Pozole Recipe: Red, Rich, and Worth Every Hour
Pozole is a Mexican hominy soup made by simmering pork in a broth built from rehydrated dried chiles, garlic, and onion, then finishing with toppings like shredded cabbage, radishes, and lime. This red pozole recipe takes about 3 hours total, most of which is hands-off simmering time.
I went to a going-away lunch for a coworker named Marco who had grown up in Guadalajara, and he asked that someone make pozole. His aunt sent the recipe. A woman in accounting named Gloria made it. I had eaten pozole at Mexican restaurants but whatever I'd ordered before was not what arrived in that pot — the broth was dark and complex, the pork was falling apart, and the hominy had absorbed the chile broth in a way that made each kernel taste like it had been marinating for days. I ate two bowls and asked Gloria what was in it.
The key is the dried chiles. Ancho for depth, guajillo for a brighter red color and mild heat, and a few dried árbol chiles if you want heat. You toast them dry in a skillet for thirty seconds per side until they smell earthy and fragrant — not burned, which happens fast — then soak them in hot water for twenty minutes, blend with garlic and broth, and strain the sauce into the pot where the pork is already simmering. That chile sauce is what makes pozole different from every other pork soup.
The pork shoulder braises for two to three hours until the meat falls apart easily. The hominy — canned is fine, it's already cooked — goes in for the last thirty minutes so it warms through and absorbs the broth without going mushy. Season aggressively at the end. Pozole needs more salt than you think, and the acid from the lime juice and oregano that go on at serving will sharpen everything.
The toppings are half the dish: shredded cabbage, sliced radishes, dried oregano, lime, and diced white onion. They go on at the table, not in the pot, so the cabbage stays crisp and the soup stays hot. Marco's last week at the office was a good one. The pozole was a significant part of why.
Ingredients
- 3 lbs bone-in pork shoulder, cut into 3-inch chunks
- 1 white onion, halved (half for broth, half for topping)
- 8 garlic cloves, divided (5 for broth, 3 for chile sauce)
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 tsp dried Mexican oregano
- 2 tsp kosher salt, plus more to taste
- 10 cups water
- 4 dried ancho chiles (about 2 oz), stemmed and seeded
- 4 dried guajillo chiles (about 1.5 oz), stemmed and seeded
- 1 dried árbol chile (optional, for heat), stemmed
- 1/2 tsp cumin
- 2 (29 oz) cans hominy, drained and rinsed
- 1 tbsp vegetable oil
- Salt to taste
- For toppings: shredded green cabbage, thinly sliced radishes, diced white onion, dried Mexican oregano, lime wedges, tostadas or tortilla chips, sliced avocado, sour cream (optional)
Instructions
- 1Place the pork shoulder chunks in a large pot or Dutch oven with the halved white onion (half of it), 5 garlic cloves, bay leaves, dried oregano, and 2 tsp kosher salt. Add 10 cups of water. Bring to a boil over high heat, skimming any gray foam that rises to the surface during the first 10 minutes.
- 2Reduce heat to a steady simmer (medium-low), partially cover the pot, and cook for 1 hour 30 minutes to 2 hours, until the pork is completely tender and pulls apart easily with two forks.
- 3While the pork simmers, toast the dried chiles. Heat a dry skillet or comal over medium heat. Press the opened chiles flat against the surface for 10-15 seconds per side until fragrant and slightly darkened —? not burned. Burned chiles will make the broth bitter.
- 4Transfer the toasted chiles to a bowl and cover with 3 cups of boiling water. Let them soak for 20-25 minutes until fully softened.
- 5Drain the soaked chiles, reserving 1 cup of the soaking liquid. Add the chiles to a blender with the 3 remaining garlic cloves, cumin, and 1/2 cup of the reserved soaking liquid. Blend until very smooth. If the blender struggles, add a splash more soaking liquid. Strain through a fine mesh strainer, pressing the solids. Discard the solids.
- 6When the pork is tender, remove it from the pot and set aside. Discard the onion halves, bay leaves, and garlic cloves. Reserve all the pork broth in the pot.
- 7Heat 1 tbsp vegetable oil in the same pot over medium-high heat. Pour the strained chile sauce into the hot oil —? it will sizzle dramatically and this is correct. Fry the chile paste, stirring frequently, for 3-4 minutes until it darkens slightly and smells toasted.
