Slow-Simmered Pork Pozole with Fresh Salsa Verde

By Lauren Mitchell, Test Kitchen Director · Reviewed by AislePrompt Editorial · Published 2026-06-29 · Updated 2026-06-29

A hearty Mexican stew featuring tender pork shoulder slowly cooked in a rich hominy broth, served with a tangy and fresh salsa verde and crisp tortilla chips. This mexican-inspired pork ready in about 210 minutes blends cut into 2-inch cubes pork shoulder, dried hominy, medium, quartered yellow onion into a versatile sauce that lifts everything from grain bowls and roasted vegetables to grilled proteins — a small-batch staple worth keeping in the fridge. Each serving lands at about 430 calories and feeds 6, so a small batch covers several meals across the week without taking over the fridge. Tap "Plan a meal with the AI" below to drop this recipe into your week and send the ingredients straight to Instacart. Nutrition values are approximate, calculated from USDA FoodData Central (fdc.nal.usda.gov) — verify against ingredient labels for any health-driven dietary plan.

Ingredients

• 2 lbs, cut into 2-inch cubes pork shoulder
• 1 cup dried hominy
• 1 medium, quartered yellow onion
• 4 whole garlic cloves
• 3, stemmed and seeded dried guajillo chiles
• 2, stemmed and seeded dried ancho chiles
• 8 cups chicken broth
• 1 tsp cumin seeds
• 1 tsp dried Mexican oregano oregano
• 2 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp freshly ground pepper
• 2 tbsp, fresh lime juice
• 1/4 cup chopped, for garnish cilantro
• 1 small, finely chopped for garnish white onion
• 4, thinly sliced for garnish radishes
• 2 cups, fresh and crispy tortilla chips
• 6 medium, husked and rinsed tomatillos
• 1 small, stemmed jalapeño
• 2 cloves fresh garlic
• 1/2 tsp for salsa salt

Instructions

1. Step 1: Rinse 1 cup dried hominy and soak in water overnight or for at least 8 hours; drain before cooking.
2. Step 2: In a large pot, toast 1 tsp cumin seeds over medium heat for 1 minute until fragrant, then grind finely with a mortar and pestle or spice grinder.
3. Step 3: Bring 8 cups chicken broth to a boil in the pot. Add 2 lbs pork shoulder cubes, 1 medium quartered yellow onion, 4 whole garlic cloves, 2 tsp salt, 1/2 tsp ground pepper, and 1 tsp dried Mexican oregano. Simmer gently for 1.5 hours uncovered until pork is tender.
4. Step 4: Meanwhile, toast 3 dried guajillo and 2 dried ancho chiles in a dry skillet over medium heat for 1-2 minutes until fragrant but not burnt; soak in 1 cup hot water for 20 minutes.
5. Step 5: Puree soaked chiles with 1 cup soaking water until smooth; strain and add the chile sauce to the pot with pork and hominy. Stir well and simmer for another 45 minutes.
6. Step 6: To make salsa verde, boil 6 medium husked tomatillos and 1 small stemmed jalapeño in water for 10 minutes until softened. Drain and blend with 2 cloves fresh garlic, 1/2 tsp salt, 1/4 cup fresh cilantro, and 1 tbsp fresh lime juice until smooth.
7. Step 7: When stew is thickened and pork shreds easily, remove from heat and stir in 2 tbsp fresh lime juice.
8. Step 8: Serve pozole hot garnished with 1/4 cup chopped cilantro, 1 small finely chopped white onion, 4 thinly sliced radishes, a spoonful of salsa verde, and 2 cups fresh tortilla chips on the side for dipping.