Canned enchilada sauce speeds up plant-forward pozole
Pozole, also known as posole, is a long-simmering Mexican soup made with hominy and meat, such as pork, beef or chicken. Pozole rojo is most often made with pork shoulder, which requires long, slow cooking and a multistep homemade dried chile pepper sauce as the flavor base. This quick version uses canned, premade enchilada sauce and quick-cooking pork tenderloin to create a red pozole appropriate for a weeknight supper.
Although both the meat and flavor base may vary, pozole always includes hominy, whole dried corn kernels (maize) soaked in an alkaline solution such as lye or lime and then washed to remove the hulls. This process, known as nixtamalization, enhances nutrition and lends hominy its rich, tortilla-like flavor. It’s sold canned (ready to eat) or dried.
Traditionally, pozole is served with add-ins such as shredded cabbage, sliced radishes, avocado, cilantro, green onion and sliced jalapenos that bulk up the broth. Zesty salsa and a squeeze of tangy lime offer pops of flavor.
This Quick Pork Tenderloin Pozole Rojo is great for a crowd, can be made ahead, and is a tasty addition to your fall soup repertoire. This recipe includes the classic additions as well as nontraditional zucchini. This allows the soup to be intentionally light on the meat, resulting in a good and good for you plant-forward pozole.
Quick Pork Tenderloin Pozole Rojo
This weeknight recipe uses pork tenderloin and store-bought enchilada sauce for a pozole that can be on the table in 30 minutes or less.
- 1 (1-pound) pork tenderloin, cut into 1-inch cubes
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 onion, chopped
- 3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
- 1 tablespoon dried oregano
- 2 teaspoons ground cumin
- 4 cups reduced-fat low-sodium chicken stock
- 1 (28ounce) can red enchilada sauce
- 1 (25ounce) can hominy, drained and rinsed
- 2 zucchini, cut into 1-inch cubes
- 2 cups shredded cabbage, for serving
- 1 cup fresh cilantro sprigs, loosely packed, for serving
- 4 radishes, sliced, for serving
- 4 green onions, chopped, for serving
- 2 avocados, diced, for serving
- 1 jalapeno, sliced, for serving
- 1 lime, quartered, for serving
- Salsa, for serving
- Baked tortilla chips, for serving (optional)
- Season the pork tenderloin with salt and pepper. Heat the olive oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the pork and cook until the cubes are browned on all sides, about 5 minutes.
- Add the onion to the pork and cook until soft and translucent, 3-5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant, 45 to 60 seconds. Add the oregano and cumin. Stir to combine.
- Add the chicken stock, enchilada sauce, hominy and zucchini. Stir to combine with a wooden spoon and loosen any browned bits on the bottom of the pot. Bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to simmer, cover and cook over low heat until the pork and vegetables are tender and the flavors have married, about 10 minutes.
- Ladle into bowls and serve the cabbage, cilantro, radishes, green onions, avocado, jalapeno, lime and salsa with optional tortilla chips on the side.
Makes 12 cups to serve 6.
Per serving, without baked tortilla chips: 505 calories (percent of calories from fat, 31), 33 grams protein, 55 grams carbohydrates, 12 grams total sugars, 11 grams fiber, 17 grams total fat (3 grams saturated), 74 milligrams cholesterol, 1,749 milligrams sodium.
