Veg Posole A La Mexicana Recipe

Prepare chiles

Remove stems and seeds from the dried chiles. Toast the chiles briefly in a dry skillet over medium heat, 20–30 seconds per side, until fragrant but not burned. Transfer to a bowl and cover with 2 cups of hot water. Let soak 15 minutes until softened, then reserve soaking liquid.

Blend chile paste

In a blender, combine the rehydrated chiles (drained, reserving soaking liquid), the reserved soaking liquid (start with 1/4 cup), garlic (all 4 cloves), tomato, 1 tablespoon vegetable oil, oregano, cumin (if using), and 1/4 cup water. Blend until very smooth. Taste and add more soaking liquid or water to reach a pourable sauce consistency. If you want spicy, add chipotle in adobo now and pulse to incorporate.

Simmer base

In a large Dutch oven or heavy pot, heat 2 tablespoons oil over medium heat. Add the diced yellow onion, carrot and celery (if using) and sauté 5–7 minutes until softened and translucent. Add the blended red chile-tomato sauce and cook 2–3 minutes, stirring, to deepen the flavors. Pour in vegetable broth and bring to a gentle simmer.

Add hominy and season

Stir in the hominy, salt and pepper. Reduce heat to low, cover partially, and simmer gently for 25–30 minutes so the hominy absorbs flavors and the broth concentrates. Taste and adjust salt, oregano, or heat (add a pinch of crushed red pepper for more heat).

About 10 minutes before the posole is done, in a small skillet heat 1 tablespoon oil over medium heat. Add the 2 minced garlic cloves and sauté 30–45 seconds until fragrant. Add the thinly sliced half onion (reserved for garnish) and quickly soften 1–2 minutes if you prefer milder raw onion; otherwise keep raw for crunch. Add the sautéed garlic/onion to the stew and stir to combine.

If using additional vegetables (carrot/celery), ensure they were added at the sauté step in the Broth & Base section and are tender by the end of simmering.

If you want a smoother, more concentrated red chile component, reserve 1/2–1 cup of the finished stew broth and blend with an extra rehydrated chile or 1/2 roasted tomato, then return that sauce to the pot and simmer 5 minutes. Alternatively, add chipotle in adobo to the initial chile blend for a smoky heat level. Adjust consistency with water or broth as needed.

Prepare garnishes while the posole simmers: thinly shred purple cabbage, chop cilantro, slice avocado and quarter limes, slice radishes, and crumble queso fresco if using.

To serve, ladle posole into bowls. Offer shredded cabbage, chopped cilantro, sliced radish, avocado slices, crumbled cheese, and green onion on the side so diners can top to taste. Squeeze fresh lime over each bowl. For a spicy option, provide extra red chile sauce or chopped fresh chiles.