Sopas y CaldosHardFree

Green Menudo (Menudo Verde)

Name: Green Menudo (Menudo Verde)
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 300 min
Total time: 330 min
Cuisine: Mexican
Ingredients: 500 g Tomatillo (green tomato); 2 sprigs Fresh epazote sprigs; 1 tsp Piquín chilli powder; 1 White onion; 1 tbsp Dried oregano (to serve); 1 tbsp Salt; 16 Flour tortillas; 4 Limes; 6 cloves Garlic cloves; 4 Poblano chillies; 2000 g Beef tripe, cleaned and cut into pieces

330 min (30 prep + 300 cook) Hard 8 servings Norte

Edmond Bojalil

Recetas Mexas

Published: 27 Mar 2026 · Updated: 30 Mar 2026

Northern-style menudo in a green tomatillo and chilli broth, with long-cooked beef tripe.

About this recipe

Green menudo is the northern variant of classic red menudo, made with tomatillo, green chilli and epazote instead of red chillies. Beef tripe is slow-cooked for hours in this green, aromatic broth until soft and gelatinous. It is the Sunday morning dish of the border states of Chihuahua and Sonora, served piping hot with oregano, onion and flour tortillas.

History & Origin

Menudo is one of the most polarising and beloved dishes in Mexican cuisine - you either love it or hate it, but it never leaves you indifferent. Its history traces back to the colonial era, when the workers and popular classes of New Spain made use of offal and cattle by-products - parts rejected by the wealthy - to prepare sustaining stews for working days. The green variant is particularly popular in the northern states of Chihuahua, Sonora and Coahuila, where the influence of tomatillo and local green chillies defined this broth's character. Unlike red menudo, which uses dried red or guajillo chilli for its characteristic colour and flavour, green menudo is based on boiled tomatillo, roasted green chilli and epazote, creating a lighter-coloured but equally deep-flavoured broth. In northern culture, green menudo is the quintessential Sunday breakfast, the folk remedy for a hangover, and the dish that unites families around the table from very early in the morning. The best menudo restaurants in Chihuahua open at 7am and sell out before noon.

Estimated cost

£14.00

Total cost

£1.75

Per serving

* Approximate prices based on UK supermarkets

Nutritional information per serving

380

Calories

32g

Protein

20g

Carbohydrates

18g

Fat

Fibre

850mg

Sodium

* Approximate values. May vary depending on ingredients used.

Method

1
Clean the beef tripe: remove excess fat, cut into 3-4 cm pieces. Blanch in boiling water with half an onion, garlic and salt for 10 minutes. Discard that first water (this removes the strong smell). Rinse the tripe.
💡 This step is essential to reduce the odour and clean the tripe.
2
In a large pot, place the clean tripe with 3 litres of fresh water, garlic, the remaining half onion and salt. Bring to the boil, reduce the heat and simmer for 3-4 hours until the tripe is very tender.
💡 In a pressure cooker, the time is reduced to 1.5-2 hours.
3
Meanwhile, char the tomatillos on a griddle or directly over flame until well blackened and soft. Char the poblano chillies over the flame until the skin is completely black. Place in a plastic bag for 10 minutes, then peel.
4
Blend the charred tomatillos with the peeled, deseeded poblano chillies, the other half of the onion, the remaining garlic, the epazote and one cup of tripe broth until you have a smooth green sauce.
5
When the tripe is tender, add the green sauce directly to the broth. Stir well and simmer for a further 30 minutes to meld the flavours. Add the extra fresh epazote leaves. Adjust salt.
6
Serve very hot in deep bowls. Garnish with dried oregano, finely chopped white onion and chilli powder. Accompany with flour tortillas and lime wedges.
💡 Menudo tastes even better the next day - reheat and add more fresh epazote.