Easy Ground Pork Chili Verde with Black Beans
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Ground pork chili verde is an easy and delicious recipe with a slightly spicy kick. The slightly spicy kick and the tangy fruity flavor from the tomatillos perfectly complement the smoky chipotle chili powder for a comforting bowl of chili that the entire family will love.
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This might be the best chili you have tasted. It’s sweet, spicy and savory. It’s perfect for game day, your next party, pot-luck, tailgating or serving your family. Serve it on its own, with your favorite toppings or over rice for a hearty meal that everyone will love!
Why you will love Ground pork chili verde
- Instead of using a pork shoulder, this recipe is made with ground pork that cooks quicker. It’s an easy and quick recipe!
- Unique flavor! This chili has a unique and delicious flavor that is unlike most chili recipes.
Here is what you will need
This is a brief summary of the ingredients needed to make Ground pork chili verde with black beans and a convenient shopping list from my Instacart affiliate link. For a printable recipe card with exact measurements and detailed instructions, scroll down to the recipe card section.
As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.
Ingredients
- Lean ground Pork
- Olive or avocado oil
- Onion
- Garlic
- Bell Pepper
- Jalapeno pepper
- Fresh chopped tomatillos
- Diced tomatoes
- Chipotle chili powder
- Ground cumin
- Black beans
- Fresh lime juice
🥄Equipment
- Dutch Oven or Large Pot
How to Make Pork Chili Verde
Prepare the ingredients: Roughly chop garlic, peppers, onions, tomatillos, and tomatoes.
STEP 1: Heat olive oil over medium-high heat in a Dutch oven or heavy pot. Add the pork once the oil is hot and cook for a few minutes until it is almost cooked. Add the bell peppers, chopped onion, and garlic. Cook for a few minutes longer.
STEP 2: Stir in the spices, tomatoes, tomatillos and jalapeno peppers.
STEP 3: Cover and simmer over low heat for at least 30 minutes. Stir in the beans and keep warm at low heat.
Ingredient Substitutions
Tomatillos – Even though tomatillos look like tomatoes, they don’t taste like them. They add a pleasant sweet flavor. If fresh tomatillos are not available, you can replace them with canned tomatillos.
Fresh tomatoes- Fresh is always best, but if fresh tomatoes are not available, they can be substituted with canned, low sodium diced tomatoes.
Ground pork – I use lean ground pork to make this ground pork chili recipe. You can also use cubes of pork tenderloin that are about an inch to 1 1/2 inches in size.
Ground turkey, ground beef or ground chicken can also be used to make this chili recipe.
Garlic – If fresh garlic cloves are not available, they can be with 1 teaspoon of garlic powder.
Black beans – I prefer black beans in most chili recipes, but any variety of beans will work in this recipe. You can use any combination of beans such as red kidney beans, white beans or pinto beans.
Bell peppers – I like to use a combination of bell peppers such as red bell pepper or yellow bell pepper, and green bell pepper. But you can use any color bell peppers that you like.
Serving Suggestions
There are so many ways to enjoy tomatillo pork chili. It tastes great served in a bowl with shredded cheddar cheese, red onion, green onions, and jalapeno peppers and crumbled tortilla chips garnished with lime wedges. Don’t forget to add a big salad on the side like this arugula salad with pistachios or kale caesar salad and cornbread.
How to store leftovers
Chili is the kind of food that tastes great as leftovers, so be sure to make extra! Store leftover chili in an airtight container for up to 4 days in the refrigerator. You can also freeze leftover ground pork chili for up to three months. Defrost the chili overnight in the refrigerator.
Re-heat leftover chili in a saucepan over medium heat or in the microwave.
Serve leftover chili as is, or use it to make nachos, tacos, burritos or quesadillas.
Recipe variations
Mild ground pork chili – For a milder flavor, use mild green peppers such as anaheim or poblano peppers in place of the jalapeno pepper.
Extra spicy – If you would rather an extra spicy version, substitute the jalapeno pepper with a habanero pepper or add a dash or two of your favorite hot sauce.
Sweet – Add a touch of natural sweetness to your chili by adding diced mango. The combination of sweet and tangy combines nicely with the heat from the peppers.
Tips
- If your chili is too hot, add an acidic liquid such as lemon juice or lime juice to cut some of the heat. You can also add a spoonful of sour cream or Greek yogurt.
- If time allows, let your chili simmer over low heat for more flavor.
Yes, you can adapt this recipe for a slow cooker. Brown the meat and cook the onions, garlic and bell peppers in a pan, then transfer it to a slow cooker along with the remaining ingredients. Cook on low heat for 6 to 8 hours.
Yes, ground pork chili is perfect for freezing to have on hand for a quick dinner. Let the chili cool and freeze it in an airtight container. Thaw it in the refrigerator overnight and reheat it on top of the stove or in the microwave.
Yes, you can adapt this recipe to vegetarian by substituting ground pork with a plant-based protein such as crumbled tofu or tempeh. Alternatively, you can leave the pork out, add one more can of beans, and add chopped vegetables such as zucchini and carrots.
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Tomatillo and Pork ChiliEquipment
Ingredients
- 1 pound lean ground pork – preferably pasture raised
- 1/2 tablespoon olive or [avocado oil]
- 1 medium onion – diced
- 2 cloves garlic – minced
- 1 bell pepper chopped
- 1 jalapeno pepper – chopped optional
- 3 cups chopped tomatillos about 3 to 4
- 1 1/2 cups chopped tomatoes 2 to 3
- 2 tablespoons chipotle chili powder
- 2 teaspoons ground cumin
- 3 cups [black beans]
- juice of a lime
Instructions
- Prepare: Chop the onions, garlic, bell pepper, jalapeno pepper, tomatillos and tomatoes and set them aside
- Heat the oil over medium-high heat. Once the oil is hot, add the ground pork. Reduce the heat to low heat and cook until the pork is almost cooked through.
- Add the ground pork and bell; continue to cook over medium heat until the pork is cooked through.
- Add the onions and garlic, cook for a few minutes and add 2 tablespoons chipotle chili powder, 1 jalapeno pepper – chopped, 3 cups chopped tomatillos, 1 1/2 cups chopped tomatoes
- Stir all of the ingredients together, cover, and simmer on low heat for at least 30 minutes.
- Remove the cover and stir in the beans simmer on low until beans are heated through.
- Just before serving, add the juice of one lime and sprinkle with fresh cilantro.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information provided is an estimate and can vary based on cooking methods and ingredients used
This was absolutely delicious and so easy to make!
Once you’ve added everything to the pan, you can leave it bubbling slowly on the stove and all the flavours just blend beautifully.
I made it with 300g frozen minced Quorn instead of pork which I added for the last 10 minutes and I’m afraid I wussed out with the chilli powder and used tsps rather than tbsps..
I’ve been a bit disappointed with tomatillos as a crop (growing in the UK) and an ingredient but this recipe has encouraged me to try again..