• Menu
  • Skip to left header navigation
  • Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content

Before Header

Cooking on Caffeine

making family-favorite recipes vegan and allergy-friendly

Header Left

Header Left

  • Recipes
    • Desserts and Pastries
      • Vegan Macarons: Recipes and Resources
      • Icings, Frostings, Toppings, and Fillings
      • Cakes
      • Cookies
    • Main Dishes
      • Vegan Quick and Easy Mexican Red Pozole/Menudo (Instant Pot)
      • Easy Creamy Vegan Tomato Basil Sauce
    • Sides
      • Gochujang Spicy Brussels Sprouts (Vegan)
      • Sautéed Basil Cucumbers and Grapes
    • Sauces, Condiments, and Cheeses
      • Easiest Vegan Cheese Sauce Ever *BASE RECIPE* (no blender needed!)
      • Easy Vegan Cheese for Pizza (Nut-Free, No Blender)
      • Vegan Choriqueso (Queso Dip with Chorizo)
      • Vegan Cream Cheese Filling for Danishes
      • Easy Creamy Vegan Tomato Basil Sauce
  • Vegan Macarons
    • Vegan Macarons: Recipes and Resources
    • Macaron Troubleshooting Series
    • Icings, Frostings, Toppings, and Fillings
  • Blog
    • Silk Vegan Heavy Whipping Cream Review
    • Three Common Kitchen Mistakes
    • 21 Amazing Vegan Chickpea Recipes
    • Insert Change Now
  • My Story
  • Amazon Shop
  • Recipes
    • Desserts and Pastries
      • Vegan Macarons: Recipes and Resources
      • Icings, Frostings, Toppings, and Fillings
      • Cakes
      • Cookies
    • Main Dishes
      • Vegan Quick and Easy Mexican Red Pozole/Menudo (Instant Pot)
      • Easy Creamy Vegan Tomato Basil Sauce
    • Sides
      • Gochujang Spicy Brussels Sprouts (Vegan)
      • Sautéed Basil Cucumbers and Grapes
    • Sauces, Condiments, and Cheeses
      • Easiest Vegan Cheese Sauce Ever *BASE RECIPE* (no blender needed!)
      • Easy Vegan Cheese for Pizza (Nut-Free, No Blender)
      • Vegan Choriqueso (Queso Dip with Chorizo)
      • Vegan Cream Cheese Filling for Danishes
      • Easy Creamy Vegan Tomato Basil Sauce
  • Vegan Macarons
    • Vegan Macarons: Recipes and Resources
    • Macaron Troubleshooting Series
    • Icings, Frostings, Toppings, and Fillings
  • Blog
    • Silk Vegan Heavy Whipping Cream Review
    • Three Common Kitchen Mistakes
    • 21 Amazing Vegan Chickpea Recipes
    • Insert Change Now
  • My Story
  • Amazon Shop

Vegetarian

Vegan Quick and Easy Mexican Red Pozole/Menudo (Instant Pot)

January 1, 2020 //  by Meggan Leal//  3 Comments

Deep, rich, spicy, and flavorful red pozole is a classic comfort food in Mexico – especially during the winter holiday season. It’s a chili based hominy soup and usually simmered all day with cuts of pork or chicken (or beef tripe for menudo). My version is vegan, easy, and can be made in less than an hour thanks to the Instant Pot.

Pozole: a brief

First of all, pozole is pronounced poe-SO-lay.

Traditional red pozole (pozole rojo) is made by slow simmering pork or chicken in a rich broth made of blended red chili peppers and onion, garlic, cumin, oregano, bay leaf, and a host of other herbs and spices that change based on who is making it and how their abuelita taught them. The same dish, but made with tripe instead of meat is known as menudo.

White or yellow hominy is added and it’s garnished with cabbage, radish, cilantro, onion, and lime juice. Avocado and tostadas (baked or fried corn tortillas) are also frequently enjoyed with pozole.

It can be simmered for hours to days, and is a labor of love, and a holiday tradition passed down through generations of Mexican families. It’s a beautiful dish rich in both flavor and history, and once you’ve tried it you know you’ll be craving it again and again.

