Slow-Simmered Seven Mole Sauce with Oaxaca Cheese Tamales

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

A rich and complex mole sauce featuring traditional Oaxacan flavors, served with soft tamales stuffed with creamy Oaxaca cheese. This mexican ready in about 180 minutes blends dried ancho chilies, dried pasilla chilies, dried mulato chilies 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 480 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

• 4 pieces dried ancho chilies
• 3 pieces dried pasilla chilies
• 3 pieces dried mulato chilies
• 4 pieces dried guajillo chilies
• 4 cups chicken broth
• 1 cup shredded Oaxaca cheese
• 12 pieces corn husks
• 3 cups masa harina
• 1 cup lard
• 1 medium, chopped white onion
• 4 cloves minced garlic cloves
• 2 medium, roasted and chopped tomato
• 1 oz chopped unsweetened chocolate
• 1 stick cinnamon stick
• 4 whole cloves
• 2 tbsp toasted sesame seeds
• 2 tbsp canola oil
• to taste salt
• 2 cups water

Instructions

1. Step 1: Toast 4 dried ancho chilies, 3 dried pasilla chilies, 3 dried mulato chilies, and 4 dried guajillo chilies in a dry skillet over medium heat for 2 minutes until fragrant but not burnt; then soak them in 2 cups of hot water for 20 minutes until softened.
2. Step 2: While chilies soak, heat 2 tbsp canola oil in a large pan over medium heat; add 1 medium chopped white onion and 4 minced garlic cloves, sautéing for 5 minutes until translucent and fragrant.
3. Step 3: Add 2 roasted and chopped tomatoes, 1 oz chopped unsweetened chocolate, 1 cinnamon stick, 4 whole cloves, and 2 tbsp toasted sesame seeds to the pan, stirring for 3 minutes until the mixture darkens and smells toasty.
4. Step 4: Drain chilies (reserve soaking liquid) and blend with the sautéed mixture and 4 cups chicken broth until smooth; strain the sauce through a fine sieve back into the pan.
5. Step 5: Simmer the mole sauce gently over low heat for 1.5 hours, stirring occasionally, until thickened and flavors meld; season with salt to taste.
6. Step 6: For tamales, soak 12 corn husks in warm water for 30 minutes to soften.
7. Step 7: In a large bowl, beat 3 cups masa harina with 1 cup lard and 1.5 cups water until light and fluffy; spread a thin layer of masa on each husk, place 2 tbsp shredded Oaxaca cheese in the center, fold husks, and tie if needed.
8. Step 8: Steam tamales upright in a tamalera or large pot with a steamer basket for 90 minutes over medium heat until masa is firm.
9. Step 9: Serve tamales hot with generous ladles of mole sauce on top, garnished with extra toasted sesame seeds if desired.