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Looking to master the art of mole sauce? Look no further! You are going to love making this easy mole poblano recipe. It’s packed with rich spices and is a great addition to so many recipes.

completed mole poblano sauce in a white bowl and black bowl against a patterned colorful towel

Traditional mole poblano sauce is delicious, and also time-consuming, labor-intensive, and esoteric-ingredient-requiring. And while those sorts of recipes are generally the most fun and rewarding to make, sometimes you want something tasty and reasonably authentic in much less time, and using easily-available supermarket ingredients. (Or, really, pantry staples that you probably have most of the ingredients in your kitchen already.)

This Easy Mole Poblano Recipe Is: 

  • Packed with delicious spices.
  • Perfect for cinnamon drizzling over burritos, vegetables, and more!
  • Plant-based and vegan.
  • A great addition to your Taco Tuesday spread.

This recipe (adapted from here), makes a great, quick vegan mole sauce, and it’s incredibly versatile: you can use it as a sauce for enchiladas, simmer vegetables (and/or tofu) in it and serve over rice, dip chips in it or spread it on crackers, or do pretty much whatever you want.

It’s very exciting to be able to share this vegan mole poblano recipe with all of you! This deeply rooted traditional recipe has been a staple in Mexico since the colonial period (especially in the state of Puebla and Oaxaca). This sauce is a very special one and is packed with intense flavors.

Mole Poblano Sauce: A Flavor Punch!

This mole poblano recipe is an explosion of flavors. The many spices used to prepare it give it a unique and amazing taste. As with many recipes, we recommend that you play around with the amounts since some people might find it, for example, too hot or too “cinnamony.” Add half of the amount of the spices and then, after blending it, taste it to see if it needs more chile powder or any other spices to your liking.

This recipe makes a large amount of sauce, around six to eight servings, so you can just store it in an airtight container and eat it later with any delicious meal that calls for it. We loved eating this sauce with a delicious loaded burrito! Give it a try!

The Ingredients and Substitutes

  • Onions: 2, chopped (any kind will work)
  • Neutral Oil: 2 tablespoons (canola, vegetable, grapeseed)
  • Coriander: ½  teaspoon, ground 
  • Aniseed: ½  teaspoon, ground
  • Chile Powder: 1 ½ to 3 tablespoons
  • Cumin: 1 teaspoon, ground
  • Sugar: 1-2 teaspoons
  • Cloves: ⅛ teaspoon, ground
  • Unsweetened Cocoa Powder: 2 tablespoons
  • Peanut Butter: 2 tablespoons (natural is best or you can also use finely chopped peanuts)
  • Vegetable Stock: 2 cups (can also just use water)
  • Ro-Tel Tomatoes & Chiles: 1 can (14.5-ounce)
  • Raisins: 2 tablespoons
  • Garlic Cloves: 3, finely chopped and mashed to a paste with ¾ teaspoon salt
  • Optional Garnishes: sesame seeds, sliced radishes, and cilantro sprigs

How to Make Easy Mole Poblano?

Keep scrolling to the recipe card for the complete list of ingredients and recipe instructions!

Heat the oil over medium-high heat in a large heavy skillet or Dutch oven and saute the onion until golden.

Add the coriander, aniseed, chile powder, cumin, cinnamon, sugar, and cloves, and cook, stirring, for 1 minute.

Reduce the heat to medium, and stir in the cocoa powder, peanut butter, water or stock, tomatoes and chiles, raisins, garlic paste, and salt to taste.

Allow it to simmer, uncovered and stirring occasionally, for 20 minutes.

In batches, transfer the sauce to a blender and puree until smooth. Alternatively, you can use an immersion blender if you cooked the sauce in a pot or Dutch oven, or you can strain out the solids, puree them in a food processor, and stir them back into the liquid. (If you puree everything in a food processor, it’ll probably leak and get messy.) Thin with additional water or stock as desired.

Use as a sauce for enchiladas, a simmer sauce, a dip, or in pretty much any way your heart desires. Garnish with sesame seeds, radishes, and/or cilantro sprigs.

completed mole poblano sauce in a white bowl and black skillet against a patterned colorful towel

Ideas for Using Your Mole Sauce

There are so many great ways to use your homemade mole poblano sauce! Here are just a few ideas to spark your taste buds.

