Easy Instant Pot Chile Verde
This Easy Instant Pot Chile Verde delivers all the rich, comforting flavors of traditional pork chile verde with a fraction of the work. There's no need to roast the peppers or sear the pork—simply add everything to the Instant Pot and let it do the heavy lifting. While it's delicious served right away, the flavors become even deeper and more complex after an overnight rest in the refrigerator.
Servings: 10 servings
Calories: 267kcal
Ingredients
- 1 Tbsp plus 1 teaspoon whole cumin seed
- 4 pounds boneless pork shoulder cut into 1 ½-inch chunks
- ¾ pound tomatillos (about 4 medium) husked and quartered
- ⅔ pound Poblano peppers (about 2) seeded and roughly chopped
- 6 ounces Anaheim peppers (about 2) seeded and roughly chopped
- 2 jalapeno or serrano chilles roughly chopped (leave the seeds for more heat)
- ½ yellow bell pepper roughly chopped
- ½ cup chopped green onions
- 1 medium white onion roughly chopped
- 7-8 medium cloves garlic peeled and smashed
- 1 tsp dried Mexican oregano
- 1 tsp Kosher salt
- 1-2 habanero peppers roughly chopped, optional
- ½ cup loosely packed fresh cilantro leaves and tender stems
- ½ Tbsp Asian fish sauce more to taste
Serve with:
- Flour or corn tortillas and lime wedges
- black or pinto beans
Instructions
- Toast the cumin seeds in a dry skillet over medium heat until fragrant, 2 to 3 minutes, stirring frequently. Let cool slightly, then grind with a spice grinder or mortar and pestle.1 Tbsp plus 1 teaspoon whole cumin seed
- Add the pork, tomatillos, poblano peppers, Anaheim peppers, jalapeños, bell pepper, green onions, onion, garlic, oregano, ground cumin, salt, and optional habanero peppers to the Instant Pot.Press Sauté and cook just until everything begins to sizzle, about 3 to 5 minutes.4 pounds boneless pork shoulder, ¾ pound tomatillos, ⅔ pound Poblano peppers, 6 ounces Anaheim peppers, 2 jalapeno or serrano chilles, ½ yellow bell pepper, ½ cup chopped green onions, 1 medium white onion, 7-8 medium cloves garlic, 1 tsp dried Mexican oregano, 1 tsp Kosher salt, 1-2 habanero peppers
- Lock the lid, set the valve to Sealing, and cook on High Pressure (Manual) for 28 minutes. Quick release the pressure.
- Transfer the pork to a bowl with tongs or a slotted spoon.Add the cilantro and fish sauce to the vegetables in the pot. Blend until smooth with an immersion blender or carefully transfer to a countertop blender. Taste and season with additional salt if needed.½ cup loosely packed fresh cilantro leaves and tender stems, ½ Tbsp Asian fish sauce
- Return the pork to the sauce and stir gently to combine. Serve immediately, or for the best flavor, refrigerate overnight and reheat before serving.
Notes
- Ground cumin: If using pre-ground cumin, toast it in a dry skillet over medium heat for about 30 seconds until fragrant before adding it to the recipe.
- Save prep time: Ask the butcher to cube the pork shoulder, or look for pre-cut pork shoulder labeled for stew or chile verde.
- Cut size matters: Larger pork pieces are easier to remove before blending the sauce. If you prefer smaller bites, simply chop or shred the pork after blending.
- Make ahead: This chile verde is delicious the day it's made, but the flavor becomes noticeably richer after resting overnight in the refrigerator.
Nutrition
Calories: 267kcal | Carbohydrates: 8g | Protein: 42g | Fat: 7g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Trans Fat: 0.03g | Cholesterol: 109mg | Sodium: 462mg | Potassium: 906mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 251IU | Vitamin C: 48mg | Calcium: 38mg | Iron: 3mg