Mole de Olla

Mole de Olla is a rich and hearty beef brothy soup featuring bone-in beef and vegetables simmered in a flavorful chili sauce. It’s a little bit spicy, a little bit smoky, and a whole lot of delicious!

this recipe

Mole de olla is a Mexican traditional soup made of beef and vegetables simmered in an earthy broth prepared with dried red chilies. It is from central Mexico where is typically cooked in a large pot (olla, in Spanish).

The Mole de olla recipe is very similar to caldo de res, but with the addition of chili sauce which provides a robust and earthy flavor. Is traditionally served with corn dumplings called bolitas de masa or chochoyones.

The recipe is really easy to make and perfect for the coldest months of the year. It can feed a large family and also freezes wonderfully, making it one of my favorite prep meals for busy days.

Ingredients

• Beef & bones: You can use beef shank, short ribs, and chuck roast. These cuts tend to become tender and flavorful after slow cooking.
• Vegetables: Choose an assortment of fresh vegetables such as zucchini, chayote squash, carrots, potatoes, green beans, tomatoes, and corn.
• Chiles: To make the flavorful mole sauce, you’ll need chile guajillo and chile ancho, or you can also use adobo sauce if you have it on hand.
• Spices, herbs, and aromatics: You’ll need garlic, onions, bay leaves, black pepper, oregano, and epazote (fresh or dried).

Note: Traditionally, mole de olla includes xoconoxtles, an acidic fruit native to Mexico. However, they’re not easy to find (even in Mexico!), so my recommendation is to substitute them with green tomatillos or just leave them out.

How To Make Mole de Olla Recipe

Step 1. Cook the meat & bones

Rinse the meat with cold water and place it in a large pot. Add the onion, garlic, bay leaves, and a tablespoon of salt, and then cover with plenty of water (about 2 inches).

Bring to a boil and cook over medium heat for about 1 hour. Skim off any foam that rises to the surface.

Top Tip: Removing the foam helps create a clear, visually appealing broth. If you leave the foam in the broth, it can make the liquid appear cloudy.

Step 2. Make the chili sauce & mix it in

Discard the stems and seeds of ancho and guajillo chiles, then add them to a bowl and cover with hot water. Allow soaking for 10 minutes.

Drain chilies and place in a blender with tomatoes, onion, and spices (garlic, black peppercorns, bay leaf, and oregano). Add 2 cups of water and blend until you have a smooth sauce.

Place a strainer over the pot and pour in the chili sauce. Use a spoon to help the sauce go through and discard any solids left in the strainer.

Keep cooking until the meat is fork-tender. This will depend on the type of meat you use. But overall it will take another full hour to become nicely tender.

Step 3. Add the veggies & dumplings

While the meat is cooking, you can make the corn dumplings (if you want to add some) and prepare the vegetables you intend to add.

I used carrots, zucchini, green beans, corn, and potatoes. You can also add at this point some epazote sprigs or cilantro if you want.

Then add the vegetables and make sure there is still enough liquid to cook them. If necessary, add more water to the pot.

Now, about 10 minutes into cooking the vegetables, add the corn dumplings and cook for another 15 minutes.

Note: If you don’t want to add the dumplings, just cook everything until the vegetables are done.

Adjust salt to taste and turn off the heat. Serve and ¡Buen Provecho!

Recipe Notes and Tips

• The cooking time will depend on the type of meat you are using, so sometimes it is necessary to cook between two and three hours.
• You can test the meat tenderness by inserting a fork in a chunk, if you notice that there is a lot of resistance the meat still lacks cooking, on the contrary, if the fork is easily inserted, it means is ready.
• Want to make the broth spicer? Blend 2-3 arbol chilies with the other ingredients for the sauce.
• Make sure to use a large pot to make this recipe, you’ll need room for all ingredients plus you will need lots of broth to serve!

How To Serve

This amazing beef stew is comforting, delicious, and perfect to serve as a main dish because it has everything you need for a whole meal: Proteins, vegetables, and carbs.

But let me tell you how we serve it in Mexico:

• Add meat and vegetables to a large bowl.
• Ladle plenty of broth over.
• Chop some white onion, cilantro, and green chilies like serrano or jalapeño peppers and place them in bowls so everyone can garnish their plate as they want.
• Place also some lime wedges around for everyone to add a squeeze.
• Last, enjoy the stew with warm blue corn tortillas or Mexican corn dumplings (chochoyotes).

Tips For Storing & Reheating

One of the things I love most about this mole de olla recipe is that is perfect to make ahead as it tastes even better the next day when all the flavors meld together.

So, let me share with you some useful tips for storing and reheating:

• Allow everything to cool to room temperature.
• Transfer to a large container or divide into smaller containers if you prefer.
• Store in the fridge for up to 3-4 days or freeze for up to 2-3 months.
• When ready to enjoy mole de olla again, thaw it in your fridge overnight (if frozen).
• Transfer to a stockpot and reheat over medium heat. Or use the microwave in intervals of 2-3 minutes.
• When reheating, stir gently to prevent the veggies from breaking apart or becoming mushy.

More Mexican Soup Recipes

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