Slow-Simmered Mole Negro with Toasted Chilies and Chocolate

By Lauren Mitchell, Test Kitchen Director · Reviewed by AislePrompt Editorial · Published 2026-05-31 · Updated 2026-05-31

A rich, complex Oaxacan mole negro simmered slowly with a blend of toasted chilies, spices, and a hint of dark chocolate for depth and warmth. This mexican ready in about 105 minutes pairs dried pasilla chilies, dried mulato chilies, dried chipotle chilies for a weeknight-friendly dinner that comes together with one pan and minimal cleanup. Each serving lands at about 320 calories and feeds 6, so it slots cleanly into a weekly meal plan and pairs well with a quick salad or grain on the side. Tap "Plan a meal with the AI" below to drop this recipe into your week and send the ingredients straight to Instacart. Nutrition values are approximate, calculated from USDA FoodData Central (fdc.nal.usda.gov) — verify against ingredient labels for any health-driven dietary plan.

Ingredients

• 4 pieces dried pasilla chilies
• 3 pieces dried mulato chilies
• 2 pieces dried chipotle chilies
• 3 tbsp vegetable oil
• 1 medium, quartered white onion
• 6 whole garlic cloves
• 2 medium, quartered tomato
• 1 whole (2 inches) cinnamon stick
• 4 whole cloves
• 1 tsp black peppercorns
• 1 tsp anise seeds
• 2 tbsp sesame seeds
• 1/4 cup, toasted almonds
• 1/4 cup raisins
• 2 small, torn corn tortillas
• 1 oz, chopped dark chocolate
• 4 cups chicken broth
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp sugar

Instructions

1. Step 1: Heat a dry skillet over medium heat and toast 4 dried pasilla chilies, 3 dried mulato chilies, and 2 dried chipotle chilies for 2-3 minutes until fragrant and slightly puffed; remove stems and seeds, then soak chilies in 1 cup hot water for 20 minutes until softened.
2. Step 2: In the same dry skillet, toast 1 medium quartered white onion, 6 whole garlic cloves, and 2 medium quartered tomatoes for 5 minutes until they develop charred spots and soften; set aside.
3. Step 3: Toast 1 whole 2-inch cinnamon stick, 4 whole cloves, 1 tsp black peppercorns, and 1 tsp anise seeds in the skillet for 2 minutes until aromatic; grind these spices finely using a mortar and pestle or spice grinder.
4. Step 4: Toast 2 tbsp sesame seeds, 1/4 cup almonds, and 1/4 cup raisins in the skillet until sesame seeds turn golden and almonds are fragrant, about 3 minutes; set aside.
5. Step 5: In a large saucepan, heat 3 tbsp vegetable oil over medium heat and fry 2 torn small corn tortillas until crisp and golden, about 2 minutes per side; remove and set aside.
6. Step 6: Blend the softened chilies with toasted onion, garlic, tomatoes, ground spices, toasted sesame seeds, almonds, raisins, and fried tortillas along with 1 oz chopped dark chocolate and 1 cup chicken broth until very smooth.
7. Step 7: Pour the blended sauce into the saucepan and add the remaining 3 cups chicken broth, 1 tsp salt, and 1 tsp sugar; bring to a gentle simmer over low heat, stirring occasionally, and cook uncovered for 45 minutes until thickened and flavors meld.
8. Step 8: Adjust seasoning with more salt or sugar as needed; serve mole negro warm over chicken, rice, or vegetables.