As beautiful as the thought is of simmering it for days according to an ancient family recipe, I ain’t got time for that. Plus, I want it to be vegan. So I’m gonna make it convenient with quick ingredients, pre-ground and mixed spices, and an Instant Pot to cook it in less than an hour.

Ingredients:

Here’s a breakdown of our ingredients for this quick and easy vegan pozole:

The first ingredient I use in my quick and easy vegan pozole is soy chorizo. Yup. I know. That’s weird. But trust me.

Chorizo actually has a ton of the same spices and flavors as traditional pozole: chili, garlic, some acidity, and lots of gorgeous natural red. Yes, red. That’s important because we are making red pozole. Your red pozole should not be lacking in red.

Can’t do soy? No worries! Just skip the soyrizo. 🙂

The second ingredient is portabella mushrooms. Or portobello. Or giant creminis. Whatever you want to call them, they’re meaty and absorb all the pozole flavors wonderfully. Slice them thickly so they give plenty of chew.

I use baby portabellas because they give smaller chunks that are more manageable.

Before slicing your mushrooms, please please please wash them. The brown stuff you see on your mushrooms isn’t dirt. And trust me, you don’t want to eat it.

Next is veggie broth. I love that the manufacturer has already slow-simmered this for hours and hours so that I don’t have to! Yay! Complex flavors in an instant. Life doesn’t get much better than that.

The most important ingredient of all is menudo spice. Menudo spice is an intricate and balanced mixture of a TON of herbs and spices. You can definitely mix your own, and there are thousands of recipes online if you decide you want to give it a go. I don’t. Lol. I’ve been there, done that, inhaled way too much chili pepper, and I don’t want to go down that road again. So I buy pre-made.

There are a lot of different brands out there! Fiesta is the most popular where I am, but La India and Gebhardt are very good, too. Actually, I’ve never tried one I didn’t like – so find what you can, check the ingredients for anything you’re avoiding, and use what’s safe. I’m using Gebhardt in this because I went shopping for it ON NEW YEARS EVE (when everyone is making pozole) and literally all the menudo spice was sold out except for this one because it was hidden on an end cap on the opposite end of the store.

Lastly, hominy. Humble hominy is a larger and tougher variety of corn than what most Americans are accustomed to. It’s actually the corn used to make grits! There is a yellow and a white variety, and either one will work wonderfully here. Find it close to the canned corn or in the Hispanic section of your grocery store.

Cacique is my favorite brand of soy chorizo because the flavor is amazing, so is the price, and the meatiness is scary convincing – all while being gluten-free

INGREDIENTS: WATER, SOY FLOUR, SOYBEAN OIL, DISTILLED WHITE VINEGAR, PAPRIKA, SALT, MUSTARD POWDER, SPICES, GARLIC POWDER, CARAMEL COLOR AND POTASSIUM SORBATE (TO MAINTAIN FRESHNESS).

Let’s get started!

Step one: Turn your Instant Pot on sauté on medium heat and gather all your soup ingredients. First, add the chorizo and give it a good stir. Add about two cups of broth as needed to keep it from burning.

If you have whole mushrooms, you should cut them into about 1/2″ (about 2.5cm) slices. They don’t have to be exact. If you have sliced mushrooms, just toss them in!

Add your mushrooms to the pot.

Stir the mushrooms to coat with chorizo and juices.

Add about two cups of broth (16oz, 480ml) and stir well. The broth will keep it from burning on the bottom.

Open your hominy and drain it.

See? Corn! really ugly corn, but still corn.

Dump your drained hominy into your pot and stir well.

Now it’s time for the menudo spice! Hold your breath as you dump this in. You don’t want to breathe in chili powder. Use whatever brand you can find and tolerate. And use the amount indicated for 2-3 pounds of meat.

Delicious flavor and color, coming right up!

Stir everything really well.

IMPORTANT INSTANT POT INFORMATION!!!

My Instant Pot is a 6 quart Duo. It has a line inside that marks 2/3 capacity with a note that says “PC Max”. This is the max fill line for pressure cooking. DO NOT FILL YOUR POT UP PAST THIS POINT. If you have a smaller pot, are using any dehydrated ingredients that will increase in volume during cooking, or you are not confident about filling yours up to this point, stop here, cover, and cook now.

