Authentic Pozole Rojo
A bowl of pozole rojo is like a hug in a bowl—rich, smoky, and full of tender pork and hominy, it brings the flavors of Mexican tradition straight to your table.
What is Pozole Rojo?
Pozole rojo, which means red hominy stew or soup, is a traditional Mexican dish made with hominy, pork, and a rich red chile broth.
The vibrant color and savory, slightly smoky flavor come from dried red chiles, creating a hearty and comforting stew/soup. Topped with shredded cabbage, radishes, lime, oregano, and avocado, pozole rojo is festive, flavorful, and deeply rooted in Mexican culinary traditions.
Pozole rojo has been prepared for generations across Mexico. From birthdays and winter holidays to Independence Day, it’s a true celebration food. And honestly, if we crave it, we make it—anytime!
Recipe Video Tutorial
Watch my easy video tutorial for step-by-step visuals on making this Authentic Pozole Rojo.
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Authenticity in Every Bowl
Making authentic pozole rojo is a labor of love, where every detail—from flavor to presentation—matters.
Pozole comes in three main varieties: red, white, and green, each with its own flavor profile that can vary from state to state. In Jalisco, for example, Cacahuazintle corn is the preferred choice, while pork remains the traditional protein, though chicken has also become popular.
Pork Cuts for Pozole Rojo
Here are some great pork cuts to use for this pozole rojo recipe:
- Pork Short Ribs: Perfect balance of meat and fat, ideal for slow cooking. Tender meat and flavorful bones make the broth rich and delicious.
- Pork spare ribs (St. Louis style): Well-marbled, resulting in juicy, tender meat with plenty of flavor.
- Pork Shank: Packed with flavor and becomes incredibly tender when slow-cooked. The bone adds extra richness to the broth.
- Pigs’ feet (trotters): Mild in flavor but loaded with collagen, giving the broth body, thickness, and that signature comforting texture. A must for authentic pozole.
More Soups and Stews:
Authentic Pozole Rojo
Ingredients
Cook Meat
- 4 lbs pork short ribs, medium pieces
- 2 lbs pork shank, medium pieces
- 2 pigs feet, cut in half
- Liberally kosher salt
- Liberally ground black pepper
- 1 gallon water
- 1 white onion, halved
- 1 head garlic, slice end off
- 3 bay leaves
Guajillo Sauce
- 12 guajillo chiles, seeded, deveined, and stemmed
- 8 puya chiles, seeded, deveined, and stemmed
- 1 white onion, roughly diced
- 6 garlic cloves, peeled
- 1 tbsp dried Mexican oregano
- 2 cups water
Additional
- 64 oz hominy (110 oz can), drained and rinsed
- Kosher salt, as needed
- Avocado oil, for cooking
Classic Toppings
- Cabbage, shredded
- Radishes, sliced
- White onion, diced
- Jalapeño or serrano, diced
- Dried Mexican oregano
- Lime juice
- Avocado, diced
- Tostadas
Instructions
Prep, Brown and Cook Meat
- Season both sides of the ribs and shank with salt and pepper. In a large pot, heat 2 tbsp of oil over medium-high heat. Brown the ribs and shank in batches to prevent overcrowding, which can cause the meat to sweat instead of sear. Do not brown the pigs’ feet at this stage.
- Once all the meat is browned, pour in the gallon of water. Return the browned meat to the pot and add the pigs’ feet, onion, garlic, and bay leaves.
- Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to medium-low to maintain a gentle simmer. Skim off any foam that rises to the surface, cover, and cook for one hour.
Guajillo Sauce
- Wipe the guajillo and puya chiles clean with a damp paper towel, then cut into smaller pieces and set aside to air dry.
- Heat 2 tbsp of oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Sauté the onions and garlic until slightly softened. Stir in the oregano and cook for about a minute. Add the dried chiles and toast them, stirring constantly for 1–2 minutes, until they become fragrant.
- Turn off the heat. Carefully remove 4 cups of hot, fully cooked broth from the large pot (cooked for 1 hour) and pour it over the toasted peppers. Let the peppers soften and hydrate for 10–15 minutes.
- Blend the hydrated chile mixture with its broth until smooth, making sure the chili skins are fully broken down. Strain if necessary.
Make the Pozole
- Remove the garlic and onion from the large pot. Pour in the blended guajillo sauce. Add 2 cups of water to the blender, swirl to get the last bit of sauce, and pour it into the pot.
- Stir in the hominy, bring the pozole to a gentle simmer, cover, and cook for an additional 1½ hours, or until the meat is fall-off-the-bone tender.
Serve
- Once the pozole is done, spoon out some of the fat that rises to the top, if desired. Stir in salt to taste.
- Serve the pozole in bowls with your desired toppings: shredded cabbage, radishes, white onion, pepper, oregano, lime juice, avocado, and tostadas on the side.
Did you make this recipe?
Show some love! Tag @villacocinaofficial on Instagram and drop a 5-star review. Your support means everything—thanks!
Steve Duran
Turned out delicious….
Villa Cocina
Awesome! thanks for sharing.
Alex
Turned out terrrific. Thanks!
Villa Cocina
Thats what Im talking about! Congrats!