Pork Pozole Rojo (Posole Rojo)
The ultimate Mexican comfort food, this Easy Pork Pozole Rojo (Posole) recipe is the perfect family dinner. Bright, vibrant flavor that will keep you coming back for spoonful after spoonful. Healthy, hearty and satisfying.
Pork Pozole Rojo
A few years ago we went on a family vacation to Mexico over Thanksgiving. I was totally apprehensive about traveling to a foreign country over the holiday because I’m all about the food…..but I’m also all about Mexican food. The resort we went to was all inclusive and had gigantic buffets in just about every corner but I didn’t feel like I they had authentic Mexican food….even being in Mexico. Crazy right?
It wasn’t until we went into town that I actually tried and tasted some of the most amazing and flavorful Mexican dishes I had ever had. And this Authentic Mexican Pozole Rojo (Posole) was truly one of the most insanely vibrant recipes I tasted and it’s been on my mind ever since.
I’m not really a big fan of Mexico but I’d love to go back and give it another try. We had a not so great experience but I refuse to make my final decision on Mexico until I have more than ONE visit.
But in the meantime, I’ll be whipping up this easy Pork Pozole (Posole) recipe on the regular because it’s insanely simple to make and it’s great for chilly nights to warm your belly and your soul.
What is Pozole Rojo (Posole)
Pozole, which means “hominy”, is a traditional Mexican stew or soup made with hominy, meat and a flavorful broth. Also known as Posole Rojo, it’s served with an assortment of fresh garnishes like cabbage, avocado, radishes and lime.
Pozole Rojo is usually served around Christmas Eve and then on Thursdays and Saturdays the rest of the year. The Authentic Pozole Rojo recipe is simmered for hours so it’s most often made in large batches. My Posole recipe is quick and easy so small batches can be made on the fly during the week.
How To Make It
Authentic Pozole Mexicano is a simple stew made of just pork and hominy. I made my version super simple by skipping the homemade chili sauce and using my easy Enchilada Sauce. It’s not traditional but it really gives you the flavor without having to make absolutely everything from scratch.
The longer it cooks, the better it gets and if you make it a day in advance….well, you’re in for a full on flavor bomb.
And this Easy Mexican Pozole Rojo is perfect for a family gathering because you can just serve the whole thing in the pot you cooked it in. Serve with a huge assortment of garnishes like shredded cabbage, jalapeños, avocados, cilantro, green onion, lime and radishes…it’s really about the garnishes, right? And make your own Posole soup the way you want….with spice or without…with crunch or not so much…with avocado…lots of avocado.
To ensure the pork is tender, I like to use a boneless pork loin cut into bite sized pieces. It soaks up the flavors of the broth brilliantly and gets all buttery, tender and amazing in the soup.
Heat the olive oil in a large dutch oven over medium-high heat.
Whisk together the salt and cumin.
Coat the pork loin in the salt mixture and add to the pan.
Brown the pork on each side until golden brown.
Transfer the pork to a platter and cover with foil to keep warm.
Add the onion to the pan and cook until softened.
Stir in the garlic and cook for 1 minutes.
Add the chicken stock to the pot and bring to a simmer.
Stir in the enchilada sauce.
Return the pork to the pot, cover and simmer for 2 hours.
Remove the pork and shred. Return the pork to the pot.
Stir in the hominy, cover and continue simmering for an additional hour.
Serve the stew with the avocado, cabbage, onion, radish and cilantro.
Easy Pork Pozole Soup is a pretty healthy dinner already but if you want to cut calories even more you can totally substitute the pork loin with a lean pork tenderloin.
Ingredients for Pozole
A traditional Pozole (posole) recipe calls for a lot of time and ingredients. This Easy Pozole recipe cuts the time drastically and the ingredients are easy to find right in your own kitchen.
- Olive Oil
- Salt
- Cumin
- Pork Loin
- Onion
- Garlic
- Chicken Stock
- Enchilada Sauce
- Oregano
- Hominy
It’s a simple to whip up dinner with mostly pantry items and you’re family is going to LOVE this soup.
How To Serve It
The secret to perfect Pozole is really in the garnishes. I like to set out a spread of crunchy vegetables, herbs, lime and avocado so guests can load up with whatever they want.
Here’s what we top Pozole with:
- Radishes
- Cabbage
- Cilantro
- Green Onion
- Lime
- Avocado
How to Freeze It
You can totally freeze this easy Pozole Rojo recipe. Simply double the recipe and store half in a freezer safe container in the freezer for up to 3 months. You can reheat your Pozole in the microwave or in a saucepan until heated through and hot.
This Easy Mexican Pozole Rojo is perfect for a family gathering because you can just serve the whole thing in the pot you cooked it in. Serve with a huge assortment of garnishes like shredded cabbage, jalapeños, avocados, cilantro, green onion, lime and radishes…it’s really about the garnishes, right? Kind of like a Mexican charcuterie with soup. right? No?
