The Magic of Mexico: What Does Mole Taste Like?

Add some mole to your favorite steak, baked chicken, or pork will taste extra delicious.

Tacos, nachos, and burritos also taste incredible with mole.

It’s a versatile condiment, so there is no limit to the number of dishes you can add mole to.

What makes mole so delightful and famous and what does mole taste like? We’re as curious as you, so don’t look for answers elsewhere because that’s what we’ll find out today.

We’ll try to know what mole is and what its flavor is.

We’ll also learn how to make a simple mole and how to use it.

What is Mole?

Mole is a traditional sauce used in Mexican cooking, and it’s available in different flavors.

Two places in Mexico claim to be the region of mole’s origin but other areas have their recipes too.

But no matter which one it is, the base ingredient is always chile peppers.

The condiment is made with one or more kinds of chile peppers and other ingredients such as nuts, spices, and fruits.

Black pepper, cumin or cinnamon are the usual spices used in a mole.

Some varieties, like mole poblano and mole negro contain 20-30 ingredients on average.

Hence, no two sauces taste the same.

All are, however versatile and suitable to pair with different dishes, including meat, veggies, and snacks.

You can find many mole brands on the market, so the choice is unlimited.

You can also make mole at home if you have the right ingredients.

You can find plenty of recipes now with one click of a button, so make it according to convenience.

What Does Mole Taste Like?

No two moles taste the same because of the ingredients used in making the sauce.

Though mole’s base ingredient is chile pepper, the sauce can be divided into five types based on flavor and texture.

These are hot, sweet, sour, thick and spicy.

The flavors depend on the other ingredients.

Here is a list of mole sauces, so take a look and see what each one tastes like.

• Mole poblano: It’s a variety from the Puebla region and the most famous mole sauce. Dried poblano peppers, also called ancho chiles, are the base ingredient. It is slightly bitter and sweet with a rich flavor. Besides ancho, it also contains cocoa or chocolate, which gives a dark red-brown shade and a bitter taste.
• Mole negro: it’s a mole from Oaxaca, also called a black mole. It’s typically flavored with hoja santa, also called “sacred leaf” or “root beer plant.” It’s an herb, but it grows more than six feet tall. Mole negro has a spicy, rich and smoky flavor with a bittersweet note from the chocolate.
• Mole verde: This mole usually has cilantro, pumpkin seeds, jalapenos and tomatillos and has a green hue. Mole verde has a herbal flavor and a green color. It’s slightly spicy from the jalapenos.
• Mole Amarillo: It’s also from Oaxaca and is called a yellow mole. It’s a variety thickened by masa. Mole Amarillo has a fruity note with hints of sweetness. It’s bright, aromatic and light. .
• Mole coloradito: A mole that contains mashed plantain and has a red-brown color. Mole coloradito is tangy and sweet and slightly spicy from the guajillo chiles.

Pipián: Any mole with pumpkin seeds is called pipian.

It’s nutty and savory and can be sweet or tangy, depending on the remaining ingredients.

How to Make and Serve Mole?

It’s impossible to mention how to make all kinds of mole here due to word limitations.

Not only that, each recipe is different because everyone uses different ingredients.

For example, even when making mole poblano, some may use ingredients that others don’t.

So, we’ll mention only the main ingredients used in making mole sauces.

They include.

• vegetable oil.
• dried chiles (ancho, pasilla, chipotle, mulato, chile negros, morita, cascabel and guajillo) .
• garlic .
• tomato.
• onion.
• plantain.
• broth or stock (chicken or veggie).
• raisins.
• nuts and seeds (shelled pistachios and pepitas, sesame seeds, almonds.
• corn tortilla.
• Spices (ground cumin, cloves, cinnamon, black pepper, coriander, nutmeg, oregano,.
• masa .
• brown sugar .
• Mexican Chocolate .
• cocoa powder.
• Butter (peanut butter, tahini paste, cashew or almond butter).
• salt.
• water.

Items such as broth, butter, chiles, and spices vary from one recipe to the other.

For instance, someone may use peanut butter, while another will use tahini paste.

So, when making mole, it’s about using a specific recipe.

You can add mole in enchilada (plural: enchiladas), tacos, baked pork, chicken, steak, roasted and sautéed veggies, soups, rice, beans, dips, and guacamole.

Conclusion

No matter what mole you make, it’ll be delicious.

You can follow the basic steps and control the flavors.

For example, add extra sugar, honey, or maple syrup if you want a sweeter version.

If you want it hotter, include more chiles.

If you can’t handle too much heat, omit the spiciest chile and make the sauce with mild chiles.

You can also make it smokier by adding more chipotle.

Hence, there are so many options to make your perfect mole. You can try a different variety.