Instant Pot Pozole Rojo – Instant Pot pozole rojo is a rich Mexican stew crafted from tender pork, hominy, and a savory chili-based broth. You can quickly prepare our recipe and serve the delicious classic dish in no time. Sear the pork shoulder, prepare your chilies, and combine. Then, sit back and let the Instant Pot do the hard work so you can pile your bowl high with toppings.
INSTANT POT POZOLE ROJO
Instant Pot pozole rojo is simple to prepare and versatile. Feel free to customize the recipe to suit your tastes by adding more or less spice, using a different type of meat, or even substituting the hominy with other grains like barley or quinoa. Plus, it’s a great way to use leftover ingredients in your fridge or pantry.
WHAT IS POZOLE?
Pozole is a cross between a soup and a stew and most often includes pork and hominy; other versions feature chicken or leftover turkey. There are three types of pozole, each one reflecting the colors on the Mexican flag. Pozole rojo has a red broth, the broth for pozole blanco is white, and Pozole verde’s broth is green.
WHAT YOU NEED TO MAKE THIS RECIPE
- Avocado Oil: Sear the pork in avocado oil or another oil with a high smoking point.
- Pork: A 2½ pound pork shoulder feeds my family and extended family with leftovers.
- Chilies: Dried ancho and guajillo chilies combine with canned chipotle en adobo to create a flavorful red broth.
- Better Than Bouillon: I use Better Than Bouillon and water instead of broth. It’s flavorful, easy, and something I always have in my pantry. You can use store-bought chicken broth if you prefer.
- Onion: Blistered onion deeply flavors the broth.
- Spices: Season our pozole recipe with ground cumin, Mexican oregano, and bay leaves to highlight the pork and chilies.
- Garlic Head: I use a whole head of garlic; once tender, it’s whisked into the broth before serving it.
- Hominy: Canned hominy takes some of the work out of making pozole, but if you decide to use dried hominy, set aside time to prepare it.
SUBSTITUTIONS AND VARIATIONS
Like our beef paya soup and mutton paya soup, you can add foot bones or trotters to the pork shoulder to deeply flavor the pozole broth.
HOW TO MAKE INSTANT POT POZOLE ROJO
- Warm oil in an Instant Pot on saute mode until it begins to smoke.
- Add the pork in a single layer and let it brown for 3-4 minutes. Repeat with the remaining pork, and set it aside.
- Next, add the onions, guajillo chilies, and ancho chilies. Cook until they blister, then add them to a food processor or blender along with water and Better Than Bouillon.
- Add the remaining ingredients, chili mixture, and pork; stir to incorporate. Secure the lid on the Instant Pot and cook on manual high pressure for 50 minutes with quick release.
- Using tongs, retrieve the garlic head from the broth. Squeeze the garlic head to release the cloves into the broth, and whisk to combine.
- Garnish with red radish, red onion, cabbage, cilantro, lime wedges, avocado, chili flakes, cotija cheese, and Mexican oregano. Serve with corn tostadas.
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HOW DO I GARNISH POZOLE?
Ladle the stew into your favorite bowl and pile it high with toppings like shredded cabbage, sliced radishes, fresh lime juice, and a sprinkle of Mexican oregano for the perfect finishing touch. You can also consider adding ingredients like red onion, cilantro, avocado, and red pepper flakes. And don’t forget to finish the meal with a warm corn tortilla; read my article for How to Heat Corn Tortillas.
WHAT TO DO WITH THE LEFTOVERS
Pozole rojo is one of those meals that taste even better when you reheat it the next day.
- Refrigerate – Store leftovers in an airtight container; they will keep for 3-4 days.
- Freeze – Let the soup cool, and transfer it to a freezer-safe container or bag for storage. Instant Pot Pozole Rojo will freeze for up to 3 months.
- Thaw – Defrost the stew in the refrigerator overnight.
- Reheat – Warm the soup on the stovetop or microwave, and enjoy!
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Is it called pozole or posole?
I grew up in Arizona hearing it called pozole, but some refer to it as posole. The posole spelling is commonly used in the United States.
Can I make a vegetarian pozole? What about vegan pozole?
I make pozole for most of our holiday meals, and I often prepare pozole with hominy as the main ingredient since my sister is a vegetarian. Here are some substitutions to consider to make it vegetarian and vegan-friendly.
• Use Vegetable Better Than Bouillon.
• In place of meat, double the hominy, using 2 – 29 oz cans instead, or add mushrooms, jackfruit, chickpeas, poblano peppers, pinto beans, and corn.
Can I freeze this stew?
You sure can. First, allow the stew to cool, then add it to a freezer-safe bag or container. Pozole freezes for 3 months. When you’re ready to eat, defrost it in the fridge overnight. Warm the leftovers on the stovetop, prepare your toppings, and enjoy!
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Instant Pot Pozole Rojo
- 1 tablespoon avocado oil
- 2½ pounds pork shoulder, cut into 1-inch pieces
- 1 large white onion, quartered
- 5 guajillo chilies, stemmed and deseeded, dried
- 5 ancho chilies, stemmed and deseeded, dried
- 1 tablespoon Chicken Better Than Bouillon
- 6 cups water
- 2 teaspoons cumin, ground
- 1 tablespoon Mexican oregano
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 garlic head, cut off, and discard the top third, leaving the head intact
- 1 can hominy, 29-ounce, drained, and rinsed
- radishes, thinly sliced into rounds
- red onions, diced
- cabbage, shredded
- cilantro, chopped
- avocado, cubed
- lime wedges
- red pepper flakes
- Mexican oregano
- Warm oil in an Instant Pot on saute mode until it begins to smoke.
- Add the pork in a single layer and let it brown for 3-4 minutes. Repeat with the remaining pork, and set it aside.
- Next, add the onions, guajillo chilies, and ancho chilies. Cook until they blister, then add them to a food processor or blender along with water and Better Than Bouillon.
- Add the remaining ingredients, chili mixture, and pork; stir to incorporate. Secure the lid on the Instant Pot and cook on manual high pressure for 50 minutes with quick release.
- Using tongs, retrieve the garlic head from the broth. Squeeze the garlic head to release the cloves into the broth, and whisk to combine.
- Garnish with red radish, red onion, cabbage, cilantro, lime wedges, avocado, chili flakes, cotija cheese, and Mexican oregano. Serve with corn tostadas.
- The nutritional information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for professional advice.
Megan
Sunday 18th of September 2022
I found this recipe on your chili recipes page and oh my gosh, this is so good!
Tressa Jamil
Sunday 18th of September 2022
I am so glad it was a hit, Megan!