Vegan Pozole Rojo [VIDEO]

Published: Jan 21, 2020 · Updated: Jan 4, 2023 by Maggie Unzueta

Vegan Pozole Rojo is a delicious and hearty Mexican stew. It's bursting with robust chile flavors and ready for your favorite toppings.

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Vegan pozole in a white bowl topped with cabbage and sliced radishes surrounded by more toppings.

This Vegan Pozole Rojo is a tasty and satisfying stew made with hominy and lots of toppings. Meatless or not, it’s sure to hit the spot.

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My younger brother was a vegan. During that time, he introduced me to the world of veganism.

To my surprise, I discovered several authentic Mexican recipes that just happen to be vegan like Frijoles de la Olla, Bean Tamales, even desserts, like Hojarascas.

This recipe is so delicious, full of flavor, and perfect for the winter months.

Table of Contents

1 Instructions
2 Pro Tip:
3 Lost in Translation:
4 Is posole similar to Menudo?
5 Fresh vs. Canned
6 Can you substitute hominy for corn?
7 Ideas for Toppings:
8 More Mexican Vegetarian Soups:
9 Storing Instructions
- 9.1 HUNGRY FOR MORE
10 Vegan Pozole Rojo

Instructions

A collage showing how to cut open and rehydrate guajillo chiles.

Remove the stems from the guajillo chile and cut lengthwise.
Remove any seeds and veins.
Add the chiles to a small pot. Cover with 2 cups of water
Bring to a boil over medium heat. Turn off heat. Set aside.

This is how you rehydrate dried guajillo chile. Once they are flexible and pliable, discard the water.

Pro Tip:

There is a cold water method to rehydrate dried chiles.

Submerge the dried chile in cold water and let them sit for 1 hour.

A collage showing guajillo chile and other ingredients in a blender.

Add the rehydrated chiles to a blender.
Also add onion, garlic, whole cumin, and water

This is a basic guajillo sauce, and the base for traditional pozole Pozole Rojo (or Red Pork Pozole).

There is also Pozole Blanco that does not use this red sauce, or Chicken Pozole Verde which uses a green sauce.

Lost in Translation:

Some people will call this Mexican stew “POSOLE” with an S. The correct spelling is “POZOLE” with a Z. Both mean the same thing.

Is posole similar to Menudo?

Both are stews. Both are usually made with a red chile sauce. The difference is that posole is usually made with chicken or pork. Menudo recipe is made with beef tripe. Posole is always made with hominy. Menudo is sometimes made with hominy.

A strainer with red chile sauce over a stock pot.

Add vegetable broth to a large stock pot.
Over the pot, add a strainer.
Strain the guajillo sauce.
Use the back of your cooking spoon to help the sauce threw.

Once the sauce is fully strained, cook for 10 minutes.

This sauce is what makes red pozole and adds so much flavor. To make it thicker, add 2 tablespoons tomato paste to the pot.

A bowl of hominy over a stock pot with red chile sauce.

Open a can of hominy and rinse the hominy a few times.
Add the hominy and oregano to the pot.
Stir to combine.

Fresh vs. Canned

Either use two medium sized cans of hominy or one large one. You can also use fresh hominy from the Mexican market. If you can’t find it at the store, you can always buy hominy online. This Mexican soup is not the same without this key ingredient.

Can you substitute hominy for corn?

Hominy is corn that has undergone the process of nixtamalization. That’s what gives it its distinct taste. In a pinch, you can substitute white corn for hominy. Just know that the pozole will taste different if using regular corn kernels.

Word to the Wise: Hominy freezes well. It is corn, after all. Hominy lasts up to 6 months in the freezer in an airtight plastic bag.

A collage showing how to make the mushroom mixture.

In a smaller stock pot, add the olive oil and mushrooms.
Cook for about 2-3 minutes, until the mushrooms are brown.
Add white onion, garlic, salt and pepper.
Cook for 1 minute, until the onion is fully cooked.

The kitchen will aromatic, like yummy mushrooms. Here, we are using cremini mushrooms, but you can also use oyster mushrooms instead.

To make it even heartier, you can include green jackfruit, red kidney beans, 2 cans of pinto beans or black beans to this vegan pozole recipe. All excellent for plant-based diets.

For those of you who like it spicy, try adding chopped poblano peppers or 1 tablespoon of chile powder.

A wooden cooking spoon adding the mushroom mixture to a stock pot.

Add all of the mushroom mixture to the large pot with the chile sauce.
Give everything a good stir to combine. Cook for 10 minutes or medium-high heat.

Ideas for Toppings:

Cabbage
Lettuce
Lime juice
Mexican oregano
Roasted chile de arbol
Diced Onion
Radishes
Chopped fresh cilantro

All of these these toppings make a great addition hearty soup. To tame the heat, try serving with sour cream.

Another tasty soup recipe worth adding to your rotation is Sopa de Ajo.

Mushroom vegan pozole in a white bowl toped with cabbage and radishes and surrounded by more toppings.

More Mexican Vegetarian Soups:

Storing Instructions

Add the pozole to an airtight container or a sealable plastic bag. Remove as much air as possible. Pozole lasts in the fridge for up to 5 days or up to 3 months in the freezer. It tastes even better the next day.

This Vegan Pozole Rojo recipe is hearty and a great thing to eat on cold days. It’s Mexican comfort food that at its finest. Serve with your favorite toppings and enjoy!

HUNGRY FOR MORE

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Maggie Unzueta

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Maggie Unzueta is the writer/blogger, photographer, recipe developer, videographer, and creator of In Mama Maggie's Kitchen. She has been developing easy and authentic Mexican food, Mexican-inspired recipes, and traveling tips since 2010. From family recipes to her extensive travels throughout Mexico, she brings traditional Mexican flavors from South of the Border and into your kitchen. Maggie has been featured in notable culinary websites and other media outlets. For more details, check out her About page.