Pozole Rojo (Red Pork & Hominy Soup)
Photo: alphacreativa / Pixabay
Mexico's festive soup: tender pork and plump hominy in a deep red broth of toasted guajillo and ancho chillies, garlic and oregano, served with crunchy tostadas and a spread of shredded cabbage, radishes, onion, lime and chilli for everyone to add at the table.
Servings
Ingredients
Nutrition
Per serving
Steps
Cook the pork
Put the pork, onion halves, head of garlic, bay leaves and salt in a large pot with about 3 liters of water. Bring to a boil and spoon off the foam. Let it bubble gently for about 1 hour 45 minutes, until the pork is very tender.
Toast the chillies
Toast the chillies in a dry pan for a few seconds each side until fragrant — don't let them burn or they'll turn bitter. Soak them in hot water for 20 minutes.
Make the chili sauce
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Combine
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Cook together
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Serve
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Cook the pork
Put the pork, onion halves, head of garlic, bay leaves and salt in a large pot with about 3 liters of water. Bring to a boil and spoon off the foam. Let it bubble gently for about 1 hour 45 minutes, until the pork is very tender.
Toast the chillies
Toast the chillies in a dry pan for a few seconds each side until fragrant — don't let them burn or they'll turn bitter. Soak them in hot water for 20 minutes.
Make the chili sauce
This step is part of Foodie Premium. Subscribe to unlock the full method, cooking mode and every recipe in the library.
Combine
This step is part of Foodie Premium. Subscribe to unlock the full method, cooking mode and every recipe in the library.
Cook together
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Serve
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The Story Behind the Dish
Pozole comes from the Nahuatl word pozolli, and its roots go back to pre-Hispanic Mexico, where it was a ceremonial dish made from large-kernelled maize treated with lime — the same nixtamalisation process used for tortillas.
Today there are red, white and green versions across the country. Pozole rojo, coloured with dried chillies, is especially associated with Jalisco and is the classic dish for big family gatherings.
⭐ Why It's Famous
Mexicans serve pozole for celebrations, above all on the night of 15 September, when the country celebrates Independence.
💡 Fun Fact
When nixtamalised corn kernels cook, they burst open at the top like a flower — cooks say the pozole has 'flowered' when it's ready.
Central and western Mexico (Jalisco, Guerrero, Michoacán)
20.67°N, -103.35°W
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