Pozole (Ready In 30 Minutes!)

A quick 30-minute Mexican-inspired recipe, Pozole, complete with hominy, pulled pork, and loads of delicious toppings! While an authentic Pozole can take a couple of hours to make, this recipe can be on the table in 30 minutes or less!

Pozole

If you aren’t familiar, Pozole (posole) is a traditional soup from Mexican cuisine. It’s a rich and brothy soup made with hominy, pork, red chiles and garnished with loads of toppings like shredded cabbage or lettuce, tostada shells, onion, radishes, avocado, limes, salsa, etc. — the sky is the limit!

While this is particular recipe is not an authentic Pozole (try this one from my friend Elise at Simply Recipes if you’re looking for something more authentic!), it’s one that can be on your table in 30 minutes or less. Which is a must have for busy and chaotic weeknights (especially with the kiddos back in school and with busy schedules). This Pozole is loaded with flavor and one of my kids’ favorites — they love piling their bowls high with toppings (especially tostada shells).

What Is Hominy?

Hominy is one of the main ingredients in Pozole and can be purchased in the store near other canned vegetables.

Hominy is corn, just not straight off the cob. It is whole kernels of dried field corn (maize) that have been through a process where the kernels are soaked in lye or lime solutions and then rinsed several times. This process removes the hulls and turns the inner kernels tender and plump. This not only improves the corn’s nutritional content, it also keeps the corn from sprouting during a long storage (which was a big deal when corn harvests needed to last through winter).

The texture, smell, and flavor is different from corn — hominy kernels are chewy and puffy with a flavor similar to what you get when eating grits.

Pozole Toppings

The soup itself is intended to be fairly brothy since it gets loaded up with toppings. Pozole is all about the toppings — add your favorites and don’t skimp here!

Below are a list of common Pozole toppings. Our “must haves”: tostada shells, lime, cilantro, pickled red onions, cotija, and lots of ripe avocados!

• Tostada shells: grab some at the store or make your own! (This bean tostadas recipe shares how to quickly make tostada shells). If you don’t have tostada shells, tortilla chips or tortilla strips work well too.
• Fresh lime: this adds brightness and helps cut through the richness of the broth
• Avocado: this adds a nice creaminess 
• Cilantro: this adds a bright and fresh citrusy flavor that again helps to cut through the richness
• Shredded green cabbage or shredded romaine lettuce
• Thinly sliced radishes: these add a nice crunch!
• Salsa
• Diced white onions
• Sour cream: lite or fat free work fine here too!
• Pickled red onions: see the “quick tip” below for how to make your own “cheater” pickled red onions (they’re ready super fast)!
• Cheese: crumbled Cotija cheese or Queso Fresco are two of our favorites

QUICK TIP

How to make quick pickled red onions to add to your Pozole: In a medium-sized bowl, combine 1 cup (75g) thinly sliced red onion, 2 tablespoons (28g) red wine vinegar, 1/2 teaspoon fine salt and 1-1/2 teaspoons white sugar. Toss to coat; leave at room temperature and toss every 5 minutes or so while preparing the rest of the meal.

Pozole tips

1. Use fire-roasted diced green chiles — this adds layers of flavor without any additional work on your end! 
2. Be sure to use chili powder — not to be confused with chilli powder which is very hot. We’re using American chili powder (I use McCormick which is very mild).
3. Take your time sautéing the tomato paste and seasoning — this is adding complexity to the flavor of the soup.
4. Use a high-quality chicken stock for the best flavor and richness — Swanson is our favorite (not sponsored).
5. As written, this Pozole is fairly mild (my kids ate and loved it). To keep it mild be sure to use McCormick chili powder! For more heat, add in some cayenne pepper with the other spices (start with 1/4 teaspoon)

More soup recipes to love:

Pozole

A quick 30-minute Mexican-inspired recipe, Pozole, complete with hominy, pulled pork, and loads of delicious toppings! While an authentic Pozole can take a couple of hours to make, this recipe can be on the table in 30 minutes or less!

Pozole

A quick 30-minute Mexican-inspired recipe, Pozole, complete with hominy, pulled pork, and loads of delicious toppings! While an authentic Pozole can take a couple of hours to make, this recipe can be on the table in 30 minutes or less!