If you’re ok filling it up, go ahead and add another four cups of broth or until you reach the max fill line according to your Instant Pot instruction manual.

Close your lid and turn your valve to the sealing position.

Set the Instant Pot to pressure cook on normal/medium pressure for 20 minutes. It should come to pressure rather quickly since the pot is full and it’s already hot.

Once it’s done, let it natural release for ten minutes before carefully turning the valve to ‘venting’. Allow it to vent until the button drops and it’s safe to open.

If you opted to not fill your pot to the max fill line earlier, go ahead and add the four remaining cups of broth now and stir well.

Stir and serve your soup! Top with cilantro and chopped white onion, shredded cabbage, radish slices, and plenty of lime juice. It can also be enjoyed with avocado and tostadas.

Store it in the fridge for up to four days and reheat portions rather than the whole pot for best food safety.

If you don’t have an Instant Pot, don’t fret! Follow the instructions but in a slow cooker for 4-5 hours, or on a stovetop over a medium simmer for 1.5-2 hours.

Pin it for later:

Video:

Recipe:

Yield: servings 8-10

Vegan Quick and Easy Red Pozole

Vegan Quick and Easy Red Pozole

Deep, rich, spicy, and flavorful red pozole is a classic comfort food in Mexico - especially during the winter holiday season. Mine is vegan, and cooks quickly in the Instant Pot.

Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Additional Time 20 minutes
Total Time 45 minutes

Ingredients

  • 1 lb (452g) soy chorizo
  • 24 oz (680g) baby portabella mushrooms, sliced
  • 2 30oz (850g) cans of hominy, drained
  • 64 oz (1.8L) vegetable broth
  • 3.25 oz (92g) menudo spice mix

Garnishes

  • Cilantro
  • Finely chopped white onion
  • Thinly sliced radish
  • Shredded cabbage
  • Fresh limes

Instructions

  1. In the Instant Pot on the sauté function, stir together the chorizo, sliced mushrooms, and two cups of broth
  2. Drain and add the hominy, and stir well
  3. Add the menudo spice and two more cups of broth and stir well
  4. If you’re worried about overfilling your Instant Pot, you can seal and cook now. I have a 6qt Duo and this recipe fills it exactly to the 2/3 max fill line. DO NOT GO OVER YOUR 2/3 MAX FILL LINE. SEE YOUR INSTANT POT’S INSTRUCTION MANUAL FOR FURTHER INFORMATION
  5. Add the remaining four cups of broth now (or after cooking if you’re worried about overfilling the Instant Pot)
  6. Pressure cook on medium for 20 minutes, and allow to naturally release for 10 minutes before venting, stirring, and serving
  7. Garnish with fresh cilantro, chopped white onion, shredded cabbage, sliced fresh radishes, and fresh lime juice

Notes

Please use caution while using your Instant Pot, and follow the user’s manual exactly.

This can also be prepared in a slow cooker on high for 3-4 hours, or on the stovetop over a medium simmer for 1-2 hours - until the mushrooms are cooked through.

If you're avoiding soy, omit the soy chorizo and check the menudo spice mix and veggie broth well for it. If you're avoiding corn, swap the hominy for chickpeas and check your menudo mix for cornstarch and your veggie broth for corn.

Recommended Products

As an Amazon Associate and member of other affiliate programs, I earn from qualifying purchases.

  • Instant Pot Duo 60 321 Electric Pressure Cooker, 6-QT
    Instant Pot Duo 60 321 Electric Pressure Cooker, 6-QT
  • Fiesta Mix Menudo 4.0 OZ(Pack of 3)
    Fiesta Mix Menudo 4.0 OZ(Pack of 3)
  • La India Menudo Spice 1.5oz
    La India Menudo Spice 1.5oz
  • Gebhardt Menudo Spice, 3.25 ounces
    Gebhardt Menudo Spice, 3.25 ounces
© Meggan Leal
Cuisine: Mexican / Category: Main Dishes

Allergy-Friendly and Vegan Pastry Recipes:

Vegan Gingerbread Cookies – Chai Espresso

Vegan gingerbread cookies with a little something extra – chai and espresso! Spicy, no-chill,…

