Simplified Mole Rojo

Take an hour to make this big batch of Simplified Mole Rojo and your tastebuds will thank you.  This sauce will immediately elevate roast chicken, enchiladas, quesadillas, burritos, and more, and freezes like a dream for plenty of future meals. Mole rojo has a smoldering spice level thanks to ancho and guajillo chiles, is sweetened with ripe plantains, and has a rich bittersweet note thanks to unsweetened chocolate.  If you’ve never made a mole before, start here and I bet it won’t be your last one!

Mexican mole is a complex combination of flavors (often between 20 and 40 individual ingredients!) that can take days to complete for a very traditional sauce.  Mole recipes are highly regional, with different ingredients serving similar purposes across all recipes.  There are often chiles, aromatics, herbs, spices, nuts and seeds, sweeteners, and thickeners like plantain, tortillas, or bread all cooked together for a savory sauce.  There are also many different types of mole throughout Mexico, from mole rojo to mole verde, mole negro, mole amarillo, and my personal favorite for the name alone, mole manchamantel (which translates to “table cloth stainer” in English).

This mole rojo has a pared down ingredient list and the preparation time is about one hour.  It will not be as nuanced as a traditional mole rojo, but the flavor is still rich, earthy, bitter, sweet, and plenty flavorful for a simplified prep.

Mole is a terrific simmer sauce for preparing big batches of meal prep proteins like pork or chicken.  Try my Chile Colorado for another delicious option once you’ve enjoyed this mole rojo.

Ingredients

I include ingredient notes here when I think they’ll be helpful, including ways to source, any preparation tips, or why I've chosen a particular ingredient. Be sure to check out the recipe card below for the full list of ingredients and their quantities!

• Ancho and Guajillo Chiles - Dried chiles are a staple in Mexican cuisine.  The ratio of chiles will affect the flavor of the final dish and this mole rojo has a generous amount of guajillo chiles that give it the brick red color and ancho chiles have a mild heat and fruity flavor. You can purchase dried chiles at a well-stocked supermarket or at your favorite Mexican market.
• Onions and Garlic - These aromatics help build a flavourful base to the mole.
• Plantain - Plantains are part of the huge group of bananas used for cooking rather than eating out of hand. Plantains are starchy and help build body and thickness in the mole rojo.  Plantains will darken as they ripen, just like a dessert banana. I like to use a plantain that is yellow with black patches in this recipe.
• Pecans - Once simmered, the pecans add a buttery richness to the mole along with some bitter flavor.  Use pecan pieces or halves here.
• Unsweetened Chocolate - If you can find Abuelita or Ibarra brands of mexican bittersweet chocolate, use them in this recipe!  Often, I use Baker’s unsweetened baking chocolate, which can be found in most supermarkets.
• Oregano - Use fresh oregano if you have it on hand, stripping the leaves from the stems before adding them to the simmering mixture.  You can also use dried oregano leaves, about 1 teaspoon is a comparable amount to 1tablespoon of fresh leaves.
• Cumin - Cumin adds a smoky and earthy flavor to the mole.  
• Brown Sugar - Depending on the sweetness of the plantain you use, a bit of brown sugar can help balance out the bitter notes in the mole rojo.  Start with the amount called for in the recipe and adjust it as needed once you blend the sauce.
• Sesame Seeds - Sesame is a common ingredient in mole, but also a perfect garnish for your plate!

Instructions

Gather a large sauce pan (at least 2 ½ quart capacity), a skillet, and a blender to help make a smooth and tasty mole rojo!

In a dry skillet (cast iron works well here), toast the dried chiles over medium heat until they are fragrant with fruity and bittersweet aromas.  This takes between 2-4 minutes, but keep an eye on them and flip them a few times so that they don’t burn. Transfer the chiles to a bowl to cool.

Use the same skillet to toast the pecans until they are a deep golden brown and fragrant.  Transfer them directly to your saucepan to cool.

While the chiles cool, slice up the plantain by cutting off the two ends.  Then slice the plantain lengthwise down the center.  Peel away the skin and slice the halves of fruit in 1-inch pieces.  The more ripe the plantain, the easier it will be to remove the skin.

