribs Mexican stew. Don’t skip them!
Make-Ahead and Freezing Tips
Making green pork pozole is actually very simple, but I know there are quite a few steps and various cooking methods involved in this one recipe. If you don’t have a lazy day at home this weekend when you can prep this stew, here’s what I recommend doing to break up the steps:
- 1 – 2 days before serving: Sear and braise the pork. Let it cool before putting the lid on the Dutch oven and refrigerating overnight.
- 1 day before serving: Chop and shred all of the fresh toppings. Store in separate airtight containers to preserve their texture.
- The day of serving: Roast and blend the veggies, then simmer altogether. You can shred the pork while the peppers and tomatillos roast. Then you’re ready to throw everything back into the Dutch oven and finish on the stovetop. In total, you’ll need to plan for about 10 minutes of hands-on prep on serving day.
Or, rather than prep this recipe in stages you can freeze it after assembling. Pozole freezes beautifully, and I love storing a stash in the freezer for a quick dinner option.
Once the stew has cooled to room temperature, transfer it to a freezer-safe Ziploc bag or an airtight container. You can store it in the freezer for up to 1 year. Defrost the pozole verde in the fridge overnight before reheating on the stove.
If you do give this recipe a try, be sure to let me know! Leave a comment with a star rating below. Be sure to subscribe to my weekly newsletter and never miss a new recipe! You can also snap a photo & tag @JENNYGOYCOCHEA on Instagram. I LOVE hearing about & seeing your SMF creations!
Other Mexican Soup Recipes to Try
- Green Chicken Enchilada Soup
- Chicken Pozole Rojo
- Sopa de Fideo (Mexican Noodle Soup)
- Spicy Black Bean Soup
- Albondigas Soup
This post contains affiliate links from which I receive a small commission at no additional cost to you. Affiliate links allow me to keep providing great recipes for free and I never recommend products that I don’t love and personally own.
Pork Pozole Verde Recipe
Ingredients
Pozole Verde
- 4 lbs. bone-in pork shoulder
- 4 tablespoons neutral oil, divided
- 1 white onion, chopped
- 6 garlic cloves
- 2 bay leaves
- 8 cups homemade chicken stock
- 2 teaspoons ground cumin
- 32 oz. can white hominy, drained
- 3 poblano peppers, stem and seeds removed and cut in half
- 6 large tomatillos, husks removed, rinsed, and cut in half
- 1 jalapeño, stem removed and cut in half
- 1 cup chopped cilantro leaves and stems, packed
- Kosher salt
- Freshly cracked black pepper
Toppings
- 4 radishes, thinly sliced
- 1 1/2 cups thinly shredded green cabbage
- 1/2 cup diced white onion
- 1/2 cup chopped cilantro
- Lime wedges
- Cotija cheese, crumbled
- Corn or flour tortillas, warmed
Instructions
- Preheat an oven to 350ºF.
- Sear the pork. Liberally season the pork shoulder all over with kosher salt and pepper. Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a large (5 qt) dutch oven over medium-high heat. Once the oil is very hot, sear the pork all over so that it’s deeply golden brown. Turn off the heat and add the onion, garlic, bay leaves, cumin, and chicken stock.
- Braise the pork. Cover the dutch oven with a lid and transfer to the oven for 3 hours, turning the pork 1-2 times. Once the pork is tender, remove the dutch oven from the oven and let the pork rest in the juices for 30 minutes.
- Roast the peppers and tomatillos. While the pork rests, crank the oven temperature up to 425ºF. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper and toss the poblanos, jalapeño, and tomatillos with the remaining 2 tablespoons of oil. Season with salt and pepper. Roast for 20 minutes, until the veggies are soft.
- Shred the pork. Remove the pork from the broth and shred with forks. Set aside and keep the bone.
- Blend the roasted veggies. Discard the bay leaves from the broth. Using a slotted spoon, scoop the onions and garlic from the broth into the carafe of a high-powered blender. Add 1 cup of the broth and all the roasted veggies from the tray, including their juices. Add the chopped cilantro and blend until smooth.
- Simmer to finish. Pour the green sauce in the dutch oven with the rest of the broth and add the shredded pork, pork bone, and hominy. Simmer for 45 minutes on medium-low heat and season to taste with salt and pepper.
- Garnish and serve. Serve topped with shredded cabbage, diced onion, cilantro, sliced radishes, cotija, and lime wedges. Enjoy with warmed tortillas on the side for dipping.
Slow Cooker Cooking Option
- Sear the pork. This is an optional step, but I don't recommend skipping it. Heat a couple of tablespoons of oil in a large skillet. Season the pork liberally with salt and pepper and sear the pork on all sides, until deeply brown.
- Add everything to the slow cooker. Add the pork, onion, garlic, chicken broth, and bay leaves to the slow cooker and cover. Set the slow cooker to high for 4 hours, or low for 8.
- Shred the pork. Once the pork is tender, remove the pork from the broth and shred with forks.
- Make the green sauce. Roast the veggies and puree them with some of the broth from the pork (make sure to grab all the onion and garlic from the broth) and cilantro and blend until smooth.
- Simmer. Return the pork to the broth and add the green sauce and hominy. Season with salt and pepper and turn the slow cooker to high. Cook for another 45 minutes and serve.
Notes
Nutrition
You might also like...
-
Soups & Stews Pork Pozole Rojo
-
One Pot Meals Louisiana-Style Red Beans and Rice Recipe
-
One Pot Meals Apple Cider Braised Pork Shoulder
Rate & Review This Recipe