Vegan Gingerbread Cookies – Chai EspressoRead More

Vegan Brownies from Box Mix

Vegan brownies from box mix is easy. I’ll show you how to do it,…

Vegan Brownies from Box MixRead More

Cover photo for Mottled Macaron Troubleshooting

Macaron Troubleshooting: Mottled Macarons and 10 Ways to Prevent Them

Why are my macarons mottled and stained on top? Learn what causes it and…

Macaron Troubleshooting: Mottled Macarons and 10 Ways to Prevent ThemRead More

Cover photo for Burning Bottoms post

Macaron Troubleshooting: Burning Bottoms

Why are my macarons burning on the bottom? Learn why the bottoms burn, and…

Macaron Troubleshooting: Burning BottomsRead More

melty vegan cheese sauce on a pizza

Easy Vegan Cheese for Pizza (Nut-Free, No Blender)

Vegan cheese for pizza that actually tastes good, is quick and easy to make…

Easy Vegan Cheese for Pizza (Nut-Free, No Blender)Read More

Vegan Cheesecake Dip (dairy-free, nut-free, coconut-free, cream-cheese-free)

Two inexpensive and easy-to-find grocery items combine to perform magic in this simple but…

Vegan Cheesecake Dip (dairy-free, nut-free, coconut-free, cream-cheese-free)Read More

Koala Macaron Template cover photo

Koala Macaron Template & Tutorial

To support ongoing bushfire relief efforts in Australia Printable pdf macaron template and tutorial…

Koala Macaron Template & TutorialRead More

Silk Vegan Heavy Whipping Cream Review

Wondering if the new dairy-free, vegan heavy whipping cream alternative from Silk is perfect?…

Silk Vegan Heavy Whipping Cream ReviewRead More

Vegan meringues

Easiest Vegan Meringue Cookies Ever with Aquafaba

Vegan meringue cookies are super easy to make, with ingredients you probably have right…

Easiest Vegan Meringue Cookies Ever with AquafabaRead More

Category: Instant Pot, Main DishesTag: coconut-free, Dairy-Free, dinner, Egg-Free, entree, Gluten-Free, holiday, mexican, Nut-free, Peanut-Free, Pozole, Vegan, Vegetarian

Vegan Roasted Red Pepper Sloppy Joes

November 13, 2017 //  by Meggan Leal//  Leave a Comment

Category: Main DishesTag: Dairy-Free, Egg-Free, Gluten-Free, Lentils, Nut-free, Peanut-Free, Sloppy Joes, Soy-Free, Vegan, Vegetarian

Giant Vegan Cinnamon Roll, Fast and Easy

November 4, 2017 //  by Cooking on Caffeine//  8 Comments

Vegan cinnamon rolls have never been so quick and easy! Get this epic breakfast recipe on the table in less than an hour.

There’s nothing quite like filling your home with the sweet smell of warm cinnamon rolls on a chilly morning. It’s the sort of thing that gets everyone up early, running to the kitchen in anticipation for a delicious family treat.

Making Cinnamon Rolls from Scratch

If you’re making cinnamon rolls from scratch, it’s a lot lengthier of a process than this recipe. If you want to make them from your blood, sweat, tears, hours of your life, and flour and yeast and sugar, check out this recipe here.

If you want to get started and start stuffing your face all in less than an hour, keep reading. 😉

The Hardware: What Supplies You Need

Pretty simple standard baking equipment here:

Small mixing bowl
Rubber spatula
Large cutting mat
Sharp knife or pizza cutter
6″ cake pan or pie pan (cupcake pan or mini cupcake pan for regular or mini rolls)
Small baking tray
Parchment paper
Oven

Ingredients Overview:

Pillsbury classic pizza dough. This is the kind that comes in the scary popping tubes (don’t lie, you know they make you jump too!). The ingredients may not be super healthy, but they are vegan.

Be aware that the pizza crust does contain both wheat and soy, though.

And while the ingredient glucono delta-lactone might sound scary like dairy, it’s just an acid added for leavening and is vegan.

Sugar: Plain ole white sugar is what I use here. Feel free to experiment with brown or coconut sugar if that’s your jam. Just make sure the sugar you use is bone-char free like Zulka, which is my favorite brand.

