VEGAN POZOLE (POSOLE VERDE)
Vegan Pozole Verde is made with pinto beans, hominy, tomatillos and jalapeno for a delicious and vibrant flavorful Mexican main dish perfect for a hearty and delicious lunch or dinner! Stovetop, Instant Pot or Slow Cooker!
Today we celebrate a Mexican inspired dish called Posole, or green pozole in this case!
Pozole, which means hominy, is filled with lots of umami flavor and is so simple, hearty and delicious. It’s a traditional Mexican comfort food that’s often served for special occasions, but is also a weekly staple for many.
When I ran across this recipe from William + Sonoma, I knew I had to create a vegan version using beans instead of chicken. It did not disappoint in the least and is an absolute cozy and delicious meal!
So when you’re looking for a healthy and satisfying meal, I think you’ll love this vegan Pozole Verde. It’s a no-fuss recipe that can be made on the stovetop, in an Instant Pot or slow cooker!
So without further ado, let’s make Pozole!
Ingredients You’ll Need
In this posole recipe, onion, garlic, peppers and herbs are sauteed and simmered with pinto beans, hominy and tomatillos, creating a delicious meal that’s between a soup and stew.
Here is everything you will need, plus ideas for substituting ingredients:
- pinto beans – or use your favorite such as chickpeas, cannellini, black beans or tri-blend
- hominy – for ease use canned, but 2 cups fresh cooked is great too
- tomatillos – fresh, bright, with a lemony flavor, tomatillos add texture and heartiness
- herbs – dried cumin and oregano add just the right amount of flavor
- aromatics – garlic and onion, if you don’t have fresh garlic sub with 1 tsp. garlic powder
- chili pepper – I used a jalapeno, feel free to use 1 small poblano or 1 small can of diced green chilies
- broth – I use 1/2 teaspoon of Better Than Bouillon Veg Paste (affiliate link) with water for my broth. It’s a great way to control what you’re adding and a jar lasts a long time.
How To Make Vegan Pozole Verde
(Note – The full printable recipe is at the bottom of this post and includes an Instant Pot and slow cooker method)
- In a large pot, saute the onion for 5 minutes.
- Add the garlic, jalapeno, oregano, cumin salt and pepper and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute.
- Add the pinto beans, hominy and tomatillos.
- Pour in the vegetable broth.
- Give a good stir, bring to boil, reduce heat and simmer for 20 – 30 minutes, add lime juice (shown below).
And now you’re ready to enjoy this simple, savory green posole!
Top Tips
- Pozole is between a soup and a stew, add more broth if you prefer it a little more soupier.
- This vegan pozole recipe is super easy to make on the stovetop, in an Instant Pot or slow cooker (see recipe card card below).
- Change up the pinto beans, using your favorite – chickpeas, cannellini, great northern, black beans, etc.
How To Store
- Refrigerator: Leftovers will keep for 5 – 6 days in the refrigerator, stored in a covered container.
- Freezer: This vegan pozole is freezer friendly and freezes well for up to 2 – 3 months. To freeze, let cool completely and store in freezer-safe containers, leaving 1/2 inch head space for expansion. You can also freeze larger portions in large ziplock bags (remove as much air as possible before zip locking). Let thaw before reheating.
- Reheat: Simply re-warm on the stovetop over low heat until warmed through. Alternatively, reheat in the microwave using 30 – 60 second intervals, stirring after each, until warm.
Serving suggestions
Posole is traditionally served with a variety of condiments and garnishes such as:
- sliced avocado
- radish slices
- squeeze of lime
- fresh oregano or cilantro leaves
- shredded lettuce or cabbage
- sliced chili peppers
- tortilla chips or warmed flour or corn tortillas
Or serve with a few sides or main dishes for a hearty meal:
- Sides: Serve with a side of Cilantro Lime Rice, Quick + Easy Refried Beans, or Instant Pot Black Beans.
- Tacos: Serve with these Vegan Black Bean Tacos, Grilled Baja Tofu Tacos, or Poblano Taco Sliders.
- Salad: Pair with a simple House Salad or Southwestern Salad + Hatch Chili Dressing.
- Sandwich: Make a soup and sandwich combo with this Avocado + Black Bean Tortas.
More Tex-Mex Recipes
- Tex-Mex Quinoa Vegetable Soup
- Quick + Easy Nacho Bowl
- Vegan Burrito Bowl
- See all vegan Tex-Mex recipes on TSV!
If you try this posole recipe or have a question, please let me know! Leave a comment and rate it below. I love to hear what you think, or any changes you make.
PrintVEGAN POZOLE (POSOLE VERDE)
Somewhere between a soup and stew, this Posole Verde is hearty, flavorful and full of textures! Quick and easy recipe, ready in about 35 minutes.
