Only three ingredients and less than 10 minutes prep for an easy, tasty, and versatile Slow Cooker Salsa Verde Pork recipe. Great for meal prep, gluten free, dairy free.
Jump to:
About Slow Cooker Salsa Verde Pork
A crock pot is an excellent tool year-round because of its time-saving powers.
Yes, you'll even want to use it in the summer since it means you don't have to stand over the stove or turn on the oven and heat up your house.
What's great about this recipe for salsa verde pork in the slow cooker is that you only need 3 ingredients and about 10 minutes for a delicious, flavorful meal.
Throw everything in your slow cooker, and in a few hands-off hours, you have a meal ready and waiting for you.
What's also nice is that it can be served a number of ways, and it's excellent for meal prep.
Reader Review
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
"I made this recipe exactly as written and it is amazing! The pork is perfect in tacos, salads and burrito bowls. Definitely making again."
- Jan
Ingredients
Onion: Any type of onion will work - yellow, white, or red onion. You want the bottom of the slow cooker to be covered with onions, so use one large onion or two medium/small onions. Bell peppers can be used in place of the onions. Fresh or frozen diced onions will both work well.
Pork: There are many suitable cuts of pork to use. The recipe was tested multiple times using boneless pork chops as well as boneless pork loin ribs. Boneless pork shoulder and pork tenderloin can also be used. A cut of meat like pork butt is a tasty option, but you might need to remove some of the excess fat before serving.
Salsa Verde: Salsa Verde is a salsa made with tomatillos, and it's a slightly tangier, more mild salsa. You can easily find it in pretty much every major grocery store. However, if you don't want to use salsa verde, any salsa is fine to use.
Recipe Cost
- onion 1 large: $0.68
- pork 1.5 pounds: $6.59
- salsa verde 16 ounces: $2.55
TOTAL COST: $9.82 or $1.64/serving (Based on San Diego grocery stores 2024)
Note that this is not the recipe; it's simply to show the cost breakdown of ingredients. Scroll down to the full recipe to see the specific ingredients and directions.
Budget-Friendly Tips
- Look at the price per ounce or pound to get the best deal.
- Buy larger or "family-sized" containers of pork. They usually cost less per pound.
- Frozen pork can also be less expensive.
- Freeze leftover pork that you won't have time to cook to prevent food waste (which saves on your food budget as well).
How to Make Salsa Verde Pork
- Step 1: Cover the bottom of a slow cooker with diced onions.
- Step 2: Top with pork, and cover in salsa.
- Step 3: Cover and cook until the pork is fork tender.
- Step 4: Enjoy!
Top Tip
Use a salsa you love because that's what flavors this salsa verde pulled pork.
Recipe Tips
How to Fix a Mistake
- Sauce too thin: If you think the pork mixture is too thin or soupy, use a slotted spoon to serve the pork or drain off excess liquid.
Make-Ahead Ideas
This flavorful dish is perfect for preparing ahead of time because you need at least 4 hours to cook. Throw everything into the crockpot (it only takes about 5-10 minutes to prepare this recipe) and cook all day.
You can also cook and refrigerate or freeze until you're ready to enjoy, so it's great for meal prepping.
Storage Suggestions
Keep in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 6 days or in the freezer for up to 6 weeks.
To reheat:
- In the microwave: Place on a microwave-safe plate, and heat for 45 seconds at 100% power. Flip and microwave for another 30-45 seconds until warm.
- In a saucepan: In a small saucepan over medium heat, transfer some of the salsa verde pork tenderloin and cook for about 3-5 minutes, stirring often, until warm.
Variations
Ingredient Substitutions
Onion: If you don't want to use onion, use one or two bell peppers of any color in place of the onion. Poblano peppers can also be added.
Frozen onions and/or bell peppers work well too. Use about 1 to 2 cups - enough to cover the bottom of your crock pot.
Salsa: Any type of salsa will work well in this slow cooker salsa pork recipe. This low sodium salsa recipe is a great option if you are watching your sodium intake.
