Vegan Pozole
If you’re looking for a cozy, comforting meal that’s full of flavor, you’ve got to try vegan pozole! This Mexican soup is usually made with pork, but the plant-based version is just as tasty and satisfying. It’s packed with hominy, tender veggies, and bold spices that give it a rich, smoky kick. Whether you’re new to this dish or grew up eating it, vegan pozole is a great way to enjoy a classic in a fresh, meat-free way.
What makes this soup even better is how easy it is to make at home. It’s perfect for weeknights, family dinners, or meal prep. You can load it up with fun toppings like shredded cabbage, radishes, lime, and sliced avocado. We’ll show you how to make this delicious soup step-by-step, plus give you tips for storing leftovers and making it your own.
Ready to get started?
This vegan pozole recipe is cozy, full of bold flavor, and super easy to make. It’s packed with hominy, beans, and smoky spices, plus all the fresh toppings that make each bite extra tasty! Here’s why this is the best vegan pozole:
- It’s Super Cozy and Comforting. Vegan pozole is the kind of soup that warms you up from the inside out. It’s perfect for chilly nights or when you need a little comfort food without the heaviness.
- Big Flavors Without the Meat. Thanks to smoky spices, tangy toppings, and hearty beans, you won’t miss the meat at all. Every bite is packed with flavor, texture, and a little kick!
- Great for Feeding a Crowd. This soup makes a big pot, so it’s perfect for family dinners, parties with friends, or meal prep. Everyone can build their own bowl with all the tasty toppings!
- Tons of Fresh Toppings. Shredded cabbage, radishes, lime, avocado, and cilantro? Yes, please! All those toppings add crunch, color, and fresh flavor to every spoonful.
- Leftovers Taste Even Better. Like many soups, vegan pozole gets even more flavorful after a day in the fridge. It reheats like a dream, so you’ll love it just as much the next day!
What Is Pozole?
Pozole (pronounced po-so-lay) is a traditional Mexican soup made with hominy and usually meat in a white, red, or green broth. For this vegan pozole, we swap the meat for kidney beans—it’s super easy and still full of flavor. The best part? All the fresh toppings! Pile on shredded cabbage, sliced radishes, red onion, garlic, chile peppers, lime, and cilantro. Don’t skip them—they add crunch, freshness, and tons of flavor to every bite.
What Is Hominy?
Never heard of hominy? No worries—you’re not alone! It’s just dried corn kernels that have been soaked in a special solution to make them easier to digest and super tasty. People use this process to make tortillas, too! Cooking dried hominy is a lot like cooking beans, but here’s the good news—you can skip all that and just grab a can of pre-cooked hominy from the store. Easy, right? And if you can’t find any, no problem at all—just use frozen corn and a can of chickpeas instead. It’ll still taste great!
Key Ingredients and Substitutions
This vegan pozole uses simple, flavorful ingredients like hominy, kidney beans, and smoky spices to bring the soup to life. Don’t have everything on hand? No worries—there are easy swaps to make it work with what you’ve got!
- Hominy – Gives pozole its signature chewy texture and corn flavor—it’s what makes this soup “pozole”! Use canned hominy to save time. Can’t find it? Use a mix of canned or homemade chickpeas and frozen corn for a similar bite and flavor.
- Poblano Peppers – Adds a subtle smoky flavor and a touch of mild heat that balances the soup. Roast them first for even more flavor. Don’t have poblanos? Try green bell peppers for a milder taste or Anaheim peppers for a little extra spice.
- Green Chiles – Bring a pop of heat and tangy flavor that livens up the broth. Use canned diced green chilis for convenience. If you like things spicier, use jalapeños or add a dash of hot sauce.
- Dried Oregano – Gives the broth depth and a savory herbal note that ties everything together. Crush it between your fingers before adding to release more flavor. No oregano? Try marjoram or a tiny pinch of thyme instead.
