This authentic Mole Sauce recipe is richly flavored, deep, and complex! Also called Mole Negro, it’s made with smoky dried chilies, spices, seeds, nuts, and a hint of bittersweet chocolate, creating the perfect balance of flavors- perfect for Chicken Mole, pulled meats, enchiladas, or tamales. Watch the video!
This Mole Sauce hails from Oaxaca, Mexico; every time I make it, it transports me back there. It’s luscious, smoky, and deep, with the perfect heat level. Back when I had my restaurant, Mizuna, this was featured on the menu, paired with different things throughout the years, and it always got rave reviews. We think you’ll love this Mole recipe as much as we do!
But first, What is Mole?
If unfamiliar, Mole (pronounced moh-lay) is a rich Mexican sauce made from dried or fresh chilies, spices, nuts, and seeds. There are different types of mole depending on the region, which can range in color from green mole (mole verde) to yellow mole to red mole (mole rojo) to this black mole (mole negro).
Mole Negro is one of my all-time favorites; it gets its signature dark color from smoked black chilies, prunes (or raisins) and chocolate. Mole tastes rich, earthy, spicy and complex without being cloyingly sweet and has a beautiful balance of flavors when you get it just right.
Mole Negro is believed to originate from Oaxaca, but while there, we learned it is actually a pre-Hispanic sauce, one that has been carried down from the indigenous people who lived there long before the Spaniards arrived, who served many variations of it.
Mole Negro Ingredients
Here is what is needed to make Mexican Mole Sauce:
- Dried chiles: Dark black chilies give this sauce its signature black color and smoky flavor. Seek out dried ancho chiles, chipotle peppers, mulato chiles guajillo peppers, or chiles negros, and pay attention to heat levels. A variety will add more complexity.
- Prunes or raisins: These add a subtle sweetness to balance the flavors of the chilies and chocolate.
- Chicken Stock or Veggie broth: Used to simmer the chilies and create a flavorful base for the sauce.
- Onion and garlic: Saute until golden to enhance the aroma and add depth of flavor.
- Mexican Spices: A blend of warming spices such as cumin seeds, oregano, coriander seeds, black pepper, cinnamon, and cloves.
- Peanut butter or tahini paste: Adds richness and creaminess to the sauce. Almonds, almond butter, peanuts, and pumpkin seeds can also be used.
- Bittersweet chocolate: Provides a hint of sweetness and richness to complement the other flavors. If you can find Mexican chocolate, even better! Cocoa powder also works.
These ingredients come together to create a velvety, smoky, and slightly spicy Mole Negro Sauce that is traditionally served with dishes like chicken mole, enchiladas, tamales, and more. Enjoy the complex flavors of this authentic Mexican sauce!
Best Chilies to use in Mole Sauce
To give Mole Negro its deep black color, seek out dark-colored chilies. Here are a few of my favorites and I always try to use at least two varieties (that vary in heat and flavor). Adding a few kinds of chilies adds complexity. So today, I chose 3 Mulato and 3 Ancho chilies. Pay attention to heat levels!
- Mulato – dark, sweet, smoky, medium heat
- Chilies Negros– dark black, earthy, sweet, mild heat.
- Morita-smoky, sweet, medium- high heat.
- Ancho -dark, fruity, lightly smoky, mild heat
- Pasilla– dark, dried fruit flavor, medium heat.
- Chipotle -dark smoky, medium heat
- Guajillo– redish, sweet with acidity, mild heat.
- Cascabel– red, fruity and mild
How to Make Mole Sauce (instructions)
Step one: Break chilies apart (or use scissors) and discard the seeds and stems. (Or save the seeds and plant them!)
Step two: Toast the chilies in a dry skillet to activate the flavorful oils.
Step three: Place the chilies in a medium pot with chicken broth or veggie broth. Bring to a boil, cover and simmer for 10 minutes.
Step four: Add the dried prunes (or raisins) to the chilies and cover, simmering 10 more minutes. Let cool.
Step five: While chilies are simmering, in a separate pan, saute onion and garlic in olive oil, over medium-high heat, until tender and fragrant and deeply golden. Getting the onions golden is key here, for developing the best flavor.
