Vegetarian Pozole Recipe: How to Make Vegetarian Pozole

Vegetarian pozole is a Mexican soup featuring hominy corn, aromatics, black beans, pinto beans, vegetable broth, tomatillos, and various spices. The name “pozole” (sometimes spelled “posole” in the United States) comes from “pozolli,” the Nahuatl word for hominy—large maize kernels known for both their chewy bite and mild, earthy flavor.

In Mexico, pozole soup is a festive meal, traditionally eaten to ring in the New Year or celebrate Christmas, birthdays, and Mexican Independence Day (September 16).

The three classic varieties of pozole—green, white, and red—show off hominy’s versatility as an ingredient but usually include meat. In these vegetarian variations (vegan, if you skip the cheese and sour cream garnishes), beans add creaminess, while vegetable broth offers rounded savoriness and warmth. Here are the three varieties, in order of popularity:

1. 1. Vegetarian pozole verde: Green pozole features a salsa verde made from fresh tomatillos and bright green chiles like serranos and jalapeños. Mexican oregano adds a mellow, citrusy accent, while green (or yellow) zucchinis will bring juiciness.
2. 2. Vegetarian pozole rojo: Red pozole gets its name from the red peppers that dominate its chile sauce: ancho chiles and guajillo chiles. You can also add chopped red bell peppers for an extra burst of fresh vegetables. Learn more about Mexican peppers.
3. 3. Vegetarian pozole blanco: White pozole omits the chile sauce to make a milder soup featuring hominy, beans, and broth.

It takes surprisingly little effort to make this soulful soup recipe taste slow-cooked—even if you whip it up for a last-minute weeknight meal. Here are some tips to infuse the broth and vegetables with deep flavors.

1. 1. Add aromatics. Taking the time to sweat the onions and garlic properly makes them sweet and tender, setting a flavorful base for your whole soup. A few dried bay leaves, fresh chilis, and plenty of herbs will layer even store-bought vegetable broth with herbaceous freshness.
2. 2. Choose dried hominy or canned hominy. You can find dried hominy or canned hominy in most grocery stores. If you use dried, soak the kernels overnight in water. Soaking will allow them to become tender more quickly.
3. 3. Choose dried beans or canned beans. Dried beans yield an extraordinarily flavorful umami broth as they cook, adding more layers of savoriness to the soup. If you use dried beans, soak them overnight to rehydrate them and reduce their cooking time. Learn more about how to cook dry beans.
4. 4. Serve with the vegetarian or vegan toppings of your choice. You can serve bowls of pozole with sliced radishes, diced avocado, crumbled cotija cheese, shredded cabbage, fresh cilantro, and lime wedges. Warm corn tortillas or tortilla chips on the side make the perfect vehicle for dipping.
5. 5. Add heartiness. For meat-like texture and flavor, add plant-based sausage, jackfruit (a mild-tasting fruit that is shreddable, like chicken breast), or mushrooms. Learn more about how to eat jackfruit.
6. 6. Make homemade vegetable broth. Collecting vegetable scraps (such as carrot tops, sweet potato peels, onion skins, and leftover herbs) in a freezer bag is an easy way to make vegetable broth and get a second life out of your groceries. Simmer the scraps with a good handful of salt, bay leaves, and peppercorns in a large pot of water for four to five hours (or an hour using a pressure cooker) until you have an aromatic broth. For more guidance, follow this vegetable broth recipe.

Like most soups and stews, vegetarian pozole gets even more delicious the next day, when the flavors have had more time to marry. Store your vegetarian pozole in an airtight container in the refrigerator and reheat leftovers on the stovetop over low heat (or in the microwave) when you’re ready to enjoy.