Pork Pozole Verde is a hearty, flavorsome soup made with tender pork, hominy, and a vibrant Verde sauce! It’s a delicious bowl of comfort food that will warm you from the inside out! (You can use this recipe to make delicious chicken pozole verde as well. Simply use chicken instead of pork!) 

Want to try Pozole Rojo? Check out my easy Chicken Pozole Rojo Recipe next!

Pork Pozole Verde

Homemade Pozole Verde is incredibly easy to make! The secret is all in the quality ingredients you use and a bit of patience! It’s the perfect soup to start early in the day and let it heat up and fill your home with its mouthwatering aromas. 

Pork Pozole Verde Recipe by Good Food Baddie

This is one of my favorite soups to make during the fall and winter. It’s so hearty and delicious!! I’ve made it a Christmas tradition to make this soup at my annual holiday gathering. It is everyone’s favorite and is almost always devoured in minutes!  

My favorite part of pozole is adding all of the wonderful toppings that elevate the soup and make it completely irresistible! Pozole wouldn’t be complete without the array of toppings added that complement the rich, savory soup! Shredded cabbage, Mexican oregano, tortillas, lime, and cilantro is a must!

Bowl of Pork Pozole Verde with Toppings of avocado, jalapeno, lime, cabbage, and habanero

What is Pozole Verde?

Pozole Verde is a flavorful, Mexican stew filled with hominy, your choice of chicken or pork, and a Verde (green) chili broth. The broth is made first by boiling the meat in water, then shredding the meat. Then, the Verde sauce and hominy are added! Once the pozole is ready to serve, you pour a large portion into a bowl, add load it up with toppings! 

How Is Pozole Traditionally Served? (What toppings to add to pozole)

The toppings make the rich, savory Verde green pozole even more enjoyable! Traditionally pozole is served with cabbage, lime wedges, avocado, jalapenos, chiles, salsa, onions, radishes, tortilla chips, and cilantro! You cannot skip out on adding the toppings to your soup! 

Pork Or Chicken Pozole

Traditionally pozole is made with pork, but many people make it with chicken as well. You can easily use chicken instead of pork in this recipe. Follow the same instructions and your chicken pozole verde will turn out perfect!

Pan-sear and boil the chicken breast the same as you would the pork. The chicken will only need about 30-40 minutes to cook in the broth. Remove the chicken from the broth and shred it into bite sized pieces. Add the shredded chicken back into the broth, along with the verde sauce, and hominy. Simmer for 15 minutes and enjoy!

Pork Pozole Verde

This Pozole Recipe is super easy to make and generally requires only 30 minutes of actual hands-on cooking time! 

Most of the work in making pozole is having the patience to let it simmer slowly as the soup develops a deep, full flavor. You’ll start by pan-searing your protein, then boiling it in broth for 30 minutes to an hour. Then, you will blend a bit of the broth and fresh ingredients to make the Verde sauce. After simmering the Verde sauce in a small pot for about 15 minutes, you then add the Verde sauce and hominy to the meat and broth (making sure to remove any bones from the meat first). Let the mixture simmer for about 30-45 minutes. That’s it! 

Watch the video and check out the step-by-step instructions below!

How to Make Pozole Verde

  1. Season the pork (or chicken) generously with salt and pepper on all sides. In a large Enameled Cast Iron Dutch Oven over medium heat, pan sear the pork (or chicken) until they are browned on all sides, about 6 minutes. Work in batches.
  2. Add all the seared pork into the dutch oven. Then, add the water, broth, bay leaf, and chopped onion. Reduce the heat to low, cover, and cook for 1 1/2 hours or until the pork is tender and easily breaks apart with a fork. (iF using chicken, cook covered for 30-40 minutes)
  3. While the dish is simmering, prepare the verde sauce. Add the verde sauce ingredients to a blender and pulse until fully combined.
  4. In a separate saucepan over medium heat, add 1 tbsp of cooking oil. Then, add the verde sauce and let it simmer for 15 minutes or until it becomes a deeper green. Make sure to stir occassionally.
  5. Returning to the simmering meat, first, remove the excess fat that may have accumulated on the side of the pot. Then, remove any of the bones. Take the larger pieces of pork and shred it. (If using a large pork shoulder or chicken, shred all of it)
  6. Add the verde sauce and hominy to the dutch oven with the meat and broth. Stir to combine, then cover and reduce the heat to a simmer. Let the dish simmer for about 15 minutes.
  7. Serve the Pozole Verde with your favorite toppings and ENJOY!

