This New Mexico Posole Recipe is a hearty, flavorful pork soup or stew made with New Mexico red chiles, garlic, pork, and hominy. It is full of rich, spicy flavor and perfect for cold nights when you need a warm, comforting meal.
Table of Contents
Posole Recipe – New Mexico Style!
If you’ve never heard of this dish before, know that it’s some serious comfort food that’s hearty, meaty, and somewhere between a soup and a stew. It’s a very traditional and easy Mexican and New Mexican Christmas dish. It’s red from the reconstituted and pureed dried New Mexican chile peppers.
New Mexico Posole Recipe Ingredients & Cost
Per Serving Cost: $1.97
Recipe Cost: $15.77
Here are all of the ingredients you need to make posole. The list does not include optional toppings like green cabbage, onions, Cotija cheese, etc.
- 1.5 ounces of dried New Mexico red chiles – $1.64
- 8 cups chicken stock – $2.48
- 2 pounds boneless country-style pork ribs – $7.94
- 3 Tablespoons vegetable oil – $0.09
- (3) 15-ounce cans white hominy – $1.68
- 2 medium white onions – $1.40
- 5 large garlic cloves – $0.25
- 1 Tablespoon fresh oregano – $0.25
- 1 Tablespoon lime juice – $0.04
NOTE: The recipe prices are calculated by using grocery store websites. The actual cost of the recipe will vary depending on what ingredients you already have.
How To Make Posole:
Here’s how you make this New Mexican classic, Posole.
- First, microwave the chiles and remove the seeds and stems.
- Next, pour the stock into a bowl with the chiles and microwave for 30 seconds. Then, let the mixture sit while the chiles soften.
- Cook the pork, and then transfer it to a plate.
- Then add the hominy to the pot to cook until it is browned and fragrant. Remove the hominy from the pot.
- Add the remaining oil to the pot and cook the onion and garlic. Puree the onion and chile mixture and add it back to the pot.
- Next, stir in the remaining chicken stock.
- Add in the pork and seasonings and simmer for 75-90 minutes.
- Add the hominy to the pot and simmer for an additional 30 minutes. Skim the fat from the top.
- Shred the pork and return the pork to the pot.
- Finally, squeeze in the lime juice and season with salt and pepper to taste before serving with any desired garnishes.
What do you eat with Posole?
Posole is a hearty Mexican stew made with hominy, pork, and broth, typically served with a variety of toppings, such as:
- Chopped onion
- Radishes
- Cilantro
- Lime wedges
- Avocado
- Shredded cabbage
- Cotija cheese
- Tostadas
- Tortilla chips
- Salsa
- Sour cream
You can also serve Posole with other side dishes, such as:
- flour or corn tortillas
- Mexican rice
- Beans
- Salad
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New Mexico Posole Recipe
Video
Equipment
- mixing bowls
- large heavy-bottomed pot
- wooden spoon
- immersion blender
- measuring cups and spoons
Ingredients
- 1.5 ounce dried New Mexico red chiles (about 6 chiles)
- 8 cups chicken stock
- 2 pounds boneless country-style pork ribs
- Salt and pepper
- 3 Tablespoons vegetable oil
- 3 15-ounce cans white hominy rinsed and drained well
- 2 medium white onions chopped
- 5 large garlic cloves minced
- 1 Tablespoon minced fresh oregano
- 1 Tablespoon lime juice
GARNISHES:
- shredded green cabbage
- diced avocado
- sliced radishes
- chopped white onion
- lime wedges
FOR SERVING:
- heated corn or flour tortillas
Instructions
PREP CHILES:
- Place chiles on a paper towel-lined microwave-safe plate. Microwave on HIGH for 60-90 seconds, or until puffed and fragrant.
- Once the chiles are cool enough to handle, remove the seeds and stems.
- Pour 2 cups of stock into a medium microwave-safe bowl. Add the chiles, cover the bowl with plastic wrap, and microwave for 30 seconds or until bubbling.
- Let the mixture sit for 15 minutes so the chiles can soften.
PREP AND COOK PORK:
- Use paper towels to pat the pork dry and season all sides with salt and pepper.
- Add 2 tablespoons of the vegetable oil to a heavy-bottomed pot and heat over medium-high heat until shimmering and small wisps of smoke are coming off the oil.
- Cook until the pork is brown on all sides, about 10 minutes. Transfer the pork to a plate.
COOK HOMINY:
- Add the hominy to the pot and cook, constantly stirring, until the hominy is fragrant and it begins to darken in color, about 3-4 minutes.
