Mole Verde
Green Pumpkin-Seed Mole
Oaxaca's grassy mole verde blends toasted pumpkin seeds with a raw purée of tomatillos, serranos, cilantro, parsley, and romaine, simmered gently so the color stays vivid and the seed oils don't split.
Mole Verde
✦ Antes de Empezar
Before you cook
What can I use instead of radish leaves?
The recipe already builds in a substitute — use spinach in the same quantity if radish leaves aren't available; both add body without overpowering the herbs.
Ingredientes· 9View
Nutty Base
- 1.5 cupsRaw Pumpkin Seeds (Pepitas)unhulled, toasted
Green Purée
- 1 lbTomatillosraw, husked
- 3Serrano Chilesraw, stems removed
- 1/2 onion + 4 cloves garlicWhite Onion & Garlic
- 1/2 cup eachFresh Cilantro & Parsley
- 2 sprigs epazote + 2 leaves hoja santaFresh Epazote & Hoja Santafor traditional herb aroma
Finish
- 5 cupsChicken Broth
- 2 tbspLard or Vegetable Oil
- to tasteSalt
Instrucciones
6 pasosTuesta las semillas
Toast the seeds
Toast the pumpkin seeds gently until they puff and smell nutty, taking care not to brown them deeply. Blend with 2 cups broth until creamy.
Licúa lo verde
Blend the greens
Separately blend the tomatillos, serranos, cilantro, parsley, lettuce, radish leaves or spinach, onion, and garlic.
Fríe la pasta
Fry the paste
Fry the pumpkin-seed paste in lard for 8 minutes, stirring constantly.
Añade el puré verde
Add the green purée
Add the green purée and cook over medium-low heat for 8 minutes.
Cocina a fuego lento
Simmer gently
Add the remaining broth and simmer gently 15 minutes. Avoid a violent boil, which dulls the green color and can separate the seed oils.
Añade la carne
Add the meat
Add the meat, heat through, and adjust salt.
Authentic Culinary Gear for this Recipe
Heritage Mexican cooking relies on dedicated craft tools to develop authentic blisters, toasts, and emulsified textures.
Heavy-Duty Vitamix / Blender
Essential for pulverizing toasted chiles, seeds, raisins, and Mexican chocolate into velvet mole.
Cast Iron Tortilla Press (8")
Heavy calibrated leverage to press fresh heirloom masa dough into thin, supple rounds with zero sticking.
Heirloom Masa & Dried Chiles
Single-origin Mexican dried chiles (Ancho, Guajillo, Pasilla) and heirloom nixtamalized corn masa.
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