More Easy Pork Recipes
- Slow Cooker Pork Loin Roast
- Parmesan Crusted Pork Chops
- Instant Pot Pork Chops
- Slow Cooker Pulled Pork
- Philly Roast Pork Sandwich
Want to see what else we’re cooking up? Follow us over on Instagram.
Get the Recipe: Easy Pork Posole (Pozole Rojo)
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 tablespoon kosher salt
- 2 teaspoons ground cumin
- 2 1/2 pound boneless pork loin
- 1 1/2 cups diced onion
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 6 cups low sodium chicken stock
- 1 cup enchilada sauce
- 1 tablespoon oregano
- 3 15- ounce cans hominy, drained and rinsed
- Diced avocado, shredded cabbage, diced onion, sliced radishes and/or fresh cilantro, for topping
Instructions
- Heat the olive oil in a large dutch oven over medium-high heat.
- Whisk together the salt and cumin. Coat the pork loin in the salt mixture and add to the pan.
- Brown the pork on each side until golden brown.
- Transfer the pork to a platter and cover with foil to keep warm.
- Add the onion to the pan and cook until softened.
- Stir in the garlic and cook for 1 minutes.
- Add the chicken stock to the pot and bring to a simmer.
- Stir in the enchilada sauce.
- Return the pork to the pot, cover and simmer for 2 hours.
- Remove the pork and shred. Return the pork to the pot.
- Stir in the hominy, cover and continue simmering for an additional hour.
- Serve the stew with the avocado, cabbage, onion, radish and cilantro.
34 Comments on “Pork Pozole Rojo (Posole Rojo)”
This looks so good! I’ve been on a soup kick lately and recently made a chicken posole verde. Can’t wait to try this!
It’s my favorite soup recipe now! SO.GOOD!
Its an incredible meal that has been a big hit since I found this recipe. Just showed my son how to make it and he’s amazed at how easy it is. I used pork shoulder. Browned it in a skillet and used his new pressure cooker. 1 hour later were were enjoying a bowl of our new favorite dish! Thank you so much for the recipe. It will be passed on for generations!
I’m so glad you enjoyed it! And the pressure cooker is a great idea!
These pictures are stunning!! They are making me drool!
Thanks, Lauren!
This looks super flavorful!! I can’t wait to give it a try!
It’s so good, you will love it!
This looks so delicious and full of flavor! I always love finding new recipes to try, can’t wait to make it this weekend!
Thank you! I hope you love it!
I am so happy that soup season is upon us! I’ve never tried soup with shredded pork, so I can’t wait to make this. It sounds delicious, and I think my whole family will love it!
Me too! It’s so good, I how you try it!
So easy with TONS of flavor! Delicious!
Thank you! It is loaded with flavor!
Doesn’t say when to add the oregano, but I assume it’s when the enchilada sauce and stock go in.
That’s correct! Thank you for letting me know of the omission.
I can not wait to try! All the flavors sounds so amazing together.
This was delicious!
I have had it many times but this was my first time making it. I did as instructed and cubed the meat,instead of shreading and but put it in a crockpot on low for about 8 hours. I made it too hot with the enchilada sauce(accidentally bought hot and didn’t realize it till much later) but I added a fresh squeezed lime and it cut the heat!
Can’t wait to make this again!
I love that you cubed the meat, that’s such a great tip….especially if you’re making it in the Crock Pot! I’m so glad you liked it….it’s one of our favorites!
I made this in my IP. After searing on ‘Sauté’ setting. I then did 15 min pressure cooking with 15 min natural release. Then added the hominy and pressure cooked for an additional 3min with a few min natural release. Came out so good. Thank you!
Thank you for your IP suggestions….definitely going to give this a try!
Good recipe! I ended up adding some more stock and red sauce when I added the hominy in because I like the broth a little on the thin side. Perfect for these snowy days.
Thank you so much! We use more stock on occasion to stretch out the recipe. Great idea!
Loved this soup recipe! Just what I was looking for on the first day of fall. So delicious!
Thank you so much! It’s one of our favorites.
So so good!! SO much flavor and a very simple to follow recipe.
I’m so glad you liked it!
This tastes better than anything you would find in a restaurant!! So flavorful & hearty, my family loves it!
You never say when to add the oregano.
But I kind of doctor this a bit anyway.
It goes in with the other spices. I’ll make the update, thank you for letting me know!
Very good and way simpler and quicker than a traditional recipe.
Thank you so much! That was the goal.
The recipe states that this is ready in just 30 minutes. I didn’t read above that where it says total cook time is 3 hours. Also oregano is listed in the ingredients but never mentions to add it to the pot. Started it at 5:00 tonight thinking we would eat at 6:30 but will have it tomorrow .
It’s hands on time, I need to change that. I’m so sorry for the oversight. That is a disappointment and I hope it turned out for you.