Instant Pot Pozole Rojo
Pozole Rojo is a hearty Mexican soup made with hominy and pork, in a red chili broth. This recipe shows how to easily make it in an Instant Pot.
Reader Ali Says: “I absolutely loved this recipe! The pork was so flavorful & tender. I added a little extra salt because I like my food pretty salty and it came out amazing! I threw some cheese on top with all of the fixings. It was chef’s kiss!” ★★★★★
Pozole can vary based on different regions in Mexico and, of course, different family recipes. The recipe I’m sharing is Pozole Rojo from Jalisco, specifically Guadalajara, where my husband’s family is from.
The soup is commonly made with pork, but I’ve also seen it with beef and chicken. Traditionally, the meat is cooked on the stove for a couple of hours until tender. I decided to try using my Instant Pot to make Pozole, and I love the results! Using the Instant Pot makes it fast enough for a weeknight meal.
Ingredients for Pozole Rojo
Here is an overview of the ingredients needed, along with some notes.
Pork– (*Updated 2025) When I first posted this recipe, I made it using only pork tenderloin. This is an excellent option if you want a lean, high-protein meal. However, I got a few readers saying it lacked flavor. Using only pork tenderloin produces a lighter and less rich broth. The fat from the meat helps bind the sauce together and adds more flavor.
I’ve since made it several times with only pork shoulder and again with pork shoulder and tenderloin. Use all pork shoulder plus the bone for a rich broth and extra tender meat.
My favorite is using a combination of pork shoulder, pork bone, and pork tenderloin.
Hominy– Hominy is dried corn kernels 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. Be sure to rinse and drain the canned hominy
Guajillo Chiles– Dried Guajillo or California Chiles are used for the broth. These chilis can be found in most grocery stores or at a local Hispanic market. They need to be rehydrated in boiling water and then blended with garlic.
Ancho Chile– This is another update I made. I felt the broth needed more flavor, and the ancho chili gives a nice depth and smokiness. Feel free to use 1-2 ancho chiles.
Those are the main ingredients, but don’t skip the toppings! We like to add the following:
Shredded cabbage or lettuce, sliced radishes, cilantro, white onion, lime, hot sauce, and dip with tostadas or tortilla chips.
How to Make the Red Sauce
Use a damp cloth or paper towel to wipe off the chiles. Remove the stems and some seeds from the chiles. Add them to a pot with boiling water and allow them to soften for 15 minutes. If you want your Posole spicy, 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 are blended with fresh water and garlic cloves. After they are blended, the sauce must be strained to remove leftover seeds. To speed this process up, I use a rubber spatula and press it against the mesh strainer to help the liquid pass through.
Instant Pot Method
If you plan to use only pork tenderloin, you will only need to do one cook cycle. Place the pork tenderloin, hominy, red sauce, salt, and whole onion in the Instant Pot. Add 8-10 cups of water (Don’t go over the Max fill line). Set the timer to 25 minutes, then allow the pressure to release naturally for at least 15 minutes.
If you want to use a Pork Shoulder or a combination of shoulder and tenderloin, you must do two cycles in the Instant Pot. The first cycle will involve the pork, bone, 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 5 minutes. Taste and add extra salt if needed.
Stove Top Method
For Pork tenderloin, add it to a pot with salt, a whole onion and water. Bring to a boil, then allow to simmer at a low boil for about 1 hour or until the pork is tender.
For Pork Shoulder or a combination, add the meat, bone, onion, and salt. Bring to a boil then simmer for 2 hours, or until the pork is tender.
Afterwards, add hominy and red sauce and simmer on a low boil for 30 minutes. Taste the soup and add additional salt if needed.
Can Leftover Pozole be Stored?
Yes! It tastes better the next day. Leftover Pozole can be stored in the fridge for a few days. Reheat on the stove and add toppings before serving.
Pozole can also be frozen. Store in freezer-safe containers, thaw in the fridge overnight, and reheat on the stove.
