This Almond Mole Recipe is an authentic recipe from the Mexican Gastronomy School in Mexico City, and made with many ingredients, like almonds.
This Mole Almendrado is as authentic as it gets, but it does require a lot of time to make it. This is similar to Mole Poblano but the base for this are almonds. Most mole sauces taste different and they vary in colors. Some are smokier, others are sweeter and others are spicy, then others can be white, yellow or red. Ingredients include chiles, nuts, spices, raisins, cinnamon, and tomatoes. As for the texture, this mole sauce is smooth. Making authentic mole is time consuming, but the end result is totally worth it.
If you love this recipe, feel free to try my Mole Poblano or my Mole Rojo.
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What is Mole Sauce?
The term mole refers to several types of highly seasoned Mexican sauces made primarily from chiles and spices, and which are thickened with corn, tortilla, or bread dough. It also refers to the same meat or vegetable-based stews that are usually prepared with these thick sauces. Mole is of pre-Hispanic origin, and was offered in ceremonies as an offering to the gods. Of the many existing mole variants, the most popular is mole poblano, a dark mole from Puebla. Other moles are white mole, almond mole, and Oaxacan mole.
What do you serve Mole with?
I love to use poultry like chicken or turkey. You can also make mole with beef or pork, the way I did in this recipe. You can add some rice on the side and mix it all together.
Why you will love this recipe
Full of flavor: The sauce is so delicious because of the combination of almonds, and spices.
Great for any weather: I would eat this in the cold and warm days during the year.
Serves a crowd: It is very easy to double the sauce recipe, and use already cook meat to add into it.
Almond Mole Ingredients
You'll only need a few simple ingredients to make this. The exact measurements are listed in the recipe card below. Here's an overview of what you'll need:
- Dried chiles mulato
- Dried chiles pasilla
- Dried Ancho chilies
- Dried morita chilies
- Toasted almonds
- Tortilla
- Garlic cloves
- Yellow onion
- Whole cloves
- Cinnamon stick
- Broth
- Pork
See recipe card for quantities for this Almond Mole Recipe (Mole Almendrado).
How to make Mole Almendrado
In a small pot, bring water to a boil and add all the chilies, as well as the garlic and the onion. Boil for 15 minutes and set aside. In a large pan on medium high heat, toast the almonds for about 1 to 2 minutes, stirring frequently. Remove and set aside on a plate. Add the tortilla and toast for 1 to 2 minutes on each side. Remove and set aside.
Add the chilies, almonds, tortilla, garlic, onion, cloves, cinnamon stick and nutmeg in a blender. Add about 2 cups of that chili water, until smooth.
In a large deep pan on medium heat, add butter and wait for it to melt. Pour in this sauce and bring to a simmer. Add the pork into the sauce as well as the broth, chocolate, salt and pepper.
Stir and simmer for 45 minutes on low heat, covered, until the chocolate has melted and the pork is completely cooked through. (You should use cooked pork).
Hint: Use meat that you have cooked already.
Substitutions
Chicken: Instead of using a whole chicken, you can use chicken drumsticks or chicken thighs. Anything with the bone in.
Butter: I love using salted butter but you could always use unsalted butter and adjust the salt yourself.
Chilies: Instead of chiles mulato, you can use chiles anchos. You can buy dried chilies at your local Hispanic grocery store or the ethnic section of your grocery store. If there isn’t dried chilies anywhere, you can buy dried chilies mulato, chile pasilla, and Ancho chilies on Amazon.
Mole Almendrado Recipe Variations
Cooking is a chance to be creative! Have fun with it and feel free to make your own variation.
- Spicy - modify the amount of chili seeds you use from the dried chilies. For more heat, add them all. For a mild heat, add less.
- Deluxe - Serve on a bed of rice.
- Kid friendly - Take the pork, shred and place on a sandwich or tostada.
Check out this Pork in Peanut sauce.
Equipment
Equipment can have a big impact on how a recipe turns out. Stone bakeware takes longer to heat up than metal pans, and also retain heat for longer, which could make the recipe more watery, or burnt on the outsides.
I love using my Caraway pots, pans and baking sheets for best quality.
How to store Mole Sauce
This will be good in the refrigerator for 2-3 days. The sauce can be frozen for up to three months.
Top tip
Use as little but necessary chili water as possible when blending the mixture.
Almond Mole Recipe (Mole Almendrado)
- Total Time: 1 hour 10 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
Description
This Almond Mole Recipe is an authentic recipe from my family in Mexico City, and made with many ingredients, like almonds.
Ingredients
- 3 pasilla chilies
- 3 mulato chilies
- 3 ancho chilies
- 3 morita chilies
- 1 cup toasted almonds
- 1 toasted tortilla
- 2 garlic cloves
- ¼ yellow onion
- 4 whole cloves
- ½ cinnamon stick
- Salt, to taste
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 2 tablespoons sugarless dark chocolate
- 1 pound cooked pork shoulder or butt, cut into one inch cubes
- 1 cup chicken, beef or vegetable broth
Instructions
- In a small pot, bring water to a boil and add all the chilies, as well as the garlic and the onion. Boil for 15 minutes and set aside.
- In a large pan on medium high heat, toast the almonds for about 1 to 2 minutes, stirring frequently. Remove and set aside on a plate. Add the tortilla and toast for 1 to 2 minutes on each side. Remove and set aside.
- Add the chilies, almonds, tortilla, garlic, onion, cloves, cinnamon stick and nutmeg in a blender. Add about 2 cups of that chili water, until smooth.
- In a large deep pan on medium heat, add butter and wait for it to melt. Pour in this sauce and bring to a simmer. Add the pork into the sauce as well as the broth, chocolate, salt and pepper. Stir and simmer for 45 minutes on low heat, covered, until the chocolate has melted and the pork is completely cooked through. (You should use cooked pork).
Notes
- Make sure to use a meat thermometer to make sure the meat is cooked through.
- If the sauce thickens too fast, keep adding a little bit of broth into the mixture.
- Use as little but necessary water as possible when blending the mixture.
- If you cannot buy toasted almonds, you can toast them yourself.
- Use the chili seeds from the dried chilies for extra heat.
- If you do not have chili mulatos, you can use chiles anchos. Both are dried poblano peppers.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 1 hour
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Cooking
- Cuisine: Mexican
Food safety
- Cook to a minimum temperature of 165 °F (74 °C)
- Do not use the same utensils on cooked food, that previously touched raw meat
- Wash hands after touching raw meat
- Don't leave food sitting out at room temperature for extended periods
- Never leave cooking food unattended
- Use oils with high smoking point to avoid harmful compounds
- Always have good ventilation when using a gas stove
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