Scoot the onions over and add all the spices, toasting them for 1 minute.
Mix it all together, toasting for 30 more seconds.
Step six: Place the onion/spice mixture and the chili/prune mixture in a blender with all the cooking liquid and puree until very smooth. Add more liquid if needed to get the blender going.
Blend for a full minute until silky smooth.
Step seven: Return the sauce to the pan and over low heat, and stir in the salt, peanut butter (or tahini paste) and chocolate into the sauce, until melted and combined.
Whisk the sauce smooth, and taste and adjust the seasonings to your liking! (See recipe notes) Depending on your chilies, you may need to adjust heat level and sweetness. 😉
For a looser sauce, feel free to stir in more broth. Enjoy it!
Your Mole Negro Sauce is ready to use! It will taste heavenly- deep, earthy, and smoky, spicy, rich, slightly bittersweet from the chocolate. All the good flavors!
Chef’s Tips
- Elevate it! Using a variety of dried chilies ( versus only one type) will add complexity and flavor.
- Balance the flavors: Find the perfect balance between salty, sweet, and spicy.
- Create Depth: Carmelize the onions and garlic until deeply golden, and be sure to toast the spices.
Storage
- This recipe will make 4 cups of homemade mole sauce.
- Mole Sauce will keep up to 4 days in the refrigerator in an air-tight container.
- Mole sauce can be stored in the freezer for up to 6 months. Thaw overnight before reheating, gently in a pan. Add water or broth to thin, whisking.
Serving Suggestions
Mole sauce is a rich and versatile Mexican sauce that can be used in many ways to enhance the flavors of your dishes. Here are some ideas on how to use mole sauce:
- Mole Chicken: Simmer chicken pieces in mole sauce until cooked through and tender. Serve with rice, beans, and warm tortillas for a delicious and satisfying meal.
- Mole Enchiladas: Use mole sauce instead of enchilada sauce when making enchiladas. Try our Butternut Squash Enchiladas with Mole Sauce or our Shrimp Enchiladas with Yellow Mole sauce.
- Mole Poblano – these stuffed poblanos are bathed in a flavorful Mole Negro Sauce.
- Serve as a sauce with Tamales!
- Mole Black Beans: Mix black beans with mole sauce and bake for a flavorful and aromatic side dish.
- Mole Tacos: Fill warm tortillas with your favorite protein. Drizzle mole sauce over the filling and garnish with chopped onions, fresh cilantro, and a squeeze of lime.
- Mole Bowl: Create a nourishing veggie bowl by combining roasted vegetables, quinoa or rice, black beans, and sliced avocado. Drizzle warm mole sauce over the bowl for a burst of flavors and serve with lime wedges.
- Oaxacan Baked Sweet Potatoes– Use Mole Sauce as the base of this flavorful meal.
- Drizzle mole sauce over Burritos.
Expert tips
- Use a variety of dried chilies for complex flavor.
- Find the perfect balance between salty, sweet, and spicy.
- Carmelize the onions and garlic and toast the spices.
- Make this with love- think Water for Chocolate.
More Favorite Mole Recipes!
I’m so excited for you to make this because I KNOW you’ll love it. xoxo
Watch how to make Mole Sauce | Video
Authentic Mole Recipe
- Prep Time: 10
- Cook Time: 25
- Total Time: 35 minutes
- Yield: 4 cups 1x
- Category: sauce
- Method: stovetop
- Cuisine: Mexican
- Diet: Vegan
Description
How to make authentic Mole Sauce- a deep, smoky, slightly spicy sauce that hails from Mexico made with dried black chilies, warming spices and a hint of bittersweet chocolate. Trust me, you’ll want to put this on everything. Vegan! Make this in 35 minutes!
