Doña Maria Mole | Mexican Food Recipes | Mexico in my Kitchen (2024)

Published: · Updated: by Mely Martínez

JUMP TO RECIPE

Doña María® Mole is a staple found in many Mexican kitchens, and for generations has been the easy way to fix a delicious mole in a matter of minutes.

Doña María® Mole

This post has been compensated byDoña María® Mole. The recipe and all opinions are mines alone.

Doña Maria Mole | Mexican Food Recipes | Mexico in my Kitchen (1)

This was not an exception in my house when I was growing up, and up until today, my mother still prefers to useDOÑA MARÍA® Molewhen making mole celebrate my siblings’ birthdays. Of course, she enhances the mole paste by adding some extra ingredients, which is something many home cooks do to add their own touch to this dish.

Over the years, I have received many emails from you regarding how to make a mole using ready-made mole pastes. Some people ask specifically about making mole using theDOÑA MARÍA®paste, so I was very excited when I was asked to write about it in a blog post.

Doña Maria Mole | Mexican Food Recipes | Mexico in my Kitchen (2)

As many of you know, I loveMole Poblano, and cooking it from scratch is one of my passions. Unfortunately, many people (including myself) do not always have the time to prepare such an elaborate dish, and using a pre-made mole paste is your best option for making a mole without all the hassle. I guess this is why my mother has usedDOÑA MARÍA® Moleall these years, as raising a family with 8 children leaves little time for cooking complicated dishes.

Doña Maria Mole | Mexican Food Recipes | Mexico in my Kitchen (3)

Doña María Mole is a favorite in many homes for special occasions.

WithDOÑA MARÍA® Mole, making mole is easy and accessible. The instructions only call for diluting the paste in a good chicken broth, but as I mentioned above, most people like to add their own ingredients and spices to further enhance the flavors.

Some of the ingredients people add to themoleinclude peanut butter, toasted tortillas, saltine or animal crackers, toasted bread, chipotle peppers, sugar (my mom adds this), and peanuts. These are just some of the most common additions. Some cooks will roast or fry the ingredients, but I prefer to boil them, as you will see in the recipe below.

Doña Maria Mole | Mexican Food Recipes | Mexico in my Kitchen (4)

Cooking Mole really awakens your senses, and it’s a unique experience to see all the flavors, aromas, and textures come together to create a delicious dish. I hope you enjoy this recipe as much as we like it in our home and don’t forget to play some music while you’re cooking it! If you follow me onInstagram, you know how much I like to play music in the kitchen to add rhythm to my meals.

How to make Doña María® Mole

JUMP TO FULL RECIPE WITH INGREDIENTS

NOTES:

  • If you like your Mole on the sweeter side, you can add one more quarter of the Chocolate tablet to your sauce.
  • If you don’t have tortillas, use 1 slice of toasted bread, or 4 saltine crackers.
  • DOÑA MARÍA® Moleis not a spicy sauce, but if you like to spice things up, add one chipotle pepper in adobo. Rinse it beforehand to remove the vinegar flavor, then add it to the blender with the cooked tomatoes.
  • The lid on the jar ofDOÑA MARÍA® Moleis quite easy to take off, but if you’re having trouble you can remove it using a bottle opener.

INSTRUCTIONS:

  • Place the chicken pieces in a stockpot with the garlic, onion, celery stick (cut into 2-3 pieces), and parsley (or cilantro). Cover with water.
  • Place the pot over medium-high heat, and once it comes to a boil, reduce the heat and simmer for 35-45 minutes until the chicken meat is cooked and tender. Season with salt and set aside. This chicken broth is what we will use to dilute the Mole paste.
Doña Maria Mole | Mexican Food Recipes | Mexico in my Kitchen (6)
  • While the chicken is cooking, place the tomato, onion, and garlic in a saucepan. Cover with water and turn the heat to medium-high. Once it comes to a rolling boil, reduce the heat and cook for 8 minutes or until the tomatoes are cooked.
  • Once the tomatoes are cooked, drain the water and place the tomatoes, onion, garlic, and the toasted tortilla in your blender. Process until you have a fine sauce, then set aside.
Doña Maria Mole | Mexican Food Recipes | Mexico in my Kitchen (7)
  • Place a large frying pan over low heat and add the jar ofDOÑA MARÍA® Moleand a cup of the chicken broth to start diluting the paste.
  • Add one more cup of the broth along with the tomato sauce, chocolate, ground cinnamon, and ground anise seed. Stir well until the Mole paste has completely dissolved. Add more broth as needed, since the paste will get thicker as it continues cooking.

