This vegan pozole Rojo is a spicy soup that’s full of flavor. It’s made with New Mexican red chile sauce, and packed with healthy hominy and vegan “meat.” It’s a traditional Mexican-style pozole made vegan. This is sure to be your new favorite soup!

A close up of a bowl of vegan posole with red chiles in the background.

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Many years ago, I was lucky enough to work for Native American Pueblos in New Mexico and be invited to some of their celebratory feast days. Between watching the native dances, my coworkers and I went into the homes along the central plaza where there was a pot of pozole simmering on the stove in each home. This is where my serious obsession with pozole was born!

Pozole gets better the longer it simmers and the flavors blend. It’s great for holidays and large events and is always a Christmas favorite in my house.

🧾 Ingredients and substitutions

  • Oil – to saute the veggies. Canola oil or olive oil work well.
  • Onion – for flavor. You can use yellow onion or white onion.
  • Garlic – for flavor. Fresh garlic tastes best, but you can also use garlic powder.
  • Mexican Oregano – adds a lot of flavor to the soup. You can also add a dash of cumin for more flavor.
  • Carrots – a few carrots give the soup a little sweetness. You and use some celery or other vegetables if you choose.
  • Broth – I usually use a chicken-flavored vegan broth, but you can use any vegetable broth.
  • Hominy – this is a large kernel of corn that comes canned, frozen, or dry. I like to use the canned type. You can also use frozen hominy, but you will need to add 2 extra cups of broth to your soup. I don’t recommend dry hominy because it takes too long to cook.
  • Vegan Meat – in the photos for this batch I used Butler Soy Curls for the meat, but I also like to use chicken seitan, vegan ham, vegan shredded chicken, or my quick and easy seitan. You can also use 2 cups of your choice of pinto beans or black beans instead of meat.
  • Red Chile Sauce – this is a New Mexican-style red chile sauce made from dried red chile pods. You can buy it in just about any grocery store in the southwest US, but if they don’t sell it where you live, you can order it or make your own with my red chile sauce recipe.

If you want to make traditional New Mexican-style posole Rojo, you must use New Mexico red chile sauce!

Vegan posole soup with Butler Soy Curls for the meat replacement with red chiles on the side.

🥄 How to make vegan pozole

Step 1 – Make the red chile sauce if you don’t have store-bought sauce to use.

Step 2 – Peel and dice an onion and saute it in 2 tablespoons of oil with 2 cloves of minced garlic over low heat for about 5 minutes until it’s translucent.

Step 3 – Sprinkle with 2 teaspoons of salt and 2 teaspoons of oregano, stir in 3/4 cup of diced carrots, and saute for another 2 minutes.

Step 4 – Add 8 cups of vegan broth, 1 cup of red chile sauce, and 3 (1 lb cans) of hominy along with the liquid in the cans.

Step 5 – Bring to a boil then simmer for 20 minutes, then add the vegan meat of your choice. (Vegan chicken strips, diced vegan ham, or rehydrated Butler Soy Curls.)

Step 6 – Simmer on low for at least 10 more minutes before serving. (You can keep it in a crockpot or on the lowest setting on your stove for hours. You may need to add more water to account for evaporation.)

Step 7 – Garnish with sliced radishes, Mexican pickled onions, shredded cabbage, cilantro, onions, jalapenos, lime juice, or avocado if desired.

👩🏻‍🍳 Pro Tips

  • Use my homemade red chile sauce or a store-bought variety that has flour in the ingredients. The flour in the sauce gives the broth of the posole a creamy consistency.
  • Be sure to simmer the soup for a least 30 minutes total, but it will taste even better if left to simmer on low for at least an hour.
  • This soup is great to make a day ahead since I think that it tastes even better the next day!
  • Use low-sodium broth for a lower sodium posole.
  • Since this soup keeps well (and my family devours it) I usually buy the 6 lbs. can of hominy and make a double batch.
A large blue pot filled with vegan posole with some being scooped out with a wooden ladel.

❓ Frequently asked questions

What is Hominy?

Hominy is dried field corn that has been soaked in a lye or lime solution. The soaking process softens the tough outer hulls and makes the corn more nutritionally available. You can read more about the nutritional value of hominy here.

How can I make it gluten-free?

Vegan pozole can easily be made gluten-free, just be sure to use gluten-free red chile sauce and a gluten-free meat substitute like Butler Soy Curls or Beyond Meat chicken strips. All of the other ingredients are naturally gluten-free.

