Pozole rojo base
The deep red guajillo and ancho broth that turns hominy and pork or chicken into a proper bowl of pozole rojo.
Make this once, then cook it into 12 different dishes.
- Time1 hr
- LevelEasy
- Costabout £3.33 a head
- Makesabout 2.2 litres of red chilli broth, enough for 2 pots of pozole for 4 to 6
Cost is worked out from Aldi and Tesco shelf prices in October 2026. Your shop and brands will differ.
Ingredients
Tick what you need to buy. It goes on your shopping list.
Method
- 1
Toast the guajillo and ancho chillies in a dry pan over a medium heat for 15 to 20 seconds a side until fragrant. Add the arbol for 10 seconds. Cover with the boiling water in a bowl and soak for 20 minutes until soft.
20 min - 2
Put half the onion and 4 of the garlic cloves in the same dry pan and char for 5 minutes, turning, until browned in places. Toast the cumin seeds for 30 seconds.
- 3
Lift the chillies into a blender with the charred onion and garlic, cumin, oregano, 250 ml of the soaking water and 250 ml of the hot stock. Blend for 2 to 3 minutes until completely smooth, then press through a sieve into a bowl.
3 min - 4
Heat the oil in a large pot over a medium high heat. Pour in the puree (it will spit) and fry, stirring, for 5 minutes until darker and thickened.
5 min - 5
Add the rest of the stock (1750 ml), the remaining onion half and 2 garlic cloves, and the bay leaves. Bring to a simmer and cook gently for 30 minutes.
30 min - 6
Remove the onion, garlic and bay leaves. Season with the salt, taste, and adjust. The broth should taste of chilli and garlic and be well seasoned.
- 7
To make pozole, add cooked pork or chicken and drained hominy to the hot broth and simmer until the meat is tender. Cool any extra quickly.
About pozole rojo base
Pozole rojo base is the red chilli broth that pozole rojo is built on: chicken stock simmered with a puree of guajillo and ancho chillies, garlic, onion and oregano. Pozole is a Mexican stew of hominy, which is maize treated with an alkali so the kernels swell and soften, and the red version is widely cooked in Jalisco and across Mexico.
The broth is brick red, savoury and gently hot, tasting of dried chilli, garlic and herbs, with no tomato. It is thin like a soup, not a thick sauce, so it flavours the meat and the hominy as they simmer together.
To finish, add cooked hominy (tinned is fine in the UK) and pork shoulder or chicken, then simmer until tender. Serve with shredded cabbage or lettuce, radishes, onion, dried oregano, lime and tostadas. Make the broth first, then cook the meat in it, and cool any leftovers quickly.
Tips
- Hominy is sold in tins as pozole or white hominy in the world foods aisle, or online. Rinse it well before adding it to the broth.
- Cook pork shoulder in the broth for 1 hour 30 to 2 hours until it falls apart, or poach chicken thighs in it for 25 minutes. Shred the meat and return it to the pot.
- For a milder pozole remove all the seeds from the chillies and skip the arbol. For hotter pozole add 4 arbol chillies or serve with chilli flakes at the table.
- Strain the chilli puree through a sieve before frying it. Tough chilli skins make the broth gritty.
- Oregano rubbed between your palms over each bowl at the table is traditional and adds a lot.
- For vegetarian pozole swap the chicken stock for a gluten free vegetable stock and use hominy and mushrooms or beans.
Storing and freezing
Cool quickly, within 1 to 2 hours, and keep covered in the fridge for up to 3 days. Freeze in 1 litre portions for up to 3 months. Reheat until it reaches a rolling boil and is steaming hot all the way through.
Dishes you can make with pozole rojo base
Pozole Rojo de Pollo (Red Chicken Pozole)
GFDFEFPozole Rojo de Costilla de Res (Beef Short Rib Pozole)
GFDFEFPozole Rojo con Costillas de Cerdo (Pork Rib Pozole)
GFDFEFPozole Rojo de Mariscos (Red Seafood Pozole)
GFDFEFPozole Rojo de Pavo (Leftover Turkey Pozole)
GFDFEFPozole Rojo Rapido con Pollo Deshebrado (Quick Red Pozole)
GFDFEFMenudo Rojo (Mexican Red Tripe Soup)
GFDFEFPozole Rojo con Frijoles (Hominy and Bean Stew)
GFDFEFHuevos Ahogados en Caldo Rojo (Drowned Eggs in Chilli Broth)
NFChilaquiles Rojos con Pollo (Red Chilaquiles with Chicken)
GFNFHPPambazos de Papa con Chorizo (Chilli Dipped Potato and Chorizo Rolls)
EFNFPozole Rojo de Hongos y Calabacitas (Mushroom and Courgette Pozole)
GFDFEFQuestions
What is pozole rojo?
Pozole rojo is a Mexican hominy stew with a red chilli broth. Hominy is dried maize processed with an alkali so it swells. It is cooked with pork or chicken and served with cabbage, radishes, lime and oregano.
Is pozole rojo spicy?
Mild to medium. Guajillo and ancho chillies give colour and depth more than heat. Add chiles de arbol for fire, or serve chilli flakes or a spoonful of salsa at the table so everyone sets their own level.
Can I use tinned hominy?
Yes, it is the easiest option in the UK. Use two 400 g tins per batch, drained and rinsed, and simmer for the last 20 to 30 minutes. Dried hominy takes a few hours to cook and needs soaking.
Is it gluten free and dairy free?
Yes, with gluten free stock. The chillies, hominy and toppings are naturally gluten free and dairy free. Always check stock labels, since many contain wheat or milk, and check any toppings you add.
Can I make the broth ahead?
Yes, 2 days ahead is ideal because the flavour deepens. Cool it quickly, keep it in the fridge, and bring it to a boil before adding hominy and meat.
What goes on top of pozole?
Shredded cabbage, sliced radishes, finely chopped onion, dried oregano, lime wedges, chilli flakes and tostadas on the side. The toppings give crunch and freshness against the rich broth.
More base recipes
Double check before you cook. Recipes can contain mistakes. Any diet labels come from the ingredients as written in this recipe and are a guide, not a guarantee. Always check every ingredient and the packet label for allergens and cross contamination, and ask your doctor or dietitian what is right for you, especially with coeliac disease, diabetes or a serious allergy. This is not medical advice.