We love eating Pozole during the holidays and at family dinners. It’s a large batch, and served with all the toppings, it’s a filling meal.
More Recipes from Jalisco, Mexico
Instant Pot Pozole Rojo Recipe
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Equipment
Ingredients
Red Sauce
- 8 Dried Guajillo Chiles
- 1-2 Dried Ancho Chile
- 4 Garlic Cloves peeled
- 1 cup Water plus more for boiling the chiles
Pozole:
- 3 pounds Bone in Pork Shoulder (Use less meat if you have a small pot. See notes about using pork tenderloin)
- 1 tablespoon Salt Add more if needed once soup is done.
- 1 Whole White Onion peeled
- 2 (25 oz) Cans White Mexican Hominy drained and rinsed
- 8-10 cups Water (I have an 8qt Instant Pot, if yours is smaller, you may need to decrease the amount of meat, hominy, and water)
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
- Use a damp paper towel to wipe any dust from the guajillo and ancho chiles. Remove the stems and shake out some of the seeds. Place them in a bowl or pot with boiling water. Soak for 15 minutes until they are soft.
- Remove the soaked chilis and add them to a blender with 1 cup of clean water, and peeled garlic cloves. Blend until smooth about 1 minute. Pour sauce through a fine mesh strainer to remove any big chunks or seeds remaining. Use a spatula to press the red sauce through the strainer faster.
Instant Pot (8 quart size)
- Cut the pork shoulder into 4-inch chunks and remove the bone. Place the pork, the bone, a whole onion, salt, and water into the instant pot. Don't go over the Max Fill line. Set the timer on the Instant Pot for 25 minutes.
- Once the timer goes off, carefully release the pressure. I do this under my kitchen hood. Open the lid and remove the onion and bone. Skim off any extra fat or grey stuff from the top and edge of the pot.
- Carefully add the rinsed hominy and strained red sauce. You can also taste the broth now and see if more salt is needed. Place the lid back on and cook at high pressure for an additional 5 minutes. Again, make sure it's not above the max fill line, otherwise, remove some liquid.
- After the time goes off, carefully release the pressure again, or have the instant pot on keep warm until you are ready to serve. Taste the broth again and see if more salt is needed. Serve the Pozole in bowls with toppings for guests to add.
Stovetop:
- Cut the pork shoulder into 4-inch chunks and remove the bone. Place the pork, the bone, a whole onion, salt, and 10 cups of water. Bring to a boil, then simmer on medium-low for about 2 hours or until pork is tender. Skim off any grey stuff or excess fat from the top.
- Once the pork is tender, add cans of drained hominy and the strained red sauce. Bring back to a boil and reduce heat to simmer for about 30 minutes. 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
Nutrition
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.
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to you, Renee!!!
Thank you Marci! Merry Christmas to you and your family too!
We dont eat pork. What other meat can I use?
Hi Elizabeth, You can substitute chicken or a beef roast instead. I’d love to hear how it turns out!
Can I use a 6qt instapot for this recipe?
Yes, you can use a 6 qt pot, just add water to the max fill line. Let me know how it turns out!
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.
You can leave out the tomatoes if you like! I like it with the tomatoes, but it’s optional.
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
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.
If I add a whole peeled onion, how does it become bite sized chunks or does it absorb into the liquid?
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.
Hi Renee
Can I use pork steak instead of pork loin?
Hi Mike, you can try it, but I can’t give exact cooking times. Let me know how it turns out!
Can you recommend changes to recipe if we wish to use chicken instead of pork?
Hi Silvia- I have not made it with chicken, so I can’t offer specific directions. I would try cooking it the same way as the pork tenderloin. You may also need to add some chicken bouillon for more flavor. Please let me know if you try it!
I absolutely loved this recipe! The pork was so flavorful & tender. I added a little extra salt because I like my food pretty salty and it came out amazing! I threw some cheese on top with all of the fixings. It was chef’s kiss!
I’m so happy you loved it, and I need to try it with cheese on top 🙂