Ingredients
Mole Sauce:
- 6 dried chilies (2 varieties, medium heat-dark in color-see post body)
- 4 cups broth or stock (chicken or veggie)
- 1 cup seedless prunes (or dark raisins)
- 1 large onion- diced
- 6–10 garlic cloves- smashed
- 2 teaspoons chili powder
- 2 teaspoons cumin (ground or seeds)
- 2 teaspoon coriander (ground or seeds)
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
- optional: 1-2 canned chipotle peppers, plus 1 tablespoon adobo sauce ( the “juice” from chipotle can)
- 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
- 1/2 teaspoon cracked black peppercorns
- 1/4 cup peanut butter (or sub tahini paste, almond butter, cashew butter)
- 1 1/2 -2 ounces dark chocolate (bittersweet or semi-sweet) about 1/3 cup
other additions: agave syrup or maple, sesame seeds for garnish
Instructions
- Tear the dried chilies apart (or cut with scissors) discard seeds and stems and place them in a dry skillet. Toast over medium heat until they begin to release their oils (they will take on a slight sheen), 3-4 minutes.
- Place them in a medium pot, and add the broth. Bring to a boil, cover, turn the heat down to low and simmer covered, 10-15 minutes.
- Add the prunes, stir, cover, simmer on low for 10 more minutes, turn the heat off, let cool, saving the liquid.
- At the same time, saute the onions and garlic in 2 tablespoons olive oil, over medium heat, stirring often until deeply golden brown, about 10 minutes. Take your time here and let them get dark- this will add great flavor. Add all the spices and stir 1-2 more minutes, toasting the spices.
- Place the cooked onion-spice mixture in a blender along with the chilies and prunes and all the liquid, and chipotles and the adobo sauce ( if using). Feel free to add a little more broth to get the blender going. Blend until very smooth, scraping down the sides. If it feels very thick, loosen with more broth. It should be like the consistency of a thick smoothie. Once silky smooth, pour this back into the pan and heat over low heat, covering.
- When warm, stir in the salt, peanut butter and chocolate. Once the chocolate is fully melted and incorporated, give it a taste. If you want a thinner sauce ( like for enchiladas) just loosen it with a little more broth or water to desired consistency. Whisk.
- Adjust seasonings. Add more salt, heat if you like (chipotle sauce or chipotle powder). Add more chocolate if you like. It should taste deep and smokey, slightly salty and slightly sweet. If it lacks depth, more salt may help bring out the other flavors or a tiny splash of soy sauce. To add more sweetness, a tiny splash of agave or maple syrup will help here. If you want it smokier, stir in smoked paprika or adobo sauce from the canned chipotles. If it is too spicy, add more peanut butter and broth and re season with salt.
- To loosen the sauce, feel free to add more broth or stock.
Notes
This will make 4 cups of Mole Negro Sauce.
Leftovers can be refrigerated for up to 4 days, or frozen. The sauce can be made ahead and refrigerated.
CHILIES: use an assortment
- Mulato – dark, sweet, smoky, medium heat
- Chilies Negros– dark black, earthy, sweet, mild heat.
- Morita-smoky, sweet, medium- high heat.
- Ancho -dark, fruity, lightly smoky, mild heat
- Pasilla– dark, dried fruit flavor, medium heat.
- Chipotle -dark smoky, medium heat
- Guajillo– redish, sweet with acidity, mild heat.
- Cascabel– red, fruity and mild
Nutrition
- Serving Size: ½ cup
- Calories: 81
- Sugar: 8.1 g
- Sodium: 274.8 mg
- Fat: 3.3 g
- Saturated Fat: 1 g
- Carbohydrates: 12.5 g
- Fiber: 1.3 g
- Protein: 1.8 g
- Cholesterol: 0.2 mg
Can I use raw cacao power in place of the chocolate?
Yes Nicole, I would add to taste!
How much cacao powder would you add in place of the chocolate?
Totally guessing here, as I haven’t made it with cocao powder, but I would start with 3 tablespoons, then add more to taste.
Excellent
Came across this recipe when I wasn’t sure what to with the Molé peppers I grew and I’ve been making this sauce every year on absolutely love the texture and taste! Only thing I tweak is I use Mexican hot chocolate tablets as my chocolate of choice. Thank you so much for blessing us with this recipe my extended family looks forward to a jars of this every year. I’ve boil sealed the cans and they can up to a year on the shelf no problem super tasty!
Oh my goodness-brilliant Bella!
