This hearty Mexican pozole rojo is made with tender pork, chewy hominy and a rich chile broth. Dried chiles add layers of earthy, fruity and gently smoky flavor, while fresh cabbage and crisp radishes bring a bright and crunchy contrast.
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About This Recipe
Pozole rojo is a traditional Mexican stew made with tender pork, chewy hominy and a rich red chile broth. It has a few steps, but each one builds another layer of flavor and the result is so worth it!
Cubed pork shoulder is simmered with onion, garlic and bay leaves to build a flavorful broth, then a blend of softened dried chiles, onion, garlic, oregano and cumin is added to make the rich red chile sauce that's stirred right into the pork broth.
Once everything comes together, it’s time for the best part: all the toppings! Garnish the pozole with crunchy shredded cabbage, crisp radishes, fresh oregano and a squeeze of lime. The combination of the rich, savory broth with the crunchy toppings is just so good!
📋 Ingredients
- Pork Shoulder: Pork shoulder, also called pork butt, is ideal for pozole because it has a good amount of fat and connective tissue that becomes incredibly tender during simmering.
- Dried Chiles: The chile sauce uses a combination of dried chiles, each giving a different flavor profile. Remove the stems and seeds before soaking the chiles.
- Ancho: earthy and slightly fruity.
- Guajillo: fruity and mildly sweet.
- Chile de árbol: adds a little heat.
- Onion, Garlic and Bay Leaves: These aromatics are used both in the pork broth, while more onion and garlic are added to the chile sauce.
- Hominy: Hominy is a type of corn with plump, tender kernels and a slightly chewy texture. You can find canned hominy in most grocery stores near the canned beans. Be sure to drain and rinse the hominy before adding it to the pozole.
- Dried Oregano and Cumin: These spices give the chile sauce an earthy, savory flavor. If you have Mexican oregano, you can certainly use it here, but regular dried oregano works well too.
- Pozole Toppings: Have fun with the toppings! Finely shredded cabbage and thinly sliced radishes are classic additions. Diced white onion, avocado, fresh lime juice and oregano are also great additions.
See recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.
🍋 Substitutions and Variations
- Use Chicken Instead of Pork: Simmer chicken pieces in the same broth or use leftover cooked shredded chicken and add it toward the end.
- Use Prepared Stock. For an easier, weeknight version, use an already made chicken or vegetable stock instead of making the pork broth from scratch.
- Adjust the Heat. The chile de árbol adds the most noticeable heat. Start with two peppers for a mild level of heat and add more if you prefer a spicier pozole.
- Have Fun with Toppings. In addition to cabbage, add diced white onion, avocado, hot sauce, or crumbled queso fresco. And for a fun side, spread a layer of crema onto crunchy tostadas and take a bite along with spoonfuls of pozole.
⏲️ Instructions
Make the Pork Broth. Simmer the pork in water with onion, garlic and bay leaves until very tender. Skim any foam that rises to the surface for a clear broth.
Finish the Pork Broth. Once the pork is tender, remove the onion, garlic and bay leaves. Leave the pork in the pot while you prepare the chile sauce.
Soften the Dried Chiles. Remove the stems and seeds from the dried chiles, then gently simmer them in water until softened. Reserve the soaking liquid for the chile sauce.
Make the Chile Sauce. Blend the softened chiles with onion, garlic, oregano, cumin and chile soaking water until smooth. Add more soaking liquid as needed.
Add the Hominy and Chile Sauce. Add the chile sauce and drained hominy to the pork and broth. Stir everything together and continue simmering for another 30 minutes.
Serve the Pozole. Ladle the red pozole into bowls and garnish with toppings.
📍 Recipe Tips
- Skim the Broth: As the pork simmers, you'll notice some foam rising to the surface. Use a spoon to skim it off to keep the broth clear.
- Cook the Pork Until Very Tender: The pork should be very tender and easy to pull apart. This can take about 1½ to 2 hours.
- Use the Chile Soaking Water: Don't throw away all of the water used to soften the chiles. Add it to the blender to loosen the chile sauce.
- Strain the Sauce: For an extra smooth sauce, strain the blended chile sauce through a fine-mesh sieve before adding it to the broth. This step isn't necessary if your sauce is already very smooth.