Butter: Vegan butter, margarine, vegan spread, whatever you want to call it. Just make sure it’s softened but still cool or you’re going to have a big mess on your hands.

Cinnamon: Use ground cinnamon in this recipe, do not use cinnamon oil.

Get Going: How to Make the Dang Thing

1. Pre-heat oven to 350°F.

2. Cut parchment paper into a circle to fit in the bottom of your cake or pie pan.

3. In a small mixing bowl using the spatula, fold together margarine, sugar, and cinnamon until mixed well.

Cinnamon Mix.jpg

4. Pop open can of pizza crust, remove the dough from the can, and gently extend it to 12″ x 18″.

5. Use your spatula to spread the cinnamon mixture evenly over the dough.

Cinnamon Spread

6. Using a sharp knife or pizza cutter, cut the dough into 2″ strips.

7. Roll the bottom strip into a classic cinnamon roll.

8. Pick up and place the roll at the end of the next strip up, so that its tail end meets with the starting end of the new strip.

Cinnamon Rolling

9. Roll it up, and repeat the process until all strips are incorporated into your giant cinnamon roll. It will get messy! It is easier and less messy if your kitchen is colder.

10. Place your giant cinnamon roll into the cake or pie pan, domed side up.

11. Spread any spilled cinnamon mix over the roll.

12. Place pan on the rack over your tray (to catch anything that bubbles over) in the oven and bake for 30-35 minutes.

IMG_8889

13. Once baked, take out of the oven and let cool for 5 minutes before removing from pan. To remove roll from pan, use a spatula to scrape down the sides and turn upside down onto a plate. Peel off parchment paper circle. Do this carefully, as there may be hot oil. Flip back over onto another plate.

14. Cut into slices or serve simply as a pull-apart bread. Delicious hot with cream cheese frosting or meringue buttercream over the top!

Note: One of my favorite kitchen gadgets is actually my Fiskars Self-Healing Cutting Mat (it’s made for cutting fabric)! It’s huge and easy to clean, makes measuring a cinch, and keeps my counters clean and safe.

Pin it:

Recipe:

Yield: 1 6" Roll, 6 Regular Rolls, or 12 Mini Rolls

Giant Vegan Cinnamon Roll, Fast and Easy

Giant Vegan Cinnamon Roll, Fast and Easy

Vegan cinnamon rolls have never been so quick and easy! Get this epic breakfast recipe on the table in less than an hour.

Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 35 minutes
Total Time 40 minutes

Ingredients

  • 1 can Pillsbury classic pizza crust (cold)
  • 1/2 c vegan butter, softened but cool (one stick)
  • 1/2 c sugar
  • 2 tbsp ground cinnamon

Instructions

  1. Preheat your oven to 350F
  2. Line a 6" cake or pie pan with parchment paper.*
  3. Fold together butter, sugar, and cinnamon in a small mixing bowl until well combined
  4. Remove the pizza dough from the can and gently extend it to 12"x18"
  5. Spread the butter mixture evenly on top of the pizza dough
  6. Using a pizza cutter or sharp knife, cut the pizza dough into six 2" thick ribbons lengthwise.
  7. Roll the first strip, and then meet its end with the beginning of another strip, roll it into the second, roll that into the third, and so on until all the strips are rolled together into one giant cinnamon roll.**
  8. Place your roll into the pan, domed-side up.
  9. Use your spatula to spread any spilled butter mixture over the top of your roll(s).
  10. Put the pan onto a rimmed baking sheet to catch any overflow
  11. Bake 30-35 minutes.***
  12. Remove roll from oven and allow to cool in the pan on a cooling rack for five minutes before using a spatula to scrape down the sides and carefully flip the hot roll out onto a plate.
  13. Place another plate upside down on the roll, and flip again. Use the spatula to scrape the cinnamon syrup left in the pan over the top of your roll.
  14. Slice with a knife and serve hot, or serve as a pull-apart bread.
  15. Top with my cream cheese buttercream for a classic flavor combination, or use my American meringue buttercream if you'd like to go a little less sweet.

