Mole sauce is a classic Mexican sauce made from a mixture of dried chiles, spices, seeds, nuts, fruits, and sometimes chocolate. It has a very complex flavor and is often served with meat, especially chicken or turkey. Mole sauces can vary greatly depending on the specific recipe, but some common ingredients include ancho chiles, guajillo chiles, cumin, cinnamon, cloves, garlic, onion, tomatillos, sesame seeds, almonds, raisins or prunes, and unsweetened chocolate.
Many people wonder if peanut is an ingredient in traditional mole sauce. Peanuts add a nutty flavor and creamy texture to sauces, so they would seem like a natural addition. However, peanuts are not a traditional ingredient used in authentic mole sauces in Mexico. Here is a deeper look at whether peanuts are typically used in mole sauce or not.
The Origins and History of Mole Sauce
Mole sauce has its roots in the state of Puebla in central Mexico. The sauce has been made there since the 1800s and perhaps even earlier. The word “mole” comes from the Nahuatl word “mōlli” which means sauce or concoction. Different types of moles developed in different regions of Mexico depending on the chiles and ingredients available. The moles from Oaxaca and Puebla became the most famous and essential to Mexican culinary history.
In Puebla, nuns from the Santa Rosa and Santa Inés convents are credited with inventing one of the earliest forms of mole poblano in the 17th century. It was somewhat of an iteration of pipián sauce, adding more spices and chiles. The nuns likely used ingredients that were on hand from their convent gardens and pantries to create the elaborate sauce which came to be known as mole poblano.
The ingredients they used included ancho and pasilla chiles, spices like cinnamon and cloves, nuts such as almonds, peanuts, and sesame seeds, onions, garlic, plantains, tortillas, and chocolate. The earliest recipes did contain peanuts as one of the nuts used in the sauce. Peanut cultivation came to Mexico in the 1500s, so peanuts were available as an ingredient. The nuns kept their mole sauce recipe secret for many years.
Outside of the convents, other types of mole sauces developed in the Puebla region over time. Mole poblano from Puebla became a famous dish, traditionally featuring turkey or chicken smothered in a dark reddish-brown mole sauce. Puebla is still considered the mole capital of Mexico today.
Traditional Ingredients in Mole Poblano
While peanuts were likely used in some of the earliest iterations of mole poblano, most modern recipes for authentic mole poblano do not include peanuts. Over the generations, the recipes have evolved to typically use the following ingredients:
Dried Chiles
– Ancho chiles – This is the dried version of poblano peppers. They provide a rich raisin-like flavor and mild heat.
– Pasilla chiles – These chiles contribute a deep fruity flavor and medium heat.
– Mulato chiles – Adds a medium smoky heat and rich flavor.
Spices and Seeds
– Cumin
– Cinnamon
– Cloves
– Coriander
– Sesame seeds
Nuts
– Almonds
– Pecans
Vegetables
– Onions
– Garlic
– Roma tomatoes
Fruits and Vegetables
– Plantains
– Tomato
Other Ingredients
– Chicken or turkey broth
– Mexican chocolate – Tablets of pressed cocoa solids and sugar without milk solids. Adds richness without sweetness.
– Tortillas
As you can see from the typical ingredients, peanuts are not regularly used in modern traditional mole poblano, though they may be incorporated in some recipes. Almonds, sesame seeds, and pecans are more common nut choices.
Regional Differences in Mole Ingredients
Outside of Puebla, mole sauces take on the influence of local ingredients in different regions of Mexico. Here are some examples of how mole recipes can vary based on geography:
Oaxaca
The mole from Oaxaca also dates back to the 1700s and uses more ingredients native to that region. It contains less nuts but more herbs and spices like oregano, marjoram, and peppercorns. It utilizes local chiles like pasilla Oaxaqueña and gets its chocolate flavor from Oaxacan cacao.
Veracruz
Mole veracruzano contains more tomatoes and less chocolate than mole poblano. It also contains olives, capers, and jalapeños.
San Pedro Atocpan
This town near Mexico City developed its own take on mole incorporating peanuts, sesame seeds, and more ancho chiles.
