Mole Poblano
Ingredients
&w=3840&q=75){kind=small}
&w=3840&q=75){kind=small}
- 6 chiles dried ancho chiles
- 4 chiles dried mulato chiles
- 3 chiles dried pasilla chiles
- 1 chile dried chipotle chile
- 3/4 cup lard
- 1/2 cup sesame seeds
- 1/4 cup pumpkin seeds (pepitas)
- 1/2 cup unsalted roasted peanuts
- 1/2 cup blanched almonds
- 1 tortilla corn tortilla – torn
- 1 roll bolillo roll – sliced
- 4 ounces ripe plantain – sliced (~1 large ripe plantain)
- 1/2 cup raisins
- 8 ounces white onion – sliced (~1.5 medium white onions)
- 6 cloves garlic – peeled
- 10 ounces plum tomatoes (~5 medium roma tomatos)
- 8 ounces tomatillos – husked and rinsed (~7 medium tomatillos)
- 1 stick cinnamon stick
- 4 cloves whole cloves
- 1/2 teaspoon black peppercorns
- 1/2 teaspoon anise seeds
- 6 cups chicken stock
- 3 ounces Mexican table chocolate – chopped
- 1 tablespoon piloncillo – grated
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt
- turkey or chicken – for serving
- corn tortillas – for serving
Instructions
1. Set a large heavy pot (8-quart) over medium heat and place a wide bowl nearby for the fried ingredients.
2. Add the lard to the pot to melt. Fry the sesame seeds and pumpkin seeds, stirring, until fragrant and just golden, 2–3 minutes; scoop into the bowl, reserving 1 tablespoon of the sesame for garnish. Fry the unsalted roasted peanuts and blanched almonds until golden, 3–4 minutes; add to the bowl. Fry the corn tortilla and the sliced bolillo roll until crisp, 2–3 minutes; add to the bowl. Fry the sliced ripe plantain until deep golden, 2–3 minutes; add to the bowl. Fry the raisins just until plump, 20–30 seconds; add to the bowl.
3. In the remaining fat, cook the white onion and garlic, stirring occasionally, until well browned at the edges, 8–10 minutes; transfer to the bowl.
4. Add the plum tomatoes and tomatillos to the pot and cook, turning, until blistered and softened, 8–10 minutes; transfer to the bowl.
5. Add the cinnamon stick, whole cloves, black peppercorns, and anise seeds to the pot and toast, stirring, until aromatic, 1–2 minutes; transfer to the bowl.
6. Working quickly, add the ancho chiles, mulato chiles, pasilla chiles, and chipotle chile to the pot in batches. Toast-fry a few seconds per side until they darken slightly and become fragrant (do not burn). Move them to a heatproof bowl, cover with hot water, and soak until pliable, about 20 minutes; drain well.
7. Working in batches, blend the browned onion and garlic, blistered tomatoes and tomatillos, the fried seeds and nuts, the tortilla and bolillo, the plantain, the raisins, the toasted spices, and the soaked chiles with the chicken stock until very smooth, 1–2 minutes per batch. Pass each batch through a medium-mesh strainer back into the pot to remove any grit; thin the final puree to a thick but pourable consistency with the last of the stock if needed.
8. Bring the strained puree to a gentle simmer over medium heat, stirring frequently as it thickens and darkens, 20–25 minutes, until a spoon dragged across the bottom leaves a trail. Stir in the Mexican table chocolate and piloncillo until dissolved and the mole is glossy, then continue to simmer, stirring occasionally, 45–60 minutes until very thick, smooth, and the fat begins to rise. Season with the kosher salt and cook 10 minutes more; the finished mole should be thick but flowing and coat the back of a spoon.
9. Serve by ladling the mole over cooked turkey or chicken (for serving); sprinkle with the reserved tablespoon of seeds and accompany with corn tortillas (for serving).
Mole Poblano is a deep, complex sauce from Puebla that balances earthy chiles, warm spices, toasted seeds and nuts, subtle sweetness, and the gentle bitterness of Mexican table chocolate. Its texture is velvety and clingy, designed to envelop tender poultry with a glossy, richly flavored cloak. The flavor unfolds in layers: smoky dried chiles, nutty sesame and peanuts, aromatic cinnamon and clove, and round sweetness from raisins and piloncillo, all harmonized into a savory-sweet whole.
Originating in colonial Puebla, Mole Poblano evolved where Indigenous techniques met Old World ingredients brought by the Spanish. Traditional versions were served over turkey for celebrations and religious feasts, reflecting its status as a festive, labor-intensive dish. Over time it became emblematic of Mexican cuisine, a culinary symbol of Puebla specifically and of Mexico’s regional moles more broadly, inspiring countless family variations while retaining its core triad of ancho, mulato, and pasilla chiles.