Some people like their sauce thicker than others, regulate the amount of chicken broth used in order to achieve the thickness you like. Traditional Mole sauce has the consistency of a thick gravy.

  • Add the chicken pieces to the sauce, season with salt, and slowly simmer for about 5 more minutes.
Doña Maria Mole | Mexican Food Recipes | Mexico in my Kitchen (8)

Serve with rice and warm corn tortillas. Enjoy!

Check the recipe for theTraditional Mexican Red Rice!

Buen Provecho!

Mely,

📖 Recipe

Doña Maria Mole | Mexican Food Recipes | Mexico in my Kitchen (9)

Doña María® Mole

Mely Martínez

DOÑA MARÍA® Mole is a staple found in many Mexican kitchens, and for generations has been an easy way to fix a delicious mole in a matter of minutes.

4.91 from 98 votes

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Total Time 50 minutes mins

Course Chicken

Cuisine Mexican

Servings 8

Calories 246 kcal

Ingredients

TO COOK THE CHICKEN

  • 1 whole chicken 5 lb., cut into 8 pieces
  • 3 garlic cloves
  • ¼ white onion
  • 1 Celery stick
  • 2 Parsley or Cilantro sprigs
  • 8 cups of water
  • Salt to taste

FOR THE MOLE SAUCE

  • 5 oz. tomatoes
  • 1 white onion cut into thick slices
  • 1 small garlic clove
  • 4-5 Cups chicken broth
  • 1 toasted corn tortilla*
  • 1 jar 8.25 oz. DOÑA MARÍA® Mole
  • ½ tablet Mexican Chocolate**
  • ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • Salt to taste
  • ¼ teaspoon ground anise seed
  • 1 tablespoon toasted sesame seeds to garnish

Instructions

INSTRUCTIONS TO COOK THECHICKEN:

  • Place the chicken pieces in a stockpot with the garlic, onion, celery stick (cut into 2-3 pieces), and parsley (or cilantro). Cover with water.

  • Place the pot over medium-high heat, and once it comes to a boil, reduce the heat and simmer for 35-45 minutes until the chicken meat is cooked and tender. Season with salt and set aside. This chicken broth is what we will use to dilute the Mole paste.

TO PREPARE THE MOLE DOÑA MARÍA® MOLE SAUCE

  • While the chicken is cooking, place the tomato, onion, and garlic in a saucepan. Cover with water and turn the heat to medium-high. Once it comes to a rolling boil, reduce the heat and cook for 8 minutes or until the tomatoes are cooked.

  • Once the tomatoes are cooked, drain the water and place the tomatoes, onion, garlic, and the toasted tortilla in your blender. Process until you have a fine sauce, then set aside.

  • Place a large frying pan over low heat and add the jar of DOÑA MARÍA® Mole and a cup of the chicken broth to start diluting the paste.

  • Add one more cup of the broth along with the tomato sauce, chocolate, ground cinnamon, and ground anise seed. Stir well until the Mole paste has completely dissolved. Add more broth as needed, since the paste will get thicker as it continues cooking.

  • Some people like their sauce thicker than others, regulate the amount of chicken broth used in order to achieve the thickness you like. Traditional Mole sauce has the consistency of a thick gravy.

  • Add the chicken pieces to the sauce, season with salt, and slowly simmer for about 5 more minutes.

Serve with rice and warm corn tortillas. Enjoy!

    Notes

    • If you like your Mole on the sweeter side, you can add one more quarter of the Chocolate tablet to your sauce.
    • If you don’t have tortillas, use 1 slice of toasted bread, or 4 saltine crackers.
    • DOÑA MARÍA® Mole is not a spicy sauce, but if you like to spice things up, add one chipotle pepper in adobo. Rinse it beforehand to remove the vinegar flavor, then add it to the blender with the cooked tomatoes.
    • The lid on the jar of DOÑA MARÍA® Mole is quite easy to take off, but if you’re having trouble you can remove it using a bottle opener.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 246kcalCarbohydrates: 6gProtein: 19gFat: 16gSaturated Fat: 5gCholesterol: 72mgSodium: 518mgPotassium: 374mgFiber: 1gSugar: 2gVitamin A: 305IUVitamin C: 14.1mgCalcium: 46mgIron: 1.4mg

    Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

    Doña Maria Mole | Mexican Food Recipes | Mexico in my Kitchen (2024)

    FAQs

    How is mole used in Mexican cooking? ›

    Mole is traditionally a sauce that is made on its own and poured over poached or roasted meats rather than being the base of a stew. In other words, mole isn't the flavorful sauce in a stew but rather a stand-alone sauce.