- 8Pour the reserved pork broth back into the pot with the chile sauce. Stir to combine. Add the drained hominy. Bring to a simmer over medium heat.
- 9Meanwhile, shred the pork, discarding bones and any large fat pieces. Add the shredded pork to the broth.
- 10Simmer everything together for 20-30 minutes, allowing the flavors to marry. Taste and adjust salt. The broth should taste rich, lightly smoky, and mildly spicy. If it tastes flat, it needs more salt.
- 11Serve in deep bowls with toppings arranged alongside: shredded cabbage, radishes, diced onion, dried oregano, lime wedges, and tostadas. Encourage people to load their bowl however they want —? this is a toppings-are-part-of-the-dish situation.
Pro Tips
- Do not skip frying the chile paste in oil before adding the broth. Frying it for those 3-4 minutes transforms the sauce from raw and sharp to deep and complex. This step is the difference between a pozole that tastes like something and a pozole that tastes like the thing.
- Taste the broth before serving and add salt in small amounts until it wakes up. Undersalted pozole broth is the most common reason the soup tastes dull. The hominy soaks up a surprising amount.
- If you can only find one type of dried chile, ancho is your best bet —? it gives the most body and color. Guajillo adds brightness and a slight tartness. The árbol is optional but it keeps things honest.
Substitutions
Storage Instructions
Refrigerate leftover pozole in an airtight container for up to 4 days. Store toppings separately. Reheat on the stovetop over medium-low heat, adding a splash of water or broth if it has thickened. Freeze the soup base (without toppings) for up to 3 months in freezer-safe containers.
Make Ahead
Pozole is genuinely better the next day. Make the full recipe through step 10, cool completely, and refrigerate overnight. The broth deepens and the pork absorbs flavor. Reheat slowly on the stovetop, prep fresh toppings the day of, and serve. If making ahead for a party, keep toppings prepped and refrigerated separately.
Frequently Asked Questions
What kind of pork is best for pozole?
Bone-in pork shoulder (also sold as pork butt) is the standard choice because the fat and connective tissue break down during the long simmer and give the broth body. Bone-in pork ribs also work well. Lean cuts like pork loin dry out and produce a thinner broth —? skip them.
Why does my pozole broth taste bitter?
Burned chiles. When toasting dried chiles in the skillet, you want fragrant and slightly darkened —? not charred. If you see black patches or the kitchen fills with acrid smoke, the chiles are done for. Discard them and start with new ones. Bitterness in the final broth almost always traces back to over-toasted chiles.
Can I make pozole in a slow cooker?
Yes. Cook the pork, onion, garlic, bay leaves, and water on low for 7-8 hours or high for 4-5 hours. Make the chile sauce separately on the stovetop, fry it in oil, then add it to the slow cooker for the last 30-45 minutes with the hominy. Shred the pork and return it before that final simmer.
Can I make pozole ahead of time for a crowd?
This is one of the best make-ahead soups you can serve. The full recipe keeps refrigerated for 4 days, and the flavor improves by day two. Make the soup through the final simmer, cool and refrigerate, then reheat slowly on the stovetop. Set out topping ingredients fresh the day of serving —? they take about 10 minutes to prep.
How do I store and reheat leftover pozole?
Store the soup base in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days, or freeze for up to 3 months. Reheat on the stovetop over medium-low, adding a small amount of water or chicken broth if the hominy has absorbed too much liquid overnight. Keep toppings stored separately and fresh.
Can I make this pozole recipe vegetarian?
Yes. Substitute the pork and pork broth with vegetable broth (8-10 cups) and add two cans of drained pinto or black beans along with the hominy. Fry the chile sauce in oil, add the vegetable broth, then add the hominy and beans. Simmer 20 minutes. The broth is lighter but the chile flavor holds up well.
What is hominy and where do I find it?
Hominy is dried maize that has been treated with an alkaline solution (nixtamal process), which makes the kernels swell, softens the texture, and dramatically improves the flavor and nutrition. Canned hominy is sold in the Latin foods aisle of most grocery stores. It is ready to use —? just drain and rinse before adding.
How spicy is this pozole recipe?
Mild to medium with the ancho and guajillo chiles. Anchos are mild with a dried-fruit richness; guajillos add brightness and a slight tartness with low heat. The optional árbol chile adds a noticeable kick. Start without it and add it if you want heat —? one árbol is enough to move the whole pot into genuinely spicy territory.