Few dishes embody the depth, patience, and soul of Mexican cooking quite like mole. Complex and deeply layered, this legendary sauce brings together chiles, toasted nuts and seeds, and aromatic spice. The transformative magic of slow cooking brings it all together. In Oaxaca, mole negro is a culinary icon—dark, smoky, and robust. It is often served on special occasions as a centerpiece of celebration. Every ingredient is treated with care. The careful toasting of chiles. The slow coaxing of flavors from onions, garlic, and tomatoes until they’re charred and sweet. The simplicity of the foods the sauce is served with. This complex dance is, yes, complex…but worth the time and attention it demands.
Mexican Mole Sauce: Two Ways Recipe
This recipe pays homage to that tradition while inviting you to explore its equally captivating cousin: red mole. Brighter in hue yet just as intricate in flavor, red mole combines the warmth of guajillo and ancho chiles with tangy tomatillos, aromatic cinnamon, and a touch of sweetness from raisins. Both moles share a meticulous layering process—each step deepening the flavor until the sauce becomes a tapestry of smoke, spice, and richness.
Whether you choose the bold, almost mysterious notes of mole negro or the vibrant, tangy heat of red mole, you’re cooking more than a sauce—you’re creating a story in a pot. The reward for your time is a dish that tastes of history and heart, ready to be ladled generously over tender chicken, served with fresh tortillas, and enjoyed among friends and family. This is food meant to be shared, savored, and remembered long after the last bite.
PrintMole Negro
Ingredients
- 1.5 lb skin-on chicken thighs w/bone
- 4 tbsp olive oil or lard (use lard-you only live once)
- 2 tbsp Kosher salt or as needed
- 2 to 4 cups chicken stock as needed (preferably homemade)
- 4 ounces ancho chiles
- 4 ounces guajillo chiles
- 1/4 cup raw almonds
- 1/4 cup peanuts
- 2/3 cup sesame seeds
- 1/2 cup pumpkin seeds
- 1 large unpeeled onions
- 4 unpeeled garlic cloves
- 1 large ripe tomato
- 4 ounces green tomatillos with husks
- One stick of Mexican cinnamon
- 2 teaspoons dried thyme
- 1/4 cup Mexican oregano (dried)
- 8 whole cloves
- 8 allspice berries
- 1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
- 4 ounces dark chocolate (optional). I don’t use chocolate, but if you do, then use a dark chocolate 75% or above.
Instructions
- Toast the chiles on a baking sheet at 350 (15 – 20 mins); set aside
- Toast the almonds, peanuts, pumpkin seeds at 350 (10 min); set aside
- Grind the chilies together in a food processor until powdered; set aside
- Heat cast-iron skillet on low heat. Quarter cut the onion with the skin intact.
- Place the onion, individual unpeeled garlic cloves, tomato (stem side down), and tomatillos (in the husks) on the skillet.
- Cook, turning frequently. The onion and garlic are done when softened. They will cook at different times; remove accordingly when done: (Garlic: 8 minutes; Onion: 20 minutes; Tomato: 15 to 20; Tomatillos:10 minutes); You’ll want the vegetables to char. Set aside
- Remove the husks from the vegetable once cooled. Save all the juices; scrape the charred parts for flavor
- Place the sesame seeds in a cast-iron skillet over medium heat and toast just until golden (3 minutes tops); Set aside.
- In a cast-iron skillet, heat 1 tablespoon oil or lard over medium-high heat until rippling. Add the canela, thyme, oregano, cloves, allspice, and nutmeg stir constantly, until fragrant, about 2 minutes. Set aside.
- Combine all the ingredients in a food processor or blender and process to a smooth purée. You can do this in stages; combine in a big bowl afterward.
- In a Dutch oven or big saucepan, heat the remaining oil or lard over high heat and slowly add the purée. Reduce to low heat. Cover and cook, stirring frequently. 35 to 40 minutes. Break up and add chocolate. Once the mole becomes a paste (think of tomato paste consistency), begin adding chicken stock to the desired consistency.
Red Mole
Ingredients
- 2 cups chicken broth
- 2 dried guajillo chiles, stemmed & seeded
- 2 dried ancho chiles, stemmed & seeded
- 3 dried chipotle chiles, stemmed & seeded
- 1 slice good bread, torn into pieces
- 2 corn tortillas, cut into 1 inch strips
- 2 tomatoes, cut in half crosswise
- 5 tomatillos, cut in half crosswise
- 1 tablespoon lard
- 1 onions, halved and sliced
- 1/2 head garlic
- 1/3 cup chopped peanuts
- ¼ cup rasiins
- 2 tablespoons cumin seeds
- 1 tablespoon dried thyme
- 3 cinnamon sticks
- 5 whole cloves
- 6 allspice berries
- 5 ounces dark chocolate, coarsely chopped
- 1 cup chicken broth
- 3 tablespoons white vinegar
- 1 teaspoon salt
Instructions
- Toast guajillo, ancho & chipotle chiles in a dry pan over medium heat, stirring constantly until warm & aromatic about 3 minutes. Transfer to blender with chicken broth.
- Heat 2 cups of chicken broth in a sauce pan util it begins to simmer, about 5 minutes. Pour broth into blender.
- Toast piece of bread and tortilla strips in a dry pan over medium heat, stirring constantly, until lightly browned, about 3 minutes. Transfer to blender with chicken broth & chiles.
- Allow chiles, toasted bread and tortillas to soak, fully submerged, in the chicken broth until softened, about 10 minutes. Blend the mixture until smooth.
- Cook tomatoes and tomatillos in a dry skillet on medium-high heat until soft & blackened, 3-4 minutes per side. Place tomatoes in the blender with the chile puree.
- Melt lard in large skillet over medium heat. Stir in onion, garlic, peanuts, raisins, cumin seeds, thyme, cinnamon sticks, cloves & allspice berries: cook and stir until onions are soft & golden 5- 8 minutes. Remove the cinnamon sticks & other whole spices; add onion mixture to blender with chile-tomato mixture and blend until smooth.
- Pour chile puree into large skillet over medium heat. Stir in the chocolate, chicken broth, sugar & salt. Bring mixture to a simmer; stir until chocolate is melted and sauce is thickened and slightly reduced 10-15 minutes.
Recipes by Gabe Gomez and Andrea Abedi
Photography by Adam Milliron
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