This Vegetarian Pozole Verde is a quick way to get some comfort food in the house.
It's a hearty and satisfying dish, and it's a real treat to have a batch of Pozole simmering away in the kitchen...
Knowing that at any point you can just grab a bowl and eat it 🙂
How To Make Vegetarian Green Pozole
I used to get annoyed with all the fixings that were piled on top of Pozole, but slowly I'm starting to add a few back in and really enjoying them.
So keep in mind that you can serve your Pozole Verde like this:
And it will still be ultra-satisfying as the broth-hominy combo is dee-licious.
But some acidity on top brightens it up, and lately I go with cabbage tossed in lime juice. That's a good starting point for fixings, but you are welcome to load it up with your favorite garnishes.
However you serve it up, the base flavor in Pozole Verde is built using tomatillos and Poblanos so we'll start there. What are tomatillos?
Start by roasting the tomatillos and Poblano in the oven (400F) for a half hour or so.
This recipe will make enough for 3-4 servings, but you are welcome to double or triple it for larger groups.
When the tomatillos and Poblano are done roasting you can de-stem and de-seed the Poblano. You can also pull off any puffy bits of skin on the Poblano, but don't worry about getting rid of every last bit. Working with Poblano chiles.
Add these roasted goodies to a blender along with:
1/2 onion
1 jalapeno (or serrano)
2 garlic cloves
10-12 sprigs cilantro
Combine well.
Heat up a glug of oil in your soup pot over medium heat. Add the green sauce from the blender and give it a few minutes to cook.
As that cooks you can drain and rinse a single can of hominy.
Hominy is typically sold in bigger cans, so I'm using one of those (28 oz.). What the heck is hominy?
Add the rinsed hominy to your pot along with:
4 cups stock
1/2 teaspoon Mexican oregano
pinch of cumin (optional)
1/2 teaspoon salt
freshly cracked black pepper
Bring this up to a simmer and take a final taste for seasoning.
I added another generous pinch of salt to this batch, but keep in mind the salt level will depend on which stock you're using. I used this Better Vegetable Stock.
Let this simmer for 10-15 minutes as you gather the final garnishes.
I like to toss some thinly sliced cabbage in lime juice (and a pinch of salt).
For this batch I also tossed avocado slices in the lime mixture.
I also added thinly sliced serranos, freshly chopped cilantro, and lime wedges -- but again, all of these garnishes are optional.
And it was a delicious bowl full of comfort 🙂
It's also a real treat to find some leftover Pozole in the fridge the next day. If it seems like it has thickened up simply add a splash of stock or water, reheat gently on the stove, and enjoy round two of your awesome Vegetarian Green Pozole.
Enjoy!!
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Vegetarian Pozole Verde
Ingredients
- 1 can hominy (larger can, approx. 28 oz.)
- 4 cups stock
- 4-5 tomatillos
- 1 Poblano
- 1/2 onion
- 1 jalapeno (or less for a milder version)
- 2 garlic cloves
- 10-12 sprigs cilantro
- 1/2 teaspoon Mexican oregano
- pinch of cumin (optional)
- 1/2 teaspoon salt (plus more to taste)
- freshly cracked black pepper
For the garnish (optional):
- thinly sliced cabbage
- thinly sliced serrano (or jalapeno)
- avocado slices
- freshly chopped cilantro
- lime wedges
Instructions
- De-husk the tomatillos and give them a good rinse. I usually de-stem them as well. Add the tomatillos to a roasting pan along with the rinsed Poblano and roast it all in the oven (400F) for a half hour or so.
- Add the remaining green sauce ingredients to a blender: 1/2 peeled onion, 1 de-stemmed and rinsed jalapeno, 2 peeled garlic cloves, and 10-12 sprigs of rinsed cilantro. I usually just twist off and discard the bottom, thicker portions of the cilantro but use the upper stems that hold the leaves together. Note; you can start with just 1/2 jalapeno if you want a milder version.
- When the tomatillos and Poblano are done roasting you can remove them from the oven and let 'em cool for a bit. Then de-stem and de-seed the Poblano. You can also pull off and discard any puffy bits of skin from the Poblano, but don't worry about getting rid of every last bit.
- Add the tomatillos and Poblano to the blender -- the other green sauce ingredients should already be in the blender (step #2). Combine well. Heat up a glug of oil in your soup pot over medium heat. Add the mixture from the blender and cook for a few minutes over medium heat, stirring regularly.
- Drain and rinse a single can of hominy. Add the hominy to the green sauce along with the final ingredients: 4 cups stock, 1/2 teaspoon Mexican oregano, pinch of cumin (optional), 1/2 teaspoon salt, and some freshly cracked black pepper.
- Bring this mixture to a simmer and take a taste for seasoning. I added another generous pinch of salt at this point, but keep in mind the salt level will depend on which stock you're using. I used this Better Vegetable Stock. Let simmer for 10-15 minutes.
- As the Pozole simmers you can build the fixings. For this batch I tossed some thinly sliced cabbage and avocado in freshly squeezed lime juice (and a pinch of salt). I also chopped up some cilantro and sliced a serrano chile. Feel free to get creative with your garnishes.
- Once the Pozole Verde has been simmering for 10-15 minutes you can serve it up! Add hominy and broth to each bowl and top with your favorite garnishes. Enjoy!!
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge where it will keep for a few days. I usually reheat it on the stove over medium heat -- if it has thickened up simply add a splash of stock or water to thin it out.
Here's the latest recipe: Quick Avocado Soup with Quesadillas.
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Kari
Omg. This is amazing! Another great way to use all the fresh tomatillos from the garden.
Patrick
Oooh lucky you, so glad you tried this one out Kari! Cheers.
Linne Shields
I roasted all of the vegetables (tomatillos, poblanos, jalapeño, onion, and garlic) before I puréed them with the cilantro - it came out great! The only suggestion I would have is to simmer it longer so the hominy gets tender.
Patrick
Thanks for your suggestion Linne. Cheers.
Karla
We fried the tomatillos and poblanos to give it a bit more body! All in all, as someone who grew up eating white broth posole (from Colima, Mexico), this recipe helped recreate the same comfort!
Patrick
Thanks Karla!
Lee
Love love love that "glug of oil"! Always makes me smile 🙂
Patrick
🙂