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  • Prep-time: / Ready In:
  • Makes 3½ cups
  • Serving size: ½ cup
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Mole, a traditional Mexican sauce that features a beautiful blend of spicy, savory, and sweet flavors, can often be complex and time-intensive to make. Here, our easy mole sauce delivers bold flavor without costing you hours in the kitchen. Three types of dried chiles are soaked and blended into a paste before being mixed with cumin, cinnamon, oregano, cocoa powder, and a few pantry basics. The end result is a smooth, deep red sauce that’s ideal for spooning over roasted veggies or simmering shredded jackfruit to create an incredible taco filling

For more sauce inspiration, check out these tasty ideas:

By Ellen Boeke,

Ingredients

  • 2 dried ancho chiles
  • 2 dried pasilla chiles
  • 2 dried guajillo chiles
  • 3 tablespoons raisins
  • 1 cup chopped onion
  • 4 cloves garlic
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • ½ teaspoon ground cumin
  • ½ teaspoon dried Mexican oregano, crushed
  • 1 14.5-oz. can no-salt-added fire-roasted tomatoes, undrained
  • 1 6-inch corn tortilla, torn into pieces
  • 2 tablespoons almond butter
  • 1 tablespoon unsweetened dark cocoa powder
  • 1 tablespoon no-salt-added tomato paste
  • ¼ teaspoon sea salt

Instructions

  • Use scissors to cut open chiles; discard seeds and stems (tip, above). Cut chiles into large flat pieces. In an extra-large dry skillet toast chiles 1 to 2 minutes or until slightly darkened and fragrant, turning frequently. Transfer to a bowl. Add raisins. Add boiling water to cover; let soak 20 minutes. Drain, reserving soaking liquid. Transfer chile mixture to a blender.
  • Meanwhile, in a 3-quart saucepan cook onion and garlic over medium 4 to 5 minutes or until tender and slightly browned, stirring occasionally and adding water, 1 to 2 tablespoons at a time, as needed to prevent sticking. Stir in cinnamon, cumin, and oregano; cook and stir 1 minute. Add to blender with chiles. Add the remaining ingredients. Cover and blend until smooth, adding enough of the reserved soaking liquid (about 1 cup) to make a smooth, slightly loose sauce.
  • Transfer sauce to the saucepan. Cook over medium-low 15 minutes or until slightly thickened, stirring occasionally. (Sauce may spatter. If needed, partially cover saucepan with a lid.)
  • Let cool and store in an airtight container in the refrigerator up to 1 week. Serve mole sauce warmed with roasted vegetables, grilled portobello mushrooms, baked sweet potato.
Nutritional Information:

Per serving (½ cup): 105 calories, 16 g carbohydrates, 3 g protein, 4 g total fat, 0 g saturated fat, 0 g cholesterol, 108 mg sodium, 3 g fiber, 5 g sugar

Note: Nutritional information is provided as an estimate only.

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About the Author

Ellen Boeke headshot

About the Author

Ellen Boeke

Ellen Boeke has more than 25 years of experience as a recipe developer and food editor. She holds Bachelor's of Science degrees in consumer food science and journalism from Iowa State University and attended Le Cordon Bleu in Paris, France. Find her on LinkedIn.
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