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Instant Pot Posole Rojo

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Posole Rojo is a hearty Mexican soup made with hominy and pork, in a red chili broth. This recipe shows how to easily make this in an Instant Pot.

Overhead view of soup in a white bowl.

Posole or Pozole?  Technically both are right and used interchangeably. 

Depending on the region of Mexico there are variations of Posole, but the recipe I’m showing here is Posole Rojo. This version is from Guadalajara where my husband’s family is from.

The soup is commonly made with pork and cooked for a couple of hours on the stove until the pork is tender. 

I decided to try using my Instant Pot to make Posole and love the results! Using the Instant pot makes it fast enough for a weeknight meal.

Ingredients

Here is an overview on the ingredients for posole rojo.

Hominy–  Hominy is dried corn kernels that have been treated with an alkali, in a process called nixtamalization. The kernel then softens and puffs up, doubling in size. The flavor of hominy is pretty neutral and the texture is that of a cooked bean.

Pork– Most recipes call for Pork Butt/Shoulder, but I’m making it healthier by using a pork loin roast. Pork tenderloin can be used as well. Using a leaner pork also cuts down on the cooking time, regardless if you are using a pressure cooker or stove top. 

Overhead view of ingredients. Pork, Hominy, Dried chilis, White onion, tomatoes, garlic , and salt.

Guajillo ChilesDried Guajillo or California Chiles are used for the broth. These chilis can be found and most grocery stores or at a local Hispanic market. They need to be rehydrated in boiling water then blended with tomatoes, and garlic for the broth. 

Up close view of dried guajillo chili

Those are the main ingredients, but don’t skip the toppings! We like to add the following:

Shredded lettuce, sliced radishes, chopped cilantro, lime, hot sauce and tostadas or chips.

How to Cook Posole Rojo

I’ll list both a Stove Top Method and an Instant Pot Method. Both methods require making the red sauce first.

Start by removing the stems and seeds from Guajillo or California Chilis, and rehydrate them in boiling water. If you want your Posole to have some spice you can add a chili de arbol, but we always add hot sauce when serving so the kids can eat it too.

Once the chilis are rehydrated, they get blended with some water, garlic and tomatoes. 

After they are blended, the sauce needs to be strained to remove any leftover seeds. To speed this process up I use a rubber spatula and press it against the mesh strainer to help the liquid go through. 

Zoomed in view of posole showing pieces of hominy and pork.

Instant Pot Method 

I’m making this Posole Rojo with Pork Loin, which is much leaner than pork shoulder/butt. Since there is less fat, it requires less cooking time. 

The Pork, Hominy, Red Sauce, salt, and whole Onion are placed in the Instant Pot. Fill water up to Max Line. Set the timer to 25 minutes, then allow the pressure to release naturally for at least 15 minutes. 

If you want to use Pork Shoulder, then you’ll need to do 2 cycles in the Instant Pot. First cycle is with the pork, salt, water, and onion.

Cook on high pressure for 25 minutes. Once done, add the Hominy and Red Sauce. Cook on high pressure for an additional 10 minutes.  

Up close view of Posole in a white bowl with shredded cabbage, cilantro, and thinly sliced radishes on top.

Stove Top Method

The Pork Loin, Hominy, Red Sauce, salt, and whole Onion are placed in a large pot with water. Bring to a boil, then allow soup to simmer at a low boil for about 1 hour or until the pork is tender. 

For Pork Shoulder, add to a large pot with water, onion, and bring to a boil. Allow to simmer for 1 to 1.5 hours, or until the pork is tender. Then add hominy, red sauce, salt, and simmer on a low boil for 30 minutes. 

Can Leftover Posole be Stored?

Yes! Leftovers of Posole can be stored in the fridge for a few days. Reheat on the stove, and add toppings before serving.

Posole can also be frozen. Store in freezer safe containers then allow to thaw in the fridge overnight and reheat on the stove. 

Zoomed out view of soup with a plate of sliced radishes on the side.

We love eating Posole during the Holidays since you can make a large batch and it’s filling.

Try these other Authentic Recipes from Guadalajara Mexico:

Chilaquiles Rojo

Carne en su Jugo

Sopa De Lentejas

A large white bowl holding the soup and topped with shredded cabbage, cilantro, and thinly sliced radishes.

