Pozole or posole is easily one of Mexico’s most beloved dishes, but where does it originate from? This soup is a favorite across Mexico, but no two posole soups taste quite the same.
Pork posole soup or posole de puerco is known to be served for large family gatherings and is especially popular around Christmas and the holidays.
This was inspired by my Beef Barley Soup and pairs well with this avocado, tomato, and corn recipe.
Ingredients
These ingredients include foods that are able to be found in traditional American grocery stores or supermarkets.
- pork loin
- hominy
- onion
- garlic
- chicken stock
- red enchilada sauce
See recipe card below for quantities.
Instructions
Season and brown pork loin. Add onion and garlic. Simmer all ingredients together for 2 hours. Shred pork loin. Add drained hominy and cook for an additional hour. Add your favorite toppings. Enjoy!
Substitutions
- Cabbage – instead of cabbage, you can shred iceberg lettuce or if short on time, you can use a coleslaw bag mix
- Pork – you can use chicken instead of pork
- Vegetarian – substitute the pork with pinto beans and use vegetable stock instead of chicken stock to make this posole soup vegetarian
Variations
- Spicy – add chili pepper flakes while cooking to imbue heat into the dish, or jalapeno peppers
- Kid-friendly – this dish is absolutely kid friendly. Keep the toppings separate and let the kids add what they would like
- Soup or stew – add more broth if you would like it to be more like a soup
Equipment
One large pot is all that is needed
Storage
Refrigerator: Leftovers will keep for 5 – 6 days in the refrigerator when stored in a covered container.
Freezer: This Posole de Puerco is freezer-friendly and freezes well for up to 2 – 3 months. To freeze, let cool completely and store in freezer-safe containers, leaving 1/2 inch of space for expansion. You can also freeze larger portions in large Ziploc bags (remove as much air as possible before zip locking). Let thaw before reheating.
Reheat: From frozen, thaw, and simply re-warm on the stovetop over low heat until warmed through.
FAQ
What kind of pork meat for posole (pozole)? I like to use pork loin because it shreds well
Food safety
- Cook to a minimum temperature of 165 °F (74 °C)
- Do not use the same utensils on cooked food, that previously touched raw meat
- Wash hands after touching raw meat
- Don’t leave food sitting out at room temperature for extended periods
- Never leave cooking food unattended
- Use oils with high smoking point to avoid harmful compounds
- Always have good ventilation when using a gas stove
See more guidelines at USDA.gov.
Posole de Puerco / Pork Posole Soup
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 red enchilada sauce
- 1 tablespoon oregano
- 3 15- ounce cans hominy drained and rinsed
Toppings
- avocado diced
- cabbage shredded
- onion diced
- radishes sliced thin
- cilantro chopped
Instructions
- Combine the salt and cumin
- Season the pork loin with the spice mixture
- In a large pot, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat
- 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 and cook until translucent
- Add the garlic and cook for an additional minute
- Add the chicken stock to the pot using a wooden spoon to scrape the bits off the bottom of the pot
- Bring chicken stock 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 drained hominy, cover and continue to simmer for another hour
- Add toppings for each bowl and serve immediately.
