Pork Pozole Verde 🍲 is a traditional Mexican soup made with tender pork, hominy, and a flavorful tomatillo-chile sauce. The result is a hearty, comforting dish with bright, fresh flavors and just the right amount of heat.
This is one of my family’s favorite recipes. The aroma of pozole simmering on the stove always brings back memories of childhood and special family meals. It’s perfect for a cozy dinner, holiday, or celebration.
Also try the red sauce version: Pozole Rojo.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe ❤️
- Full of flavor: Tender pork, hominy, tomatillos, and roasted poblanos make a delicious green broth.
- Great for a crowd: This recipe makes a generous pot for family dinners and celebrations.
- Easy to customize: Add your favorite toppings like cabbage, radishes, cilantro, onion, and lime.
- Flexible cooking options: Stovetop, Instant Pot, and slow cooker instructions are included.
-Maggie
🥘 Ingredients
To Cook the Pork
- Pork (ideally, a boneless pork shoulder for that tender pork goodness)
- Onion
- Garlic cloves
- Oregano (Mexican oregano if you can get your hands on it!)
- Salt
- Water (to cook the pork)
- Bay leaf
To Make the Sauce
- Tomatillos
- jalapenos
- onion
- garlic
- Cilantro
- Lime juice
- Water (to cover the tomatillos)
- Salt
- 2 roasted poblanos, stems and seeds removed
Also need
- White Hominy
- Toppings (see list below)
Instructions
🥣 Making the Green Sauce
- Place the fresh tomatillos, green chiles, onion, and garlic in a stock pot.
- Cover with water, enough to cover all the ingredients.
- Bring to a boil. About 5 minutes.
- Place all the components in a blender or food processor. Blend until smooth.
To make it spicier, use more jalapeños or add serrano peppers.
Here, we’re using 12 regular sized tomatillos, or use 10 large tomatillos.
✂️ Short Cut
Don’t have time to make homemade green sauce? Use store-bought salsa verde and blend with roasted poblano peppers. No one will know the difference!
Cooking the Pork
- Grab your large pot—a Dutch oven would work wonders—and combine your pork, onion, garlic cloves, bay leaf, and spices – oregano and salt.
- Cover in water and simmer on medium heat in the stock pot for about 90 minutes.
Instant Pot Instructions
- To cook the pork in the Instant Pot – Just add the pork ingredients to the pot and cover to the max level. Cover with the lid and cook on HIGH for 1 hour
- Release pressure and continue with the recipe.
Slow Cooker Instructions
- Add the pork ingredients in the slow cooker. Cover with water. Cook on low for 6 hours.
- Make the sauce. Add to the pot along with the hominy. Press the high button and cook for 1 more hour.
Remove any impurities that may have cooked from the pork with a slotted spoon.
You might need to get a paper towel and carefully (the pot is hot!) rub around the inside of the pot to remove the scum.
Assembling the Stew
- Discard the onion, garlic, and bay leaf from your simmered pork.
- Add the green tomatillo sauce and hominy. Stir to combine.
- Cook for an additional 10 minutes.
👩🏼🍳 Pro Tips
- Simmering is essential—it consolidates the rich broth and brings out an intricate depth of flavors.
- Use the biggest pot you own. This recipe can feed a crowd.
- Depending on the cut, pork can be fatty. Trim some of the fat off when you are dicing the meat into small pieces. Don’t worry. There will still be plenty of fat to give good flavor.
🙋🏻♀️ Frequently Asked Questions
Pozole verde is a Mexican soup made with pork, hominy, and a flavorful green sauce made with tomatillos and green chiles.
Pork shoulder or pork butt work best because they become tender and flavorful when simmered.
The heat level depends on the jalapeños. You can easily adjust the spice by using fewer or more jalapeños.
Popular toppings include cabbage, radishes, cilantro, diced onion, jalapeño slices, and fresh lime juice.
