Just the thing for brightening dreary winter days, this healthy Vegan Pozole is full of deep flavor and fresh color. Easy to make and tastes even better the next day!
Based on one of Mexico’s iconic dishes, this Vegan Pozole is full of flavor and depth while being fully plant-based! It comes together fairly quickly and the soup actually tastes better and better over time, perfect for making a batch ahead for midweek meals.
Protein-rich black beans and tender hominy give this vegan soup a healthy substance. Toasted guajillo chilies blend with the broth to create a richly flavored base. Colorful bell peppers and spices make it as gorgeous as it is tasty.
The toppings are one of the bests parts of this one-bowl meal. We like to have a variety and let everyone top their own bowl.
For more healthy Mexican favorites, check out 35 Delicious Mexican Recipes!
Table of Contents
Ingredients In Vegan Pozole
Ingredient Notes
Hominy– corn kernels that have been soaked in an alkali solution, the corn expands and becomes puffy and tender. Hominy is a staple in Mexican cooking.
Black beans– we love these for their deep flavor but feel free to substitute with what you have on hand.
Guajillo chilies– mild with a rich and somewhat fruity flavor. It is worth finding these guajillo chilies, though you can substitute other dry mild chilies.
See the recipe card below for a full list of ingredients and measurements.
How To Make Vegan Pozole
Step One- Prep the veggies.
Remove the seeds from the guajillo chilies and tear them into chunks. Dry fry in a skillet until they start to turn darker and smell fragrant -about 2 minutes. Set aside.
Step Two– Sauté the onions and poblano for about 5 minutes with oil. Add minced garlic, chili powder, cumin, oregano, chipotle powder and epazote (or bay leaves) and sauté about 1 minute until fragrant.
Add 4 cups of vegetable broth and salt. Bring to a simmer.
Step Three- Add the remaining 2 cups of broth to a blender, along with the guajillo chilies, tomato paste and cilantro stems and blend until smooth and add into the soup pot.
Step Four– Add the hominy and black beans and simmer for 10 minutes. Add in bell peppers and cook just another few minutes until the peppers are just tender.
Pozole is a brothy soup; the leftovers will naturally thicken up a bit.
If you prefer a thicker soup, you can add a tablespoon or two of masa flour to simmer with the black beans to make a heartier base.
Toppings For Pozole
- thinly sliced onions ( or scallions) or pickled red onions
- fresh cilantro
- thinly sliced jalapeno, or Delicious Peppery Pickled Jalapeños
- sliced radishes
- shredded cabbage or lettuce
- avocado
- Vegan Cilantro Crema, or vegan or regular sour cream
- crispy tortilla chips ( make them like this)
- lime juice or wedges
Recipe FAQS
Hominy is unique and hard to replicate the exact flavor and texture. Here are some ingredients that can enhance the soup if desired: sweet corn, chickpeas, or chunks of polenta.
A richly enhanced broth traditionally from pork or chicken with chilies, garlic, and spices. It can also be made vegan with an incredibly flavorful vegetable broth.
Pozole is all about the toppings! After the soup is cooked, serve in bowls and top with avocado slices, thinly sliced jalapeños and radishes, sour cream, crispy tortilla strips, and shredded cabbage.
More Recipes You May Enjoy
We love sharing this beautiful soup with company where everyone can create their own masterpieces. Fun and delicious!
Enjoy! ~Tonia
Love this recipe? Please let us know in the comments and leave a 5-star ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ rating below the recipe card.
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Vegan Pozole
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Total Time: 55 minutes
- Yield: 9 cups
- Category: Main, soup
- Method: stovetop
- Cuisine: Mexican
- Diet: Vegan
Description
Bursting with Mexican flavor, this Vegan Pozole with black beans and hominy is richly spiced with deep, complex flavors.
