Vegetarian Pozole

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This vegetarian pozole recipe is a non-traditional take on the classic made with beans, hominy and veggies all simmered together in a richly-seasoned broth.

Last winter, my friend Erin invited us over on a chilly evening for steaming bowls of vegetarian pozole — and I haven’t stopped craving it since. ♡

By contrast to traditional Mexican pork pozole, which is made with whole dried chiles and pork and slow-simmered for hours, this vegetarian (also vegan) version comes together in just 30 minutes thanks to a handful of non-traditional shortcuts. First, we’ll pop open a few cans of beans (I like a mix of pinto and white beans) to serve as our main protein source. Second, instead of reconstituting and blending whole dried chiles to season the broth, we’ll save time by using a rich blend of dried spices. And for the final flavor boost, we’ll add in a cup of salsa verde, which adds tangy, smoky depth to the broth. Each spoonful is bursting with savory, smoky, earthy, spicy, rich flavors — guaranteed to warm you up through and through.

I will note that the recipe as written here is definitely on the spicier side, so if you’re sensitive to heat, please see the notes below about how to tone it down. (Or if you love a spicy soup, you can always amp things up!) And definitely do not skip the traditional pozole toppings — crisp cabbage, creamy avocado, crunchy radishes, and zesty cilantro perfectly balance the hearty flavors and textures of this soup.

Ready for a cozy bowl of vegetarian pozole? Let’s do it.

Vegetarian Pozole Recipe | 1-Minute Video

Vegetarian Pozole Ingredients

Here are a few notes about the vegetarian pozole ingredients that you will need to make this recipe:

• Beans: A few simple cans of beans serve as our hearty, creamy, plant-based protein for this vegetarian pozole. I used a mix of pinto and white (Great Northern) beans here, but feel free to mix in black beans, chickpeas, or whatever other legumes you prefer.
• Hominy: A key ingredient in traditional pozole, hominy adds its distinctive chewy texture and light nutty flavor to the soup. You can typically find canned hominy in the canned vegetable section or Mexican section of the grocery store.
• Veggies: We’ll use a mix of sautéed onion, poblano pepper, and garlic as our base veggies for the soup, adding savory earthiness with a bit of heat to the broth. If you are sensitive to spice, I recommend swapping in a bell pepper in place of the poblano, which will have a milder flavor.
• Seasonings: This recipe takes the shortcut of using dried seasonings (rather than working with whole dried chiles) to season the broth, including a mix of ancho chili powder, chili powder, dried oregano, ground cumin, fine sea salt and black pepper.
• Vegetable broth: We’ll use vegetable broth to add another layer of savory flavor to the soup.
• Salsa verde: Mexican salsa verde is another powerhouse ingredient that adds rich seasoning to the broth. Feel free to use whichever brand of salsa verde that you love best, keeping in mind that some brands are considerably spicier than others.
• Lime juice: A generous squeeze of fresh lime juice brightens up the soup and balances out all of the other earthy flavors with a pop of tangy flavor.
• Toppings: Finally, don’t be shy with the toppings here! I recommend a mix of chopped cilantro, crumbled tortilla chips, shredded cabbage, sliced avocado, sliced radishes and/or sour cream.

Recipe Variations

Here are a few more variations that you’re welcome to try with this vegetarian pozole recipe:

• Add extra veggies: Add extra soup-friendly veggies, such as butternut squash, cabbage, carrots, cauliflower, corn, mushrooms, sweet potatoes or zucchini.
• Add extra greens: Add extra greens, such as chopped fresh kale or baby spinach.
• Add tortillas: Add crispy tortilla strips to the soup, as you would in sopa azteca (tortilla soup).
• Add cheese: Add your favorite Mexican melting or crumbled cheese to the soup.

More Vegetarian Soup Recipes

Looking for more easy vegetarian soup recipes to try? Here are a few of our favorites:

• Sopa Azteca (Tortilla Soup)
• Sopa de Ajo (Garlic Soup)
• Extra-Veggie Vegetarian Chili
• Cozy Autumn Wild Rice Soup

Vegetarian Pozole

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• Author: Ali

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Ingredients

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• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 small yellow onion, diced
• 1 large poblano pepper, cored and diced
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 teaspoons each: ancho chili powder, chili powder, ground cumin
• 4 cups vegetable broth
• 2 (15-ounce) cans black, pinto or white beans, rinsed and drained (I used one can pinto and one can Great Northern beans)
• 1 (30-ounce) can hominy, rinsed and drained
• ¾ cup (6 ounces) salsa verde
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 2 tablespoons freshly-squeezed lime juice
• fine sea salt and freshly-ground black pepper
• toppings: chopped cilantro, crumbled tortilla chips, shredded cabbage, sliced avocado, sliced radishes and/or sour cream

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Instructions

1. Sauté the veggies. Heat the oil in a large stockpot over medium-high heat. Add the onion and poblano and sauté for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until softened. Add the garlic, ancho chili powder, chili powder, cumin and sauté for 2 minutes, stirring frequently.
2. Simmer. Add the vegetable broth, beans, hominy, salsa verde, oregano and stir to combine. Continue cooking until the mixture reaches a simmer. Then reduce heat to medium-low (or whatever temperature is needed to maintain a low simmer), cover, and simmer for 10 minutes.
3. Finish. Stir in the lime juice until combined. Taste and season with salt and pepper, or any additional spices that you might like, to taste.
4. Serve. Serve immediately, garnished with all of your favorite toppings, and enjoy!

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Equipment

Ancho Chili Powder

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Chili Powder

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Ground Cumin

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