Notes

*For regular sized rolls you may use cupcake pan, and for minis a mini cupcake pan. The smaller rolls can all also be baked together in a 6" pan as a pull-apart loaf if you prefer.

**For regular sized rolls, roll each strip individually. For mini rolls, cut all the rolls in half down the middle (9" strips) and roll them all individually.

***Bake 15-17 minutes for regular sized, and around 10 minutes for the minis if you're baking them in cupcake pans - otherwise bake the same as a giant roll.

Leftovers can be stored at room temperature for up to three days. They may be reheated in the microwave for 15 seconds.

Recommended Products

As an Amazon Associate and member of other affiliate programs, I earn from qualifying purchases.

  • Fiskars 12x18 self-healing cutting mat
    Fiskars 12x18 self-healing cutting mat
© Meggan Leal
Cuisine: American / Category: Breakfast

Allergy-Friendly and Vegan Pastry Recipes:

Vegan Gingerbread Cookies – Chai Espresso

Vegan gingerbread cookies with a little something extra – chai and espresso! Spicy, no-chill,…

Vegan Gingerbread Cookies – Chai EspressoRead More

Vegan Brownies from Box Mix

Vegan brownies from box mix is easy. I’ll show you how to do it,…

Vegan Brownies from Box MixRead More

Cover photo for Mottled Macaron Troubleshooting

Macaron Troubleshooting: Mottled Macarons and 10 Ways to Prevent Them

Why are my macarons mottled and stained on top? Learn what causes it and…

Macaron Troubleshooting: Mottled Macarons and 10 Ways to Prevent ThemRead More

Cover photo for Burning Bottoms post

Macaron Troubleshooting: Burning Bottoms

Why are my macarons burning on the bottom? Learn why the bottoms burn, and…

Macaron Troubleshooting: Burning BottomsRead More

melty vegan cheese sauce on a pizza

Easy Vegan Cheese for Pizza (Nut-Free, No Blender)

Vegan cheese for pizza that actually tastes good, is quick and easy to make…

Easy Vegan Cheese for Pizza (Nut-Free, No Blender)Read More

Vegan Cheesecake Dip (dairy-free, nut-free, coconut-free, cream-cheese-free)

Two inexpensive and easy-to-find grocery items combine to perform magic in this simple but…

Vegan Cheesecake Dip (dairy-free, nut-free, coconut-free, cream-cheese-free)Read More

Koala Macaron Template cover photo

Koala Macaron Template & Tutorial

To support ongoing bushfire relief efforts in Australia Printable pdf macaron template and tutorial…

Koala Macaron Template & TutorialRead More

Silk Vegan Heavy Whipping Cream Review

Wondering if the new dairy-free, vegan heavy whipping cream alternative from Silk is perfect?…

Silk Vegan Heavy Whipping Cream ReviewRead More

Vegan meringues

Easiest Vegan Meringue Cookies Ever with Aquafaba

Vegan meringue cookies are super easy to make, with ingredients you probably have right…

Easiest Vegan Meringue Cookies Ever with AquafabaRead More

Category: Breakfast, Desserts and PastriesTag: Banana-Free, Breakfast, Dairy-Free, Dessert, Egg-Free, Nut-free, Peanut-Free, recipe, Vegan, Vegetarian

Sautéed Basil Cucumbers and Grapes

October 25, 2017 //  by Cooking on Caffeine//  1 Comment

Enjoy the freshness of the garden and the vine together in a whole new way. Instead of having a cold salad accompanying your main dish, try an unexpected preparation of these classics. Warmed not only by the exotic flavor of ground ginger, but also sautéed with fruity olive oil and garnished with ribbons of fresh basil, this side will be a new family favorite.
…

Category: SidesTag: Allergy Friendly, Banana-Free, Basil, Cucumber, Cucumbers with Grapes and Basil, Dairy-Free, Egg-Free, Fast, Gluten-Free, Grapes, Keto, Mediterranean Diet, Nut-free, Paleo, Peanut-Free, recipe, Soy-Free, Vegan, Vegetarian

Site Footer

Featured in:

 

Sierra Magazine logo

Bake Like a Vegan Pro logo
As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.

Copyright © 2021 · All Rights Reserved ·

This site uses cookies: Find out more.