Pozole Recipe

Let’s be real: if you’ve never had pozole, your soup game is missing a major player. This traditional Mexican stew is rich, hearty, deeply savory, and full of personality. Made with tender pork, hominy (think chewy, satisfying corn kernels), and a smoky red chili broth, it’s the kind of meal that makes silence fall over the table because everyone’s too busy slurping.

Pozole (pronounced poh-SOH-leh) is more than just a recipe—it’s a ritual. It’s a Sunday thing. A holiday thing. A “gather the whole family and top your bowl however you want” thing. And yes, it takes a bit of time, but the result is 100% worth the wait.

And the best part? The toppings. You load it up however you want—shredded cabbage, chopped onions, fresh lime, radishes, avocado, tostadas, or a rainstorm of oregano. It’s customizable, comforting, and completely addictive

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Ingredients (serves 6–8):

For the stew:

• Pork shoulder – 1.2kg, cut into large chunks

• Yellow onion – 1 large, peeled and halved

• Garlic – 6 cloves, smashed

• Bay leaves – 2

• Salt – 2 tsp

• Dried hominy – 300g (or 2 cans of pre-cooked hominy, drained and rinsed)

• Water – enough to cover (~2.5 liters)

For the chili base:

• Dried guajillo chilies – 4, stemmed and seeded

• Dried ancho chilies – 2, stemmed and seeded

• Garlic – 2 cloves

• Cumin – 1 tsp

• Dried oregano – 1 tsp

• Salt – to taste

Toppings (optional but highly encouraged):

• Shredded cabbage

• Thinly sliced radishes

• Chopped onion

• Lime wedges

• Avocado slices

• Crushed tostadas or tortilla chips

• Dried oregano

• Chili flakes

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Step-by-Step Instructions:

1. Cook the pork (60–90 minutes):
Place pork, halved onion, smashed garlic, bay leaves, and salt into a large pot. Cover with water and bring to a boil. Skim foam, reduce to a simmer, and cook until the pork is tender (about 1.5 hours). If using dried hominy, soak overnight and add it to the pot early on. If using canned, add later.

2. Make the chili base (15 minutes):
While the pork cooks, toast the dried chilies in a dry skillet for 1–2 minutes until aromatic. Soak them in hot water for 10 minutes to soften. Blend with garlic, cumin, oregano, and a bit of the soaking liquid until smooth. Strain the puree for a silkier broth.

3. Combine and simmer (30–45 minutes):
Add the chili base to the pork broth. If you’re using canned hominy, add it now. Simmer for another 30–45 minutes, uncovered, until the broth is rich and the flavors are deep. Adjust salt to taste.

4. Serve and top (instantly delicious):
Ladle pozole into deep bowls and pile on your favorite toppings. There’s no wrong combo—just keep a lime wedge handy.

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Pro Tip:

Pozole tastes even better the next day. If you're making this for guests, consider cooking the meat and broth ahead of time and reheating with toppings prepped fresh. And don’t skip the chili blend—the toasted guajillo and ancho combo is the heart of the flavor.