  • Try drizzling it over your enchiladas or burritos.
  • Use as a dip for your favorite tortilla chips.
  • Add it to your favorite chili recipe like this Black Bean Chili.
  • Drizzle over your favorite roasted vegetables.
  • Add to on top of your nachos or tachos!

Tips for Making Mole Poblano

  • You can make this mole recipe in your pressure cooker on manual for about 8 minutes.
  • By using vegetable broth, this mole poblano recipe is 100% vegan.
  • Add more or less of the spices depending on your flavor preference.
  • Don’t add too much liquid as this mole is supposed to be a thicker consistency.
  • The longer you allow the mole to simmer, the more developed the flavors become!

More VEGAN Mexican-Inspired Recipes You’ll Love

Photos by Alfonso Revilla

Easy Mole Poblano

5 from 33 votes
Prep: 15 minutes
Cook: 30 minutes
Total: 45 minutes
Servings: 6 to 8 servings
This deeply rooted traditional recipe has been a staple in Mexico since the colonial period (especially in the state of Puebla and Oaxaca). This sauce is a very special one and packed with intense flavors.

Ingredients 

  • 2 onions chopped
  • 2 tablespoons neutral (canola, vegetable, grapeseed) oil
  • ½ teaspoon of ground coriander
  • ½ teaspoon of aniseed ground
  • 1 ½ to 3 tablespoons of chile powder
  • 1 teaspoon of ground cumin
  • ¼ to ½ teaspoon of ground cinnamon
  • 1 to 2 teaspoons of sugar
  • teaspoon of ground cloves
  • 2 tablespoons of unsweetened cocoa powder
  • 2 tablespoons of peanut butter (natural is best) or finely chopped peanuts
  • 2 cups of water or vegetable stock
  • 1 (14.5-ounce) can Ro-Tel tomatoes & chiles
  • 2 tablespoons raisins
  • 3 garlic cloves finely chopped and mashed to a paste with ¾ teaspoon salt
  • Sesame seeds, sliced radishes, and cilantro sprigs for garnish

Instructions 

  • In a large heavy skillet or Dutch oven, heat the oil over medium-high heat, and saute the onion until golden. Add the coriander, aniseed, chile powder, cumin, cinnamon, sugar, and cloves, and cook, stirring, for 1 minute.
  • Reduce the heat to medium, and stir in the cocoa powder, peanut butter, water or stock, tomatoes and chiles, raisins, garlic paste, and salt to taste. Let simmer, uncovered and stirring occasionally, for 20 minutes.
  • In batches, transfer the sauce to a blender and puree until smooth. Alternatively, you can use an immersion blender if you cooked the sauce in a pot or Dutch oven, or you can strain out the solids, puree them in a food processor, and stir them back into the liquid. (If you puree everything in a food processor, it'll probably leak and get messy.) Thin with additional water or stock as desired.
  • Use as a sauce for enchiladas, a simmer sauce, a dip, or in pretty much any way your heart desires. Garnish with sesame seeds, radishes, and/or cilantro sprigs.

Notes

  • You can make this mole recipe in your pressure cooker on manual for about 8 minutes.
  • By using vegetable broth, this mole poblano recipe is 100% vegan.
  • Add more or less of the spices depending on your flavor preference.
  • Don’t add too much liquid as this mole is supposed to be a thicker consistency.
  • The longer you allow the mole to simmer, the more developed the flavors become!

Nutrition

Calories: 139kcalCarbohydrates: 16gProtein: 3gFat: 9gSaturated Fat: 1gPolyunsaturated Fat: 2gMonounsaturated Fat: 5gTrans Fat: 1gSodium: 382mgPotassium: 342mgFiber: 3gSugar: 5gVitamin A: 847IUVitamin C: 10mgCalcium: 58mgIron: 2mg

Disclaimer: Although plantbasedonabudget.com attempts to provide accurate nutritional information, kindly note that these are only estimates. Nutritional information may be affected based on the product type, the brand that was purchased, and in other unforeseeable ways. Plantbasedonabudget.com will not be held liable for any loss or damage resulting for your reliance on nutritional information. If you need to follow a specific caloric regimen, please consult your doctor first.

Additional Info

Author: Stefan
Course: Sauce
Cuisine: Mexican
Method: Stove
Diet: Vegan
Tried this recipe?Please tag us at @PlantBasedOnABudget! 🙂

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  1. I can’t wait to try this recipe. When I ate meat, Chicken Mole was always my first choice at Mexican restaurants. Thank for you sharing!