Pozole Rojo — Mexican Hominy & Pork Soup
Mexico's great celebration soup: tender pork and plump hominy simmered in a deep red broth of dried guajillo and ancho chillies, then loaded at the table with crisp shredded cabbage, radish, onion, oregano and lime. Centuries old and endlessly comforting — a pot of pozole means a party.
Simmer pork (shoulder and a little on the bone) with onion and garlic until tender, building a rich broth. Toast and soak dried guajillo and ancho chillies, then blend into a smooth red sauce and strain it into the pot. Add cooked hominy and simmer so the flavours marry. Serve in deep bowls with a spread of toppings — shredded cabbage, radish, onion, oregano, chilli and lime — for everyone to add their own.
- Build a real broth by simmering the pork low and slow; skim it for a clean, deep base.
- Toast, soak and blend the dried chillies, then strain the sauce for a smooth, glossy red broth.
- The toppings aren't optional — the crunch, acidity and freshness are the whole point of pozole.
Equipment
- Large stockpot
- Blender
- Sieve
- Frying pan (to toast chillies)
Ingrediënten
Pork & broth
- 1.2 kg pork shoulder, in chunks, plus a few bones if you have them
- 1 onion, halved
- 1 head garlic, halved crosswise
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 tbsp salt, plus more to taste
- 2 cans white hominy, drained, or cooked dried hominy
Red chilli sauce
- 4 guajillo chillies, stemmed and seeded
- 3 ancho chillies, stemmed and seeded
- 3 garlic cloves
- 5 g dried Mexican oregano
- ½ tsp ground cumin
Toppings
- Shredded white cabbage or lettuce
- Radishes, thinly sliced
- Diced white onion
- Dried oregano, chilli flakes (chile piquín)
- Lime wedges and tostadas
Bereiding
- STAP01
Put the pork (and bones) in a big pot with the onion, halved garlic, bay and salt. Cover with water, bring to a boil, skim, then simmer gently until very tender, about 2 hours. Lift out the meat, strain and keep the broth.
- STAP02
Toast the guajillo and ancho chillies in a dry pan 30 seconds until fragrant, then soak in hot water 15 minutes. Blend with the garlic, oregano, cumin and a cup of the broth until smooth.
- STAP03
Pass the blended chilli sauce through a sieve into the pot of broth, pressing to extract all the smooth sauce and leave the skins behind. The broth turns a deep, glossy red.
- STAP04
Shred or chunk the pork and return it to the pot with the drained hominy. Simmer 30–40 minutes so the flavours marry. Taste and adjust salt — it should be rich and well seasoned.
- STAP05
Ladle into deep bowls. Set out the cabbage, radish, onion, oregano, chilli flakes, lime and tostadas, and let everyone load their own bowl. Squeeze over plenty of lime.
Make ahead
An ideal make-ahead — it's even better the next day. Make the soup a day or two ahead and refrigerate; prepare the fresh toppings just before serving and reheat the pot.
Storage
Pozole keeps 4 days refrigerated and freezes 3 months — the broth only deepens. Store the soup separately from the fresh toppings, which are always added at serving. Reheat gently.
Variations
Pozole verde
Swap the red chilli sauce for a green one of tomatillos, jalapeños, coriander and pumpkin seeds.
Pozole de pollo
Use chicken instead of pork for a lighter, quicker version.
Vegetarian
Skip the meat, use a rich vegetable broth, and add extra hominy, beans and mushrooms.
Serve with
Nutrition per serving
Nutrition values are estimates based on the metric measurements. Adjust as needed.
Veelgestelde vragen
What is hominy?
Hominy is dried maize kernels treated with an alkaline solution (nixtamalisation), which puffs them up and gives them a distinctive chewy texture and corn flavour. It's the heart of pozole. Canned hominy is a great shortcut; dried hominy needs long cooking but tastes even better.
What's the difference between pozole rojo, verde and blanco?
The base broth is the same; the colour comes from the seasoning. Rojo (red) uses dried red chillies, verde (green) uses tomatillos and green chillies, and blanco (white) is the plain broth served with toppings and no chilli sauce.
Why are the toppings so important?
Pozole is built to be finished at the table. The crunchy cabbage and radish, sharp onion, fragrant oregano, fresh lime and crisp tostadas add texture, acidity and brightness that cut the rich broth — they're essential, not garnish.
Can I make pozole ahead?
Yes — it's a classic make-ahead party dish and tastes even better the next day as the broth deepens. Keep the soup and the fresh toppings separate, and add the toppings only when serving.
What cut of pork is best?
Pork shoulder (with a few bones if you can) gives tender meat and a rich broth from the long simmer. Trotters or neck bones add body and a silky broth. Avoid lean cuts, which dry out.
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