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Ancho and Chipotle Mole

The rich flavors of this mole are perfect with steak, pork, shrimp or beans, or simmer the sauce with chicken or turkey for a mole stew. Cooking time is chill time. MAKE AHEAD: The sauce can be refrigerated for 3 weeks. Recipe is a Food and Wine staff favorite from Marcia Kiesel. December 2001.

5.0 · 5 reviewsRecipe card by NcMysteryShopperEditorial by recipesvibrant · Updated October 13, 2026
VeganKid Friendly< 60 Mins
Ancho and Chipotle Mole

Total time

60 min

Servings

1

Calories

106

Category

Mexican

Experience the deep, smoky, and complex flavors of a traditional Mexican sauce with this easy Vegan Ancho and Chipotle Mole. Perfectly balanced with mild heat and rich spices, this recipe proves you don't need animal products to achieve an authentic, velvety mole experience in under an hour.

Ingredients

Makes 1 serving

  • 2 ancho chilies
  • 2 dried chipotle chiles
  • 1 1/2 boiling water
  • 2 red bell peppers
  • 2 cloves
  • 1 1/2 cumin seeds
  • 1 cinnamon stick
  • 3 sunflower seeds
  • 2 extra virgin olive oil
  • 10 garlic cloves
  • 2 tomato paste
  • 2 1/2 bittersweet chocolate
  • salt

Method

  1. In a bowl, cover the anchos and chipotles with the boiling water. Let soak for 30 minutes, until softened. Drain, reserving the liquid. Discard the stems, cores and seeds; coarsely chop the chiles.

  2. Preheat the broiler or light a gas flame. Char the peppers for 10 minutes, turning occasionally, until charred all over. Transfer to a medium bowl, cover with plastic and let steam for 5 minutes. Peel the peppers and discard the skin, stems and seeds, then coarsely chop.

  3. In a small dry skillet, toast the cloves, cumin and cinnamon stick over moderately low heat until darkened and fragrant, 1 1/2 minutes. Let cool. Grind to a powder in a spice grinder. Transfer to a plate. Add the sunflower seeds to the skillet and toast, shaking the pan a few times, about 3 minutes. Let cool. Transfer the seeds to the grinder; finely grind.

  4. Heat the oil in a medium skillet. Add the garlic and cook over low heat until golden, about 3 minutes. Add the tomato paste and cook, stirring, until glossy, about 2 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in the chocolate until melted.

  5. In a blender, combine the chiles and their soaking liquid with the bell peppers, the ground spices, the ground sunflower seeds and the garlic mixture and blend until smooth. Scrape the mole into a large bowl and season with salt. Transfer the sauce to jars and refrigerate.

Cook's notes

  • Toast your dried chilies in a dry pan for 30 seconds until fragrant to unlock their full flavor profile.
  • If you prefer a smoother sauce, strain it through a fine-mesh sieve after blending.
  • For a deeper color, ensure your dark chocolate is at least 70% cocoa.

Easy swaps

  • Use almond butter instead of peanut butter for a slightly sweeter, nuttier undertone.
  • Swap vegetable broth for mushroom stock to add an extra layer of umami.
  • If you cannot find Ancho chilies, dried Mulato chilies provide a similar sweet-smoky flavor.

Frequently asked

Is this mole recipe spicy?

The Ancho and Chipotle combination offers a mild-to-medium heat. By removing the seeds from the chilies before soaking, you can significantly reduce the spiciness while keeping the smokiness.

Can I make this mole gluten-free?

Yes, this recipe is naturally gluten-free. Just ensure your vegetable broth and chocolate are certified gluten-free.

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