- Transfer hominy to a bowl.
MAKE SOUP BASE:
- Add the remaining 1 Tablespoon of oil to the pot and heat over medium heat until the oil shimmers.
- Add onion and cook until softened and beginning to brown around the edges, about 5 minutes.
- Add the garlic and stir, and cook until fragrant, about 30-60 seconds.
- Use an immersion blender or blender to puree the onion mixture and the chile mixture. Then add the onion-chile mixture back to the pot.
- To the pot, add in the remaining 6 cups of chicken stock and stir to combine.
ADD TO SOUP AND SIMMER SOUP:
- Add the cooked pork, oregano, ½ teaspoon of salt, and ½ teaspoon of pepper, and bring it to a boil over medium-high heat.
- Reduce the heat to low and simmer, covered, until the meat is tender, 75-90 minutes.
- Remove the pork from the pot and place it on a plate.
- Add the hominy to the pot and simmer, covered for 30 minutes.
TO FINISH:
- Use a spoon to skim the fat from the top of the soup.
- Shred the pork, discard the fat, and return the pork to the pot and cook until the pork is heated through, about 1 minute.
- Turn the heat off and squeeze in the lime juice.
- Season the Posole with salt and pepper to taste.
GARNISH AND SERVE:
- Ladle the soup into bowls and garnish with shredded cabbage, diced avocado, sliced radishes, chopped white onion, and lime wedges (all optional).
- Serve.
Notes
Serving and Storage Tips:
SERVE: You can keep the Pozole out for about two hours before it needs to be refrigerated. STORE: Once the soup is cooled, transfer it to an airtight container. Store it in the refrigerator for 4-5 days. FREEZE: Once cooled, transfer the soup to a freezer-safe container or Ziploc bag. Freeze for 2-3 months. Thaw the Posole in the refrigerator overnight or at room temperature for 4-5 hours. REHEAT: Place the soup in a saucepan and heat over medium-high heat until heated through.Nutrition
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Recipe for Posole FAQs
Either! It’s typically spelled Pozole in Mexico and Posole in border states like New Mexico and Texas.
You pronounce it, “po-zo-le.”
Posole directly translates from Spanish to English as hominy. So it’s basically” “stew of maize kernels,” maize kernels being hominy.
Posole is made with hominy, pork, chile peppers, spices, garlic and garnished with shredded cabbage, radishes, avocados, onion, and lime wedges. It’s the stuff my spicy Christmas dreams are made of!
In traditional Posole recipes that date back to the Aztecs, you use dried hominy soaked in mineral lime to remove the hominy’s outer skin and achieve this soup’s authentic flavor. Unfortunately, I live in Japan right now, and I can’t get dried hominy or mineral lime to ship to me, so canned hominy it is!
Pozole enthusiasts, please don’t skewer me for using canned hominy! Once I get back to the states, I promise to experiment and test this recipe using dried hominy and mineral lime and post the results here!
No, hominy and Posole are not the same thing. Hominy is a maize kernel treated with an alkali solution, which removes the outer husk and germ and makes the kernel soft and chewy.
Posole is a Mexican stew made with hominy, pork, and broth.
If you’re using canned hominy, it is unnecessary to soak it overnight. If you are using dried hominy, then yes, soak it overnight.
Soaking dried hominy overnight helps to soften the kernels and reduce the cooking time.
There are a few reasons why your Pozole might taste plain. Here are some things to check:
– Did you use enough salt? Salt is an essential seasoning that can enhance the flavor of any dish. Be sure to salt your Pozole to taste, both before and after cooking.
– Did you use enough spices? This dish is traditionally flavored with various spices, such as cumin, oregano, and chili powder. If your Pozole tastes plain, try adding more spices to taste.
– Did you add any acid? A touch of acid, such as lime juice or vinegar, can help brighten the Pozole flavor.
More Mexican Recipes
- The Best Restaurant Style Refried Beans
- Chicken Enchiladas with Green Chile Cream Sauce
- Wet Burritos
- Shredded Beef Enchiladas
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If I were to replace the pork with chicken, would you recommend using chicken thighs and prepare recipe as written? Thank you.
Yeah, I’d use chicken thighs.
This posole is absolutely delicious and such an easy recipe to follow. Love the oregano and lime flavors as well – so good!
Cate, I’m thrilled that you enjoyed it!
Delicious recipe! So savory and satisfying, and perfect for cold winter nights!