Tips For Making The Best Pork Pozole Verde

  • Use a variety of pork pieces and use pieces with the bone in. Pork shoulder and pork leg work best. Leave the bone in while the pork is simmering in the broth. This helps to create a more flavorful broth. If the pork shoulder is too large, cut it into smaller pieces before cooking. Remember to remove the bones before adding the verde sauce. (This tip also goes for chicken; bone-in or boneless skinless chicken thighs and chicken breasts work best.)
  • Season the pork generously with salt and pepper before pan-searing. Make sure to season all sides of the pork. I like to season the pork and let it sit marinade for about 15 minutes before pan-searing.
  • Use a variety of green peppers. Poblano peppers and jalapenos are great! If you’d like your pozole spicier, use serrano chiles or even habanero peppers.
  • Don’t skimp on the toppings. Lime, shredded cabbage, avocado, and radishes are a must when serving traditional pozole. The toppings elevate the soup and give it a whole new flavor!
Bowl of Pork Pozole Verde with Toppings of avocado, jalapeno, lime, cabbage, and habanero

What is Hominy? Is Hominy Gluten-Free?

Hominy is dried corn kernels that have been soaked in a lime juice solution. Because it is essentially just corn, it is naturally gluten-free. When using canned hominy, be sure to rinse it thoroughly before using.

How To Make Pozole Verde In the Slow Cooker?

Want to make this Pork Posole Verde in the slow cooker? It is super easy!

  • Season and Pan-sear the pork.
  • Add the ingredients for the Verde sauce into a high-powered blender. Pulse until incorporated.
  • Add the pork, water, broth, bay leaf, onion, and Verde sauce to the slow cooker and cook on the low heat setting for 6 hours.
  • Stir in hominy and cook on low for an additional hour.
  • Season to your liking with salt, pepper, and a bit of dried oregano.
  • Serve with toppings and Enjoy!

How To Store Leftover Pozole

You can store the Pozole Verde in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days or in the freezer for up to 2 months. To thaw, place it in the refrigerator overnight. Store the toppings separately. 

The Best Way To Reheat Your Pozole Verde

Pozole Verde is even more flavorful the next day as the flavors have had ample time to fully infuse. The best way to reheat Pozole Verde is on the stovetop. Simply pour the pozole in a saucepan over medium heat and cook until warm.

2 bowls of Pork Pozole Verde with Toppings of avocado, jalapeno, lime, cabbage, and habanero

I Hope You Enjoy This Pork Pozole Verde Recipe!

If you try the recipe, don’t forget to rate the recipe and let me know what you think in the comments. Leave a quick review & star rating ★ below! Take pictures, tag #goodfoodbaddie, and share them with me on InstagramFacebook, and Pinterest! I love seeing my recipes come to life in your kitchen.

Easy Pork Pozole Verde Recipe

Pork Pozole Verde is a hearty, flavorsome soup made with tender pork, hominy, and a vibrant Verde sauce! It’s a delicious bowl of comfort food that will warm you from the inside out! (You can use this recipe to make delicious chicken pozole verde as well. Simply use chicken instead of pork!)
4.93 from 90 votes
Print Pin Rate
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Mexican
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 2 hours
Total Time: 2 hours 20 minutes
Servings: 10
Calories: 364kcal
Author: Capri Lilly

Ingredients

  • 2 lb Pork Shoulder, cut into smaller pieces (or a variety of pork pieces)
  • 1/2 White Onion, roughly chopped
  • 1 Bay Leaf
  • 6 cups Beef or Chicken Broth
  • 2 cups Water
  • Salt and Pepper
  • 2 {25 ounce] cans Mexican-style hominy, drained and rinsed

