Mexican Chocolate-Chile Mole Sauce
Mole (pronounced MOH-lay) is a traditional Mexican sauce made with dried chiles, nuts, spices, and a touch of chocolate. Rich, complex, and slightly sweet, it has long symbolized joy and togetherness at holidays and festivals. Serve over rice, vegetables, or your favorite plant-based proteins for a well-rounded meal.
Ingredients
Calories:
258
Protein:
7
g
- 6 dried ancho chiles, deveined
- 4 dried guajillo chiles, deveined
- 2 dried chipotle chiles, deveined
- .5 cups whole almonds
- .5 cups walnut halves
- .5 cups unsalted, shelled peanuts
- 1.0 ripe plantain, cut into pieces
- 2 cloves garlic
- .5 cinnamon sticks
- .5 tbsp. thyme
- .5 tbsp. oregano
- .5 tbsp. cumin
- 4.25 cups water
- 3 oz. vegan dark chocolate (60–70% cacao), chopped
- 3 tsp. sugar
- 1.0 tsp. ground cinnamon
- 2 vegetable bouillon cubes, crumbled
- salt, to taste
Preparation
- Fry chiles: In a saucepan with enough oil, fry the ancho, guajillo, and chipotle chiles. Once fried, soak them in hot water until softened. Drain and set aside.
- Toast nuts and plantain: In the same pot, add the almonds, walnuts, peanuts, plantain (or banana), garlic, and cinnamon stick. Cook until lightly browned and aromatic, stirring gently with a wooden spoon to avoid burning.
- Add spices: Stir in thyme, oregano, and cumin. Continue cooking over medium heat until fragrant.
- Blend: Transfer the toasted nuts, plantain, spices, and softened chiles to a blender. Blend at high speed, gradually adding the water, until the mixture is smooth and thick.
- Simmer: Pour the blended sauce into a saucepan over low heat. Stir constantly with a wooden spoon for at least 40 minutes to develop flavor.
- Season: Add the chopped dark chocolate, sugar, ground cinnamon, crumbled bouillon cubes, and salt. Stir until fully incorporated. Taste and adjust as needed.
- Serve: Enjoy with rice, tofu cubes, seitan strips, mushrooms, spinach, and/or kale.
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