Ingredients
- 2–4 dry guaillo chilies
- 1 onion, chopped small
- 1 poblano chili, chopped small
- 4 garlic, minced
- 2 teaspoons chili powder
- 2 teaspoons ground cumin
- 2 teaspoons oregano
- 1/4 teaspoon chipotle powder,or ancho or smoked paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon epazote or 2 bay leaves
- 6 cups (48 ounces) vegetable broth, divided
- 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1/3 cup cilantro stems
- 2 cups colored bell peppers, chopped
- 2 1/2 cups (30 ounces) hominy
- 3 1/2 cups (2 15-ounce cans) black beans
Topping suggestions
- fresh cilantro
- fresh lime
- avocado
- tortilla crisps or corn chips
- radishes
- shredded cabbage
- jalapeño
Instructions
- Remove the seeds from the guaillo chilies and tear into chunks. Dry fry in a skillet until they just start to turn darker and smell fragrant about 2 minutes. Set aside.
- Sauté the onions and poblano for about 5 minutes with oil. Add minced garlic, chili powder, cumin, oregano, chipotle powder and epazote (or bay leaves) sauté about 1 minute until fragrant. Add 4 cups of the vegetable broth and salt. Bring to a simmer.
- Add the remaining 2 cups of broth to a blender, add the guaillo chilies, tomato paste and cilantro stems and blend until smooth and add into the soup pot.
- Add hominy and black beans, simmer 10 minutes. Add in bell peppers cook just another few minutes until peppers are just tender.
Serve with all your favorite toppings!
Notes
Check the salt content in the broth, beans and hominy and adjust accordingly.
If you want thicker soup add 1-2 tablespoons masa flour to the broth while simmering.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: Generous cup
- Calories: 302
- Sugar: 6.8 g
- Sodium: 787.2 mg
- Fat: 2.3 g
- Saturated Fat: 0.4 g
- Carbohydrates: 60.9 g
- Fiber: 13.1 g
- Protein: 13.9 g
- Cholesterol: 0 mg
Great recipe! I did not use the cilantro stems bc not everyone is a fan of it in the household. Instead we had cilantro as an optional topper. I also added some cubed sweet potato that I needed to use before it went bad. Super delicious and I will be cooking it again!
Glad you enjoyed!
Another stellar recipe! Made as written! ❤️
Yay, great to hear Amy! Appreciate the review.
Basically five stars. Friend has an allergy to tomato so we omitted it, instead we did a squeeze of lime and it was perfect.
Awesome, glad to hear it!
Thank you looking forward for more recipes
Not even close to the real flavors of Mexican pozole. While this may be a delicious stew on its own, calling it pozole is so irresponsible. It’s mislabeled recipes like yours that are ruining real authentic world cuisines.
Oh darn Marielena! Totally not our intention. The recipe does state that it is “based” on the flavors of Pozole.
This recipe yields a delicious posole, and without the pork – Highly recommended! Pro tips: 1. I make my own vegetable stock (in this case with my secret blend of Mexican seasonings), which gives any soup an additional depth of flavor. 2. Don’t skip the garnishes! Lime, jalapeños, and oregano really pull this soup together.
Thanks Dave, totally agree with your tips!!
Hi Tonia, you say 6 cups broth but 32 oz is 4 so just wanted to confirm which is correct?
Oh thanks for the catch Sue! It is 6 cups, 48 oz! Updated in the recipe now.:)
This soup was simple to make and although we love pozole, we normally eat it with pork and wondered if this recipe would lack flavor. Not at all! Delicious, satisfying and a healthier option.
So happy to hear this Mary!
Do you use fresh or dried (and then re-hydrated? Or not re-hydrated?) chilies?
Dry chilies! Made it more clear in the recipe, thanks!
This is delicious! I made it for visiting friends and they asked for the recipe. Recipes from Feasting At Home never disappoint!
Thanks so much Diane!
Tasty!
Glad you enjoyed!
This broth is so flavorful!!! I served it with non-fat Greek yogurt, tortilla strips, and fresh cilantro for toppings! *Chef’s kiss!* Thank you!
So glad you enjoyed Angeli!