Quick Mole Rojo Sauce Recipe
How to make Quick & Easy Mole Rojo Sauce (aka Red Mole) with amazing flavor in under 20 minutes! Use this with meat, tofu, beans, or as a flavorful sauce for enchiladas, burritos, taco meat, or taquitos!
How to Make the Best Quick Mole Rojo Sauce
Mole sauce is one of the crown jewels of Mexican cuisine, but traditional versions can take hours to prepare with dozens of ingredients. This quick mole rojo captures the essence of authentic red mole in just 20 minutes—rich, complex, and deeply satisfying with its signature blend of chilies, chocolate, and warm spices.
The secret to this speedy version lies in the blender. By combining tomato sauce with chipotle peppers, aromatic spices, and garlic, you create a smooth, velvety base that simmers into something truly special. The finishing touches of tahini (or nut butter) and dark chocolate add that unmistakable mole richness without any of the fuss.
This versatile sauce is perfect for smothering enchiladas, braising chicken thighs, or spooning over black beans and rice. It’s also wonderful as a taco filling base or drizzled over roasted vegetables. Make a batch on the weekend and you’ll have a flavor-packed sauce ready to elevate weeknight meals all week long.
Quick Mole Rojo Sauce
How to make Quick & Easy Mole Rojo Sauce (aka Red Mole) with amazing flavor in under 20 minutes! Use this with meat, tofu, beans, or as a flavorful sauce for enchiladas, burritos, taco meat, or taquitos!
Ingredients
Base Sauce
Spices
Finishing
Instructions
Make the Mole
- Place all the ingredients (EXCEPT the chocolate, tahini paste and sesame seeds) in a blender. Blend until very smooth.
- Place this blended mole sauce in a medium pot, bring it to a simmer over medium heat, and cover (it will splatter!). Lower heat to medium-low, and simmer 10 minutes.
- Stir in tahini sauce and chocolate until melted and combined.
- Taste and adjust salt and sweetness. Add 1-3 teaspoons of agave or maple syrup if necessary (some chocolate is sweeter than others), or add more chipotle for heat, a splash more soy sauce for depth (or salt, or a bouillon cube!). Make sure you can taste a hint of cinnamon; if not add a little more. You want a nice balance between salt, sweet, spicy, with depth.
- To loosen the sauce, add more stock or water until desired consistency.
- Use with chicken, enchiladas, beans, and sprinkle with sesame seeds if desired.
Notes
- Adjust the number of chipotle chilies based on your heat preference—1 for mild, 2 for medium, 3 for spicy.
- The sauce can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to one week.
- For a nut-free version, use tahini paste instead of peanut or almond butter.
