The Seafood You Should Be Adding To Pozole For A Flavor Twist

Mouth-watering stew and soup recipes come in many forms, but pozole contains a special magic. The dish rests on the foundational pairing of hominy and broth, but otherwise, recipes vary widely. Traditionally, you'll find the tangier tomatillo and raw chile-based verde version, the extra-rich dried pepper rojo version, and the gentler, chile-free, garlic-spiced blanco, all tied to specific Mexican regional cuisines.

While pork, lamb, and chicken pozole are all common, seafood can also be used in place of the traditional meats for the dish. To find out more, Food Republic turned to Marissa Stevens, recipe developer and founder of Pinch and Swirl, who told us she loves adding shrimp into her pozole creations.

Stevens notes that shrimp is an underrated addition that "brings a light brininess" to the broth. Pozole is often thought of as a heavy, spicy dish, yet adding shrimp complements the "brighter broth of verde or blanco versions," she says. So stray from tradition, and appreciate the wondrous versatility of pozole.

Although it's easy to incorporate shrimp into a pozole recipe, according to Marissa Stevens, the seafood "gets rubbery and flavorless" when added during the initial simmer. Regardless of the other ingredients, she urges cooks to "add the shrimp to poach until [it's] just cooked through," right at the conclusion of pozole assembly. Depending on the crustacean's size, Stevens cites this usually takes only two to three minutes of simmering.

Shrimp can mingle with any type of pozole broth, and when prepared in this way, it won't dominate the flavor. However, Stevens points out that rojo is the least suitable option, as "the shrimp flavor doesn't come through well." Instead, she recommends the tanginess of pozole verde as her top choice. You want a broth base that benefits from the saline, lightly sweet notes of shrimp. And if you're looking for even more of shrimp's marine complexity, add in the heads and shells as well.

When finished, garnish the pozole with abundant vegetables, chips, and queso fresco toppings as usual. Classics like lime, onions, and cilantro mingle especially well with the shrimp, complementing the marine flavors, and it's delicious with warm corn or flour tortillas on the side.