Pozole Rojo (Red Posole Recipe)

Authentic Pozole Rojo (Red Posole Recipe with Pork) – This EASY posole soup from Mexico offers bold spices, chunks of tender pork, and hearty hominy, with cool crunchy toppings!

Authentic Mexican Pozole Rojo Recipe

I have always loved adventuring and exploring the unordinary. Just as no two cities are the same, no two bowls of posole are the same. This easy authentic posole recipe is the ticket to lots of smiles around your dinner table.

Pork Posole is a cross between soup and stew.

What is Pozole?

Some might ask what Pozole means… Since hominy is one of the main ingredients in Pork Posole, pozole actually means hominy!

What Is Hominy?

Hominy is dried corn (or maize) kernels that have been soaked in water (with lime) to remove the tough outer husk.

Cooked hominy has a similar texture to corn tortillas, because traditional corn tortillas are made out of masa… Which is made out of dried ground hominy.

That’s right, without hominy we wouldn’t have delicious rustic corn tortillas.

A Pork Posole Recipe for Holidays!

This Red Posole Recipe with Pork (Pozole Rojo) is commonly enjoyed on Christmas and Mexican Independence Day.

Not only is Pozole a soup for special occasions, but it is also a comfort food that can be enjoyed on a rainy day or for your Cinco de Mayo feast!

There are many variations of posole including white (blanco) posole, red (rojo) posole, and green (verde) pozole depending on the region.

The colors of the traditional Pozole soups make up the colors of the Mexican flag, green, red, and white!

Pozole Ingredients

A traditional pozole recipe is made with pork, hominy, and garlic.

However, with many variations comes many different ways to top this particular soup ranging from radishes and cilantro to avocado and chiles.

• Olive Oil. To saute the ingredients.
• Pork Roast. Cut the pork off the bone, and cook the bone to add flavor.
• White Onion. To deeply enhance the flavor of your soup.
• A Few Cloves Garlic. Fresh is the way to go. 
• Ancho chiles peppers. Sweet and smoky with medium heat.
• Guajillo chiles peppers. The most common dried chile used in Mexican cuisine. 
• Arbol chile peppers. Bright clean heat.
• Bay leaves. Add a subtle bitterness to keep the soup from being heavy. 
• Mexican oregano. Similar to lemon verbena.
• Chicken broth or water. Whichever your preference is!
• White hominy. A key ingredient for this recipe!
• Lime. Enhances the flavor of soup without a lot of calories!
• Salt and pepper. Add to taste.
• Avocado. Who doesn’t love avocado as a topping?
• Radish. The traditional topping for Red Posole. 
• Cilantro. If you don’t love raw cilantro, you can leave this topping off. 
• Tortilla chips. A crunchy topping.

How To Make Red Pozole

1. Cut the pork off the bone in large chunks. Sprinkle salt and pepper liberally over all the chunks, including the bone.
2. Pop the stems off the dried chiles and shake out the loose seeds.
3. Brown pork on all sides in a heavy 6-8 quart dutch oven.
4. Add in the onion wedges and garlic, then add in the chile peppers, bay leaves, oregano, 6 cups chicken broth, and 1 teaspoon salt. Be sure to push the chiles down under the liquid.
5. Simmer for 50-60 minutes, until pork is tender enough to shred. Discard bone and bay leaves. Shred pork.
6. Use an immersion blender to puree the vegetables, chiles, and broth into a thick sauce.
7. Add the hominy and shredded pork. Stir in lime juice. Salt and pepper to taste.

Shredded cabbage or lettuce is also a traditional garnish, but I prefer it without. You can also garnish with lime wedges as well.

Also check out our Pozole Verde, made with chicken and tomatillos!

Get the Full Printable Pozole Rojo (Red Posole Recipe with Pork) Below. Enjoy!

Frequently Asked Questions

What is Hominy?

Hominy is dried corn kernels that have been soaked in water with lime, until the tough hulls come off. The pieces are soft and swollen with a delicate “dumpling” texture. For this recipe, I used the canned hominy from Bush’s Best. 

How many days can Pozole stay in the refrigerator?

You can store these leftovers in the fridge for up to 5 days, and the flavor will improve with time. You can keep this dish in the freezer for up to 3 months. This Mexican soup is great to make in a large pot and store for later. 

Can I make Pozole Rojo with a different meat?

Yes, you can! Swap the pork for chicken or shrimp. If using shrimp, add it 5-10 minutes before ready to serve.

What is Red Pozole made of?

The main ingredients of Red Posole are hominy, pork, garlic, and chiles.