Verde Sauce

  • 1.25 cup Broth (Take broth from the simmering meat and broth)
  • 1.5 lbs Tomatillos, husked and rinsed
  • 3 Poblano Chiles, cut in half lengthwise, seeds and core removed
  • 3 Jalapeño Peppers, seeds removed
  • 2 Serrano Peppers, seeds removed (optional)
  • 7 Garlic Cloves
  • 2/3 cup Fresh Cilantro, packed tightly
  • 2 tbsp Dried Oregano Leaves
  • 1 tsp Chili Powder
  • 1/2 White Onion, roughly chopped

Toppings To Serve With the Pozole

  • 1/2 head of green cabbage, very thinly sliced
  • 3 Limes, cut into wedges
  • 2 Avocados, pit removed sliced
  • 8 Radishes, thinly sliced
  • Fresh Cilantro
  • Tortilla Chips

Instructions

  • Season the pork (or chicken) generously with salt and pepper on all sides. In a large Enameled Cast Iron Dutch Oven over medium heat, pan sear the pork (or chicken) until they are browned on all sides, about 6 minutes. Work in batches.
  • Add all the seared pork into the dutch oven. Then, add the water, broth, bay leaf, and chopped onion. Reduce the heat to a simmer, cover, and cook for 1 1/2 hours or until the pork is tender and easily breaks apart with a fork.
  • PREPARE THE VERDE SAUCE.
    While the dish is simmering, prepare the verde sauce. Add the ingredients for the sauce into a blender and pulse until fully combined. In a separate saucepan over medium heat, add 1 tbsp of cooking oil. Then, add the verde sauce and let it simmer for 15 minutes or until it becomes a deeper green. Make sure to stir occasionally.
  • Returning to the simmering meat, first, remove the excess fat that may have accumulated on the side of the pot. Then, remove any of the bones. Take the larger pieces of pork and shred them. (If using a large pork shoulder or chicken, shred all of it)
  • Add the green sauce and hominy to the dutch oven with the meat and broth. Stir to combine, then cover and reduce the heat to a simmer. Let the dish simmer for about 30 minutes.
  • Serve the Pozole Verde with your favorite toppings and ENJOY!

Notes

How To Make Pozole Verde In the Slow Cooker?

Want to make this Pork Posole Verde in the slow cooker? It is super easy!
  • Season and Pan-sear the pork.
  • Add the ingredients for the verde sauce into a high-powered blender. Pulse until incorporated.
  • Add the pork, water, broth, bay leaf, onion, and verde sauce to the slow cooker and cook on the low heat setting for 6 hours.
  • Stir in hominy and cook on low for an additional hour.
  • Season to your liking with salt, pepper, and a bit of dried oregano.
  • Serve with toppings and Enjoy!

How To Store Leftover Pozole

You can store the Pozole Verde in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days or in the freezer for up to 2 months. Make sure to store the toppings separately.

The Best Way To Reheat Your Pozole Verde

Pozole Verde is even more flavorful the next day as the flavors have had ample time to fully infuse. The best way to reheat Pozole Verde is on the stovetop. Simply pour the pozole in a saucepan over medium heat and cook until warm.

Nutrition

Calories: 364kcal
Nutrition Fatcs For Pork Pozole Verde Recipe Good Food Baddie. Calories 364. Total Fat 21.6g, Cholesterol 82mg, Sodium 740mg, Total Carbohydrate 15.7g, Protein 26.2g

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40 Comments

  1. 5 stars
    Pozole is a common dish here in Central Texas, but I’m often disappointed in the lack of flavor. Your recipe delivered beyond our expectations. This you for sharing.

  2. 5 stars
    What a delicious and flavorful soup! We decided to give this a try now that the weather is getting cooler, and it didn’t disappoint. We’ll be adding this into our dinner rotation!

  3. 5 stars
    I’ve had a pork shoulder in my freezer for a bit that wasn’t inspiring me until I stumbled upon this recipe. Just went out and got another one so I can make it again next week. So flavorful and delicious!

  4. 5 stars
    Your recipes always deliver and this was no different! The flavor was perfect, warming and I will do this again and again! Thank you for sharing!

    1. I am happy you gave my pozole recipe a try! It’s become a tradition in my home to make this at Christmas time! It’s my annual reminder of how good pozole is 🙂

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