sauce

Mole Rojo

Name: Mole Rojo
Prep time: 45 min
Cook time: 3 h 30 min
Total time: 4 h 15 min
Yield: about 480 ml (2 cups)
Ingredients: 3 g (about 1 tsp) canela (Mexican cinnamon); 85 g (3 oz) peanuts; 11 g sesame seeds; 0.75 g (about 1 tsp) whole cloves; 22 g lard; 85 g (3 oz) raisins; 85 g (3 oz) animalitos cookies, fried; 85 g (3 oz) ripe plantains, fried; ½ yellow onion, rough cut; 4 garlic cloves, whole peeled; 375 ml (1½ cups) chicken stock; 35 g (1¼ oz) guajillo chiles, boiled and pureed; 0.75 g (about 1 tsp) chile de árbol, fried and pureed; 35 g (1¼ oz) Abuelita chocolate; agave syrup, to taste; salt and pepper, to taste

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Prep

45 minutes

Cook

3 hours 30 minutes

Total

4 hr 15 min

Serves

about 480 ml (2 cups)

Dark complex mole rojo in a wide bowl showing multi-chile, nut, and chocolate depth

Dark, complex, and slightly sweet, mole rojo is the kind of sauce that takes all day but is impossible to fake. Nuts, dried fruit, three kinds of chile, and chocolate all go into one pot, then get blended into something that tastes like none of those things alone.

Ingredients

3 g (about 1 tsp) canela (Mexican cinnamon)
85 g (3 oz) peanuts
11 g sesame seeds
0.75 g (about 1 tsp) whole cloves
22 g lard
85 g (3 oz) raisins
85 g (3 oz) animalitos cookies, fried
85 g (3 oz) ripe plantains, fried
½ yellow onion, rough cut
4 garlic cloves, whole peeled
375 ml (1½ cups) chicken stock
35 g (1¼ oz) guajillo chiles, boiled and pureed
0.75 g (about 1 tsp) chile de árbol, fried and pureed
35 g (1¼ oz) Abuelita chocolate
agave syrup, to taste
salt and pepper, to taste

Instructions

1
In a dry skillet, toast the canela, peanuts, sesame seeds, and cloves over medium heat until golden and fragrant. Set aside.
2
In a large stock pot over low heat, melt the lard. Add onions and garlic and cook, stirring occasionally, until deep golden brown, about 20 minutes.
3
Add the toasted spices and nuts. Pour in the chicken stock.
4
Add raisins, fried animalitos, and fried plantains. Stir to combine.
5
Simmer on low for 1 hour, stirring occasionally.
6
Remove from heat and blend in batches until smooth. Work carefully, the liquid is hot.
7
Return to the pot. Add guajillo puree and chile de árbol puree. Stir well.
8
Break in the Abuelita chocolate and stir until fully melted.
9
Simmer on low for another 2 hours, stirring every 15 minutes so the bottom doesn't scorch.
10
Taste and season with agave syrup, salt, and pepper.

Cook's Note

This sauce scorches easily at the bottom during that final 2-hour simmer, set a timer and stir every 15 minutes without fail. When it's done, it should coat a spoon thickly but still pour. Too thick? Add warm chicken stock a splash at a time.

Best Served With

Over enchiladas, braised chicken, or grilled pork. Good alongside Mexican rice and warm tortillas.

Why This Recipe Works

Every ingredient in this mole pulls weight: nuts build body, dried fruit adds sweetness, chiles bring heat and earthiness, and the chocolate rounds out the bitter edges. Frying the animalitos and plantains before simmering deepens their flavor so the mole tastes layered instead of flat.

Make It Yours

Add a chipotle or two for a smokier version
Increase chile de árbol for more heat
Swap chicken stock for vegetable stock to make it vegetarian
A splash of orange juice at the end brightens the whole thing

Leftover Strategy

Keeps in the fridge for 2 weeks and freezes well up to 3 months. Thin with warm chicken stock when reheating, it thickens significantly as it cools.

Want to impress guests with this dish? Ask Jeff →

Pairing

A medium-bodied Malbec holds up to the depth of the mole. Mezcal on the side works if you want to stay with Mexican spirits.