veganoHard

Vegan Almond Mole

Name: Vegan Almond Mole
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 45 min
Total time: 75 min
Cuisine: Mexican
Ingredients: 2 Mulato chilli; 2 Cloves; 50 g Dark chocolate; 4 granos Black pepper; 750 ml Vegetable stock; 3 tbsp Vegetable oil; 0.5 White onion; 1 to taste Salt; 150 g Almonds; 0.5 tsp Cumin; 3 Ancho chilli; 1 trozo pequeño Mexican cinnamon; 3 cloves Garlic; 2 Tomato

75 min (30 prep + 45 cook) Hard 6 servings Moderno MX

Edmond Bojalil

Recetas Mexas

Published: 30 Mar 2026 · Updated: 30 Mar 2026

Servings

Custom:

💰 Estimated cost: £6.60

£1.10 per person

* Approximate prices based on UK supermarkets

Ingredients

2 Mulato chilli(Chile mulato in Mexico)~£0.40find
2 Cloves(Clavo de olor in Mexico)~£0.20find
50 g Dark chocolate(Chocolate amargo in Mexico)~£1.50find
4 granos Black pepper(Pimienta negra in Mexico)~£0.20find
750 ml Vegetable stock(Caldo de verduras in Mexico)~£0.80find
3 tbsp Vegetable oil(Aceite vegetal in Mexico)~£0.35find
0.5 White onion(Cebolla blanca in Mexico)~£0.25find
1 to taste Salt(Sal in Mexico)~£0.05find
150 g Almonds(Almendra in Mexico)~£1.50find
0.5 tsp Cumin(Comino in Mexico)~£0.20find
3 Ancho chilli(Chile ancho in Mexico)~£0.40find
1 trozo pequeño Mexican cinnamon(Canela mexicana in Mexico)~£0.20find
3 cloves Garlic(Ajo in Mexico)~£0.25find
2 Tomato(Tomate rojo in Mexico)~£0.30find

About this recipe

Vegan mole made with almonds, ancho chilli, mulato chilli, dark chocolate, and spices. No animal fat — deep traditional flavour.

History & Origin

Mole is the most complex and representative sauce in Mexican cooking, with roots in the pre-Hispanic and colonial kitchens of Puebla and Oaxaca. Most traditional moles use lard, but before pigs arrived in Mexico, chilli and spice sauces were already being thickened with seeds, nuts, and corn dough. This vegan almond mole revives that pre-conquest tradition, using almonds as both the fat base and thickener. Almonds add creaminess and a subtle sweetness that balances the bitterness of the mulato and ancho chillies. Dark chocolate, made with cacao and spices, provides depth and the characteristic dark colour. This is a sauce to serve over rice, tamales, or roasted vegetables — worthy of any festive or everyday table.

Estimated cost

£9.00

Total cost

£1.50

Per serving

* Approximate prices based on UK supermarkets

Nutritional information per serving

320

Calories

Protein

32g

Carbohydrates

18g

Fat

Fibre

400mg

Sodium

* Approximate values. May vary depending on ingredients used.

Method

1
Clean the ancho and mulato chillies: open them, remove seeds and veins. Toast lightly on a dry griddle over medium-low heat, 30 seconds each side, without burning. Soak in hot water for 20 minutes to rehydrate. Drain and set aside.
2
Toast the almonds in a dry pan over medium heat until golden, 4–5 minutes, stirring constantly. Remove and set aside.
3
In the same pan, char the halved tomatoes, quartered onion, and unpeeled garlic cloves over high heat until scorched. Peel the garlic.
4
Briefly toast the cumin, cinnamon, cloves, and black peppercorns in the dry pan over low heat, 1 minute, until fragrant.
5
Blend the rehydrated chillies with 250 ml of vegetable stock until smooth. Pass through a sieve and set aside.
6
Blend the toasted almonds with the charred tomatoes, onion, garlic, and toasted spices with 200 ml of stock. Blend on high speed until very smooth. Pass through a sieve.
7
Heat the vegetable oil in a deep casserole over medium-high heat. Pour in the chilli paste first and fry for 5 minutes, stirring constantly, until it thickens and darkens in colour.
8
Add the almond paste and combine with the chilli paste. Add the broken-up dark chocolate and the remaining stock a little at a time. Cook over medium-low heat for 20–25 minutes, stirring frequently, until the mole reaches the desired consistency.
9
Season with salt. Adjust consistency with more stock if needed. Serve over white rice, tamales, or roasted vegetables.