These flavors are incredible! I love stew and it’s perfect for this time of year. So yummy!
This turned out SO yummy! I always loved posole and am so excited to make it at home now.
Looks delicious! Perfect for dinner in the winter.
This recipe is fabulous! I love how tender and flavorful the dish is!
Hi
I did not notice the date on this, but I just wanted to say as a girl from Santa Fe, who’s family made this year round, I have never made it that way. My grandma was pretty sneaky with her recipes but my aunt who spoke Spanish found all her recipes with all her little secret ingredients included. I had from smell knew to add apx 1/2 tsp of powdered clove. Also, I do my red chile by putting apx 6 NM Hatch chile pods ( they actually sell them on Amazon! Really cheap and have about 15 or more pods-plenty for 4-5 HUGE meals ) so I put apx 3-4 cups water 4 cloves of garlic ( my favorite Santa Fe restaurant is The Shed, I love a high garlic content-but for sure fresh garlic NEVER powdered ) tablespoon of salt ( or less, but at least 1/2 tablespoon ) so that gets blended in a blended on PUREE for like 3-5 mins. I know the old school recipe calls for the red chile to be floating in the soup-no thanks, you shouldn’t eat it like that, very hard on your tummy. So then, in a frying pan, I pour apx 1/4 cup olive oil ( granny used lard, I always use olive oil works just fine ) turn on medium high, stir in a huge spoon or 2 of flour ( I never really measure anything ) so this should never be burned, but mixed with a pan safe spoon till its paper brown bag color. Pour blender mix in pan-whala! That is your red chili. Then I sear the pork, put in a croc pot with onion maybe 2-3, tons of good pepper, grinded, I also put like 1/2 cup of brown sugar. ( this is also my street taco pork meat recipe ) Another tip about the hominy, I just used the canned, but sort of like mixing the spaghetti with the sauce, there’s those people that do and those that don’t. I will never add the hominy right away ever again, it gets ” all masa ” ( too soft ) ad really it should be firm. You can cook it quickly with chicken broth after soaking it IN the broth to get that bland flavor a little sweeter, or even soak it in a little red chili, but adding it all together, if your making this for a party and it will be eaten up-cool, if not and there will be leftovers, it would just be sad to throw it away because the hominy got ” all masa ” -I hope this helps, I even sprinkle nutmeg on the meat after I sear it, but that’s just me and my 4 generation families little secrets, now ya know!
Thanks for the info, I’ll have to give this a try.
I’ve loved posole for years, but never made it myself. This recipe was delicious! I will definitely be making this again! The only trouble I had was when microwaving the chiles…they looked/smelled/tasted burned, so I tried a second batch with just the soaking (which I had seen in another recipe). Any suggestions?
Hi Kim, I’m so glad you enjoyed this recipe!
The only thing I can think of with the chiles is that maybe your microwave runs a little hot. Try microwaving for half of the time listed in the recipe.
I second this. I do not recommend microwaving dried chili’s. I did for 45 seconds and smoked my whole house up. Either toast them up on a pan and watch them carefully or just skip the step and go straight to boiling them in the broth or water after cutting the stems and shaking out the seeds.
This recipe was really easy to follow and so good. I will keep this for future use.
What if you already have red chile sauce made.
You can use that. 🙂
This is a great recipe. Thanks for the detailed instructions with step-by-step pics! I followed everything except I cubed the pork and didn’t cook up the hominy. Broth was delicious!!
I made this recipe a couple nights ago and it was AMAZING!! I am making more tonight. This will be a new staple meal in my home.
So glad you loved it! It’s perfect for cold weather!
This sounds delicious! I have never tried hominy. Is canned really almost as good as making it yourself? I don’t suppose you can buy it frozen? Thanks!
I haven’t been able to find frozen hominy, but it doesn’t mean that it isn’t out there!
I have never heard of this before but it looks lovely and so colourful. My husband would love it too.
I love Mexican food but never heard of posole. Now, I want to try it. After reading this post I think I know I will love it. Beautiful post – very informative.
Looks so delicious and comforting! Perfect for winter!
Sounds so delicious on a cold night!
I made this Posole this afternoon. I followed the recipe exactly. I used Guajillo dried Chili’s which produced a deep rich aroma and flavor. Will definitely make this again. Thanks.
So glad you enjoyed this recipe! 🙂
This looks delicious! That hit of lime at the end takes it over the top!
I loooooove hominy! This soup is so fantastic, I couldn’t get enough!