Slow-Simmered Pozole Rojo with Hominy and Pork Shoulder

By Lauren Mitchell, Test Kitchen Director · Reviewed by AislePrompt Editorial · Published 2026-06-29 · Updated 2026-06-29

A rich, comforting Mexican stew featuring tender pork shoulder and hominy bathed in a smoky, vibrant red chile broth. This mexican-inspired soups ready in about 150 minutes pairs hominy, drained and rinsed, medium white onion, quartered, garlic cloves, peeled for a weeknight-friendly dinner that comes together with one pan and minimal cleanup. Each serving lands at about 450 calories and feeds 6, so it slots cleanly into a weekly meal plan and pairs well with a quick salad or grain on the side. Tap "Plan a meal with the AI" below to drop this recipe into your week and send the ingredients straight to Instacart. Nutrition values are approximate, calculated from USDA FoodData Central (fdc.nal.usda.gov) — verify against ingredient labels for any health-driven dietary plan.

Ingredients

• 2 pounds pork shoulder, cut into 1-inch cubes
• 4 chiles dried guajillo chiles, stems and seeds removed
• 2 chiles dried ancho chiles, stems and seeds removed
• 3 cups hominy, drained and rinsed
• 1 medium white onion, quartered
• 4 cloves garlic cloves, peeled
• 1 tsp dried oregano
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 6 cups chicken broth
• 2 tsp salt
• for serving fresh lime wedges
• 1 cup shredded cabbage
• 1/2 cup chopped white onion
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
• for serving tortilla chips

Instructions

1. Step 1: Toast 4 dried guajillo chiles and 2 dried ancho chiles in a dry skillet over medium heat for 1-2 minutes per side until fragrant but not burnt. Then soak them in 2 cups of hot water for 20 minutes until softened.
2. Step 2: Transfer the softened chiles and soaking water to a blender. Add 4 garlic cloves and 1/2 of the white onion (quartered). Blend until smooth to create the chile sauce.
3. Step 3: In a large pot, combine 2 pounds of pork shoulder cubes, 6 cups chicken broth, 1 tsp dried oregano, 1 tsp ground cumin, and 2 tsp salt. Bring to a simmer over medium-high heat.
4. Step 4: Stir in the blended chile sauce and 3 cups drained hominy. Reduce heat to low and simmer gently, uncovered, for about 2 hours, stirring occasionally, until pork is tender and the broth is richly flavored.
5. Step 5: Taste and adjust seasoning with more salt if needed. Serve the pozole in bowls topped with 1 cup shredded cabbage, 1/2 cup chopped white onion, 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro, fresh lime wedges, and tortilla chips on the side for crunch.