    What are the ingredients in Dona Maria mole? ›

    Soybean Oil, Crackers (Wheat Flour, Water, Baking Soda), Chile Peppers, Sugar, Sesame Seeds, Peanuts, Wheat Bran, Iodized Salt (Contains Potassium Iodate), Contains 2% Or Less Of: Caramel Color (Sulfites), Fermented Cacao, Natural Flavor, Disodium Inosinate, Disodium Guanylate.

    Is the Mexican dish mole healthy? ›

    Mole is full of plants, meaning you'll eat a variety of vitamins and minerals while consuming the sauce. Think: iron, magnesium, calcium, zinc, and more. Mole is also super versatile, meaning it can be a nice way to make proteins and veggies more decadent and delicious to consume.

    What ingredient is often added to mole in Mexico? ›

    Ingredients that have been added into moles include nut (such as almond, peanut, pine nut), seed (such as sesame seed, squash seed), cilantro, seedless grape, plantain, garlic, onion, cinnamon, and chocolate.

    What do Mexicans eat with mole? ›

    Endless variations exist, but each mole tends to feature a common technique and presentation: ingredients are toasted separately, ground into a paste, fried, then loosened with chicken stock (usually) before being served alongside some form of protein (often), rice (sometimes) and tortillas (always).

    What meat goes with mole? ›

    Pour Mole over Chicken, Pork, or Beef

    After all, many types of mole contain fruit or chocolate.

    What is the secret ingredient in mole? ›

    But improvisation and secret ingredients, of course, give the mole life: Sweet bread or animal crackers instead of stale bread for thickening, a ripe banana instead of the plantain, the addition of corn tortillas (a secret to Diaz' mole).

    How do you store Dona Maria mole? ›

    STORAGE INFORMATION: Once open, transfer to a container and refrigerate.

    What is the most popular mole in Mexico? ›

    Mole Poblano (Red Mole)

    Mole poblano is the most popular variation of mole. This version, associated with the Puebla region, is considered the national dish of Mexico.

    What is the most unhealthy Mexican food? ›

    What Is the Unhealthiest Dish You Can Order at a Mexican Restaurant? The unhealthiest dish you can order at a Mexican restaurant is… the chimichangas. A chimichanga is essentially a deep-fried burrito. It is a Tex-Mex dish made with a large tortilla stuffed with multiple servings of rice, beans, cheese and meat.

    How long does Mexican mole last in the fridge? ›

    How do I store the cooked mole sauce and how long does it last? After cooking, you can freeze it and can keep it for up to 6 months. If you decide to store it in the fridge, it can last up to 6 days.

    Why is mole so popular in Mexico? ›

    Mole, in its current form, has many origins in Spanish technique and ingredients, but part of the reason for its popularity is located in that Father Bernardino de Sagahún, a Spanish-born priest and missionary in the early 16th century, instructed the inhabitants of the then-Aztec area where Mexico is now, to eat that ...

    What is Mexico's national dish? ›

    Mole poblano has its origin story in the 17th century and is considered to be the national dish of Mexico - a point of pride.

    How is mole cooked? ›

    In general, moles mix ingredients from five different categories: chiles (at least two different types); sour (tomatoes or tomatillos); sweet (dried fruits or sugar); spices; and thickeners (bread, nuts or seeds). Once the paste is formed, it's mixed with water or broth, and then simmered for hours until it's thick.

    Does Mexican mole have sugar? ›

    Mole has awesome ingredients

    Sugar , ground cinnamon, cloves, and coriander have even been known to appear in various recipes.

    What is the significance of mole in Mexico? ›

    Mole's case for being the national dish of Mexico rests on the syncretism between its European and indigenous ingredients, one that reflects that of the Mexican people. At its core, mole is a symbol of mestizaje, a proof of the amazing possibilities created by the mixture of Spanish and indigenous cultures.

    What does Mexican mole taste like? ›

    What Does Mole Sauce Taste Like? All mole sauces taste a bit different. Some are sweeter, others are spicier, and they have varying consistencies—but they all feature spicy, smoky, and earthy-sweet notes contributed by ingredients such as chiles, nuts, warm spices, raisins, and tomato.

    Is Mexican mole like curry? ›

    To give you a better sense of what mole is, we often compare it to curry paste. Mole has the same creamy, thick, and intense consistency as a typical curry paste and Mexico also shares climate zones with India, making both countries able to grow exotic fruits, vegetables and chilies like no other places.

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