Comfort food, but make it fungi-forward.
As a gay couple, I suppose it’s no surprise that my husband and I bonded early on over a mutual love of mushrooms.
For me, though, that was nonnegotiable. There are certain taste differences a relationship can survive—like how I drench everything in hot sauce while he breaks into a hiccup fit at the mere scent of a jalapeño (that’s only slightly exaggerated).
But mushrooms? That’s sacred ground. I’m a certified mushroom freak, and luckily, so is he. It’s one of the reasons we work.
Together, we’ve spent over a decade experimenting with mushrooms. It started innocently with buttons and creminis, then expanded to shiitakes, oysters, enokis, maitakes—you name it. These days, our obsession has gone full tilt: we’re growing our own mushrooms, indoors and out.
A Magical Marriage of Mushrooms.
Naturally, we’ve developed a Bubba Gump-level repertoire of mushroom comfort foods. You’ve got your mushroom meatloaf and mushroom sloppy joes, then there’s sourdough lasagna with mushrooms, meatball subs with mushrooms, spaghetti and meatballs with mushrooms, and don’t forget the mushroom cheesesteaks!
Eventually, my husband Jonathan wanted in on the action. His first creation? Chile Verde with Pork and Mushrooms.
Chile verde is one of his nostalgic childhood favorites—and it’s also one of my go-to moves when I need to score some brownie points. Through plenty of taste tests, we figured out how to merge his chile verde know-how with my mushroom mania into one supremely satisfying pot of comfort.
Like the classic, this chile verde simmers hearty chunks of pork in a bright, tangy salsa verde until it’s fall-apart tender. But the twist is the cremini mushrooms, which bring a deep umami flavor and a meaty bite that perfectly complements the pork.
We’ve eaten it every which way—tucked into tacos and burritos, piled onto nachos, spooned over beans and rice (my personal favorite), or just straight from the pot with a fork. No regrets either way.
Because for us, mushrooms are more than just an ingredient—they’re an essential part of our fungi-fueled relationship.
What You Need to Make Chile Verde with Pork and Mushrooms:
This recipe features Jonathan’s Zucchini Salsa Verde—a bright, slightly creamy twist on the traditional version that’s also dangerously good with chips. I highly recommend making it on its own sometime, but if you’re in a pinch, store-bought salsa verde works too.
Bottom Line:
Try this Pork and Mushroom Chile Verde next time you’re craving something cozy, tangy, and deeply umami. And if you do, tag me or leave a review—I want to hear about your fungi-fueled masterpiece!
More like this Chile Verde with Pork and Mushrooms:
If you ask me, salsa verde is underrated compared to its ubiquitous cousin, salsa roja. But I think tangy salsa verde deserves its day in the sun too. Check out my salsa verde collection for more recipes. And check out my collection of mushroom recipes for more in that genre.
Chile Verde with Pork and Mushrooms
Ingredients
Salsa Verde
- 8 oz (about 5 medium) tomatillos husked and cut in half
- 8 oz (about 1 medium) zucchini or summer squash cut into large chunks, or substitute with more tomatillos
- 1 small white or yellow onion peeled and cut into quarters
- 4 cloves garlic
- 3 jalapeños stem removed and cut in half lengthwise (seeds removed if desired)
- ½ cup cilantro leaves and tender stems
- ½ tsp Kosher salt
- 1 lime
Chile
- 1 tbsp canola oil
- 2½ lb pork shoulder cut into 1-inch chunks
- Kosher salt and pepper
- 8 oz cremini mushrooms cut into bite sized chunks
For Serving (as desired)
- Rice or Mexican rice
- Pinto or refried beans
- Corn or flour tortillas
- Fajita veggies
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of water to boil over high heat. Add tomatillos, summer squash, onion, garlic, and jalapeños.
- Boil vegetables for 8-10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until tomatillos are starting to split and vegetables are very soft.
- Transfer to a blender along with cilantro, salt, and zest plus juice of lime. Blend until smooth.
- Preheat oven to 350º. Heat canola in a Dutch oven or large skillet (with lid) over medium heat.
- Season pork generously on both sides with salt and pepper. Working in batches as needed, add pork to skillet and sear on top and bottom, about 3-4 minutes per side. Remove to a plate with a slotted spoon.
- Add mushrooms to the pot and cook, stirring occasionally, until shrunken and starting to brown, about 7-10 minutes.
- Add salsa verde and pork to the pot, mix to combine. Transfer to oven and braise for about 2-2½ hours, stirring after 1 hour and then every 30 minutes after that. When pork is done it should fork tender.
- Serve chile verde with rice, beans, and tortillas, as desired.
