What is the difference between mole ranchero and mole poblano?

Mole ranchero is the simplified, economical version of mole poblano: it uses fewer ingredients (between 10 and 15 versus the 25-35 of classic poblano), omits expensive nuts and rare spices, and is prepared with products accessible from family plots and rural markets. Mole poblano is the festive dish prepared for large celebrations; ranchero is the everyday peasant family version.

Why is it called mole de rancho?

Its name comes from its origin: the peasant kitchens of ranches and rural communities of central Mexico, where families prepared moles with the ingredients available in family vegetable plots and local markets, without access to expensive urban products. 'De rancho' refers to the countryside, to the humble but authentic cuisine of Mexican rural communities, as opposed to the urban baroque cuisine of festive mole poblano.

What is mole ranchero served with?

Traditionally it is served with chicken or turkey cooked in the same stew, accompanied by white rice, refried beans or beans from the pot, and handmade tortillas. In peasant communities it is served for Sunday family meals, small family celebrations such as birthdays or christenings, and everyday tables when there is time to prepare it. It is paired with hibiscus water, horchata or atole de masa, depending on the season.

Where is mole ranchero originally from?

It comes from the mestizo and Nahua peasantry of central Mexico, with main presence in Puebla, Tlaxcala, Hidalgo and the State of Mexico. It emerged during the 19th and 20th centuries as a peasant adaptation of baroque mole poblano, adapted to the rural economy and to locally available ingredients. It does not have a specific geographical origin but a cultural identity shared by rural communities of central Mexico.

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Mole ranchero: the simple mole of Pueblan communities

What is it?

Mole ranchero, also called mole de rancho or mole campesino, is the simple, homemade and economical version of mole poblano and other baroque moles of central Mexico. It is prepared with fewer ingredients (generally between 8 and 15 versus the 25-35 of classic mole poblano) but retains the basic structure of dried chillies, nuts, fruits, spices and chocolate. It is an everyday dish in rural communities of Puebla, Tlaxcala, Hidalgo and the State of Mexico, where peasant families cannot afford all the ingredients of festive mole poblano but want to enjoy mole at Sunday tables and lesser celebrations. Traditionally it is made with chicken or turkey cooked in the stew, and is served with white rice, refried beans and handmade tortillas. Its flavour is recognisable as mole but simpler and more direct, ideal for daily use in peasant households of central Mexico with a living culinary tradition.

Origin and history

Mole ranchero emerged as a peasant adaptation of mole poblano and other baroque moles during the 19th and 20th centuries, when the rural kitchens of central Mexico needed more economical dishes without giving up the character of mole. Its origin is linked to the mestizo and Nahua peasantry of Puebla, Tlaxcala and Hidalgo, where families prepared moles with the ingredients available in family vegetable plots and local markets. Although it does not appear in classic recipe books such as the 'Nuevo cocinero mexicano' of 1858, which documented urban baroque cuisine, manuscript family recipe books and oral tradition preserve it as an everyday table recipe. Dona Angela, a popular cook from Michoacan-State of Mexico with media presence through the YouTube channel 'De mi rancho a tu cocina', has nationally popularised the term 'mole de rancho' as an example of authentic peasant cuisine. El Universal and Espacio Mex have documented its importance in everyday Mexican family cooking. It forms part of Traditional Mexican Cuisine, UNESCO Intangible Heritage of Humanity 2010.

Characteristic ingredients

The traditional mole ranchero recipe combines basic dried chillies, mainly chile ancho, chile pasilla and chile mulato, without needing chilhuacle or other expensive chillies. It is complemented with roasted tomato and tomatillo, onion, garlic, toasted sesame seeds, peanuts and/or almonds (the available nuts), bread or fried tortilla, plantain, raisins, table chocolate with cinnamon, cinnamon, clove and pepper. It does not always include all the ingredients of mole poblano: costly nuts, avocado leaves and rare spices are omitted. The paste is fried in pork lard or vegetable oil and cooked with chicken stock for 30-60 minutes. Its consistency is thick and velvety, with a reddish-brown colour. The key difference with mole poblano is simplicity: while the latter can have 30 ingredients, mole ranchero has between 10 and 15. Regional variants are numerous and reflect the local ingredients available, giving rise to a rich diversity of almost family-specific peasant versions.

Cultural significance

Mole ranchero is one of the most representative dishes of mestizo peasant cuisine of central Mexico and a symbol of popular culinary creativity. Its economic accessibility and simpler preparation compared with classic mole poblano make it the Sunday dish of millions of rural families in Puebla, Tlaxcala, Hidalgo and the State of Mexico. Dona Angela and her YouTube channel 'De mi rancho a tu cocina' have nationally popularised the term 'mole de rancho' and have showcased the dignity of everyday living Mexican peasant cuisine. The magazine Espacio Mex and the newspaper El Universal have documented its importance at the family table. It forms part of Traditional Mexican Cuisine, UNESCO Intangible Heritage of Humanity 2010. It economically supports peasant producers of dried chillies, nuts and spices of the Bajio and central Mexico. It represents the versatility of Mexican cuisine, where a baroque dish such as mole is adapted to different economies without losing its essence or its shared cultural identity.

Related recipes

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

Ingredients to cook it

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Frequently asked questions

What is the difference between mole ranchero and mole poblano?: Mole ranchero is the simplified, economical version of mole poblano: it uses fewer ingredients (between 10 and 15 versus the 25-35 of classic poblano), omits expensive nuts and rare spices, and is prepared with products accessible from family plots and rural markets. Mole poblano is the festive dish prepared for large celebrations; ranchero is the everyday peasant family version.
Why is it called mole de rancho?: Its name comes from its origin: the peasant kitchens of ranches and rural communities of central Mexico, where families prepared moles with the ingredients available in family vegetable plots and local markets, without access to expensive urban products. 'De rancho' refers to the countryside, to the humble but authentic cuisine of Mexican rural communities, as opposed to the urban baroque cuisine of festive mole poblano.
What is mole ranchero served with?: Traditionally it is served with chicken or turkey cooked in the same stew, accompanied by white rice, refried beans or beans from the pot, and handmade tortillas. In peasant communities it is served for Sunday family meals, small family celebrations such as birthdays or christenings, and everyday tables when there is time to prepare it. It is paired with hibiscus water, horchata or atole de masa, depending on the season.
Where is mole ranchero originally from?: It comes from the mestizo and Nahua peasantry of central Mexico, with main presence in Puebla, Tlaxcala, Hidalgo and the State of Mexico. It emerged during the 19th and 20th centuries as a peasant adaptation of baroque mole poblano, adapted to the rural economy and to locally available ingredients. It does not have a specific geographical origin but a cultural identity shared by rural communities of central Mexico.