Pozole Facts for Kids

This page is about Pozole, the soup. For the drink, see Pozol.

Quick facts for kids
Pozole

Type	Soup
Place of origin	Mexico
Region or state	Central Mexico
Created by	Nahuas
Serving temperature	Hot
Main ingredients	Hominy, meat (usually pork or chicken), chile peppers, seasonings
Variations	Blanco, Verde, Rojo

Pozole (pronounced poh-SOH-leh) is a yummy and traditional soup or stew from Mexican cuisine. Its name comes from a word meaning "Cacahuazintle," which is a special type of hominy (dried corn kernels).

This hearty dish is made with hominy and meat, usually pork or chicken. You can add lots of tasty toppings! These include shredded lettuce or cabbage, chile peppers, onion, garlic, radishes, avocado, salsa, or limes.

Pozole has been around for a very long time, even before Europeans arrived in Mexico. Today, it's a popular meal all over Mexico and nearby countries. People enjoy it as an everyday meal and as a special dish for celebrations.

What is Pozole?
Where and When People Eat Pozole
The History of Pozole
Gallery
Images for kids
See also

What is Pozole?

Pozole can be made in many ways. But all versions start with cooked hominy in a flavorful broth. Most often, pork or chicken is added to the base. If you don't eat meat, some recipes use beans instead.

There are three main kinds of pozole:

White Pozole (blanco): This is the simplest version. It's just the hominy and meat in broth, without any extra sauces.
Green Pozole (verde): This type has a rich green sauce. The sauce is made from green ingredients. These can include tomatillos, a herb called epazote, cilantro, jalapeños, or pepitas (pumpkin seeds).
Red Pozole (rojo): For this one, a red sauce is added. This sauce is made from one or more types of chiles. Popular chiles for red pozole include guajillo, piquin, or ancho peppers.

Pozole is often served with many different toppings. You can choose from chopped onion, shredded cabbage, sliced radish, avocado, limes, oregano, tostadas (crispy tortillas), chicharrón (fried pork rinds), and more chiles.

Where and When People Eat Pozole

Red pozole with common toppings like lime, shredded cabbage, and sliced radish (Mexico City, 2015)

Pozole is a favorite dish in many Mexican states. These include Nayarit, Sinaloa, Michoacán, Guerrero, Zacatecas, Jalisco, and Morelos. You can find pozole in Mexican restaurants all over the world. It's also popular in the food of New Mexico in the United States. There, it was a common dish among the Pueblo Indians.

Pozole is also a special meal for celebrations. In Mexico, people often eat pozole on New Year's Eve to welcome the new year. It's a popular dish for many happy occasions. These include Mexican Independence Day, birthdays, Christmas, and other holidays.

The History of Pozole

This old drawing from the Codex Magliabechiano shows pozole.

Pozole has a long and interesting history. It was first mentioned in a book from the 1500s called the Florentine Codex. This book was written by a person named Bernardino de Sahagún.

For the Aztecs and other ancient people in Mexico, maize (corn) was a very important and sacred plant. Because of this, pozole was made for very special events and ceremonies.

After the Spanish arrived, the ingredients for pozole changed. Pork became the main meat used in the dish. People said it tasted very similar to the original meat used in ancient times.