Slow-Simmered Seven Mole Sauce with Oaxaca Cheese Garnish

By Lauren Mitchell, Test Kitchen Director · Reviewed by AislePrompt Editorial · Published 2026-06-26 · Updated 2026-06-26

A rich and complex traditional Oaxacan mole sauce slowly simmered with seven different chiles and spices, topped with crumbled Oaxaca cheese for a creamy finish. This mexican ready in about 110 minutes blends dried pasilla chiles, dried mulato chiles, dried chipotle chiles into a versatile sauce that lifts everything from grain bowls and roasted vegetables to grilled proteins — a small-batch staple worth keeping in the fridge. Each serving lands at about 320 calories and feeds 6, so a small batch covers several meals across the week without taking over the fridge. 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

• 3 pieces dried pasilla chiles
• 3 pieces dried mulato chiles
• 2 pieces dried chipotle chiles
• 2 pieces dried ancho chiles
• 3 pieces dried guajillo chiles
• 2 pieces dried cascabel chiles
• 5 pieces dried chile de árbol
• 4 tbsp vegetable oil
• 1 medium, quartered white onion
• 5 cloves, peeled garlic cloves
• 2 medium, chopped tomato
• 50 g, chopped unsweetened dark chocolate
• 3 tbsp toasted sesame seeds
• 1 stick cinnamon stick
• 4 whole cloves
• 1 tsp black peppercorns
• 100 g, crumbled Oaxaca cheese
• 4 cups chicken broth
• 1 tsp salt

Instructions

1. Step 1: Toast 3 dried pasilla, 3 mulato, 2 chipotle, 2 ancho, 3 guajillo, 2 cascabel, and 5 chile de árbol chiles in a dry skillet over medium heat for 2 minutes per side until fragrant, being careful not to burn them.
2. Step 2: Place the toasted chiles in a bowl and cover with 2 cups hot water to soak for 20 minutes until softened.
3. Step 3: While chiles soak, heat 4 tbsp vegetable oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add 1 medium quartered white onion and 5 peeled garlic cloves, sautéing for 5 minutes until golden and fragrant.
4. Step 4: Add 2 chopped medium tomatoes to the pan and cook for another 5 minutes until the tomatoes soften and begin to caramelize.
5. Step 5: Drain the softened chiles, reserving soaking liquid, and blend them with the sautéed onion, garlic, tomatoes, 50 g chopped unsweetened dark chocolate, 3 tbsp toasted sesame seeds, 1 cinnamon stick, 4 whole cloves, 1 tsp black peppercorns, and 1 cup of the reserved soaking liquid until smooth.
6. Step 6: Pour the blended mole sauce back into the saucepan, add 4 cups chicken broth and 1 tsp salt, then bring to a gentle simmer over low heat.
7. Step 7: Cook the mole sauce, stirring occasionally, for 1 hour until thickened and the flavors meld.
8. Step 8: Serve the mole drizzled over your preferred protein or vegetables, garnished with 100 g crumbled Oaxaca cheese to add creamy, melty richness.