Switch up your soup game with this Mexican pork posole verde recipe, made with tender braised pork shoulder and hominy in a broth of tomatillos, poblanos, jalapeno and cilantro. It’s the perfect summer-to-fall transition recipe!

It’s soup season, arguably the best food season of all. Or perhaps I currently feel that way because it’s cold and rainy outside, and I can’t think of anything more comforting than a big bowl of soup?

Regardless, if you’re looking for a fun new soup to make, especially for that fall-to-winter transition, this pork posole verde recipe is a must make. Made with a bright, fresh base of smoky charred poblanos and tomatillos with jalapeno and cilantro, plus hearty hominy and tender shredded pork, it’s makes for one super satisfying dinner. Best of all? Tons of soup bling - aka the fun soup toppings that add flavor and texture.

What is Posole?

Posole is a traditional Mexican soup made of hominy and meat, usually pork. It can be traced back to a pre-Columbian origin, and is often consumed on special occasions. There are two main types, posole rojo, which is made with a broth of dried chiles and sometimes Mexican chocolate, and posole verde, which uses fresh green chiles, tomatillos and herbs. There’s also posole blanco, which is made with no chiles at all.

Ingredients for This Pork Posole Verde Recipe

Pork roast - To make this pork posole verde recipe, I suggest using pork shoulder, which has a good amount of fat to flavor the broth, and will get nice, tender and shreddable.
Cumin & coriander - Cumin and coriander are classic ingredients in Mexican cuisine. In this recipe, they are used to season the pork and flavor the broth.
Tomatillos - Tomatillos look like little green tomatoes in a husk, but are actually unrelated. While they taste similar to a green tomato, tomatillos are more acidic and firmer. Roasting or grilling them first, like you do in this posole verde recipe, helps mellow out the acidity.
Poblano chiles - A poblano is a type of chili that originates from Puebla, Mexico. It is pretty mild but has just a bit of heat. In this recipe, the chilies are charred along with the tomatillos and jalapenos to form a base for the soup.
Hominy - Hominy is dried corn that has been nixtamalized, a process of soaking them in a lye or lime solution, which removes the hulls and plumps up the kernels. It also helps increase the bioavailability of naicin, a B vitamin. If you can’t find hominy, I’ve used chickpeas in this recipe in a pinch, although it’s definitely not the same!

How to Make This Pork Posole Verde Recipe

This pork posole verde recipe starts by braising a pork shoulder seasoned with cumin and coriander in broth with onion and garlic. This takes a couple hours for the pork to get tender, where it can be easily shredded with a fork.

Next, while the pork shoulder rests, broil the tomatillos, jalapeno and poblanos until lightly charred. This helps mellow their flavor and adds a lovely smokiness.

Puree the charred vegetables with the onion and garlic scooped from the pork broth, cilantro, and some of the hominy. It’ll make the most beautifully colored bright green puree! Add this puree back to the pot with the pork broth, remaining hominy, and shredded pork, then simmer to let the flavors meld together.

Pork Posole Verde Toppings

As I’ve mentioned many times on this blog, I love topping soups with some bling! Posole is traditionally topped with shredded cabbage, diced avocado, radish, and served with lime wedges. Feel free to get creative with your favorite toppings. I like mine with all the aforementioned toppings as well as diced white onion, fresh cilantro, and crumbled cotija cheese. You could also top it with chicharrones, fried tortilla crisps, charred corn, or sour cream.

This pork posole verde recipe post was originally published December 2013 and has been updated to give you the best possible content.

If you enjoyed this pork posole verde recipe, follow my favorite Mexican recipes pinterest board for more cooking inspiration.

Pork Posole Verde Recipe

Serves 6ish

Ingredients

3 tablespoons neutral flavored oil, divided
2 lbs boneless pork roast, preferably pork shoulder
2 teaspoons cumin
2 teaspoons coriander
1 white onion, peeled and roughly chopped
4 garlic cloves, smashed and peeled
1 bay leaf
7 cups chicken broth, divided
1 lb tomatillos, husked
3 large poblano peppers, stemmed and seeded
2 jalapenos, stemmed, halved and seeded
1 bunch of cilantro, stems cut off about an inch or two from the leaves
2 14 ounce cans hominy, drained and rinsed
Optional toppings: crumbled cotija, diced avocado, shredded cabbage, lime wedges, diced white onion, chopped cilantro, sliced radish

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
In a large Dutch oven, heat 2 tablespoons oil over medium-high heat. While it's heating, season pork with cumin, coriander, salt and pepper, patting it in to the meat. Brown the pork in the oil on all sides.
Add the onion, garlic and bay leaf to the Dutch oven with the pork. Pour in 4 cups of broth. Cover and place in the oven to braise for 2 hours, turning the pork over halfway through cooking.
When the pork is done cooking, remove from the broth and set aside to cool. Discard the bay leaf. Skim the onions and garlic from the broth with a slotted spoon, place in a blender and set aside.
Increase the oven temp to broil. Toss the tomatillos, poblanos, and jalapenos with remaining tablespoon of oil and season with salt. Set under the broil and cook until the vegetables are tender and slightly charred. Add the charred vegetables to the blender with the onions and garlic. Add 1 cup of broth, cilantro, and 1 cup of hominy. Blend until pureed.
When pork is cool enough to handle, shred it into bite sized pieces using two forks. Add the pork back to it’s cooking broth along with the pureed vegetables, remaining hominy, and 2 cups of broth. Bring to a simmer and cook until warmed through, about 10 minutes total. Season with salt and black pepper to taste.
Serve posole topped with your favorite toppings.