- Prep Time: 10 min
- Cook Time: 25 min
- Total Time: 35 minutes
- Yield: Serves 4 – 6 1x
- Category: Entree, Soup
- Method: simmer, instant pot, slow cooker
- Cuisine: Mexican, Tex-Mex
- Diet: Vegan
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil or 1/4 cup water
- 1 large onion, diced
- 1 large jalapeno, diced (leave a few seeds for heat if you like)
- 3 – 4 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 heaping teaspoon cumin
- 1 heaping teaspoon oregano
- 1 can (25 – 28 oz) hominy, drained and rinsed
- 2 cans (14 oz) pinto beans, drained and rinsed
- 6 medium tomatillos (about 1 lb.), husks removed, well rinsed and chopped
- 4 cups low-sodium vegetable broth, + more as needed
- 1 – 2 juicy limes
- mineral salt + pepper, to taste
To Serve, optional
- cilantro leaves
- sliced avocado
- sliced radish
- shredded cabbage or lettuce
- limes wedges
- tortilla chips or warmed flour or corn tortillas
- chili peppers
Instructions
Stovetop: In large pot, heat oil/water over medium, add onions and saute for 5 minutes. Add the garlic, jalapeno, cumin, oregano, salt and pepper, cook 1 minute more, or until fragrant. Add the pinto beans, tomatillos, hominy and vegetable broth, bring to a boil, cover askew, reduce heat to low and simmer for 20 – 30 minutes. Add lime juice and season to taste.
Instant Pot: Set the Instant Pot to SAUTE, heat the oil/water, add the onion and cook for 5 minutes. Add the garlic, jalapeno, cumin, oregano, salt and pepper, cook 1 minute more, or until fragrant. Add the pinto beans, tomatillos, hominy and vegetable broth. Cover with lid and turn to the lock position. Set the valve to SEALED. Set Instant Pot to HIGH pressure and manually adjust the time to 20 minutes. Let naturally release for 10 minutes, and turn the valve to VENTING to release remaining steam. Add lime juice and season to taste.
Slow Cooker: In the bowl of a slow cooker, place all the ingredients and give a good stir. Cook on LOW for 6 – 8 hours or HIGH for 3 – 4. Add lime juice and season to taste.
Serves 4 – 6
Serve: Ladle soup into individual serving bowls. Garnish with cilantro, avocado (highly recommended) and radish, or any of the optional garnishes.
Store: Leftovers can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. For longer storage, keep in the freezer for up to 2 months.
Notes
Change up the pinto beans using your favorite – chickpeas, cannellini, great northern, black beans or tri-blend.
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We loved this soup. I made it on the stove top as written, it was perfect. Warm. Cozy. Flavorful. This is being added to the rotation! Thank you so much for a great recipe.
This was D-licious! I’m not vegan nor vegetarian but my friend is so I made this. I used heirloom dried pinto beans and dried hominy from Rancho Gordo which I think took the dish to the next level. I also used 9 tomatillos and slightly roasted them in the pan before throwing them into the instant pot. I will be sharing this one! Thank you!!!
That sounds delicious! Thanks so much for the inspiration, Lupita!
I never leave comments but this pozole recipe is sooo good. SO much flavor! We topped it with cilantro, avocado, fresh onions, and more oregano. The only change I made was omitting the pinto beans and substituting tilapia. It turned out so well, my boyfriend started clapping haha.
Not to mention so fast and easy to whip up and clean since it is a one pot dish. Yay!!
So tasty! I added hatch green chili and nopales. Topped with shredded cabbage, sliced radish, chopped cilantro and squeeze of lime.
Love your additions! Thanks so much for sharing, Kathleen!
Thanks for coming up with this amazing recipe. I have always loved pozole but hubby went vegan, so I kinda did too. Can’t give up cheese!
Anyway, this was so tasty. I made a few tweaks because I was working with what I had. Swapped the jalapeño for a poblano….. great northern beans for the pinto beans. Toppings of avocado, cabbage and a squeeze of lime. Perfect!!
Thanks for sharing, Monica! Love your swaps and toppings, sounds delicious! Cheers :)
Just made this tonight in the slow cooker. It is delicious. My husband raved.
Thank you for sharing, Barbara! So glad it was a hit! Cheers :)
I LOVE this recipe! Posole has always been one of my most favorite soups as a non-vegetarian (I used chicken). Once vegetarian, I was bummed because I couldn’t make it anymore….alas pinto beans! I hadn’t thought of pinto beans and they work perfectly! Thank you!!!!
I was feeling lazy and didn’t want to mess with the jalapeño and tomatillos. Instead, I used a generous portion of hatch valley 505 green chile sauce and tasted amazing. Toppings I used were green cabbage, green onion, radish, cilantro and fresh lime juice. So good!
This recipe is incorrectly listed under nightshade-free recipes. Tomatillos are in the nightshade family.
Thanks for bringing that to my attention, I must have inadvertently marked it. I’ve updated it so it’s not included. :)
This recipe is fire!!! I have made it twice adding avocado and crumbled tortilla chips and it just gets better when it sits in the fridge. Highly recommend!
Delicious! I used 1 can black beans, 1 can garbonzo beans. I’m going to make it again tomorrow for lunch during the week. Great recipe. Thank you :)