Instant Pot Posole Rojo Recipe

Renee
Posole Rojo is a soup made with pork and hominy, then topped with fresh cabbage, radishes, cilantro, and lime.
5 from 2 votes
Print Recipe
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Time to Pressure 15 minutes
Total Time 1 hour
Servings 8

Equipment

Ingredients
  

Posole:

  • 2-3 pounds Pork Loin Cut into 2 in chunks. Use less meat if you have a small pot.
  • 1 tabelspoon Salt Add more if needed once soup is done.
  • 1 Whole White Onion peeled and stems removed.
  • 2 (25 oz) Cans White Mexican Hominy Drained and Rinsed
  • 6 Dried Guajillo or California chilies
  • 2-4 Garlic Cloves Left whole and Peeled
  • 2 Roma Tomatoes Optional: You can omit them if you like.
  • 8-12 cups Water I added enough water to reach the max fill line of my 8qt instant pot.

Toppings:

  • Finely shredded Cabbage
  • Sliced Radishes
  • Chopped Cilantro
  • Finely Chopped white onion
  • Lime Wedges
  • Hot Sauce
  • Tostadas, Tortilla Chips, or Bread for Dipping

Instructions
 

Blended Red Sauce

  • Start by making the red sauce first. Get the dried chilis, remove the stems, and shake out some of the seeds. Then place them in a bowl or pot with boiling water. Soak for 15 minutes until they are soft.
  • Remove the soaked chilis and add to a blender with 1 cup of clean water, whole cloves of garlic, and tomatoes. Blend until smooth about 1 minute. Pour mixture through a fine mesh strainer to take out any big chunks or seeds that are left.
    Tip- Use a spatula to press the red sauce through the strainer faster.

Instant Pot (8 quart size)

  • Cut Pork into 2 in chunks and place in the Instant Pot with all the ingredients: Drained hominy, whole onion, strained red sauce, salt, and water. I added water until it reached the Max Fill line. Set timer on Instant Pot for 25 minutes and allow pressure to release naturally for 15 minutes. Open the lid, remove onion and discard. Taste broth and add additional salt if needed.
  • You can either leave the pork in chunks or shred some pieces to make it easier to eat. Serve in bowls and have toppings ready.

Stovetop:

  • Cut into 2 in chunks and place in a large pot on the stove. Add about 8-10 cups of water (or however big your pot is). Add a whole peeled onion, salt, and cover with lid. Bring to a boil, then simmer on medium low for about 1 hour or until pork is tender. 
  • After an hour of the pork simmering, add both cans of drained hominy and the strained red sauce. Bring back to a boil and reduce heat to simmer for about 30 minutes, or until the pork is tender, and the hominy is softened.
  • Taste the broth and add additional salt if needed.
  • You can either leave the pork in chunks or shred some pieces to make it easier to eat. Serve in bowls and have toppings ready.

Video

Notes

If you want to use Pork Shoulder, you’ll need to do 2 cycles in the Instant Pot. The first cycle is with the diced pork, salt, water, and onion. Cook on high pressure for 25 minutes. Once done, add the Hominy and Red Sauce. Cook on high pressure for an additional 10 minutes.  
Stove Top Method for Pork Shoulder- Add diced pork to a large pot with water, and onion, and bring to a boil. Allow to simmer for 1 to 1.5 hours, or until the pork is tender. Then add hominy, red sauce, and salt, then simmer on a low boil for 30 minutes.

Nutrition

Calories: 269kcalCarbohydrates: 29gProtein: 27gFat: 4gSaturated Fat: 1gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 1gTrans Fat: 0.02gCholesterol: 74mgSodium: 1559mgPotassium: 577mgFiber: 6gSugar: 5gVitamin A: 827IUVitamin C: 4mgCalcium: 38mgIron: 2mg

Nutritional information is provided as an estimate only and depends on ingredients and amounts used. Thai Caliente makes no guarantees to the accuracy of this information.

Keyword Posole, Posole Rojo, Pozole
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14 Comments

  1. Why the tomatos? You don’t need tomatos to make pozole, and it changes the flavor a lot. You can just go with the chiles and the garlic, and it should be enough to get red color.

  2. So, I chose your recipe to make for dinner. Had some trouble. I adjusted the recipe from 8 to 4 servings, the ingredient quantities responded as expected. However the amount of water to add to the pot prior to cooking is not linked to the serving quantity change so the posole was a diluted throw out except the pork loin which was delicious. I admit that when I got to that part of the recipe, I was doubting the quantity. So my suggestion is to link the added water quantity to the serving size and I will try it again, thanks, Oli

    1. Hi Oli, I’m sorry the Posole didn’t work out for you. The amount of water really depends on the size of pot you are using. You want the water to cover the pork 1 to 2 inches above. This will ensure the pork gets cooked correctly and the broth isn’t diluted.

    1. Hi Juan- the whole onion is to flavor the broth when cooking. Once it is done you can remove the onion and chop it up, just keep in mind it will be very tender. I also like to add fresh diced onion when serving it.