Use your hands to remove the stem from the chiles.  Then open them lengthwise (the toasting will make them more pliable) and remove the seeds.  If you might be sensitive to the spice in the seeds and dried membranes, wash your hands well after handling the chiles.  Discard the stems and seeds.

Add the chiles, garlic, onion, and plantain pieces to the pecans in the sauce pan.  Cover everything with five cups of chicken stock.  Bring the mixture to a boil and then reduce the heat to maintain a simmer.

Simmer the mixture for 25 minutes, until the chiles are plumped and softened, the pecans are soft, and the plantains and aromatics are tender.

Add the chocolate, oregano, cumin, brown sugar, and salt to the saucepan. Turn the heat down to the lowest simmer and cook, stirring frequently, for 10 minutes.

Pour the mixture into the pitcher of a blender.  Either remove the center portion of the blender top or remove the top of the blender altogether so that you can place a clean kitchen town over the top.  Blend until the sauce is very smooth.  The towel will allow heat to escape without causing the top to pop off, but you should still use caution to ensure very hot liquid doesn’t go flying.

The blended mole rojo will be smooth, thick, and a deep brick red.  Taste the sauce for balance and adjust the salt or brown sugar as needed.

Substitutions and Variations

The substitutions listed below have been tested in this recipe and work well. If you successfully make any other ingredient substitutions, let us know in the comments!

• Make a Vegetarian Version - Substitute vegetable broth or stock in place of the chicken stock for a vegetarian mole rojo.
• Increase the Spice - Keep some of the seeds from the dried chiles intact when preparing them for an extra layer of heat to the mole.   You can also add ¼ to ½ teaspoon of ground cayenne pepper to the simmering mixture.
• Swap the Pecans - You can use peanuts or almonds in place of the pecans.

Equipment

It helps to have a high-capacity and high power blender to get the smoothest mole.  If you have a smaller blender, work in two or three batches to get a smooth mole.  You can also strain the simmered ingredients (keep the liquid!) and add the solids to the bowl of a food processor to puree them.  Add the pureed solids back to the simmering liquid and stir everything together.  I find it difficult to work with hot mixtures in a food processor bowl, so please use caution if this is your only option.  Finally, an immersion (stick) blender can be used to process the sauce, but you won’t likely get as smooth a mole.

Serving Suggestions

Mole rojo is a simmering sauce that can be used in so many ways. Start with slow cooking some chicken thighs in the sauce. Shred the meat for tacos, burritos, tostadas, quesadillas, or rice bowls. Extra sauce can be layered with tortillas, beans, green chiles, and jack cheese for some really special enchiladas. Simple roast chicken thighs (skin on is extra special) can be smothered with the sauce and served alongside beans and rice with a garnish of sesame seeds. Follow the directions in this Chicken Thighs recipe for guidance in cooking the chicken. 

I love to re-create an all-time favorite burrito from San Francisco favorite Papalote! Grill up some extra firm tofu and then put it in a super burrito with the mole sauce, black beans, rice, jack cheese, sour cream, avocados, and salsa.

Mole rojo is also a great way to use up leftovers after Thanksgiving, too!  Check out this post for 20 ideas for what to make with leftover turkey.

Make This Recipe Kid Friendly

When tasting the blended mole for balanced flavors, I tend to add an additional tablespoon of brown sugar to really temper the bitter notes from the chiles and chocolate if I want the kids to enjoy it.  Their favorite way to eat mole rojo is with finely shredded chicken in a quesadilla.

Storage

Store the mole rojo in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to three days.  When you reheat it, you may need to stir in a couple of spoonfuls of water to get the consistency right. The chiles in the sauce will stain any plastic, so deli containers or glass are your best options here.   This recipe makes about two quarts of sauce and it freezes very well.  I divide the batch into three containers and can make three separate meals from this one recipe.  To thaw the frozen sauce, transfer it to the refrigerator for about 24 hours before you intend to use it.