Does mole poblano contain chocolate?

Yes, but in minimal quantity and as Mexican table chocolate (without refined sugar). It adds body, colour and bitter notes, not sweetness. A sauce that only tastes of chocolate is not authentic mole.

How many ingredients does original mole poblano have?

Traditional recipes use 25 to 30 ingredients. Legend says Sister Andrea's original recipe had more than 100, although historically this is considered an exaggeration.

What is the difference between mole poblano and Oaxaca black mole?

Mole poblano is more reddish, uses fewer chillies and is based on ancho, mulato, pasilla and chipotle. The Oaxacan black mole is darker (almost black), includes chilhuacle negro and charred chillies, and is usually more complex and less sweet.

Why does mole poblano contain bread?

Bread or toasted tortilla acts as a thickener and adds toasted notes that balance the chillies and spices. It is a loan from Spanish cooking adapted by the nuns of Puebla.

What is mole poblano traditionally served with?

With turkey (guajolote) at major celebrations or with chicken on everyday occasions, accompanied by red rice, toasted sesame seeds on top and freshly made maize tortillas.

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Mole poblano: what it is, history, ingredients and traditional recipe

What is it?

Mole poblano is one of Mexico's most emblematic dishes: a thick, dark and complex sauce that combines dried chillies, spices, nuts, seeds, bread, chocolate and turkey or chicken broth. Its name comes from the Nahuatl molli, meaning "sauce" or "stew". The original mole poblano carries over 20 ingredients and is traditionally served over turkey at weddings, christenings and patriotic celebrations. It originates in the city of Puebla de los Ángeles and is considered the highest expression of Mexican mestizo cooking, which fuses pre-Hispanic ingredients with Old World products.

Origin and history

The most famous legend places the origin of mole poblano in 1685, in the convent of Santa Rosa in Puebla, where Sister Andrea de la Asunción —a Dominican nun— is said to have improvised the dish to honour the visit of viceroy Tomás Antonio de la Cerda y Aragón. However, historians acknowledge that the roots of mole are pre-Hispanic: the Aztecs already prepared molli, thick chilli sauces with cacao, tomato and seeds, described in the Florentine Codex. The current baroque version emerged in the 17th century in the convents of Puebla, where nuns incorporated almonds, sesame, cinnamon, cloves and other spices brought by colonial trade with Asia and Europe via the Manila Galleon.

Characteristic ingredients

Mole poblano contains at least four kinds of dried chilli: ancho (sweet and fruity), mulato (chocolatey), pasilla (earthy with raisin notes) and chipotle (smoky and spicy). Added to this are spices (cinnamon, cloves, pepper, anise), nuts (almonds, peanuts, walnuts), seeds (sesame, pumpkin seeds), raisins, tomato, garlic, onion, toasted bread or tortilla as thickener, Mexican table chocolate (without refined sugar) and turkey or chicken broth. The traditional preparation takes 6 to 12 hours: chillies are toasted and rehydrated, the other ingredients are ground separately, and everything is fried in lard for hours to integrate the flavours.

Cultural significance

Mole poblano is the most representative dish of Mexican culinary identity along with tacos, pozole and tamales. It forms part of Traditional Mexican Cuisine inscribed on UNESCO's Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity list in 2010. In Puebla it is essential at wedding celebrations, where pots of up to 100 litres are cooked, and at the festival of the Virgin of the Rosary. Regional variants exist such as Oaxaca's black mole, green mole, yellow mole, red mole, manchamanteles and pipián, each with its own history and characteristic chillies. The last Sunday of October Puebla celebrates the Mole Fair.

Related recipes

Now that you know what it is, try cooking it at home with our step-by-step recipes:

Ingredients to cook it

Find where to buy authentic ingredients in Mexican shops in the UK:

Frequently asked questions

Does mole poblano contain chocolate?: Yes, but in minimal quantity and as Mexican table chocolate (without refined sugar). It adds body, colour and bitter notes, not sweetness. A sauce that only tastes of chocolate is not authentic mole.
How many ingredients does original mole poblano have?: Traditional recipes use 25 to 30 ingredients. Legend says Sister Andrea's original recipe had more than 100, although historically this is considered an exaggeration.
What is the difference between mole poblano and Oaxaca black mole?: Mole poblano is more reddish, uses fewer chillies and is based on ancho, mulato, pasilla and chipotle. The Oaxacan black mole is darker (almost black), includes chilhuacle negro and charred chillies, and is usually more complex and less sweet.
Why does mole poblano contain bread?: Bread or toasted tortilla acts as a thickener and adds toasted notes that balance the chillies and spices. It is a loan from Spanish cooking adapted by the nuns of Puebla.
What is mole poblano traditionally served with?: With turkey (guajolote) at major celebrations or with chicken on everyday occasions, accompanied by red rice, toasted sesame seeds on top and freshly made maize tortillas.