I was surprised how delicious this turned out. (For the Chicken in Mole Negro sauce). I used ancho & pasilla peppers and canned chipotle peppers in adobo sauce. I found your recipe to be easy to follow and produced a flavorful, restaurant quality meal!
Great to hear Clare. 🙂
Tasty! The bitter notes were a bit surprising but overall wonderful complex flavor! Great with beef enchiladas 😊 Thank you very much for the recipe!
Glad you enjoyed this!
Excellent mole. This is the closest I have been able to come to mole I have had by two Mexican chefs I have a lot of respect for, one here in Michigan, and one in Maine. I did add a bit more peanut butter and bittersweet chocolate. The complexity of flavors in this sauce is great. Thanks.
Wow, great! So happy you enjoyed and tweaked to your liking.
Very nice, time consuming but worth it
So happy you enjoyed!
I made this sauce to make your chicken mole recipe. It turned out wonderfully. I couldn’t find dried peppers at my local grocery, so I used dried hatch chiles from our chile ristra. I didn’t have dark raisins, so I used golden raisins. What I got was closer to mole rojo, but the taste and texture was superb. My husband gushed over how good dinner was. As suggested, I served the chicken mole with cilantro lime rice and beans. It took me 45 minutes to make the mole sauce, but it was well worth the effort.
Thank you so much for your recipes. I make things I find on your site that seem ambitious, and everything turns out perfectly. Every time. Your tips and suggestions are so helpful.
Thanks Hazel- so happy you were able to make this work for you, even with the limited ingredients!
This looks incredible! I am planning on making this sauce for a dinner party. The plan is to put this over broiled chicken thighs. Would you suggest marinating the thighs in this sauce? Or just spooning it over the finished product? Or a third option?? 🙂
Hi Lisa, check out our Mole chicken recipe and use as a guide. I would not use as a marinade- rather, cook the thighs, pan-sear, until mostly done and you could finish cooking in the sauce. 🙂
Absolutely incredible taste. Thanks so much for taking the time to explain it step by step.
Thanks Dorian! Glad you liked this one!
It helps to read through all of the steps. This made seven half pints and a few I will freeze. My husband said this is the best mole sauce he’s ever had!
Awesome!
I have not made this yet. You say to put in 2 tsp of cumin and coriander . You say ground or seeds. Do you put less if it’s ground and/or more if it seeds? Please let me know how much to put if there is a difference.
Hi Harry, I would just keep it the same. Remember to grind and toast the seeds.
This is a great recipe, and almost exact, to what I make. Occasionally, as a shortcut, I’ll merely use the chile powder I make, as it consists of ancho, arbol, cascabel, guajillo, pasilla, along with a few spices.
All the chiles are toasted, so not much is lost from starting with whole chiles.
Pepitas are also a nice addition.
Always good stuff from Sylvia!!!
Thanks Vaughn!
Sylvia, this mole is delicious! We were surprised to find dried chilis in our local store – Wild By Nature- just as you said, near the dried mushrooms. We used ancho, pasilla negro, and only a little sauce from the chipotle can and followed your wonderful instructions. I am allergic to peanuts so thank you for the tahini substitute suggestion. We used dark raisins and a few prunes. Excellent. The plan is to serve it as an extra sauce on Thanksgiving to spice things up. Lots of Mexican food lovers in our family so it should be a hit. Happy Thanksgiving!
Love it Jeanine and so happy you liked this!
Simply amazing and better than most places locally here in SoCal! We love mole and have often been disappointed that we couldn’t get it here as good as we’ve had in Mexico. Tried the recipe because it’s wonderfully detailed and easy to follow but I didn’t have high expectations. But, using 3 guajillo (was worried it was too much as they’re quite large), 3 mulato and the can of chipotle, it turned out incredibly complex and smoky. It was very easy to adjust as well (wife liked more chocolate). Thank you and will be exploring your other recipes!
Thanks Henry- so happy you enjoyed this!
Wonderfully complex flavor and a great recipe. If using whole coriander, toast it before you toast the chiles, then grind with a mortar and pestle. My blender left unpleasantly large pieces, even after many minutes of blending. This sauce elevates roasted cauliflower to something special, and is great on so many other things, too. Thank you!
thanks, Karisa!
