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Loading...This bright, herbaceous take on pozole comes from the state of Guerrero, where cooks blend tomatillos, serrano chiles, and fresh herbs into a vivid green broth. Tender pork and chewy hominy soak up the tangy, lightly spicy flavors for a deeply satisfying one-pot meal. It's traditionally finished at the table with crisp shredded lettuce, diced onion, radishes, avocado, and a squeeze of lime.
Prep Time30 mins
Cook Time150 mins
Total Time180 mins
Servings8
Yield8 servings
Nutrition Facts
Per serving (estimated)
- 480 kcalCalories
- 18 gFat
- 5 gSaturated Fat
- 38 gCarbs
- 6 gFiber
- 5 gSugar
- 38 gProtein
- 720 mgSodium
- 980 mgPotassium
- 95 mgCalcium
- 4.5 mgIron
- 22 mgVitamin C
- 85 mcgVitamin A
Ingredients
For the pork and hominy
- 3 lb pork shoulder, cut into 1 1/2-inch chunks
- 2 lb fresh nixtamalized hominy, drained (or 1 lb dried pozolero corn, soaked overnight)
- 1 white onion, halved
- 6 garlic cloves, smashed
- 2 tbsp kosher salt
- 9 cups water
For the green salsa
- 1 1/2 lb tomatillos, husked and rinsed
- 4 to 6 serrano chiles, stemmed
- 1 small white onion, roughly chopped
- 4 garlic cloves
- 1 cup packed cilantro leaves and tender stems
- 4 sprigs fresh epazote (or 1 tsp dried)
- 1 tsp kosher salt
- 1 hoja santa leaf, optional
For serving
- 2 cups finely shredded iceberg lettuce
- 1 white onion, finely diced
- 8 radishes, thinly sliced
- 1 ripe avocado, diced
- 2 limes, cut into wedges
- Dried Mexican oregano and ground chile piquín, optional
Directions
- Combine pork, hominy, onion, garlic, salt, and water in a large heavy pot. Bring to a boil over high heat, skimming any foam that rises, then reduce to a gentle simmer. Cook, partially covered, until the hominy is tender and the pork is soft, 1 1/2 to 2 hours for fresh hominy or up to 2 1/2 hours for soaked dried corn.
- Meanwhile, prepare the salsa: place tomatillos and serranos on a hot comal or dry skillet over medium-high heat. Char on all sides until blackened in spots and softened, about 8 minutes.
- Transfer the charred tomatillos and serranos to a blender. Add the chopped onion, garlic, cilantro, epazote, hoja santa (if using), and salt. Pour in 1 cup of the warm pork broth and blend until very smooth.
- Strain the green salsa through a fine-mesh sieve directly into the pozole pot, pressing to extract all the liquid. Discard the fibrous solids. Stir to combine.
- Bring the pozole back to a simmer and cook, uncovered, for 25 to 30 minutes so the flavors meld and the broth turns a deep, grassy green. Taste and adjust salt.
- Ladle the pozole into deep bowls over a generous portion of pork and hominy, making sure each serving gets plenty of broth.
- Serve immediately, passing the lettuce, diced onion, radishes, avocado, and lime wedges at the table so everyone builds their own bowl. Offer oregano and chile piquín alongside for extra punch.
Cook’s Notes
- Fresh nixtamalized hominy cooks much faster than dried; if using dried, plan for an overnight soak and add at least 30 extra minutes of simmer time.
- Charring the tomatillos and serranos is essential, it adds the smoky depth that distinguishes Guerrero-style pozole verde from a raw blended salsa.
- If fresh epazote is unavailable, substitute with a small handful of fresh parsley plus a pinch of dried Mexican oregano for a similar herbal note.
- Pozole verde tastes even better the next day once the green flavors have steeped overnight; reheat gently and adjust seasoning before serving.
- For an even richer broth, swap 1 cup of the water for a light Mexican beer added in the last 30 minutes of cooking.