Change the flavor of this crockpot salsa verde pork by using a different type of salsa.
Want a spicier version? Add diced jalapeño peppers or serrano peppers before cooking.
Alternative Prep and Cooking
If you don't want to use a slow cooker, you can cook this in an Instant Pot or pressure cooker:
Instant Pot Salsa Verde Pork
- Add the onions, pork, then salsa to the Instant Pot.
- Pour in ¼ cup of water.
- Cover, and turn the valve to sealing.
- Set the timer for 25 minutes on high pressure.
- Let rest for 10 minutes then release the steam, and enjoy!
How to Make Allergy-Friendly
This crock pot salsa verde pork recipe is already gluten-free, dairy-free, egg-free, soy-free, and nut-free.
Be sure to check the ingredients to make sure there isn't anything you want to avoid in the salsa or whatever you serve with the cooked pork.
Frequently Asked Questions
Boneless pork chops, boneless pork loin ribs, boneless pork shoulder, pork shoulder roast, and pork tenderloin all work for slow cooking.
Nutrition Benefits
One serving of this salsa verde pork provides 24 grams of protein, 18% daily value potassium, 10% of Vitamin A, and 7% iron.
Pork is an excellent source of thiamin, niacin, riboflavin, vitamin B6, phosphorus, and protein. Pork is a good source of zinc, riboflavin, and potassium.
Because it has salsa and onions, which are both full of nutrients & antioxidants, you get at least one serving of veggies in each cup of this salsa verde pork.
What to Serve with Salsa Pork Verde
Serve the tender pieces of pork salsa verde in a number of ways: in homemade tortillas, with tortilla chips or cornbread, on a bun, over cooked rice, cauliflower rice, Mexican rice, or a side of beans (or cilantro lime rice and beans), and as nachos.
For a delicious salad, you can add it to lettuce with avocado cilantro dressing, black beans, cherry tomatoes, and feta or cotija cheese.
My personal favorite is to serve as tacos with fresh cilantro and avocados. Top with sour cream or Greek yogurt, lime juice, and chopped jalapeno peppers.
Serving Tip
There are so many ways you can enjoy this tender pork salsa verde recipe. Double the recipe for meal prep, and you can freeze extra for later!
Final thoughts:
You can't go wrong with this 3-ingredient, 10-minute prep time recipe for salsa verde pork in the slow cooker.
It's versatile and makes a big batch for your whole family to enjoy. Or make it as meal prep for a week's worth of lunches for yourself.
MORE CROCKPOT PORK RECIPES YOU'LL LOVE:
Slow Cooker Salsa Verde Pork
Instructions
- Spread the onions on the bottom of a slow cooker.
- Top the onions with the pork in an even layer. Cover with salsa verde.
- Cover and cook for 8 hours on Low or 4 hours on High
- Shred the pork (either in the slow cooker or on a cutting board) and stir back into the sauce in the slow cooker.
- Serve in tortillas, with cornbread, with tortilla chips, over rice, with beans, whatever works!
Video
Notes
Instant Pot Salsa Verde Pork
- Add the onions, pork, then salsa to the Instant Pot.
- Pour in ¼ cup of water.
- Cover, and turn the valve to sealing.
- Set the timer for 25 minutes on high pressure.
- Let rest for 10 minutes then release the steam, and enjoy!
What to Use in This Recipe
Meme
This post was originally published on March 16, 2017. Text, recipe, and photos have been updated.
Liz
This is such a fun recipe- I love how simple it is and seriously how cute your videos are! I need to check out your other Salsa Chicken recipe now!
Meme
Thanks lady!! That Salsa Chicken is so good, too 🙂
Jan
I made this recipe exactly as written and it is amazing! The pork is perfect in tacos, salads and burrito bowls. Definitely making again.
Meme
hooray! So happy you enjoyed it! I love how versatile it is, and it freezes well!