I have not made this yet but would like to water bath can it to keep in the pantry. Do you have canning instructions?
Sorry Ellyn- I do not. I do freeze Mole regularly though.
Excellent ! It is amazing and make vegetarian dish interesting and tasty! Easy to make!
Great to hear!
This is a wonderful recipe, especially because the author shares some details about each kind of chile pepper and gives some choices. I used 3 kinds of chiles, adding chiles negros, and I added fresh cherries (no pits) to the pepper pot, since I didn’t have as many prunes as called for, and I added a few tomatillos to the onion mix… it seemed like the kind of recipe where I could experiment. I also boiled cut chicken in broth with bay leaves and onions, and then i put the sauce on the chicken in casserole dishes and baked at the end. The dish was FANTASTIC! A rich, wonderful flavor and such an artistic experience! It did take a little longer than the recipe suggested, but I was taking my time, tasting everything, noticing how well the many flavors and smells connected… really a terrific recipe. THANKS!
This is beautiful Jeffery, love that you were so immersed in the process. The cherries sound divine!
I am relatively new to this website and loved this recipe so much that I had to leave a review. Excellent flavor with so much flexibility!
I followed the recipe exactly and even my husband took notice of the wonderful blend of flavors. I frequently order mole when dining out but I was so satisfied with this recipe that I can look for something else on a menu now.
I am sure that an individual’s spice selection can impact the recipe negatively if using inferior products or old expired bottles. I always order from Penzey’s and found that using a blend of Adobe chili powder and Medium heat chili powder provided perfect heat (along with the adobe peppers/sauce) and the blend of dried peppers I found at Safeway.
The sauce is very rich and beautiful and freezes well. I made simple chicken enchiladas and froze the rest of the sauce and assembled chicken/veggie quesadilla with sauce on the inside with cheese for a quick dinner. I also mixed a small amount with sour cream to add a fresh green salad on the side. Thanks for making me look like a pro on my first attempt of making mole!
I am looking forward to sharing this beautiful creation with friends now that I have given it a try.
Thanks so much Coleen- I’m so happy you are enjoying this one. Appreciate your suggestions on spices!
what kind of dried chilis? gujillo? or ancho?
Hi Nadia- see the recipe notes- there is a list in there. 🙂
Just delicious! First time I dry fried dried chili peppers and good thing I made the mole the day before! My company and I just loved it! I was afraid it would be too hot so I didn’t add the chipotles. I will add them the next time. Still fantastic. The pickled onions really enhanced an already wonderful dish!!
Glad you enjoyed Marci!
Wow. Wow. Wow. Amazing mole recipe! I’ve been keeping my eye on this recipe and was going to wait until more reviews were posted before attempting it… but I just went for it. The result was incredible and totally worth the risk! Used chipolte and acho chiles and the sauce is spicy, rich, and complex. My batch needed a bit more chocolate to even it out the flavors. This one is going in the make again folder for sure. Thank you!
Thanks Kerry, glad you took a leap of faith here! Appreciate you rating it!
Absolutely wonderful and I didn’t even have all the right ingredients! So happy I found this site. I’ve been making many dishes to rave reviews, but this is my first time commenting.
I love mole sauce and judge a Mexican restaurant by its mole. I made the recipe as directed with two exceptions: I only had one type of dried Chile (ancho), and I was forced to substitute dates for the prunes/raisins. I did have the chipotle in adobo sauce and took care to remove most of the seeds to control heat. It came out perfect! Smooth, not too sweet with a small bite… some heat but not too much. I used it in the chicken mole recipe. Loved it!
Glad you enjoyed this Valerie- it’s pretty forgiving if you get the balance right.
If I missed this in your recipe I apologize ahead of time. But, where does one buy dried chilis? I prefer to shop locally rather than order online so what particular type of store might have them?
Hi Christine- most grocery stores have a dried chili section- either in the Mexican Isle, or sometimes near the produce where they often have dried mushrooms, dried tomatoes, etc.