One of the most iconic Mexican dishes, this “ultimate” Pozole Rojo recipe is PACKED with deliciously bold and robust flavors that will absolutely WOW your taste buds! A great make-ahead dish, the flavors only get better over time!
What is Pozole Rojo?
Pozole in Mexico is like chicken noodle soup in the United States – it’s a dish so engrained in our culture, traditions and way of life that it’s practically indispensable at the family table. Imagining life without it is, well, unimaginable. And on a cold and drizzly day or in the midst of feeling under the weather and needing some nutritious comfort, you just can’t beat a hot bowl pozole rojo.
One of Mexico’s most iconic and popular dishes, pozole (some spell it posole) is served in Mexican restaurants worldwide. This traditional stew is popular in three varieties: Blanco (white) , Verde (green) and Rojo (red). As the names suggest, pozole verde is made with a green sauce (and usually chicken), pozole rojo is made with a red sauce, and pozole blanco is made without either green or red sauce.
Today we’re making a pozole rojo recipe that incorporates a sauce made from roasted red chiles and garlic and has a depth of flavor that is simply unforgettable.
Pozole is the Spanish word for “hominy”. Hominy are dried maize/corn kernels that have gone through a process called nixtamalization in which the dried kernels are soaked in lime to soften the outer hulls. The kernels are then washed and the hulls are removed, leaving them nice and chewy. Hominy has been a staple food throughout Mexico for centuries. In fact, this famous pozole stew dates back to pre-hispanic times to the Aztecs.
How to Serve Pozole Rojo
One of the fun features about this stew is its wide and colorful array of garnishes. Shredded cabbage, sliced red radishes, diced avocados, chopped cilantro and sliced limes are traditional and you can add any other toppings you like such as fried tortilla strips, sliced jalapeños or crema. Pozole Rojo is the king of add-ins!
Why “ultimate”? The flavor of this pozole rojo is especially rich and robust from the addition of the homemade roasted red chile sauce, the smoked paprika and the addition of masa harina for an extra boost of delicious corn flavor that the hominy alone can’t provide. Your taste buds will be WOWED!
An absolute key to making the ultimate pozole roja is making your own authentic red chile sauce. Don’t even think twice about it. Just make it. You’ll be so glad you did.
Grab our recipe for the most incredible authentic Enchilada Sauce.
This prize-worthy stew also deserves the very best chicken broth as its base, which is why we’re using our favorite chicken broth from Aneto, made in Spain. We’ve been fans for years and visited their factory in Barcelona a couple of years ago where we watched the entire broth-making process from start to finish. It was one of the most inspiring things we’ve ever seen.
Aneto selects fresh, free-range chicken and the freshest vegetables and slow-simmer it in gigantic pots for several hours to produce the highest quality broths on the market. No concentrates, powders, artificial ingredients, “natural flavors”, GMO’s, fillers or flavor enhancers of any kind. Just pure, whole, real ingredients. You can read more about why we love Aneto broths so much and what sets them apart HERE.
Their chicken broth can be purchased here on Amazon and in stores throughout the U.S. See list of store locations.
(And if you’re a paella fan, you MUST try their Valencian and Seafood paella cooking bases – incredible!)
Pozole Rojo Recipe
Let’s get started!
This recipe makes a large batch on purpose – it’s so good you WILL want seconds. What’s more, you’ll be so happy to have leftovers the next day or two! (And the flavor only gets better with time – win, win!)
Rub the pork down with a little salt and some freshly ground black pepper. Heat the lard/oil over high heat in a heavy stock pot or Dutch oven and sear the pork on all sides until nicely browned. Remove and set aside.
Lower the heat to medium-high and add the onions, cooking until lightly browned. Add the garlic and cumin and cook for another minute.
Return the pork roast and add the chicken broth. Add the homemade Enchilada Sauce along with the bay leaves, salt, pepper, Mexican oregano and smoked paprika.
Simmer covered over low heat for 2-3 hours or until the roast is fork tender and falls apart.