- Kidney Beans – Add plant-based protein and make the soup nice and filling. Use canned beans for a quick meal, or cook your own for extra flavor. Black beans, pinto beans, or white beans work just as well if that’s what you have on hand.
How To Make Vegan Pozole
Here’s a quick step-by-step to show how easy it is to make vegan pozole. It might look like a lot, but it’s really just tossing everything in one pot and letting it simmer—and you’ll find the full steps in the recipe card below!
Step 1: De-Seed and Cut – Start by removing the stem and seeds from the peppers and cut into 1-inch pieces.
Step 2: Prep Pan for Cooking – Heat the oil in a medium soup pot over medium heat and add the onions and peppers.
Step 3: Cook Veggies with Spices – Cook for 1 to 2 minutes until softened. Add the garlic, flour, and chili powder and stir well to combine. Add the cumin, oregano, bay leaf, cayenne, and salt and cook for an additional 1 to 2 minutes.
Step 4: Add Liquids, Remaining Ingredients and Simmer – Add the tomato paste, chiles, and 1 cup of broth to the pot to dissolve the tomato paste. Stir well to combine. Then add the kidney beans, hominy, and remaining broth. Reduce the heat to medium and bring the soup to a rolling boil for 10 minutes or so, or until the peppers have softened. Taste then add another pinch of salt and cayenne, if desired.
Step 5: Prep Toppings – While it’s simmering, prep your toppings. Chop the cilantro and avocados. Slice the radishes and cabbage. Cut the tortillas into thin strips. Toast the tortilla strips in a small oiled pan over medium-high heat until crispy and golden brown.
Step 6: Add Toppings and Serve – When the vegan pozole is ready, remove the bay leaf and serve with avocado, cilantro, radish, cabbage, tortillas strips, and a squeeze of fresh lime.
Serving Tips and Helpful Suggestions
This vegan pozole is great on its own, but can be served alongside many dishes to make it a hearty meal! Don’t forget a fresh squeeze of lime! It adds a tangy pop that brightens up the whole bowl!
- Pile on the Crunch – Top your bowl with shredded cabbage or lettuce for a fresh, crunchy bite. It adds texture and makes the soup feel extra satisfying.
- Don’t Skip the Radishes – Thinly sliced radishes add a peppery crunch. They look pretty and give each bite a little zing!
- Make It Creamy – Add avocado slices on top for a creamy, cool contrast. They’re rich, buttery, and so good with the warm broth.
- Spice It Up – Serve with sliced jalapeños or a splash of hot sauce if you like heat. Everyone can spice their bowl just the way they like it!
- Serve with Warm Tortillas – A side of warm corn tortillas or tortilla chips is perfect for dipping or scooping. Great for soaking up every last drop!
- If you’re feeling extra hungry, serve it with these vegan cheese quesadillas, vegan mollete with chickpea chorizo, or some “pulled pork” tostadas with jackfruit.
FAQs
Vegan pozole usually keeps for about 4 to 5 days in the fridge. Just let it cool down first, then pour it into an airtight container. The flavors actually get even better after a day!
To store it right, pop it in the fridge within two hours of cooking. If you made a big batch, you can also freeze it. Use freezer-safe containers or bags, and it’ll last about 2 to 3 months. Just thaw it in the fridge overnight and warm it up on the stove when you’re ready to enjoy it again!
Yes! Simply swap the all-purpose flour for a gluten-free version such as brown rice flour, cornstarch, arrowroot powder or a gluten-free blend.
More Vegan Mexican-Inspired Favorites
Listen while you cook! Tune into my podcast, The Plant Powered People Podcast, while you’re cooking, folding laundry, or taking a bath. It may just change your life!
