What Is Hominy? The Corn Ingredient Behind Pozole and Grits

If you’ve ever enjoyed a bowl of Mexican pozole or a serving of traditional Southern grits, you’ve probably eaten hominy. This corn-based ingredient has been part of Indigenous food traditions in the Americas for centuries, yet it can still be a mystery to shoppers who encounter it in the canned vegetable aisle.

At first glance, hominy looks like oversized corn kernels. But its pleasantly chewy texture, mild earthy flavor and distinctive appearance come from a traditional preparation method called nixtamalization. The process changes the corn in ways that make it useful for everything from hearty soups to ground corn dishes.

So what exactly is hominy, how is it made and what makes it different from the sweet corn you eat off the cob? Here’s what to know before cooking with it.

Related: 100+ Best Soup Recipes: Easy, Simple Ideas

What Is Hominy, Exactly?

Hominy is dried field corn that has been treated with an alkaline solution, typically made with food-grade lime (calcium hydroxide) or lye, to remove the tough outer hull and change the kernel’s texture. This traditional process is called nixtamalization.

Unlike the tender sweet corn commonly eaten as a vegetable, hominy is usually made from mature field corn, which contains more starch and less sugar.

The treated kernels become plumper and develop a pleasantly chewy texture, along with a mild, earthy corn flavor. Hominy can be eaten whole, dried for storage or ground into ingredients used in other dishes.

You’ll typically find two varieties in grocery stores: white hominy and yellow hominy. Both are made using the same basic process, and their culinary uses are largely interchangeable.

How Is Hominy Made?

Hominy begins with dried corn kernels that undergo nixtamalization, a food preparation technique with deep roots in Mesoamerican history. The process generally involves cooking or soaking corn in an alkaline solution, allowing the kernels to rest, then rinsing them to remove loosened outer hulls.

The treatment does more than soften the corn. It changes the structure of the kernels, affects their flavor and improves the availability of certain nutrients. Nixtamalization also helps produce the distinctive aroma and texture associated with foods such as hominy and traditional corn tortillas.

Although the technique is sometimes described as simply soaking corn in limewater, the specific cooking, steeping and rinsing steps vary depending on the intended product.

What Does Hominy Taste Like?

Hominy has a mild, earthy corn flavor with a subtle nuttiness. It’s less sweet than fresh sweet corn and has a more substantial, starchy bite.

The texture is one of its most recognizable qualities. Whole hominy kernels are tender but pleasantly chewy, making them well-suited to soups and stews that simmer for extended periods.

Hominy also absorbs the flavors of surrounding ingredients. In pozole, for example, the kernels take on the richness of the broth and seasonings while retaining their shape.

White and yellow hominy taste quite similar, although some cooks notice subtle differences depending on the corn variety and processing method.

Related: 100 Best Corn Recipes With Canned, Fresh or Frozen

Is Hominy the Same as Corn?

Hominy is made from corn, but it isn’t the same as the fresh or frozen sweet corn commonly served as a side dish. The main differences come down to the type of corn used and how it’s prepared. See below:

Because hominy has a different texture and flavor, substituting regular corn can noticeably change a recipe.

What Is Hominy Used For?

Hominy is particularly useful in dishes that benefit from its chewy texture and ability to absorb flavorful liquids. It’s a staple in several regional food traditions throughout the Americas.

Pozole

One of hominy’s best-known uses is in pozole, a traditional Mexican soup or stew made with hominy, broth, seasonings and often pork or chicken. The large kernels are central to the dish, adding substance and texture. Depending on the preparation, pozole may feature red, green or relatively clear broth.

Hominy Grits

Traditional hominy grits are made from dried, nixtamalized corn that has been ground into coarse particles and cooked into a porridge. However, not all products sold as grits today are made from nixtamalized corn. Some are produced from ground corn that hasn’t undergone the hominy-making process.

That distinction matters if you’re looking for traditional hominy grits rather than conventional corn grits.

Other Soups and Stews

Whole hominy works well in chili, vegetable soups and slow-simmered stews. It adds a satisfying chew and can stand in for other starchy ingredients when the flavor combination makes sense.

It can also be sautéed with onions, peppers and spices for a simple side dish.

Masa and Other Corn Preparations

Nixtamalized corn is also the foundation of fresh masa, the dough used to make traditional corn tortillas and tamales. Although masa and hominy share the same underlying treatment, they’re not interchangeable in their finished forms. Whole canned hominy, for example, isn’t a direct substitute for masa harina in a tortilla recipe.

Is Hominy Healthy?

Hominy can be a nutritious addition to a balanced diet. It provides carbohydrates for energy, along with some fiber and protein, and is naturally low in fat.

According to University of Illinois Extension, a half-cup serving of hominy contains approximately 59 calories and 2 grams of fiber. The nixtamalization process also makes niacin more available for absorption and can increase calcium content.

Hominy is naturally gluten-free because it’s made from corn. However, anyone with celiac disease should check product labels for possible cross-contact during manufacturing.

Canned hominy can contain added sodium, so choosing a no-salt-added variety or rinsing the kernels may be helpful if you’re watching your sodium intake.

Related: How To Cook Corn in Milk

How Do You Cook Hominy?

The easiest way to prepare hominy is to start with a can. Canned hominy is already cooked, so it only needs to be drained, rinsed if desired and heated.

For soups and stews, add canned hominy during the final 10 to 20 minutes of cooking. This gives the kernels time to absorb the broth’s flavor without requiring a lengthy simmer.

You can also sauté drained hominy in a skillet with a little oil, garlic, chili powder or other seasonings until heated through and lightly browned.

Dried hominy requires more preparation. It generally needs soaking and a longer simmer, often taking several hours to become tender. Cooking time depends on the kernel size, variety and whether the hominy has been soaked.

Can You Substitute Corn for Hominy?

Regular corn can replace hominy in some dishes, but the results won’t be identical.

Sweet corn is smaller, sweeter and juicier, while hominy is starchier and chewier. In a vegetable soup or chili, that difference may be perfectly acceptable.

In pozole, however, hominy is a defining ingredient. Replacing it with sweet corn would substantially change the dish’s traditional texture and character.

If you can’t find hominy, cooked chickpeas or other firm beans may provide a similarly substantial bite in certain soups, although they won’t reproduce hominy’s corn flavor.

Where Can You Buy Hominy?

Hominy is available in many supermarkets, usually in the canned vegetable aisle or the section devoted to Mexican and Latin American ingredients. Look for cans labeled white hominy or yellow hominy. Both are convenient choices for pozole and other soups.

Dried hominy is less common in mainstream grocery stores but may be available at Mexican markets, specialty food stores and online retailers. It may also be labeled maíz pozolero.

If you’re making grits, check the package carefully. Traditional hominy grits are made from nixtamalized corn, while other varieties of grits may be produced from untreated ground corn.

For a first attempt at cooking with hominy, canned kernels are the simplest option. They require little preparation and make it easy to appreciate the ingredient’s distinctive texture in a bowl of pozole, a hearty stew or a quick skillet dish.

Related: A Beginner’s Guide to Grits: How to Cook & Serve the Southern Staple, According to Chefs

This article was drafted with the assistance of AI and thoroughly reviewed, edited and fact-checked by Parade editors. See our complete AI Policy.