Transfer the roast to a plate and use two forks to shred the meat.
Return the shredded pork to the pot, stir in the masa harina and add the drained hominy.
Simmer covered for another hour. Stir in the cilantro and simmer another 5 minutes. Add more salt and pepper to taste.
Serve garnished with shredded green cabbage, sliced red radishes, diced avocado, sliced limes, chopped cilantro and anything else your heart desires! Want some crunch? Add some toasted tortilla strips.
¡Buen provecho!
For more delicious Mexican and Mexican-style recipes be sure to try our:
- Albondigas Soup
- Homemade Mexican Chorizo
- BEST Homemade Chili Powder
- Grilled Steak Fajitas
- Restaurant Style Salsa
- Queso Fresco Chorizo Pizza
- Stuffed Mexican Cornbread
- Mexican Wheat Berry Salad
- Sincronizadas
- Mexican Meatballs
- Creamy Chicken Tortilla Soup
- Mexican Grillades and Grits
BEST Pozole Rojo
Ingredients
- 3 pounds pork shoulder, rubbed with salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 1 tablespoon lard or oil
- 1 large white onion, chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 teaspoons ground cumin (recommended: roast whole cumin seeds then grind them to a powder)
- 4 cups Aneto 100% All Natural Chicken Broth
- 4 cups Homemade Authentic Enchilada/Red Chile Sauce (do not substitute store-bought)
- 2 teaspoons dried Mexican oregano
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 3 large bay leaves
- 3 15 ounce cans white hominy, drained
- 2 tablespoons masa harina
- 1/4 cup chopped cilantro
- For toppings: Shredded green cabbage, sliced red radishes, diced avocados, sliced limes, chopped fresh cilantro, toasted tortilla strips, crema, and anything else your heart desires!
Instructions
- Rub the pork down with a little salt and some freshly ground black pepper. Heat the lard/oil over high heat in a heavy stock pot or Dutch oven and sear the pork on all sides until nicely browned. Remove and set aside.
- Lower the heat to medium-high and add the onions, cooking until lightly browned. Add the garlic and cumin and cook for another minute.
- Return the pork roast and add the chicken broth. Add the Homemade Authentic Red Chile Sauce along with the bay leaves, salt, pepper, Mexican oregano and smoked paprika.Simmer covered over low heat for 2-3 hours or until the roast is fork tender and falls apart.
- Transfer the roast to a plate and use two forks to shred the meat.Return the shredded pork to the pot, stir in the masa harina and add the drained hominy.Simmer covered for another hour. Stir in the cilantro and simmer another 5 minutes. Add more salt and pepper to taste.
- Serve garnished with shredded green cabbage, sliced red radishes, diced avocado, sliced limes, chopped cilantro, etc. Want some crunch? Add some toasted tortilla strips.
- To Make This In The Slow Cooker:Follow steps 1 and 2 as directed and then transfer everything to a slow cooker in step 3. Cook on LOW for 6-8 hours or on HIGH for 4-6 hours.
Nutrition
Originally published on The Daring Gourmet September 27, 2018
Janice says
Absolutely lovely, dense, dark and rich with flavor. I’m in the last hour of cooking, down in South Texas watching Hurricane Hanna fly by my windows. Comfort food, indeed! I’ve been trying my hand at pozole for years and this is by far the most intensely flavored recipe I’ve used. Looking forward to using the rest of the enchilada sauce on chicken enchiladas. Thank you for sharing!
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
I am absolutely thrilled to hear that, Janice, thank you so much! Happy eating and stay safe!
Wendy says
Maravillosa receta! Tenemos que probarla si ó si. Tendra el mismo resultado si lo hago con carne de res?.
Aneto, es el mejor caldo Del mundo mundial tanto de pollo, res ó pescado. Yó siempre compro el bajo en sal, ahora, Caro es Caro, 1 litro 3,45 euros, pero vale la pena, cuando no tengo el hecho en casa.