What does Red Posole taste like?

The flavor comes from the union of chiles, pork, onions, and garlic, plus the toppings of radishes, cilantro avocado, and tortilla chips. It tastes rich and heavy, yet the fresh toppings lighten the flavor and add irresistible contrast.

Can I use a blender instead of an immersion blender?

Yes, you can. Be sure to cover the lid with a towel, to protect against hot liquid splashing out.

How do you thicken a Pozole Recipe?

Mix cornstarch with a small amount of cold water. Mix it into a loose paste. Then slowly stir the slurry into the simmering soup until you reach the desired thickness. The soup must be simmering (a low boil) in order for the cornstarch to thicken the broth.

Looking For More Mexican-Inspired Recipes? 

• Paleo Chicken Chili Verde
• Best Chicken Tortilla Soup
• Grilled Mexican Street Corn Salad
• New Mexican Chile Verde
• Mexican Mocha
• Mexican Stuffed Crescent Roll Recipe
• Southwest Brussels and Beans
• Adobo Grilled Pork with Esquite Stuffed Onions
• See all our Soup Recipes!

Check this dishes printable recipe card below for the prep time, cook time, and nutrition information including calories, carbohydrates, protein, cholesterol, sodium, potassium, fiber, vitamin, and calcium percentages.

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Pozole Rojo (Red Posole Recipe)

Prep Time: 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 1 hour hour 10 minutes minutes

Total Time: 1 hour hour 25 minutes minutes

Authentic Red Posole Recipe with Pork (Pozole Rojo) This EASY posole soup offers bold spices, chunks of tender pork, and hearty hominy, with cool crunchy toppings!

Servings: 8 bowls

Ingredients

US Customary – Metric

For the Pozole Rojo:

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 3 ½ pound bone-in pork roast (leg, rib, or loin)
• 1 large onion, peeled and cut into wedges
• 6-8 garlic cloves, peeled and smashed
• 6 dried ancho chile peppers
• 5 dried guajillo chile peppers
• 3-6 dried arbol chile peppers
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 tablespoon dried Mexican oregano
• 6+ cups chicken broth or water
• 3 15 ounce cans white hominy, drained and rinsed
• 1 lime, juiced
• Salt and pepper

Toppings:

• 2 ripe avocado, sliced
• 1 bunch radishes, sliced
• 1 lime, cut into small wedges
• 1 cup cilantro leaves
• Tortilla chips

Instructions

• Cut the pork off the bone in large chunks. Sprinkle salt and pepper liberally over all the chunks, including the bone. Pop the stems off the dried chiles and shake out the loose seeds.
• Set a heavy 6-8 quart dutch oven over medium heat. Add the oil to the pot. Once hot add the pork chunks, including the bone. Brown the pork on all sides.
• Move the pork to the sides of the pot. Add in the onion wedges and garlic. Sear for 1-2 minutes, then add in the chile peppers, bay leaves, oregano, 6 cups chicken broth, and 1 teaspoon salt. Push the chiles down under the liquid.
• Cover the pot with a heavy lid and bring to a boil. Then lower the heat and simmer for 50-60 minutes, until the pork is soft enough to shred. (Keep the pot covered.)
• Remove the pork chunks, bone, and bay leaves. Discard the bone and bay leaves. Use tongs or forks to shred the pork into small chunks.
• Use an immersion blender to puree the vegetables, chiles, and broth into a thick sauce. You can also do this is a standard blender, but cover the lid with a towel, to protect against hot liquid splashing out.
• Add the shredded pork back to the pot, along with the rinsed hominy. Stir to combine. If the sauce seems too thick add 1+ cup chicken broth or water to the pot.
• Stir in the lime juice. Taste, then season with salt and pepper as needed. Keep warm until ready to serve.
• To serve: Ladle the posole into bowls. Garnish the top with tortilla chips, sliced avocado, radishes, lime wedges, and cilantro.

Video

Notes

Shredded cabbage or lettuce is also a traditional garnish, but I prefer it without.

Nutrition

Serving: 1.5cups, Calories: 495kcal, Carbohydrates: 27g, Protein: 32g, Fat: 30g, Saturated Fat: 7g, Cholesterol: 89mg, Sodium: 103mg, Potassium: 1309mg, Fiber: 12g, Sugar: 12g, Vitamin A: 7315IU, Vitamin C: 21.3mg, Calcium: 67mg, Iron: 3.4mg

Course: Main Course, Soup

Cuisine: Mexican

Author: Sommer Collier

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