Posole with ham and vegetables

4
Points®
Total Time
1 hr 15 min
Prep
17 min
Cook
58 min
Serves
4
Difficulty
Easy
The unique flavor of posole (hominy) is the same as the flavor in what we love about tamales and corn tortillas—earthy, sweet, and mellow. Hominy pairs well with the smokiness of the chipotle chiles in adobo and the meat in this simple stew. It also features a whole host of vegetables, from onions and bell peppers to celery, carrots, and zucchini. The heartiness comes from canned dice tomatoes and shredded ham. We love to stir in fresh cilantro at the end, but you can use whatever herbs you have on hand. Sprinkle with a little bit of Monterey Jack cheese for the finishing touch.

Ingredients

Canola oil

2 tsp

Onion

1 medium, coarsely chopped

Green bell pepper

1 medium, seeded and cut into 1⁄2-inch pieces

Celery

2 rib(s), medium, chopped

Canned chipotle peppers in adobo sauce

2 item(s), chopped

Garlic

2 clove(s), minced

Canned diced tomatoes

14½ oz, drained

Canned hominy

15 oz, drained

Water

1 cup(s)

Cooked ham

½ pound(s), cut into 1⁄2-inch pieces

Baby carrots

12 medium, whole, or 1 cup

Uncooked zucchini

1 medium, cut into 1⁄2-inch dice

Cilantro

¼ cup(s), fresh, chopped

Reduced fat shredded Monterey Jack cheese

¼ cup(s)

Instructions

  1. Heat the oil in a large nonstick saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the onion, bell pepper, celery, chiles, and garlic. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are very tender and golden, about 12 minutes.
  2. Add the tomatoes to the saucepan and cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Stir in the hominy, water, ham, and carrots; bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer, covered, until the flavors blend and sauce thickens slightly, about 30 minutes.
  3. Add the zucchini to the saucepan and cook until crisp-tender, about 6 minutes. Remove from the heat, then stir in the cilantro. Serve the stew sprinkled with the cheese. Yields 1 1⁄2 cups stew and 1 tablespoon cheese per serving.