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons olive oil, separated
• 1-1/2 cups (210g) finely diced red onion (1 large onion)
• 1 tablespoon minced garlic (~4 cloves)
• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 2 tablespoons chili powder Note 1
• 1/2 teaspoon each: ground cumin, dried oregano, garlic powder
• 5 tablespoons (88g) tomato paste
• Fine sea salt & pepper
• 5 cups (1133g) good chicken stock, (like Swanson) separated use
• 1 can (4 oz.; 113g) fire-roasted mild diced green chiles
• 1 can (15.5 oz.; 439g) golden hominy, drained & rinsed
• 1 can (15.5 oz.; 439g) pinto beans, drained & rinsed
• 1-1/2 cups (160g) pre-cooked shredded pork Note 2
• 1 bay leaf
• Optional finishing touches: 2 tablespoons lime juice, 1/4 cup finely diced cilantro
• Toppings: Queso fresca or cotija, Pickled red onions, additional chopped cilantro, diced ripe avocados, quartered limes, thinly sliced radishes, tostada shells or tortilla chips/strips Note 3

Instructions

• PREP: Finely dice the onion & mince garlic. If using the Del Foods pork, remove it from packaging and microwave for 90 seconds. Remove and set aside to cool, measure out 1-1/2 cups removing fat/gristle and set aside.

• SOUP BASE: Add 1 tablespoon oil to a large pot pot over medium heat. Add in onion and sauté until tender and becoming transparent, about 5-8 minutes. Add in the garlic and sauté for 30 more seconds. Add in remaining 1 tablespoon of oil and flour. Cook, stirring constantly, for 1 minute. Then add in the seasonings: chili powder, cumin, oregano, garlic powder, and salt/pepper to taste (I add 3/4 teaspoon fine sea salt & 1/4 teaspoon pepper). Add in the tomato paste. Continue to cook, stirring constantly for 3-4 more minutes or until deeply fragrant. (This is supposed to be dry! Don’t stop mixing so it doesn’t burn. If anything is burning, lower the heat slightly or add a small splash of water). Don’t rush this — we’re adding loads of flavor!

• FINISHING SOUP: While mixing constantly, gradually add in 2 cups chicken stock. Switch to a whisk and whisk until mixture is smooth and thickens, about 3-4 minutes. Mixture should start to slightly bubble at the edges as it thickens. Once this happens, add in the undrained green chiles, drained & rinsed hominy & pinto beans, and pork (briefly shredded — see note 2). Add in the bay leaf and remaining 3 cups chicken stock. Mix to combine, increase heat to high until soup is simmering then reduce the heat to medium low and simmer for about 10 minutes or until beans and pork are fully heated through. If desired, add in cilantro and lime and mix through. Taste and adjust salt/pepper to personal preference — flavor should be rich!

• TOPPINGS: While soup is simmering, prepare the toppings. Remove soup from heat and ladle into bowls. Add desired toppings to individual bowls and enjoy immediately.

Recipe Notes

Note 1: Chili Powder: Be sure to use chili powder — not to be confused with chilli powder which is very hot. We’re using American chili powder (I use McCormick which is very mild).
Note 2: Pork: In order for this recipe to be ready in about 30 minutes or less, we rely on a big short-cut — already cooked and seasoned pork. Our favorite in this Pozole is Del Real Foods Carnitas — it is seasoned and tender making it a delicious addition in this soup and makes overall prep time a cinch! I microwave it for 1 min and 30 seconds up to 2 mins then give it a quick shred (removing and discarding fat) with forks before measuring and then adding it in.
Note 3: Toppings: Pozole is all about the toppings! Below are a list of common Pozole toppings. Our “must haves”: tostada shells, lime, cilantro, pickled red onions, cotija, and lots of ripe avocados! Here is how to make quick pickled red onions: In a medium-sized bowl, combine 1 cup (75g) thinly sliced red onion, 2 tablespoons (28g) red wine vinegar, 1/2 teaspoon fine salt and 1-1/2 teaspoons white sugar. Toss to coat; leave at room temperature and toss every 5 minutes or so while preparing the rest of the soup.

Nutrition Facts

Serving: 1serving | Calories: 278kcal | Carbohydrates: 35g | Protein: 15.7g | Fat: 8.6g | Cholesterol: 23.3mg | Sodium: 625.5mg | Fiber: 6.4g | Sugar: 8.6g

We do our best to provide accurate nutritional analysis for our recipes. Our nutritional data is calculated using a third-party algorithm and may vary, based on individual cooking styles, measurements, and ingredient sizes. Please use this information for comparison purposes and consult a health professional for nutrition guidance as needed.