Pozole Rojo is a hearty and satisfying soup jam-packed with flavor and the perfect kick of spice. This traditional Mexican soup with hominy and peppers is taken to a whole new level with the addition of mushrooms and red beans. It is vegan, oil-free and the ultimate comfort food!

If you are new to pozole, you are in for a treat! I used to have this stew often during the holiday season and I was able to veganize it with the help of mushrooms and red kidney beans. It is perfectly layered with savory and spicy flavors plus has the perfect amount of texture from the toppings and the fillings.

The pozole I used to eat had pork in it, so I wanted to be able to replicate the texture of meat with 100% plant-based ingredients. I also opted for mushrooms because they have great texture and I used them instead of a premade vegan meat as I knew that it would bring a really nice flavor to the dish as well!

As noted in the recipe, we only use about 3/4 of the “pepper sauce” that we blend up and then serve the rest on the side for our guests (or ourselves) to add when we are assembling our soup. That way, the base of the recipe is pretty mild and then the spiciness can be increased to taste. I am not a spicy person so I don’t usually add any more, but Chris went INNN.

Toppings, toppings, toppings. I love pozole for its toppings.

We like to add homemade tortilla chips or strips, thinly sliced radish, lime, shredded cabbage, cilantro, red onion, avocado, and vegan parmesan cheese (instead of cotija). I know this seems like a lot but trust me when I say the toppings bring this dish together. They add an extra layer of flavor, texture, and freshness.

Before all of the toppings…

And after! The toppings also are a great way to dress up the dish and make it picture perfect…because we all know that the camera eats first 😛

If you make this recipe, let us know what you think in the comments below! + If you post any photos on Instagram, make sure you tag us @sweetsimplevegan and @consciouschris so that we don’t miss it, we love seeing your photos!

Pozole Rojo with Mushrooms and Red Beans (Mexican Hominy Stew)

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• Author: Jasmine @ Sweet Simple Vegan
• Total Time: 1 hour 5 minutes
• Yield: 8 servings

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Description

Pozole Rojo is a hearty and satisfying soup jam-packed with flavor and the perfect kick of spice. This traditional Mexican soup with hominy and peppers is taken to a whole new level with the addition of mushrooms and red beans. It is vegan, oil-free and the ultimate comfort food

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Ingredients

Soup

• 5 cups water (for soaking the peppers)
• 3 guajillo chiles
• 2 ancho chiles
• 2 quarts vegetable broth
• 1/2 cup finely diced white onion (1/2 medium onion)
• 6 cloves of garlic, finely minced
• 16 oz shiitake and oyster mushrooms, sliced (we used ½ of each but feel free to use any combo or mushroom type)
• 1 (25 oz.) can hominy
• 1 (15.25 oz.) can red kidney beans
• 3 tablespoons tomato paste
• 2 teaspoons dried oregano
• 1 teaspoon cumin
• 2 bay leaves
• Salt, as needed

Serve with

• Thinly sliced radish
• Sliced limes
• Shredded cabbage
• Tortilla chips or strips
• Cilantro, roughly chopped
• Diced red onion
• Diced avocado
• Vegan cheese (we use homemade parmesan)

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Instructions

1. Bring 5 cups of water to a boil. In the meantime, cut the tops off of the peppers and slit them down the sides. Remove and discard the seeds. Transfer the pepper to a large heat-safe bowl and pour the boiling water over the peppers. Soak for 30 minutes.
2. In the meantime, prepare the remaining ingredients. In a large pot, add in a 2 tablespoons of vegetable broth. Once warmed, add in onions and garlic and saute for 2-3 minutes, or until the onions are translucent and the garlic is fragrant.
3. Add in the sliced mushrooms and cook for 4-5 minutes more, or until cooked down and softened. You may need to add 2-3 additional tablespoons of vegetable broth as needed to prevent burning.
4. Once the mushrooms have cooked down, add in the oregano, cumin, tomato paste, 2 bay leaves, hominy, and beans. Mix until uniform. Add in the remaining vegetable broth and mix through.
5. Once the peppers have soaked for 30 minutes, transfer them with their soaking liquid to a high-speed blender and blend for 1 minute or until smooth. Add ¾ of the red sauce into the soup mixture and mix one more time (see notes). 
6. Bring the soup to a boil. Once it is boiling, reduce the heat to a simmer. Cover the pot and simmer for 20-25 more minutes. Remove from heat.
7. Serve the pozole with the remaining red sauce on the side as well as toppings of choice, such as sliced radish, limes, shredded cabbage, tortilla chips, cilantro, red onion and avocado. Add more red sauce to taste. Enjoy!

Notes

• We only use about 3/4 of the “pepper sauce” that we blend up and then serve the rest on the side for our guests (or ourselves) to add when we are assembling our soup. That way, the base of the recipe is pretty mild and then the spiciness can be increased to taste.
• The nutrition facts do not take into consideration the addition of toppings those may vary.

• Prep Time: 35 minutes
• Cook Time: 30 minutes
• Category: Soup, Entree, Christmas
• Method: Stovetop
• Cuisine: Vegan, Mexican

Keywords: Pozole, Rojo, Christmas, Soup

Nutrition facts label provided by Nutri Fox.

Disclaimer: The nutritional information shown is an estimate provided by an online calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional’s advice. This page may contain affiliate links, which simply means that we earn a commission if you purchase through those links, but your price remains the same. Thank you for supporting Sweet Simple Vegan!