Vegan Pozole (Pozole Rojo)
Ingredients
- 2 poblano peppers
- 2 tablespoons olive oil, avocado oil
- 1 small yellow onion, diced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour, or rice flour
- 2 tablespoons chili powder
- 1½ teaspoon ground cumin
- 1½ teaspoon dried oregano, Mexican if you can find it
- 1 bay leaf
- ¼ teaspoon cayenne, optional, plus more to taste
- 1 teaspoon salt, plus more to taste
- ½ 6-ounce can tomato paste
- 1 4-ounce can green chiles
- 1 15-ounce can red kidney beans
- 4 cups vegetable broth, vegan chicken broth if possible
- 1 25-ounce can hominy
For Serving
- handful of cilantro
- 2 avocados
- 2-3 radishes
- Purple cabbage
- 2-3 corn tortillas
- 2 limes
Instructions
- Stem and seed the peppers and cut into 1-inch (2.5-cm) pieces.
- Put the oil in a medium soup pot over medium heat.
- Add the onion and peppers to the pot. Cook for 1 to 2 minutes until softened. Add the garlic, flour, and chili powder. Stir well to combine and then add the cumin, oregano, bay leaf, cayenne, and salt. Cook for 1 to 2 minutes.
- Open the tomato paste and chiles. Drain and rinse the kidney beans. Add the tomato paste, chiles, and 1 cup (240 ml) of broth to the pot to dissolve the tomato paste. Drain the hominy.
- Stir well and then add the kidney beans, hominy, and remaining broth. Reduce the heat to medium and bring the soup to a rolling boil for 10 minutes or so, or until the peppers have softened. Taste then add another pinch of salt and cayenne, if desired.
- Chop the cilantro and avocados. Slice the radishes and cabbage. Cut the tortillas into thin strips. Remove the bay leaf.
- Toast the tortilla strips in a small oiled pan over medium-high heat until crispy and golden brown. Serve the pozole with avocado, cilantro, radish, cabbage, tortillas strips, and a squeeze of fresh lime.
Notes
- Adjust Spice Level – This soup is on the spicy side! Omit the cayenne if you prefer mild spice.
- Simply the Strips – If you don’t want to make your own tortilla strips, which I highly recommend, you can also break up a few tortilla chips.
- Can’t Find Hominy? – Swap 1 cup of frozen corn and 1 can of chickpeas for hominy if needed.
- Storing Leftovers – Just let it cool down first, then pour it into an airtight container. It will last about 4-5 days in the fridge. The flavors actually get even better after a day!
Nutrition
Vegan pozole recipe reprinted with permission from 30-Minute Vegan Dinners by Megan Sadd, Page Street Publishing Co. 2019.
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I made this tonight. OMG. So flavorful and a breeze to make. Definitely keeping this in my cooking/meal rotation.
I love all the fresh flavors in this pozole! Very nice recipe – thank you!
You’re so right, who wouldn’t love Mexican food? It’s one of my favourites. I’ve not heard of hominy before and I love finding out about new ingredients, so thank you for that. Also love these kinds of hearty beany soups. Just need to track down some hominy now.
So incredibly soothing and tasty all in one! Loved it!
I’m a huge fan of pozole and love love love this vegan pozole recipe so I can now make it at home!
I have never tried this before but it definitely looks delicious
For a Mexican food lover like me, this Pozole soup is an absolute dream! It’s been a part of my soup menu for a while now and we all love it!
Made this for dinner and it was amazing!
What an exciting recipe! I’ve never heard of this type of soup before and, being a soup lover, I couldn’t wait to try it. I love the rich, tomato-y flavor, the spices are perfect and I’m a huge fan of kidney beans. Overall, such a unique and delicious soup. My first time trying hominy, too. I think I like it 😀
Pozole is one of my favorites!! I always order it at my local Mexican restaurant—they have an amazing vegan pozole but I’m glad now I can also make my own!
This looks SO appetizing! I definitely did not know what hominy was until now! Can’t wait to add it to my usual ingredient list!
Pozole is one of those recipes that always seemed slightly intimidating but this recipe makes it seem so easy! I love hominy so I’ll have to put this in my soup rotation :-).