Instant Pot Pozole (Blanco)

A traditional Mexican soup that usually takes hours to execute, this Instant Pot Pozole cuts down the cooking time so you can have a comforting bowl ready for dinner in half the time. This is a white pozole that is light and lovely with hints of smoke throughout thanks to smoked ham hock.

Soup’s on! And thanks to the advances of modern cooking science, the Instant Pot (pressure cooker) got that soup on in a fraction of the time!

This Instant Pot Pozole was designed with quick comfort food in mind. It’s an authentic-adjacent take on a White Pozole; it’s not a traditional pozole since it’s not being prepared on the stovetop. For this recipe, I use a smoked ham hock, but almost any cut of bone-in pork could work here (think, leftover ham bone from holiday meals or a bone-in pork butt). And I'm using canned hominy to cut down on the amount of effort.

If you're into comforting soups, you should check out the bold Italian flavors of my White Chicken Chili or this one-pot taco meal, Creamy Taco Soup.

What is Pozole?

Pozole (pronounced like po-sole) is a type of Mexican soup that's traditionally made with hominy (heirloom corn) as well as a meat protein (usually pork). It’s Mexican comfort food, featuring a delicate, earthy broth that is seasoned with cumin, oregano, and sometimes chiles. Pozole is usually garnished with shredded cabbage, chile peppers, sliced radishes, sliced avocado, salsa, and fresh lime wedges. 

Typically, pozole simmers away on the stovetop for hours to develop flavor. But thanks to the Instant Pot, pozole can be ready much more quickly.

Three Types of Pozole

There are three types of pozole—green, white, and red. This Instant Pot Pozole is a white pozole, or pozole blanco. Like other traditional pozole blanco recipes, there is no chile. It’s a mild soup, one that really benefits from garnishes, like the crunch of fresh cabbage and sliced radishes. Pozole is easily kicked up with the addition of thinly sliced hot peppers, should you be feeling zesty.   

Ingredients

To make this Instant Pot Pozole Blanco you will need the following ingredients. Check out What to Serve with Instant Pot Pozole (below) for serving suggestions. 

• Smoked ham hock (around 2 - 2 ½ pounds) - One of your best bets for finding a smoked ham hock would be to check at your local butcher shop. I've also seen them in grocery stores, usually in the meat section, although sometimes frozen.
• Cooking stock or broth - There are a lot of broths and stocks to choose from at the grocery store, or maybe you would prefer to make your own for this recipe, like this Instant Pot Beef Bone Broth. Chicken and vegetable stock are great options for this pozole. Just pay attention to how much sodium it has and consider that before adding salt to the souop. 
• Yellow onion and garlic - My favorite aromatics! Their bold flavors are muted once cooked and help provide a beautiful balance to the soup.
• Canned hominy - I'll admit that hominy is an ingredient I'm not super familiar with. You can buy hominy dried in bags, which need to be reconstituted with an overnight soak, like dried beans. You can also buy hominy prepared in cans. Canned hominy is ready to use, no advanced preparation is necessary.
• Seasonings - Mexican oregano, thyme, and cumin add earthiness and an addictive herbal flavor that gently permeates the soup. Sometimes I toss in a bay leaf or two.
• Salt - I suggest leaving the addition of salt until the very end. How much salt you add depends on a few things: 1) the sodium content of the stock/broth and 2) the smoked ham hock. If you use a leftover ham bone from the holidays, these can vary in saltiness so you might find you don’t need to add additional salt. 

A full ingredient list with exact amounts can be found in the recipe card below - keep scrolling!

Substitutions

Here are a few substitutions you can feel free to make without dramatically changing the resulting Pozole Blanco. 

• Smoked ham hock - The best substitution would be some other cut of bone-in pork; the leftover ham bone from holiday meals or a bone-in pork butt as they have the right amount of fat and connective tissue to give the broth richness. Just aim for around 2 - 2 ½ pounds of meat, with the weight of the bone included. You could also use chicken or turkey in this recipe. 
• Seasonings - Use regular oregano instead if you can’t find Mexican oregano. If thyme isn't your jam, replace it with more oregano. Or toss in a bay leaf instead.

Variations

If you gotta have that spice, I’ve got your spicy Pozole variation covered!

• Add 1-2 teaspoons of red pepper flakes
• Add up to ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
• Toss in some fresh or dried chiles during the Saute step, before the lid goes on the Instant Pot
• Serve with hot sauce and doctor it up to your preferred heat level
• Garnish with fresh or pickled jalapenos or other spicy pepper

If you want to keep this pozole blanco recipe more traditional, use pork or chicken. Because this Instant Pot Pozole Blanco is a light but hearty soup, you can easily make it your own with shredded turkey; or take it a vegetarian route and add in beans (black or pinto beans are good options). 

How to Make Pozole Blanco

Grab your Instant Pot and all your ingredients and let's get started!

1. Roughly chop the onion and peel the garlic. Add onion and garlic to a food processor. Pulse a few times, until the onion and garlic are finely minced. 

2. Add the bacon grease or oil with the chopped onion and garlic to the Instant Pot. Cook for 7 minutes using the Saute setting, stirring frequently as it cooks.

3. Add the ham hock, seasonings, and water or stock/broth.

4. Pressure cook for 20 minutes (normal).

5. Use natural release, which will take 15-20 minutes; otherwise, it’s okay to do a manual release shortly after cooking has finished. 

6. Remove the ham hock. Add hominy with the liquid. Saute for 7 minutes; this will help the soup reduce and the flavors blend. Stir occasionally. 

7. Shred the ham hock while the hominy cooks. Immediately add it back into the pozole. 

8. Taste as it cooks and adjust with additional seasonings if desired.

9. Serve with shredded cabbage, sliced radishes, lime wedges, or any other favorite toppings.

Serving Suggestions

Pozole Blanco is a soup you want to serve with garnishes! Pozole is traditionally served with shredded cabbage, chile peppers, sliced radishes, sliced avocado, salsa, and fresh lime wedges. Feel free to make it your own and include what you like (perhaps some fresh Cucumber Pico de Gallo?), but I’m a fan of adding shredded cabbage for that crunch! 

You could also try adding topping your pozole with chopped onion or fresh cilantro for freshness. Pair with tostadas or tortilla chips for dipping or crunch them up and toss them in. Or pair it with chips and salsa; like this Spicy Pico de Gallo or this Roasted Green Tomato Salsa.

Storage and Reheating

• Refrigerator: Store leftover Instant Pozole in the fridge for up to 5 days. You may notice a layer of fat that hardens on top of your leftovers; go ahead and skim that off the top before reheating. You might also notice that your leftovers are jiggly, having a thick, gelatinous quality. This is thanks to the collagen and fat released during cooking and will revert back to a liquid state once re-heated.
• Freezer: Store leftover Instant Pot Pork Pozole in the freezer for up to 6 months. For maximum enjoyment, however, use within 3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator before reheating.
• Re-Heating Pozole: Reheat desired amount of pozole in a pot on the stovetop, covered. Bring to a gentle boil, stirring occasionally, then remove from heat. Or, microwave that soup, covered. A couple of minutes should do it!