🫙 Storing and Reheating
- Store any leftovers in an airtight container for up to 3 days in the refrigerator. To freeze, place the leftovers in a sealable, plastic bag and store for up to 4 months. Thaw and reheat.
- To reheat, place in a pot and heat over low-medium heat. Stir occasionally for 4-5 minutes. Or for 2-2 ½ minutes in the microwave.
Topping Ideas
- lime wedges
- radishes
- fresh cilantro
- oregano
- shredded cabbage
- diced onion
- jalapeno slices
- avocado
The best way to enjoy this Green Pork Pozole is with your favorite toppings and tortillas. Use one or all – whatever combination your heart desires!
🍲 More Pozole Recipes
- Green Chicken Pozole
- Pozole Blanco
- Red Chicken Pozole
- Vegan Pozole
- Instant Pot Pozole Verde
- Shrimp Pozole
- Red Beef Pozole
- Bean Pozole
This Pork Pozole Verde is hearty, comforting, and made for sharing. Add your favorite toppings, warm up some tortillas, and bring everyone to the table for a delicious bowl of homemade Mexican pozole.
Pork Pozole Verde
Ingredients
To Cook The Pork:
To Make the Sauce:
- 12 tomatillos or 10 large tomatillos
- 2 jalapenos stems removed
- ½ onion
- 1 garlic clove
- ½ cilantro (bunch)
- 1 lime juice
- water enough to cover the tomatillos
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 roasted poblanos stems and seeds removed
Also Need:
- 1 can hominy drain and rinsed
Optional Toppings:
- cilantro
- diced onion
- cabbage or lettuce
- radishes
- jalapeno slices
- lime wedges
Instructions
To Make the Sauce:
- Place the tomatillos, jalapenos, onion, and garlic in a stock pot.
- Cover with water, enough to cover all the ingredients.
- Bring to a boil. About 5 minutes.
- After it's cooled down slightly, place all the ingredients in a blender.
- Blend until smooth.
- Set aside until ready to use.
To Cook the Pork:
- Add the pork, onion, garlic cloves, oregano, salt, and bay leaf to a large stock pot.
- Cover with water and simmer on medium heat in the stock pot for about 90 minutes.
- Remove any impurities that may have cooked from the pork with a slotted spoon.
- Discard the onion, garlic, and bay leaf from your simmered pork pot.
Assembling the Pozole:
- Add the green tomatillo sauce and hominy to the pot.
- Stir to combine.
- Cook for and additional 10 minutes.
- Serve with your favorite toppings.
Video
Notes
- Cook the pork in the Instant Pot. Just add the pork ingredients to the pot and cover to the max level. Cover with the lid and press the stew button.
- Release pressure and continue with the recipe.
- Add the pork ingredients in the slow cooker. Cover with water. Cook on low for 6 hours.
- Make the sauce. Add to the pot along with the hominy. Press the high button and cook for 1 more hour.
One of the best soups of any culture that I’ve eaten.
I didn’t use a pig’s head, just pork stew meat.
Joe, you always surprise me. You are a great cook!
How much hominy? Ounces/cups Size can
For pozole, use a large can, 108 ounces for 3 lbs of pork. Or 3 cans of the 30 ounces can.
I have a question, when making the green sauce do you add all, some or none of the water?
I don’t use any water to make the sauce. I use water to boil the ingredients though.
Looks good, Maggie.
What size can of hominy did you use?
Thanks,
Joe
Hi Joe, good to hear from you. I used a 25 ounce can of hominy, drained and rinsed. My son said it needed more. Lol! So, if you like a lot of hominy, I’d say use two cans instead of one to make the pork pozole verde.
Thanks, Maggie.
Now, to track down a pig’s head…
Lol! Good luck!
This delicious recipe warmed us up on a chilly evening. It is going on my menu rotation for sure!
Perfect comfort food! So happy it warmed your evening.
I love how simple and easy to make this soup recipe, and the great sauce makes it more delicious!
Yes! That sauce does work wonders. So glad you found it delicious.