Mole de olla: what it is, what's in it and where it's from

What is it?

Mole de olla is a deep, spiced Mexican broth or soup which, despite its name, bears no resemblance to traditional mole paste. It consists of an intense red broth made with rehydrated dried chillies (guajillo, ancho, pasilla, mulato), beef on the bone in chunks (shin, brisket, rib), vegetables such as corn cut into pieces, courgettes, green beans, potatoes, carrots, chayote, and the characteristic xoconostle (a sour-sweet fruit of a Mexican cactus that provides a distinctive tartness). It is served hot in a deep bowl or dish with chochoyones (little balls of maize masa shaped with the finger) cooked in the broth, garnished with fresh coriander, chopped onion and lime. It is a dish of central Mexico, hearty, comforting, ideal for cold days or as a main weekend meal.

Origin and history

Mole de olla is a mestizo dish of central Mexico originating in the rural and peasant cuisine of the viceregal period. Larousse Cocina notes that its name comes from the combination of mole (chilli sauce, 'mulli' in Nahuatl) and olla (cooking pot), distinguishing it from mole-paste such as poblano or oaxaqueño. The basic technique is pre-Hispanic: cooking meat (originally venison, wild boar or fowl) with rehydrated dried chillies and local vegetables in a clay pot. After the conquest, beef replaced the Mesoamerican wild meats. The xoconostle (Opuntia matudae or Opuntia joconostle), the fruit of the joconostle prickly pear, is an endemic pre-Hispanic ingredient that distinguishes mole de olla from other similar broths. México Desconocido documents that mole de olla is a typical dish of rural towns in the State of Mexico, Hidalgo, Tlaxcala, Puebla and Morelos, where it is prepared on Sundays as a family meal. The chochoyones are a pre-Hispanic contribution: small balls of masa with a little hollow made with the middle finger, a technique documented since Mexica times.

Characteristic ingredients

The essential ingredients of mole de olla are: beef on the bone (shin, brisket, rib, backbone, rump), 3-4 guajillo chillies, 2-3 ancho chillies, 1-2 pasilla or mulato chillies, garlic, onion, ripe tomato, cumin, pepper, epazote or coriander leaves, salt. Vegetables: 2 tender corn cobs cut into pieces, 2-3 Mexican courgettes in cubes, a bunch of green beans in small pieces, 2 peeled and cut potatoes, 1-2 carrots, 1 unpeeled chayote in cubes, 3-4 peeled and cut xoconostles (the xoconostle is sour-sweet and provides a distinctive tartness), and sometimes nopales in strips. The chochoyones are made with nixtamalised maize masa or masa harina beaten with lard, salt and broth from the mole to integrate flavour; small 2 cm balls are shaped with a little hollow in the centre made with the middle finger. Preparation: the meat is cooked for 1-2 hours in water until tender; the toasted, hydrated and cleaned chillies are blended with tomato, garlic and spices; the adobo is strained and added to the broth; the vegetables are incorporated in order by cooking time; the chochoyones at the end.

Cultural significance

Mole de olla is an iconic dish of the peasant and popular cuisine of central Mexico, especially in states such as Hidalgo, the State of Mexico, Tlaxcala and Puebla, where it is served as a main meal on Sundays and at family gatherings. Its preparation is a weekend ritual that brings the family together around the large pot, traditionally of clay from Tonalá or San Bartolo Coyotepec. The presence of xoconostle is a mark of authenticity: the sour-sweet fruit of the joconostle prickly pear is harvested from March to June and is only available fresh in regional markets of central Mexico (Otumba market, Mixquic, Texcoco, Tulancingo). Traditional Mexican cuisine was recognised by UNESCO as Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity in 2010, and broths such as mole de olla are part of this heritage. The xoconostle economy sustains rural communities of the Valley of Mexico and Hidalgo. Mole de olla represents the sophistication of peasant cuisine: comprehensive use of meat on the bone, an abundance of seasonal vegetables and the technique of the chochoyones.

Frequently asked questions

What is the difference between mole de olla and traditional mole?

Traditional mole (poblano, oaxaqueño, ranchero) is a thick paste or sauce of dried chillies, spices, nuts and chocolate that coats the meat. Mole de olla is a broth or soup based on dried chillies, neither thick nor sweet, with chunks of meat and abundant vegetables (corn, courgette, green beans, xoconostle) and chochoyones. They share toasted chillies but their final form and flavour are completely different.

What does mole de olla taste like?

It tastes of a deep beef broth with toasted-smoky notes of dried chillies (guajillo, ancho, pasilla, mulato), enriched by the moderate sweetness of tomato, the freshness of epazote or coriander, and the distinctive tartness of xoconostle that sets it apart from any other Mexican broth. The vegetables bring sweetness (corn), softness (courgette) and crunch (green beans). The chochoyones bring creamy masa with a maize flavour.

How is mole de olla served?

It is served very hot in a deep dish or large bowl, with a generous portion of broth, chunks of meat, all the vegetables and chochoyones. Each diner seasons it with squeezed lime, chopped coriander, chopped white onion and sometimes piquin chilli or sour orange juice. It is accompanied by handmade maize tortillas, ideally blue, and a glass of hibiscus water or lime with chia.

Where does mole de olla come from?

It originates in central Mexico, a mestizo dish of rural cuisine with pre-Hispanic foundations (dried chillies, xoconostle, masa chochoyones) enriched after the conquest with beef. It is typical of the State of Mexico, Hidalgo, Tlaxcala, Puebla and Morelos, where it is prepared on Sundays as a family meal. It was recognised as part of the Mexican intangible cultural heritage inscribed by UNESCO in 2010.