Cuidaros mucho y gracias desde Guadalajara – España
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Muchas gracias, Wendy! Si, puedes usar carne si lo prefieres.
Lena Kandler says
This may be a duplicate… Not sure. At any rate, would you have instructions for an Instant Pot. I made a chicken version in the IP, and will definitely make it again, however, I think that my man would appreciate the pork version better.
Rob says
I’m making this for the first time today! I have dried giant white corn that I was going to use instead of canned hominy, do you have any suggestions about preparing dried corn? Should I just use canned Hominy? Hope all is well, and thanks for the recipes!
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Hi Rob, you can definitely use the dried white corn, you’ll just need to cook it first. Bring a pot of lightly salted water to a boil, reduce the heat to a medium simmer and it will probably need to cook for about an hour – just check on it periodically to determine when it’s done. Then drain it and add it to the pozole in the quantity called for in the recipe. Happy cooking!
Rob says
Just finished my second bowl, so amazing, my soul honestly feels happy right now! Made my own chicken stock but other than that I followed your enchilada sauce recipe and pozole recipe (used dried corn thank you for the response earlier). Both my kids were able to help, just an all around great experience. I’ll definitely be making this again
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
That’s wonderful, Rob, I’m so happy to hear that and that your kids were involved in the process. Thanks so much for the feedback!
Karen Garay says
I want to try this, but we don’t eat pork. Would beef work, or would chicken be better?
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Hi Karen, you can use either – both will be good, just a different flavor profile.
LT says
Your recipe and instructions are second to none! This was delicious. THANK YOU for sharing and your time!
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
I’m delighted to hear that, LT, thank you!
Margie Benitez says
I am of Mexican heritage and this is the BEST pozole I have ever had!! Thank you for sharing!!
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
I’m so thrilled to hear that, Margie, thank you!
Sara says
Looks amazing. But I’m trying to click on the link for the red sauce it it’s just opening the link for the Dutch oven. Do you have this recipe somewhere else? Thank you!
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Hi Sara, sorry about that, here is the recipe link: https://www.daringgourmet.com/enchilada-sauce-mexican-red-chile-sauce/
Teresa Flemming says
THIS WAS OUTSTANDING!! Really, I can’t rave enough about it. The flavor is out of this world. I made it for a small gathering of family last night and everyone loved it. Thank you for such a delicious recipe!
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
I’m so thrilled to hear that, Teresa, thank you!
Marissa says
I’ve been searching for a pozole recipe that gives that rich, deep flavor of pozole I’ve had in Mexico. THIS WAS IT! Thank you for sharing such a delicious recipe. I will be relying on this for decades.
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
I’m so happy to hear that, Marissa, thank you! :)
Rita Norris says
This is absolutely stunning, Kimberly! I have it on my menu for next weekend and will gather the ingredients in the meantime, including ordering more of that wonderful Aneto broth. Can’t wait to try this!
Tanya Harris says
Love that homemade chili sauce. It really makes this recipe pop!
Cami Weyland says
Kimberly, OMG this was SO delicious! I made your enchilada sauce (used the red chilies you recommended, they’re awesome) and made this for my family for dinner tonight. I was the star of the evening, lol :) We all loved it! Keep these delicious recipes coming!
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
I’m so thrilled to hear that, Cami, thank you!
Terri Fielding says
This was absolutely delicious! I made it exactly as written including the homemade enchilada sauce. I added some arbol peppers to it because I like a bit of heat. The stew was incredibly flavorful and I look forward to having the leftovers for lunch tomorrow. Thank you!
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
I’m thrilled to hear that, Terri, thanks so much for the feedback!
Erin says
This looks SO good! Can’t wait to try it!
Robbi Marion says
I so enjoy authentic Mexican foods, and this dish looks amazing. All the varieties of garnishes are so inviting I can see myself on a cold winter day preparing and cooking this dish! Off to my Mexican store in the Westend of Winnipeg for some of the ingredients.