Mexican

Serving

Pozole Rojo

Name: Pozole Rojo
Total time: 180 min
Yield: 5 servings
Cuisine: Mexican
Ingredients: 2 lbs pork shoulder, cut into 2-inch chunks; 1 large can (29 oz) white hominy, drained and rinsed; 4 dried Ancho chilies, stemmed and seeded; 4 radishes, thinly sliced; 2 cups green cabbage, finely shredded; 2 limes, cut into wedges; 1 onion, halved (plus more, diced, for garnish); 3 cloves garlic; 1 tbsp vegetable oil; salt, to taste; dried oregano, to taste

A traditional, hearty soup made with hominy and meat, garnished with fresh vegetables.

180 minutes

Serves 5

63 min prep

99 min cook

No common allergens detected

Based on this recipe's ingredient list. Always verify with your own brands and labels.

Instructions

6 steps

1
Cook Pork: In a large heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven, cover the pork chunks with 8 cups of water. Add half an onion and 3 cloves of garlic. Bring to a boil, reduce to a gentle simmer, and cook for 1.5 to 2 hours until the pork is tender. Skim any foam from the surface.
2
Prepare Chili Paste: Toast the dried Ancho chilies in a dry skillet for 1-2 minutes until fragrant. Soak in 2 cups of boiling water for 20 minutes. Transfer the softened chilies and 1/2 cup of the soaking liquid to a blender. Blend until a smooth, vibrant red paste forms.
3
Incorporate Paste: Heat 1 tbsp of oil in a skillet and fry the chili paste for 5 minutes over medium heat to deepen the flavor. Strain the paste directly into the simmering pork broth.
4
Add Hominy: Stir the rinsed hominy into the vibrant red broth. Simmer the soup for an additional 45 minutes to let the hominy absorb the rich flavors and the pork to become fall-apart tender.
5
Shred Pork: Carefully remove the pork chunks, shred them with two forks, and return them to the pot. Season the broth with salt and dried oregano to taste.
6
Garnish and Serve: Ladle the piping hot pozole into deep bowls. Serve with plates of fresh garnishes: thinly sliced radishes, shredded cabbage, diced onions, and lime wedges for diners to customize their bowls.

Pozole Rojo — plated and served — Serving moment. How Pozole Rojo looks plated and ready to eat — a representative photo, not a step in the recipe.

Listahan Family Score™

66/100

Works for many families

Allergen-friendly 100

Kid-friendly 27

Weeknight-easy 54

Budget-friendly 84

Great leftovers 87

Pantry-friendly 39

Score reflects how well this recipe fits a typical busy household. In the app, your Family Score is personalized to your household's allergens, kids, and pantry.

Nutrition

per serving

455

Calories

50 g

Protein

5 g

Carbs

25 g

Fat

Estimated per serving. Actual values depend on the brands and portions you use.

Listahan cooking guide

Chef notes & practical guide

Technique notes, ingredient swaps, serve-alongside ideas, storage guidance, and equipment for this recipe.

Cultural context

Pozole is a pre-Hispanic stew built on hominy, corn kernels treated with lime to swell and soften, and it once held ritual significance among the Aztecs. The rojo version takes its deep color from dried red chiles and is traditionally eaten at celebrations and large family gatherings. The garnish bar of radish, cabbage, and lime is part of the ritual, not an afterthought.

Listahan note

This version simmers pork with a real red-chile broth and leans on the table garnishes to let each eater finish their own bowl. It treats the toppings as essential structure rather than optional extras.

Technique cues

Simmer the pork low and slow so it turns tender and the broth gains body; rushing it leaves the meat tough and the broth thin.
Blend and strain the dried-chile sauce before adding it so the broth is clean and smooth rather than flecked with skins.
Add the hominy late enough to warm through but not so early that it goes mushy in the long simmer.

Kitchen flow

Parallel prep: Toast and soak the chiles while the pork comes to a simmer, then prep all the raw garnishes during the long cook.
Make-ahead: Pozole tastes even better the next day, so make the broth and meat a day ahead and reheat to serve.
Leftover move: Reduce leftover broth and meat to a thicker stew over rice, or use it as a base for a quick tortilla soup.
Cleanup rhythm: Skim fat from the broth as it cooks for easier cleanup, and arrange garnishes on one platter so the table resets in a single pass.

Ingredient brief

Role, handling, and swap guidance for each key ingredient.

pork shoulder

main protein and broth

Purpose: Its collagen breaks down into a rich, slightly silky broth as it simmers.

Handling: Cut into large chunks and simmer until fork-tender, then shred or leave in pieces.

Adaptation: Chicken makes a lighter pozole; jackfruit and mushrooms work for a vegetarian pot.

hominy

signature starch

Purpose: Lime-treated corn gives pozole its chewy texture and is the ingredient the dish is named for.

Handling: Use canned hominy rinsed, or simmer dried hominy until it blooms.

Adaptation: There is no true substitute; canned hominy is the easy path if dried is unavailable.

dried guajillo and ancho chiles

broth color and flavor

Purpose: They give pozole rojo its red color and warm, fruity depth.

Handling: Toast, soak, blend, and strain into the simmering broth.

Adaptation: Pasilla chiles add a darker, earthier note if you want more depth.

radishes

garnish

Purpose: Their crisp, peppery bite cuts the rich broth at the table.

Handling: Slice thin and set out raw for diners to add.

Adaptation: Thinly sliced jicama gives a similar crunch with a milder flavor.

shredded cabbage and lime

finishing garnish

Purpose: Cabbage adds crunch and lime brightens the whole bowl on contact.

Handling: Shred the cabbage finely and cut lime into wedges for squeezing.

Adaptation: Romaine lettuce stands in for cabbage; lemon for lime in a pinch.

Technique notes

Skim the surface fat during the simmer and reserve a little to drizzle back at the end for a glossy, restaurant-style broth.
Taste the broth for salt only after the chile sauce and hominy are in, since both shift the balance.
Serve the broth piping hot so it just wilts the cabbage when added, keeping the garnish crisp rather than soggy.

Ingredient swaps

Gluten-free direction: This dish is naturally gluten-free; just confirm the hominy and any bouillon are uncontaminated.
Vegetarian direction: Build the broth on chile and vegetable stock with jackfruit or mushrooms in place of pork.
Lower-sodium direction: Use unsalted stock and let diners salt their own bowls with the lime and garnishes doing the lifting.

Serve alongside

Tostadas with crema
Sliced avocado
Mexican oregano and dried chile flakes
Crusty bolillo rolls
Jamaica agua fresca
Mexican lager
Tamarind soda

Serving suggestions only — check pairings for your household's allergens.

Storage & reheating

Refrigerate broth and meat together for up to 4 days; the flavor deepens overnight. Reheat gently on the stove and add garnishes fresh at serving. Pozole freezes well for up to 3 months without the garnishes; thaw in the fridge before reheating.

Equipment

Large heavy pot or Dutch oven
Blender for the chile sauce
Fine-mesh sieve for straining
Ladle and a garnish platter for serving

Make this household-aware

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