- Make Ahead: Pozole gets even better as it sits and can be made up to 3 days ahead. Store it covered in the refrigerator and gently reheat on the stovetop. If needed, add more broth or water when reheating.
Serving Suggestions
Pozole toppings vary by region and personal preference, so have fun building your bowl.
- Finely shredded cabbage
- Thinly sliced radishes
- Fresh oregano
- Lime wedges
- Diced white onion
- Avocado
- Crumbled queso fresco (not traditional, but a tasty addition)
- Hot sauce or additional chile de árbol for more heat
- Tostadas: Spread a tostada with Mexican crema or sour cream and enjoy it alongside a spoonful of pozole. The combination of crispy tostada with the tangy cream and rich stew is so good!
More Hearty Stews to Try
Pozole Rojo (Mexican Pork Stew with Hominy)
LittleFerraroKitchen.com
Ingredients
For the Pork Broth
- 2 pounds pork shoulder or pork butt cut into 2-3 inch pieces
- 1 yellow onion cut in half
- 1 garlic bulb cut in half
- 2-3 bay leaves
- 8 cups water or enough to cover the pork by about 1 inch
- 1 teaspoon salt plus more to taste
For the Chile Sauce
- 5 dried ancho chiles stems and seeds removed
- 5 dried guajillo chiles stems and seeds removed
- 2 chile de arbol optional for heat
- 1 yellow onion roughly chopped
- 3 garlic cloves
- 1 teaspoon oregano
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 cup reserved chile soaking water plus more as needed
- Salt to taste
For the Posole
- 2 15-ounce cans white hominy, drained and rinsed
- Prepared chile sauce
For Serving
- Finely shredded cabbage
- Radishes thinly sliced
- White onion finely diced
- Fresh lime wedges
Instructions
- Make the Pork Broth. Add the pork, halved onion, halved garlic bulb, bay leaves, salt, and water to a large pot. The water should cover the pork by about 1 inch.
- Bring the broth to a gentle boil, then reduce the heat to maintain a low simmer. As the broth cooks, skim off any foam that rises to the surface. Continue simmering until the pork is very tender and easily pierced with a fork, about 1½ to 2 hours.
- Once the pork is tender, remove and discard the onion, garlic, and bay leaves.
- Make the Chile Sauce. While the pork is cooking, prepare the chiles. Remove the stems and seeds from chiles and place them in a small saucepan and cover with water. Bring to a gentle simmer and cook for 10–15 minutes, until the chiles are softened.
- Transfer the softened chiles to a blender, along with the chopped onion, garlic cloves, dried oregano, cumin, and 1 cup of the reserved chile soaking water. Blend until completely smooth, adding a little more chile water as needed to create a smooth, pourable sauce.
- Combine the Posole. Once the pork is tender, remove the aromatics from the broth and pour the chile sauce into the pot with the pork and broth. Stir well to combine.
- Add the drained and rinsed hominy and bring the posole to a gentle simmer.
- Simmer and Finish. Continue simmering for about 30 minutes, stirring occasionally, allowing the pork, hominy, chile broth to come together. Taste and adjust the seasoning with additional salt as needed.
- Serve. Ladle the hot posole into bowls and garnish with plenty of shredded cabbage, sliced radishes and other toppings.
Notes
- Skim the broth: Skim off any foam that rises to the surface for a clear broth.
- Save the chile water: Use the chile soaking water to loosen the sauce as needed.
- Strain if desired: For a smoother sauce, strain it through a fine-mesh sieve before adding to the broth.
- Make ahead: Pozole can be made up to 3 days ahead. Reheat gently and add a splash of stock or water if needed.
Kimberly Azpeitia says
How many people does this recipe serve? I need to make enough for 40 people so need to double or triple the ingredients? Please let me know...I start making it early Christmas Eve!
Samantha says
Hi Kimberly!! This makes about 8-10 servings..it fit my large 6qt dutch oven. I would suggest to triple it for that many people!! Have fun and please let me know how it comes out 🙂
Eliza says
yea, I made your recipe and I'm so glad I chose this instead of the other one that uses canned enchilada sauce. the only thing I've added was chicken bouillon powder aside from the salt. It was really tasty and a keeper. thank you so much for sharing!
Samantha says
So happy to hear that Eliza!!! I may try the bouillon too!
Jami says
I've made this recipe a couple of times and my family couldn't get enough of it. I think I'll make it again this weekend.
