I love all forms of pozole, but sometimes you don’t have enough time to slowly cook it. That’s where this 30-minute pork pozole saves the day!

As I’ve been mentioning lately in previous blogs, life has been pretty busy lately. So when I can find something to make my meal prepping a little easier, I’m totally here for it. Now I know everyone has certain staples that they buy when they visit certain stores… so I thought I’d start a series of how I use those said items. Starting with these Del Real Carnitas that I purchase every time I go to Costco. While I also have this recipe for my Slow Cooker Pork Carnitas, Del Real’s product is my favorite for when I don’t plan dinner ahead of time and need it on the table in a jiffy.

WATCH HOW TO MAKE THIS ON THE GRAM!

INGREDIENTS FOR CARNITAS PORK POZOLE:

Are you looking for a more traditional pozole (sometimes spelled posole)? Don’t worry, I’ve got you covered. I’ve got this Dutch Oven Pozole Verde with Chicken as well as this Dutch Oven Pozole Roja with Chicken. Both are fantastic… but when you’re in a rush, here’s everything you’ll need for today’s version.

FOR THE SHORT-CUT POZOLE VERDE SOUP:

Olive Oil
Yellow Onion
Poblano Pepper
Garlic Cloves
Ground Cumin
Diced Green Chilies
Green Enchilada Sauce
Chicken Stock
Yellow or White Hominy

MEAT & SUGGESTED GARNISHES:

Del Real Carnitas
Green Cabbage
Avocado or Guacamole
Radishes
Cojita Crumbled Cheese
Fresh Cilantro
Fresh or Pickled Jalapeños
Sour Cream or Greek Yogurt
Dried Oregano
Lime Wedges
Tostada Shells

Go ahead and adjust the suggested garnishes to your liking. While these are the items that I enjoy, you can certainly make this your own and use whatever you prefer. This is basically a Mexican hominy stew with tons of frills… so feel free to adjust to your personal preferences!

COMMON VARIATIONS AND QUESTIONS:

IS THIS SPICY? That’s the beauty with this recipe is the fact that that’s up to you! Want to slurp and clear your sinuses at the same time? Add more fresh jalapeños (go ahead and leave the seeds in) along with your favorite hot sauce. Need it to be more mild? Add more sour cream or Greek yogurt, then skip the extra peppers for garnish. The broth for the soup itself isn’t spicy.

WHAT DO YOU SERVE THIS WITH? We traditionally end up eating this on its own with the garnishes we love… but if you need a side dish or a larger crowd or heartier appetites, here’s some ideas!

A side of my Homemade Tortilla Chips with Restaurant-Style Salsa or Creamy Tomatillo Salsa.
Serve with a side of my Homemade Spanish Rice or pour a little into the pozole bowl!
Use a couple of these Avocado Stuffed Mexican Flautas for dippin’!

HOW DO YOU SAVE LEFTOVERS? So the secret is, I keep my crispy carnitas and pozole soup in separate containers and add to the carnitas to the reheated pozole soup individually. Keep both in airtight containers, refrigerated, and reheat the soup on the stove or in the microwave. Then add the carnitas at the end of the boiling/cooking process and enjoy!

MORE RECIPES YOU’LL ENJOY:

Slow Cooker Pork Carnitas Tacos

Authentic Homemade Spanish Rice

Cheesy Beef and Red Sauce Mexican Lasagna (aka Lazy Enchiladas)

Mexican Street Corn Casserole (kinda like a tamale pie!)

Creamy Tomatillo Salsa Verde with Avocado

Better Than Trader Joes Black Bean Dip

One Pan Mexican Rice Casserole with Ground Beef

Green and Red Enchiladas

Hatch Chili Mexican Street Corn Dip

Shredded Chicken Jalapeño Poppers Dip

VIEW ALL RECIPES BY CLICKING HERE!

Let's Cook Together Series: Costco + Carnitas Pork Pozole

I love all forms of pozole, but sometimes you don’t have enough time to slowly cook it. That’s where this 30-minute pork pozole saves the day!

SERVINGS

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 20

Total Time 30

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Ingredients

FOR THE SHORT-CUT POZOLE VERDE:

1 tbsp. Olive Oil
1 Yellow Onion, peeled and chopped
1 Poblano Pepper, cored and chopped
4 Garlic Cloves, minced
1 tsp. Ground Cumin
4 oz. Diced Green Chilies
10 oz. Green Enchilada Sauce
6 cups Chicken Bone Broth or Stock
28 oz. Yellow or White Hominy, drained and rinsed

CARNITAS & SUGGESTED GARNISHES:

20 oz. Del Real Carnitas, (1/2 package)
2 cups Shredded Green Cabbage
1 Avocado, pitted and sliced (or guacamole)
1 cup Sour Cream or Greek Yogurt, divided
2 Radishes, sliced thin
1/2 cup Cojita Cheese Crumbles
6 Cilantro Springs, or more to taste, chopped
1 Fresh Jalapeno, sliced thin
1 tbsp. Dried Oregano
1 Lime, cut into 8 wedges
Tortilla Chips or Tostada Shells, optional for serving

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 400F. Microwave the 1/2 portion of carnitas (which is already separated) according to the packaged directions and then carefully transfer to a baking sheet, shredding apart the meat into smaller chunks. Bake for 10 - 15 minutes, or until the meat is starting to caramelize and browning around the edges.
Meanwhile, drizzle the olive oil into a large stockpot over medium-high heat. Add the onion and poblano pepper and sauté for 5 - 10 minutes, or until the onion has softened.
Add garlic and continue to sauté until fragrant, about 1 - 2 minutes.
Next add the cumin, green chilies, enchilada sauce, and chicken bone broth or stock. Bring to a boil. Add hominy and then reduce to a medium-low simmer while you prep desired garnishes.
Transfer the pozole to bowls and top with crispy carnitas and whichever garnishes you enjoy most.

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NOTES ON THIS RECIPE:

Feel free to dress the carnitas with a little bit of taco seasoning after microwaving but before baking. Sometimes I do, sometimes I don’t… depends if I have any on hand. Not mandatory, but tasty.
While I didn’t list salt and pepper in the ingredients, go ahead and adjust as you feel necessary. Personally I never feel the need to add it, but taste and add a sprinkle or two if desired.
See up above within the blog post for storage directions. This will serve four good-sized portions, but if it’s just two of you then save half for the next day! I suggest using leftovers within 2 days.