Some of my favorite recipes have been created purely out of necessity. I’m hungry. I wanna eat. What can I make with what I’ve got? It’s always those unintentional meals that seem to surprise me the most. And this vegetarian green pozole is a prime example of that. It tastes like it’s been simmering all day, but only takes about 40 minutes from start to finish. The majority of the ingredients are all pantry items, so it’s just a matter of sautéing some onions and then opening a bunch of cans of beans, chiles and hominy.
I love a soup like this that can be made and then left on the stove to simmer and stay warm. It’ll be ready to eat when you are. The exciting bit, at least for me, is the toppings. You can top this up with whatever you like, really make it your own. I’m a big fan of lots of shredded iceberg, plenty of cilantro, sour cream and tons of chips. Tostadas would probably have been my preference here, but a big bag of crunchy tortilla chips works just fine.
Like I said, this is a vegetarian pozole. I used some jarred roasted chicken base for the stock, but your could certainly use some vegetable stock and make a vegan version. It’s a pretty flexible recipe so customize it however you see fit. Ok, now onto the recipe below…
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I’m hungry. I wanna eat. What can I make with what I’ve got? It’s always those unintentional meals that seem to surprise me the most.
Green Pozole
Ingredients
The Pozole
- 1/4 C olive oil
- 3 shallots sliced
- 1/2 C cilantro stems chopped
- 1/2 tsp dried oregano
- 1 can chic peas drained and rinsed
- 50 oz hominy 1/2 a large can, drained and rinsed, freeze the rest
- 2 potatoes peeled and 1/2" dice
- 4 oz diced green chiles
- 20 oz pureed green chiles or large can of green enchilada sauce
- 2 tbsp chicken stock base adjust as needed
- 8 C water
Toppings
- queso fresco crumbled
- sour cream
- cilantro leaves
- limes in wedges
- iceberg lettuce finely shredded
- tostadas or tortilla chips
Instructions
- In a large pot over medium heat add the olive oil and your shallots. Season with salt and sauté until translucent. About 5 - 7 minutes.
- Add in chopped cilantro stems and dried oregano. Cook for an additional minute.
- Next, add in chopped chiles, pureed chiles (or green enchilada sauce), hominy, potatoes, chic peas, water and stock base. Stir to combine. Bring to a simmer and cook for 20 minutes until potatoes and hominy are tender. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed.
- To serve, add soup to a large bowl and top with lots of shredded iceberg lettuce, fresh cilantro, a squeeze of lime, crumbled queso fresco and a generous bit of sour cream. A large handful of chips or a few tostadas added in right before eating is a must.
- Store any leftovers in a fridge for a day or two, or freeze the extras to have on hand later for a quick and easy meal.