Are there different types of posole?

There are three types of pozole. Pozole Rojo is pozole with red chile sauce in it. (featured in this post) Pozole Verde is the same but with green chile sauce instead of red chiles. And lastly, there is pozole Blanco, meaning white pozole, which has no chile.

What should I serve with pozole?

Pozole is traditionally served with radishes, limes, cilantro, onions, or avocado on the side for garnishing. I also love a little garlic cilantro sauce or cilantro lime crema drizzled on top. I also love to make this soup when I serve tamales or other Mexican or New Mexican main dishes.

Pozole vs posole?

Posole and pozole are the same things. Pozole is the common spelling of the soup in Mexico while posole is more common in New Mexico and other outlining areas.

🥡 Storage and reheating

Refrigerate: This vegan pozole will keep well in the fridge for 3 – 5 days in a sealed container.

Freeze: You can also freeze it for up to 3 months. Allow it to thaw overnight in the fridge.

Reheating: Reheat pozole in the microwave for about 3-4 minutes depending on how much you are reheating or reheat it in a saucepan.

A top view of a bowl of pasole with red chile pods around it.

🌟 More southwestern-style recipes

📌 Be sure to follow me on Pinterest for new vegan recipes!

📋Vegan pozole recipe

A top view of a bowl of vegan posole made with butler soy curls.
Diet
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5 from 7 rating

Vegan Pozole

Yield: 20 cups
Prep: 10 minutes
Cook: 30 minutes
Total: 40 minutes
Author: Monica Davis
A traditional, authentic tasting vegan pozole Rojo made with hominy and New Mexico red chile sauce.
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Ingredients

  • 2 tablespoons light olive oil, (or other neutral flavored oil)
  • 1 whole onion, (peeled and diced)
  • 2 gloves garlic
  • 2 teaspoons oregano
  • 1 teaspoons salt
  • 3/4 cup carrots, (peeled and diced)
  • 8 cups not chickn' broth, (or any other vegan broth)
  • 2 cups red chile sauce, (or green chile sauce for posole verde)
  • 3 (1 lb.) jars hominy
  • 3 cups vegan meat, (like seitan chicken, vegan ham, or rehydrated Butler Soy Curls)
  • 2 cups red chile sauce, (or green chile sauce for posole verde)

Equipment

Instructions
 

  • Make the red chile sauce if you don't have store-bought sauce to use.
  • Peel and dice an onion and saute it in 2 tablespoons of oil with 2 cloves of minced garlic over low heat for about 5 minutes until it's translucent.
  • Sprinkle with 2 teaspoons of oregano and 1 teaspoon of salt, then stir in 3/4 cup of diced carrots and saute for another 2 minutes.
  • Add 8 cups of vegan broth, 2 cups of red chile sauce, and 3 (1 lb cans) of hominy along with the liquid in the cans.
  • Simmer for 20 minutes, then add the vegan meat of your choice. (Vegan chicken strips, diced vegan ham, or rehydrated Butler Soy Curls.)
  • Simmer on low for at least 10 more minutes before serving. (You can keep it in a crockpot or on the lowest setting on your stove for hours. You may need to add more water to account for evaporation.)
  • Garnish with radishes, cilantro, onions, or avocado if desired. You can also drizzle it with garlic cilantro sauce.

Notes

  • Use my homemade red chile sauce or a store-bought variety that has flour in the ingredients. The flour in the sauce gives the broth of the pozole a creamy consistency.
  • Be sure to simmer the soup for a least 30 minutes total, but it will taste even better if left to simmer on low for at least an hour.
  • This soup is great to make a day ahead since I think that it tastes even better the next day!
  • Use low-sodium broth for a lower sodium posole.
  • Since this soup keeps well (and my family devours it) I usually buy the 6 lbs. can of hominy and make a double batch.
  • If using Butler Soy Curls rehydrate 2 cups of them in 1 1/2 cups of broth.
Serving: 1cup, Calories: 131kcal, Carbohydrates: 17g, Protein: 7g, Fat: 4g, Saturated Fat: 1g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g, Monounsaturated Fat: 2g, Cholesterol: 2mg, Sodium: 495mg, Potassium: 238mg, Fiber: 4g, Sugar: 4g, Vitamin A: 1.097IU, Vitamin C: 45mg, Calcium: 62mg, Iron: 2mg
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