Easy Instant Pot Posole Recipe

Mexican posole is a traditional soup in Mexico – it can be made with pork or chicken. This recipe uses the pressure cooker, though it could easily be adapted for the slow cooker. Read on to learn how to cook posole, as well as how to stay healthy this winter!

Instant Pot Pozole Recipe

Do you love Mexican food? If so, you’ll definitely want to try this easy Instant Pot pozole recipe. It’s simple to make and tastes delicious.

Best of all, it’s a healthy meal that your whole family will enjoy. So what are you waiting for? Get started cooking!

INGREDIENTS

Soup Ingredients

• 2.5 lbs pork roast
• 2-3 Tablespoons Vegetable oil
• Salt
• Pepper
• Garlic Powder
• 1 Tablespoon minced garlic
• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne
• 1/2 teaspoon ancho chile powder, optional
• 2 teaspoons oregano
• 2 bay leaves
• 2 cups of chicken broth
• 3 1/2 cups water
• 2 15-ounce cans – white hominy, half drained
• 1 14.5 ounce can of diced tomatoes, half drained
• 1 cup of diced onion
• 1 teaspoon of salt and pepper

Toppings

• Shredded cabbage
• Limes
• Sliced radishes
• Diced onions

Directions:

1. Season pork with salt and pepper.
2. Cut into a few different chunks and sear on each side for about one minute.
3. Turn Instant Pot to Saute – high.
4. Add oil to cover the bottom of the inner pot of your pressure cooker. 
5. Add onions and garlic about a minute before you are done searing. 
6. Add all the other ingredients (except for the toppings) to the pot. Stir.
7. Place lid on top, set pressure valve to sealing, and press Meat/Stew – set time for 45 minutes. 
8. Once the timer has reached zero, let the pressure release naturally for ten minutes. Then release the rest of the pressure by turning the valve. 
9. Remove bay leaf.
10. Remove pork and shred. Put back in the pot, stir, and serve immediately with toppings. 

History of Pozole

Pozole is a very popular dish with a rich history.

Pozole originated in Nahuatl. You might be surprised to hear that it was originally made with the meat from prisoners – thankfully, that is no longer the case! Once cannibalism was banned, it was replaced with pork.

It is a very popular soup/stew that is often found at special occasions and holidays.

Is it pozole or posole?

Either spelling is technically correct. According to this article, pozole is more popular in Mexico proper, while posole is more common in border towns.

Can pozole be made with beef?

If you would prefer beef, you could use a beef roast that instead. Cooking time would depend on the type of beef.

Can pozole be made with chicken?

Yes. The cooking time of this recipe would be less, depending on what kind of chicken you use. Fresh (not frozen) chicken breasts would be about 15 minutes.

Can I cook hominy in an Instant Pot?

Yes! There is no issue with this. We find that it maintains its texture quite well in this recipe.

Do I need to soak hominy before using it?

Because you are using canned hominy, there is no need to soak it ahead of time. If you plan to cook dry hominy, it is generally a good idea to soak.

Can this be made vegetarian?

Yes. If you choose to omit the meat, use all the other ingredients and cook about six minutes.

Can pozole be frozen?

Yep, you can definitely freeze this recipe! We recommend using Souper Cubes for freezing soups of all kinds. You can use the code TBM10 for 10% off.

Is there an alternative for hominy?

While I think this is what makes pozole, well, pozole, is the hominy! But if you really don’t like it, you could try and omit and use corn kernels instead. It will change the taste and texture, though.

What are the three types of pozole?

There are generally three types of pozole that people making:

• Red – This is generally made with red peppers, such as guajillo, adobe, or ancho.
• Green – this is made with tomatillos and green peppers, such as serranos
• White – Omits chile sauce

Our recipe would fall under the “white” or blanco pozole category, despite looking more red in texture. You can add some canned adobe peppers for an added kick and more authentic taste.

What are the best toppings for posole?

However, if you like spice, feel free to add more!​ We also recommend having lime, sliced radishes, onions, and cabbage – they add some nice texture to the soup, and it helps cut the spiciness.

We were SUPER impressed with how the pork cooked in this soup and in the Instant Pot. It was SO tender and shredded perfectly. I think searing it and cutting it into pieces helped a lot.

So there you have it, an easy and delicious Instant Pot Pozole recipe that the whole family will love! If you try this recipe, be sure to let me know how it turns out in the comments below.

More Instant Pot Dinner Recipes:

• Easy Instant Pot Tomato Soup
• Instant Pot Ham and Potato Cheddar Soup
• How to Deglaze an Instant Pot?