Salsa Macha Mole
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This recipe for salsa macha mole is spicy, smoky, nutty, and bold. This unique sauce is a fusion of classic salsa macha with the tradition of mole sauce. Together they make a boldly flavorful and versatile condiment.
My salsa macha mole recipe is a total flavor bomb and takes my salsa macha recipe to a next level. This vibrant condiment features sweet fried garlic cloves, fiery hot chile peppers, and a menagerie of different nuts and seeds. This incredible mole sauce is smooth and velvety with just a hint of nutty crunchiness. One bite of this satiny Mexican masterpiece and you are sure to be hooked!
The ingredients are simple and commonplace, and yet, I’m willing to bet you have never put them together quite like this. Don’t be intimidated though. Despite the numerous steps, salsa macha mole can be made in just about 30 minutes.
For more delicious sauce recipes, check out my Apricot Chipotle Sauce, Enchilada Sauce, and this Creamy Jalapeno Sauce.
Table of Contents
- Garlic Cloves – Frying the garlic reduces the sharp pungency and replaces it with a sweet, nutty zestiness.
- Chiles – Guajillo and chiles de arbol offer a spectrum of smoky, nutty, and fruity heat. Feel free to use other chiles instead, just be mindful of the differences in flavor and heat.
- Nuts and Seeds – A blend of peanuts, pepitas, almonds, and sesame seeds brings us a tapestry of toasty, nutty flavors and earthy richness. You can adjust the ratios to use more or less of any if needed.
- Corn Tortillas – Add a sweet earthy flavor while thickening the sauce.
- Oil – Choose a neutral-tasting oil with a high smoke point like avocado, olive, canola, or regular vegetable oil.
- Chicken Macha Mole (Optional) – If you want to make this version, you’ll need 2.5 lbs of bone-in dark meat chicken, salt, pepper, olive oil, and sesame seeds.
- Fry the Garlic. Place a deep skillet over heat with ½ cup of vegetable oil. Add the garlic and fry for several minutes until it turns golden. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate and set aside.
- Toast Nuts & Seeds. Place a separate, dry skillet over heat. Toss in the peanuts, pepitas, and almonds and dry toast for about 2 minutes. Add the sesame seeds and toast for an additional minute.
- Fry the Tortillas. Moving back to the skillet you cooked the garlic in, fry the corn tortillas on both sides until crispy and set aside.
- Fry the Chiles. Reduce the heat to low, add in all of the chiles, and fry for about 2 minutes, stirring constantly until the chiles are slightly dark red. Take care to not let them burn or you will end up with a bitter mole.
- Puree Nuts & Seeds. Combine the toasted nuts and seeds with 4 cups of water in a blender and puree until smooth.
- Add Other Ingredients. Add the vinegar, chiles, tortillas, garlic, and salt to the blender. Puree the mixture, carefully adding in the remaining ¼ cup of oil while blending. Check the consistency and add more water if needed.
- Make Chicken Macha Mole (Optional). Season the chicken pieces generously with salt and pepper. Heat a tablespoon of olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Place the chicken in the heated oil, skin side down, and cook for 8-10 minutes without moving. Once the chicken is brown and crisp, flip the pieces, reduce the heat to medium-low, and cook for another 12-15 minutes. You want the chicken to be thoroughly cooked with an internal temperature of 165 degrees F.
- Add Sauce & Serve. Warm the salsa macha mole in a saucepan over medium heat. Transfer the fried chicken to a platter and cover in the mole sauce.
Serve for a Celebration
This salsa macha mole recipe is great to make for Mexican Independence Day, Cinco de Mayo, or the Day of the Dead!
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You are going to love the versatility of this mole sauce! I’ve included a chicken macha mole recipe in this post for convenience, but here are a few more great ways to use your salsa macha mole:
– Enjoy with Grilled Pork, Flank Steak, or any other grilled meats.
– Drizzle over your favorite Enchiladas, Tacos, or Burritos.
– Add some to Mexican Red Rice, Green Rice, or rice dish of your choice.
– Perk up breakfast by adding a bit to your Huevos Rancheros or scrambled eggs.
My version has the fried garlic cloves, chile peppers, and peanuts of a traditional salsa macha mole recipe, along with a few other ingredients to transform it into a mole sauce.
The salsa macha base is enriched and thickened with the addition of toasted pepitas, almonds, sesame seeds, and corn tortillas. The whole mix gets pureed along with a bit more vegetable oil and a splash of vinegar and salt.
The earliest versions of salsa macha come from the indigenous Totonac people who lived in the Mexican state of Veracruz. They crafted a paste called molcajete, made from finely grinding dried chiles, sesame seeds, and salt together. Over the years, as different cultures came to the region, other ingredients like oil and garlic were added.
Mole is derived from the indigenous Nahuatl word molli, meaning sauce or concoction. This class of sauces first became most popular throughout the Oaxaca and Puebla regions of Mexico.
This salsa macha mole recipe is a blending of these two rich culinary traditions.
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Salsa Macha Mole
Ingredients
- 6 ounces cloves garlic
- 3/4 cup vegetable oil divided
- 1/2 cup peanuts
- 1/2 cup pepitas (shelled pumpkin seeds)
- 1/4 cup almonds skinless, slivered
- 1/3 cup sesame seeds
- 2 corn tortillas
- 6 guajillo chiles break into pieces, remove seeds
- 1 cup chiles de arbol
- 1 tsp kosher salt
- 1/4 cup white vinegar
OPTIONAL Chicken Macha Mole
- 1.5 lbs chicken thighs (4 bone-in, skin-on)
- 1 lb chicken drumsticks (4 bone-in, skin-on)
- 2 tsp kosher salt
- 1/2 tsp ground black pepper
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tbsp toasted sesame seeds
Instructions
- In a deep skillet, fry garlic several minutes until golden in 1/2 cup vegetable oil.
- Dry toast peanuts, pepitas, almonds in another skillet for 2 minutes then add sesame seeds and toast another minute.
- Set fried garlic aside on paper towels to drain. Fry corn tortillas until crispy on both sides in same skillet. Set aside.
- Next fry all of the chiles 2 minutes on low until slightly dark red. Stir constantly. Do not burn or mole will be bitter.
- In a blender puree toasted nuts, seeds and 4 cups of water.
- Add vinegar, chilies, tortillas, garlic and salt. Pour in remaining 1/4 cup vegetable oil while blending until pureed. Add more water if needed to achieve desired consistency.
OPTIONAL for Chicken Macha Mole
- Season chicken with kosher salt and black pepper. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat, then add 1 tablespoon olive oil. Add the chicken skin-side down and cook, without moving, 8 to 10 minutes. Chicken should be browned and crisp. Turn chicken and reduce the heat to medium-low. Cook until the chicken is cooked through (165°F), about 12-15 minutes.
- Heat Macha Mole Sauce in saucepan over medium heat.
- Transfer chicken to plates or platter and cover with the mole sauce. Garnish with toasted sesame seeds and serve.
Notes
- Nutrition information is for Macha Mole Sauce only.
- Storage: Cool leftover mole sauce completely then refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 5 days or freeze for up to 1 month.
Nutrition
The information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
Oh my I found a new mole that my husband LOVES! What a wonderful, nuanced sauce. Thanks Kevin it’s a keeper.
Yeah! So happy you and your husband enjoyed this one Natalie. 🙂