Samantha says
Awesome Jami!!! I havent made it in a little while and now I"m craving pozole! Perfect weather-time food!
Mike Benayoun says
Thanks for the lovely recipe. I recently made red chicken pozole. This was the first time I made pozole. Just published it on our world cuisine blog too.
Although I am generally not a big fan of soup, I have to admit pozole is probably going to change my mind about soups ! I will definitely make this one again as the whole family loved it and it was not too spicy for the children (the chiles I used were on the mild side)
Cheyanna Pavey says
If you don't mind me asking what kind of chiles did you use I want a mild pozole too
Samantha says
Hi Cheyanna! Ok so I'll be honest..I actually love spicy foods..haha This pozole does have a bite to it, but once there's cabbage, queso and crema and even avocado added, it mellows out the spice to me! With that being said though, my few tips to making this pozole a bit less spicy: take out every single seed of the dried chiles. The seeds and ribs of the chile are what give it the hot factor. Ancho chiles are probably the mildest of the dried chiles, so look for those or dried poblano are pretty mild as well. Maybe look at a Latin/Mexican market if you have those by you. When you make the paste and add it to the stock, taste for seaoning and if too hot, add a bit more stock. Good luck and let me know how it comes out!
Jerry says
Thank you Samantha! The posole was a huge hit!! My dad made sure my wife packed him some to go. He must of mentioned it 4 times! Loved it! Thanks again!
Samantha says
Woohooo thanks for letting me know!! Happy New Year!!
Jerry says
Thank you so much for the recipe. I am making this for Christmas. My wife's idea to start a new tradition, and she's Filipino!! Growing up, my mom made her delicious menudo, but she never made posole. She will be present on Christmas Day to taste our family's new tradition!! Thank you!!
Samantha says
Ohhh I LOVE Filipino food!! Please let me know how the pozole comes out! Now I'm craving some! And thank you for your lovely comment 🙂
Cindy says
Great recipe!! Thank You for sharing.
Samantha says
Thank you Cindy!
ellie says
I looked at a lot of recipes for pozole and decided to go with this one. Needed to double it for a party. The results were amazing! Perfectly rich, smoky, meaty. So delicious. I really like the acid a little lime juice adds to it. It was incredibly easy. Like she says, just time consuming. So worth it! 🙂
Samantha says
Hi Ellie! That is fabulous!! So happy it came out well and everyone enjoyed!! I love the smoky flavor the chiles offer! Thank you for sharing 🙂
Karina says
Awesome I found out the recipe lol (:
I'm 18 I'm moved out of home, I'm shy and embarrassed to ask my mom how to make it but reading the ingredients this is pretty much what she uses ! I'm living with my Boyfriend, I Can't wait to show him I CAN cook REAL MEXICAN FOOD ! thank you !!!
Samantha says
Hi Karine! Thank you so much for commenting! I hope you make it and both you and your boyfriend enjoy it :)) Let me know if you have any more questions..now I want pozole!! lol
Rosie says
Only thing missing is the jalapeños for flavor and I've never ate it with crema or fresh cheese
Jennifer says
Thank you so much!! I'm going to make this tomorrow. I searched but love your way of doing it. I'm so curious about that fresh cheese!! Can't wait to taste it 🙂 thanks a million!
Samantha says
Hi Jenifer! How did it turn out??
Vanessa says
ummm...we don't put cheese "queso fresco" or table cream "crema" in pozole???? that's just weird. but good job!! 🙂
Samantha says
Thanks Vanessa! I love learning about other cultures 🙂
Tony says
Actually some of us do use cheese, queso cotija to be precise. It adds a saltiness to the pozole, you can also use pork rinds instead of tortilla chips. Loved the recipe I had never made red pozole, our family specializes in green pozole. You do your thing Samantha, make it your own.
Samantha says
Thanks Tony!! I have not made a green pozole yet as I'm still researching it! Can't wait to try another pozole 🙂
Bob says
Totally, like and tortilla chips!
Then add the pureed chile sauce to pork stock and store through. Store through!
Jaime says
I just wanted to say thank you for the recipe. I made this pozole a couple of days ago and my family loved it!
Samantha says
Thank you so much Jaime!! You made my day and so glad the whole fam liked it!
Aggie says
What a beautiful soup! I've never tried pozole but I would love to!