Pozole verde base
A fresh green broth of tomatillos, pumpkin seeds, chilli and coriander for hominy, chicken or pork pozole verde.
Make this once, then cook it into 9 different dishes.
- Time55 min
- LevelMedium
- Costabout £3.34 a head
- Makesabout 2.2 litres of green pozole broth, enough for 2 pots of pozole for 4 to 6
Cost is worked out from Aldi and Tesco shelf prices in October 2026. Your shop and brands will differ.
Ingredients
Tick what you need to buy. It goes on your shopping list.
Method
- 1
Toast the pumpkin seeds in a dry wide pan over a medium heat for 4 to 5 minutes, stirring, until they swell, pop and smell nutty. Tip onto a plate to cool.
5 min - 2
Put the tomatillos, jalapenos, onion and garlic in a pan with water to half cover. Simmer for 8 to 10 minutes until the tomatillos turn dull olive and soft. Drain. If using tinned tomatillos, simmer only the chillies, onion and garlic.
10 min - 3
Blend the pumpkin seeds with 400 ml of the stock until very smooth. Add the drained tomatillo mixture, coriander, lettuce and oregano and blend again for 2 to 3 minutes until completely smooth.
- 4
Heat the oil in a large pot over a medium high heat. Pour in the puree (it will spit) and fry, stirring, for 6 minutes until thicker and darker.
6 min - 5
Add the remaining 1400 ml of stock and the salt. Bring to a gentle simmer and cook for 20 minutes, stirring often. Do not boil hard.
20 min - 6
Add the lime juice, taste and adjust the salt. The broth should be tangy, herby and savoury.
- 7
To make pozole, add cooked chicken or pork and drained hominy to the hot broth and simmer until the meat is tender. Cool any extra quickly.
About pozole verde base
Pozole verde base is the green broth for pozole verde, made from chicken stock blended with tomatillos, toasted pumpkin seeds, green chillies, coriander and lettuce. Pozole is a Mexican stew of hominy, and the green version is closely tied to the state of Guerrero.
The broth is bright, tangy and herby, with a gentle body from the ground pumpkin seeds and a clean heat from fresh green chillies. It is thicker than the red version, closer to a thin sauce than a clear soup.
Add cooked hominy and poached chicken or pork and simmer. Serve with shredded lettuce or cabbage, radishes, avocado, onion, lime and tostadas. Simmer the broth gently, since a hard boil can split the seeds and dull the green colour, and add the lime at the end.
Tips
- Toast the pumpkin seeds until they puff and pop but stay pale. Brown seeds turn the broth dull and slightly bitter.
- Use fresh tomatillos if you can find them. If not, two 400 g tins, drained, work well. Skip boiling them and just soften the chillies, onion and garlic.
- Blend the seeds with some of the stock first. They break down better in liquid and give a smoother broth.
- Keep the simmer gentle and add lime juice at the end. Boiling hard dulls the colour and flavour.
- Fresh or dried epazote, if you can get it, is the classic herb. Add a few leaves in the last 10 minutes.
- Pork shoulder takes about 1 hour 30 to 2 hours to turn tender in the broth, and chicken thighs about 25 minutes. Use a thermometer and cook meat until steaming hot throughout.
Storing and freezing
Cool quickly, within 1 to 2 hours, and keep covered in the fridge for up to 3 days. Freeze in 1 litre portions for up to 3 months. Reheat to a rolling boil and make sure it is steaming hot all the way through.
Dishes you can make with pozole verde base
Pozole Verde de Cerdo Estilo Guerrero (Guerrero Style Green Pork Pozole)
GFDFEFPozole Verde de Camaron (Green Prawn Pozole)
GFDFEFPozole Verde de Nopales y Calabacitas (Cactus and Courgette Pozole)
GFDFEFEnchiladas de Pipian Verde con Pollo (Green Pumpkin Seed Chicken Enchiladas)
NFEFHPChilaquiles Verdes con Huevo (Green Chilaquiles with Fried Egg)
GFNFCostillas de Cerdo en Salsa Verde (Pork Ribs in Green Sauce)
DFEFNFPescado en Salsa Verde (Fish in Green Sauce)
GFDFEFTamales Verdes de Cerdo (Pork Tamales in Green Sauce)
GFDFEFPollo en Salsa Verde con Papas (Chicken and Potatoes in Green Sauce)
DFEFNFQuestions
What is pozole verde?
Pozole verde is a Mexican hominy stew in a green broth of tomatillos, pumpkin seeds, green chillies and herbs. It is strongly associated with Guerrero and is served with radishes, lettuce, avocado, lime and tostadas.
How spicy is pozole verde?
Mild to medium with three jalapenos. Take the seeds out for a gentler broth, or use serranos for more fire. Serve extra chopped chilli on the side so each person sets the heat.
Can I use tinned tomatillos?
Yes. Use two 400 g tins, drained, and blend them without boiling. They are softer than fresh, so add a squeeze of lime at the end for the tang.
Is it dairy free and gluten free?
Yes, with gluten free chicken stock. The seeds, herbs, tomatillos and hominy are naturally free from gluten and dairy. Always check stock and topping labels if you cook for someone with an allergy.
Why did my green broth turn brown?
Over-toasted seeds, or boiling the broth hard for a long time, brown it. Toast gently, add the coriander and lettuce raw to the blender, and simmer the broth for no more than 20 minutes.
More base recipes
Double check before you cook. Recipes can contain mistakes. Any diet labels come from the ingredients as written in this recipe and are a guide, not a guarantee. Always check every ingredient and the packet label for allergens and cross contamination, and ask your doctor or dietitian what is right for you, especially with coeliac disease, diabetes or a serious allergy. This is not medical advice.