So in certain towns and regions, peanuts may be a more common additive to mole. But in Puebla, the mole poblano capital, peanuts are not an integral part of the traditional recipe.
Modern Takes on Mole Ingredients
Many Mexican cooks and restaurants outside of Puebla have put their own spin on mole over the years. Some modern interpretations incorporate ingredients like peanuts, pumpkin seeds, or even coffee to put a unique stamp on the sauce. So you may find some mole sauces today contain peanuts, but that is more of a modern fusion approach, not following the traditional recipes from the sauce’s origins in Puebla.
Chefs in the U.S. and globally have also adapted mole into all types of variations using local ingredients. So peanuts may sometimes find their way into these international renditions of Mexican mole, even though they aren’t used in the traditional recipes.
Pre-Made Mole Sauce
As mole has become popular globally, many brands bottle and sell pre-made mole sauce for home cooks to use. These are often intended to replicate traditional mole poblano from Puebla. When checking the ingredients list on a jarred mole sauce, here is what to look for:
Common Ingredients
– Chiles like ancho, pasilla and mulato
– Onion, garlic
– Tomato
– Spices like cinnamon, clove, cumin
– Almonds and/or sesame seeds
– Unsweetened chocolate or cocoa powder
May Contain Peanuts
Some brands add peanuts or peanut powder to their pre-made mole sauce. This may add creaminess and a peanut flavor not found in traditional recipes. Check the label if allergies are a concern.
Peanut-Free
Many pre-made mole sauces do not contain peanuts. Again check the ingredients list to confirm if peanut allergies are a concern.
So in summary, while peanuts may sneak their way into some types of mole, in traditional mole poblano recipes from Puebla, peanuts are not used. Look for mole sauces without peanuts if you want to follow the authentic approach. But there are plenty of tasty interpretations that include peanuts if you want to try those fusion styles.
Reasons Peanuts Are Not Traditionally Used in Mole Poblano
If you’re wondering why peanuts are typically excluded from authentic mole poblano if they were likely used in some of the earliest versions, here are some explanations:
– The nuns’ original recipe evolved over generations and peanuts fell out of favor.
– Almonds and sesame seeds became preferred for the nutty flavor and creamy texture over peanuts.
– Peanuts have a strong flavor that may overpower the complex mingling of chiles, spices, and chocolate.
– Peanuts are not grown locally in the Puebla region so they are not a readily available ingredient.
– Modern traditional recipes aim to recreate mole poblano from Puebla’s heyday in the 1800s when peanuts were no longer used.
So while peanuts work nicely in some types of mole, the classic mole poblano aims to balance many flavors and peanuts may tip that balance. Chefs in Puebla have settled on more complementary nuts like almonds paired with sesame seeds in their mole over the centuries since peanuts faded from the original convent recipes.
Peanut Allergies and Mole
For those with peanut allergies, mole poblano that follows traditional recipes should generally be safe since it does not contain peanut. But as noted, some modern interpretations or pre-made sauces may incorporate peanut powder or paste. Always check ingredients labels and ask questions when dining out or purchasing prepared mole sauce. Most cooks will be able to leave out peanuts to accommodate an allergy.
In Mexico, peanuts are often incorporated more in other types of sauce rather than traditional mole:
– Pipián rojo – A reddish pumpkin seed and peanut sauce often served with poultry.
– Salsa macha – A spicy dried chile and peanut oil sauce.
– Garnachas – Fried tortillas topped with ground meat, tomatoes, onion, cheese, and chopped peanuts.
So be alert about dishes containing these types of Mexican sauces that commonly include peanuts. With classic mole poblano however, peanuts do not play a leading role.
Conclusion
While peanuts were likely used in some of mole’s earliest known recipes in Mexican convents in the 1600s, they are not an ingredient found in traditional modern mole poblano from Puebla. Authentic mole focuses on chiles, spices, seeds, nuts like almonds, and Mexican chocolate. So peanuts do not commonly provide flavor or texture to mole poblano today, though they may be included in some regional or modern interpretations. For those with peanut allergy, it is easy to avoid peanuts in mole by following traditional recipes from Puebla, the culinary home of this classic sauce.