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This vegetarian pozole recipe is a non-traditional tackle the traditional made with beans, hominy and veggies all simmered collectively in a richly-seasoned broth.
Final winter, my pal Erin invited us over on a cold night for steaming bowls of vegetarian pozole — and I haven’t stopped craving it since. ♡
In contrast to conventional Mexican pork pozole, which is made with entire dried chiles and pork and slow-simmered for hours, this vegetarian (additionally vegan) model comes collectively in simply half-hour because of a handful of non-traditional shortcuts. First, we’ll pop open a number of cans of beans (I like a mixture of pinto and white beans) to function our fundamental protein supply. Second, as an alternative of reconstituting and mixing entire dried chiles to season the broth, we’ll save time through the use of a wealthy mix of dried spices. And for the ultimate taste enhance, we’ll add in a cup of salsa verde, which provides tangy, smoky depth to the broth. Every spoonful is bursting with savory, smoky, earthy, spicy, wealthy flavors — assured to heat you up by means of and thru.
I’ll word that the recipe as written right here is certainly on the spicier aspect, so should you’re delicate to warmth, please see the notes beneath about tone it down. (Or should you love a spicy soup, you may all the time amp issues up!) And undoubtedly don’t skip the normal pozole toppings — crisp cabbage, creamy avocado, crunchy radishes, and zesty cilantro completely stability the hearty flavors and textures of this soup.
Prepared for a comfortable bowl of vegetarian pozole? Let’s do it.
Vegetarian Pozole Components
Listed below are a number of notes concerning the vegetarian pozole substances that you will want to make this recipe:
- Beans: A couple of easy cans of beans function our hearty, creamy, plant-based protein for this vegetarian pozole. I used a mixture of pinto and white (Nice Northern) beans right here, however be happy to combine in black beans, chickpeas, or no matter different legumes you like.
- Hominy: A key ingredient in conventional pozole, hominy provides its distinctive chewy texture and light-weight nutty taste to the soup. You may usually discover canned hominy within the canned vegetable part or Mexican part of the grocery retailer.
- Veggies: We’ll use a mixture of sautéed onion, poblano pepper, and garlic as our base veggies for the soup, including savory earthiness with a bit of warmth to the broth. If you’re delicate to spice, I like to recommend swapping in a bell pepper instead of the poblano, which can have a milder taste.
- Seasonings: This recipe takes the shortcut of utilizing dried seasonings (slightly than working with entire dried chiles) to season the broth, together with a mixture of ancho chili powder, chili powder, dried oregano, floor cumin, nice sea salt and black pepper.
- Vegetable broth: We’ll use vegetable broth so as to add one other layer of savory taste to the soup.
- Salsa verde: Mexican salsa verde is one other powerhouse ingredient that provides wealthy seasoning to the broth. Be at liberty to make use of whichever model of salsa verde that you just love greatest, maintaining in thoughts that some manufacturers are significantly spicier than others.
- Lime juice: A beneficiant squeeze of contemporary lime juice brightens up the soup and balances out the entire different earthy flavors with a pop of tangy taste.
- Toppings: Lastly, don’t be shy with the toppings right here! I like to recommend a mixture of chopped cilantro, crumbled tortilla chips, shredded cabbage, sliced avocado, sliced radishes and/or bitter cream.
Recipe Variations
Listed below are a number of extra variations that you just’re welcome to attempt with this vegetarian pozole recipe:
- Add further veggies: Add further soup-friendly veggies, resembling butternut squash, cabbage, carrots, cauliflower, corn, mushrooms, candy potatoes or zucchini.
- Add further greens: Add further greens, resembling chopped contemporary kale or child spinach.
- Add tortillas: Add crispy tortilla strips to the soup, as you’ll in sopa azteca (tortilla soup).
- Add cheese: Add your favourite Mexican melting or crumbled cheese to the soup.
Extra Vegetarian Soup Recipes
In search of simpler vegetarian soup recipes to attempt? Listed below are a number of of our favorites:
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 small yellow onion, diced
- 1 giant poblano pepper, cored and diced
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 teaspoons every: ancho chili powder, chili powder, floor 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 Nice 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
- nice sea salt and freshly-ground black pepper
- toppings: chopped cilantro, crumbled tortilla chips, shredded cabbage, sliced avocado, sliced radishes and/or bitter cream
- Sauté the veggies. Warmth the oil in a big stockpot over medium-high warmth. Add the onion and poblano and sauté for five minutes, stirring often, till softened. Add the garlic, ancho chili powder, chili powder, cumin and sauté for two minutes, stirring ceaselessly.
- Simmer. Add the vegetable broth, beans, hominy, salsa verde, oregano and stir to mix. Proceed cooking till the combination reaches a simmer. Then cut back warmth to medium-low (or no matter temperature is required to take care of a low simmer), cowl, and simmer for 10 minutes.
- End. Stir within the lime juice till mixed. Style and season with salt and pepper, or any extra spices that you just may like, to style.
- Serve. Serve instantly, garnished with your entire favourite toppings, and revel in!