This authentic Mexican Pozole Rojo (Red Pork and Hominy Stew) is the ultimate celebratory comfort soup! Tender, melt-in-your-mouth chunks of slow-simmered pork shoulder and plump white hominy kernels are bathed in a rich, deeply aromatic red chile broth made from toasted dried Guajillo and Ancho chiles, garlic, and Mexican oregano.
Served piping hot and customized at the table with crisp shredded cabbage, sharp diced red onion, peppery sliced radishes, fresh cilantro, a squeeze of fresh lime juice, and crunchy corn tostadas, this traditional Mexican dish is a guaranteed showstopper for festive gatherings and cozy family dinners alike!
Why You'll Love This Recipe
- Authentic Mexican red chile broth: Made from scratch by rehydrating and blending real dried Guajillo and Ancho chiles with garlic and Mexican oregano (mildly spicy with deep earthy richness)
- Melt-in-your-mouth tender pork: Pork shoulder simmers gently until it naturally pulls apart with a fork
- Plump white hominy (Maíz Pozolero): Delivers the signature chewy, nutty texture essential to classic pozole
- Interactive toppings galore: Load each bowl high with fresh radishes, lime juice, cabbage, and warm tostadas!
If you love vibrant, soul-warming stews and soups like our Lentil Pumpkin Curry and our Hearty Hamburger Soup, this authentic red pozole will become an instant household favorite.
Key Ingredients & Smart Substitutions
Here are the authentic ingredients you’ll need:
- Pork Shoulder: 3 lbs boneless pork shoulder / pork butt, trimmed of excess hard fat and cut into 1.5-inch chunks.
- White Hominy: 2 cans (25 oz each) Mexican white hominy (maíz pozolero), thoroughly rinsed and drained.
- Dried Chiles: 5 dried Guajillo chiles and 3 dried Ancho chiles (stems and seeds removed).
- Aromatics: 1 large white onion (half simmered with the pork, half for blending) and 8 cloves fresh garlic.
- Broth: 8 cups low-sodium chicken broth (or homemade pork stock).
- Herbs & Seasonings: 1 tablespoon dried Mexican oregano, 1 teaspoon ground cumin, 2 dried bay leaves, 1.5 teaspoons kosher salt, and 1/2 teaspoon cracked black pepper.
- Traditional Garnishes: Finely diced red onion, thinly sliced radishes, fresh cilantro, lime wedges, shredded green cabbage, and crispy corn tostadas.
How to Make Pozole Rojo (Step-by-Step)
1. Brown Pork & Simmer: Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a large heavy Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Season pork chunks with salt and pepper. Brown pork on all sides for 6 to 8 minutes. Add half an onion, 4 smashed garlic cloves, 2 bay leaves, and 8 cups of broth. Bring to a boil, skim off any foam on the surface, reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 1.5 hours.
2. Prepare Red Chile Sauce: While pork simmers, toast the stemmed, seeded dried Guajillo and Ancho chiles in a dry skillet for 1 to 2 minutes until fragrant. Transfer chiles to a bowl of boiling water and soak for 20 minutes until soft. Transfer soaked chiles to a blender with 1 cup of the soaking water, remaining half onion, 4 garlic cloves, Mexican oregano, cumin, and 1 tsp salt. Blend until completely smooth, then strain through a fine mesh sieve directly into the Dutch oven.
3. Add Hominy & Simmer: Add the rinsed white hominy to the pot. Stir well, cover partially, and simmer on low for an additional 45 minutes to 1 hour until the pork is extraordinarily tender and shreddable, and the hominy has absorbed the rich red chile flavor. Shred larger pieces of pork with two forks.
4. Garnish Generously & Serve: Discard bay leaves and onion quarters. Season broth with additional salt to taste. Ladle piping hot pozole into deep bowls, top with crisp radishes, diced red onion, fresh cilantro, shredded cabbage, and fresh lime juice. Serve with crispy corn tostadas!
Chef's Authentic Pozole Secrets
- Strain the chile sauce: Straining the blended chiles through a fine mesh sieve removes any remaining chile skins and seeds, giving you a velvety, silky smooth red broth
- Hominy flavor: Simmering the hominy in the chile broth for at least 45 minutes allows the corn kernels to blossom and absorb the deep chili aromatics!
Slow Cooker & Instant Pot Instructions
- Slow Cooker / Crockpot: Brown pork on the stove, transfer to slow cooker with broth, aromatics, blended chile sauce, and hominy. Cook on LOW for 7 to 8 hours.
- Instant Pot / Pressure Cooker: Sauté pork on Sauté mode. Add chile sauce, broth, and hominy. Pressure cook on HIGH for 40 minutes with a 15-minute natural release.
Storage & Freezing Instructions
To Store: Store cooled pozole in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Like all authentic Mexican stews, it tastes even richer on days 2 and 3!
To Freeze: Freeze cooled pozole (without fresh toppings) in airtight containers for up to 3 months. Thaw in the fridge overnight and reheat on the stove.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Pozole Rojo spicy?
Guajillo and Ancho chiles are prized for their mild, smoky, fruity flavor rather than heat. This pozole is very mild and family-friendly!
Can I make Pozole with chicken?
Yes! Replace pork shoulder with bone-in chicken thighs and reduce initial simmering time to 45 minutes (Pozole de Pollo).
More Hearty Comfort Soups to Savor Next
- Split Pea Soup with Ham — Velvety slow-simmered green split pea and smoked ham stew.
- Italian Penicillin Soup — Nourishing chicken pastina healing soup.
- Hearty Hamburger Soup — Cozy 30-minute ground beef and vegetable soup.
Pozole Rojo
- Total Time: 2 hours 40 minutes
- Yield: 8 servings 1x
Description
Pozole rojo is a heartwarming Mexican soup perfect for chilly days, featuring tender pork and hominy in a vibrant red broth.
Ingredients
- 3 lbs boneless pork shoulder, cut into 1.5-inch cubes
- 2 cans (25 oz each) white hominy (maíz pozolero), rinsed
- 5 dried Guajillo chiles (stemmed and seeded)
- 3 dried Ancho chiles (stemmed and seeded)
- 1 large white onion (halved)
- 8 cloves fresh garlic
- 8 cups low-sodium chicken broth
- 1 tablespoon dried Mexican oregano
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 2 dried bay leaves
- 1.5 teaspoons kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon cracked black pepper
- Garnishes: Radishes, red onion, cilantro, lime wedges, cabbage, tostadas
Instructions
- Brown Pork & Simmer: Brown seasoned pork cubes in Dutch oven for 8 minutes. Add half onion, 4 garlic cloves, bay leaves, and broth. Simmer covered on low for 1.5 hours.
- Blend Chile Sauce: Toast dried chiles 2 minutes, then soak in hot water for 20 minutes. Blend chiles with soaking liquid, remaining onion, garlic, oregano, cumin, and salt until smooth. Strain into pot.
- Add Hominy & Simmer: Add rinsed hominy. Simmer covered for 45 minutes until pork is shreddable and hominy is tender. Shred larger pork pieces.
- Ladle & Garnish: Remove bay leaves, ladle hot pozole into bowls, top with radishes, cilantro, lime, and red onion, and serve with tostadas!
- Prep Time: 25 minutes
- Cook Time: 2 hours 15 minutes
- Category: Main
- Method: Simmering
- Cuisine: Mexican
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cup (240g)
- Calories: 350
- Sugar: 2g
- Sodium: 620mg
- Fat: 18g
- Saturated Fat: 6g
- Unsaturated Fat: 10g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 28g
- Fiber: 5g
- Protein: 25g
- Cholesterol: 70mg
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