The Very Best Pozole Verde

Name: The Very Best Pozole Verde
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 135 min
Total time: 165 min
Yield: 8 servings
Cuisine: MEXICAN
Ingredients: 3 lb. (1.5 kg) boneless pork shoulder, cut into 4-inch (10-cm) chunks; 2 tsp. kosher salt; 1/2 tsp. ground cumin; 1/2 tsp. freshly ground pepper; 2 Tbs. extra-virgin olive oil; 1/2 medium yellow onion, roughly chopped (about 1/2 cup/2 oz./60 g); 6 garlic cloves, minced (about 2 Tbs.); 6 bay leaves; 6 cups (48 fl. oz./1.5 l) chicken broth; 6 tomatillos, husked; 3 large poblano peppers; 2 small jalape&#241;os; 1 large green bell pepper, quartered; 1/2 medium yellow onion, quartered; 8 garlic cloves, peeled but whole; 2 Tbs. extra-virgin olive oil; 1 1/8 tsp. kosher salt; 3 cups (3 oz./90 g) fresh cilantro leaves (from about 2 bunches, stemmed); 2 tsp. chicken bouillon powder; 1 tsp. dried Mexican oregano; 1 tsp. onion powder; 1 tsp. garlic powder; 2 cups (14 oz./440 g) drained canned hominy; Mexican sour cream (crema Mexicana); Sliced radishes; Shredded cabbage; Lime wedges for squeezing

Prep Time: 30 minutes

Cook Time: 135 minutes

Servings: 8

In her first cookbook, Everything’s Good, social media celebrity Toni Chapman features more than 100 cozy classics that celebrate her Puerto Rican, Caribbean and African American heritage. These are bold, soulful dishes that will leave people asking for seconds, like this flavor-packed pozole verde. Once you try the soup, you’ll understand why Toni calls it “the very best.”

Printer Friendly Version

Tweet
Pin It

Ingredients:

For the soup:

3 lb. (1.5 kg) boneless pork shoulder, cut into 4-inch (10-cm) chunks
2 tsp. kosher salt
1/2 tsp. ground cumin
1/2 tsp. freshly ground pepper
2 Tbs. extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 medium yellow onion, roughly chopped (about 1/2 cup/2 oz./60 g)
6 garlic cloves, minced (about 2 Tbs.)
6 bay leaves
6 cups (48 fl. oz./1.5 l) chicken broth

For the salsa verde:

6 tomatillos, husked
3 large poblano peppers
2 small jalapeños
1 large green bell pepper, quartered
1/2 medium yellow onion, quartered
8 garlic cloves, peeled but whole
2 Tbs. extra-virgin olive oil
1 1/8 tsp. kosher salt
3 cups (3 oz./90 g) fresh cilantro leaves (from about 2 bunches, stemmed)
2 tsp. chicken bouillon powder
1 tsp. dried Mexican oregano
1 tsp. onion powder
1 tsp. garlic powder

To finish:

2 cups (14 oz./440 g) drained canned hominy
Mexican sour cream (crema Mexicana)
Sliced radishes
Shredded cabbage
Lime wedges for squeezing

Directions:

To make the soup, season the pork all over with the salt, cumin and pepper. In a 5-quart (5-l) Dutch oven or other large pot over medium-high heat, heat the olive oil until hot and shimmering. Working in batches to avoid overcrowding (which would cause the pork to steam rather than brown), sear the pork until browned all over, 3 to 4 minutes per side. Transfer the pork to a plate.

Reduce the heat to medium-low, return all the pork back to the pot and add the onion, garlic and bay leaves. Pour in the chicken broth, cover and cook, stirring every 30 minutes, until the pork is tender and easily breaks apart, about 1 1/2 hours. While cooking, add additional water, 1 cup (8 fl. oz./250 ml) at a time, as needed while the broth reduces, making sure the meat is always submerged in the liquid. 

Meanwhile, make the salsa verde: Preheat an oven to 400°F (200°C). Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil. 

Place the tomatillos, poblanos, jalapeños, bell pepper, onion and garlic on the prepared baking sheet. Drizzle with the olive oil and sprinkle with 1/8 tsp. of the salt. Toss to coat. Roast until the vegetables are charred, 20 to 25 minutes. Allow the roasted vegetables to slightly cool, about 10 minutes.

In a blender, combine the cooled vegetables, cilantro, chicken bouillon powder, oregano, onion powder, garlic powder and remaining 1 tsp. salt. Scoop out 1/2 cup (4 fl. oz./125 ml) of the broth from the pork and add to the blender. Blend until smooth, cracking the lid away from you to let the steam escape.

To finish, once the meat is tender, remove it from the pot with tongs or a slotted spoon, shred it with two forks and return it to the pot. Pour in the salsa verde and add the hominy. Simmer for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally, to blend the flavors.

Spoon the pozole verde into bowls and top with Mexican sour cream, sliced radishes and shredded cabbage. Serve lime wedges on the side for squeezing. Serves 8.

Chef’s Kiss: If you really want to take this soup up a notch, serve with warm crunchy tortilla chips or tostadas. Adding a crunchy element takes the freshness and the brightness of the soup with the creaminess of cream to a whole new level. The balance of textures and flavors is amazing! 

Adapted from Everything’s Good by Toni Chapman (Clarkson Potter, 2025)