How to Store Mole and How Long It Lasts: Sauce, Paste, Dehydrated and Frozen
By the Halietza family · Updated October 19, 2026 · 5 min read
Mole is one of the most forgiving sauces in the kitchen. It keeps, it freezes, and it is often better on day two. The questions we get are about the details: how long a pot of sauce lasts in the fridge, whether an opened jar of paste needs to be refrigerated, and what to do with an opened pouch of dehydrated mole. Here is what our family does.
The quick answer
| Form of mole | Pantry | Fridge | Freezer |
|---|---|---|---|
| Prepared mole sauce | No | 4 to 5 days | Up to 3 months |
| Cooked chicken or turkey in mole | No | 3 to 4 days | Up to 3 months |
| Jarred mole paste, unopened | Until the date on the jar | Not needed | Not needed |
| Jarred mole paste, opened | No | Several months, covered | Yes, in portions |
| Dehydrated mole, sealed | Over a year | Not needed | Not needed |
| Dehydrated mole, opened | A few months, sealed tight | In humid climates | Not needed |
Prepared mole sauce
Let the sauce cool, then store it in a covered container in the fridge for 4 to 5 days. It will set up thick, almost like a paste, because the nuts, seeds and plantain thicken as they chill. That is normal. Reheat it in a saucepan over low heat with a splash of warm chicken broth, whisking, until it loosens and turns glossy again. Do not boil it hard, which can make it separate and taste bitter.
Freezing mole
Mole freezes beautifully, and this is the trick our family uses most. Cool the sauce, pour it into an ice cube tray or a muffin tin, freeze until solid, then pop the blocks into a freezer bag. Each cube is about 2 tablespoons, so four or five cubes with a splash of broth is a serving. Thaw in the fridge overnight or straight in a saucepan over low heat. Use within 3 months for the best flavor. Chicken or turkey already in the sauce freezes the same way in a container, with extra sauce on top to protect the meat.
Jarred mole paste
Unopened, a jar of paste keeps in the pantry until the date on the lid. Once opened, cover it and keep it in the fridge, where it lasts several months because it is mostly oil, sugar and ground chiles. A thin layer of oil on the surface is normal. If it smells sour, shows mold, or the oil has gone rancid and smells like old nuts, throw it out.
Dehydrated mole
This is the form we make, and it is the easiest of all to store, because there is no water in it. Sealed, a pouch keeps in a cool, dark cupboard for over a year. Once opened, press the air out, seal the pouch or move the mole to an airtight jar, and keep it away from heat and humidity. We use an opened pouch within a few months. In a humid climate, or in a kitchen that runs hot, the fridge is a fine place for an opened pouch. Only make as much sauce as you need: 3 to 4 tablespoons into ½ to 1 cup of warm broth per serving, as in How to make mole from dehydrated mole.
Reheating without losing the shine
- Put the cold mole in a saucepan over low heat.
- Add a splash of warm chicken broth, 2 to 3 tablespoons per cup of sauce.
- Whisk as it warms. It will go from stiff to smooth to glossy in about 5 minutes.
- Taste. If it has lost a little brightness, a pinch of salt and a few toasted sesame seeds on the plate bring it back.
How to tell mole has gone bad
- Prepared sauce: a sour smell, fizzing, or any mold. A thick, set texture after chilling is normal and not a sign of spoilage.
- Paste: mold, a sour or rancid smell, or oil that smells stale.
- Dehydrated mole: clumping from moisture, an off or musty smell, or any sign of damp in the pouch. Dry and fragrant means it is fine.
What to do with the last cup
Leftover mole is a reason to cook, not a problem. A cup of sauce makes chilaquiles with mole for two, a plate of enmoladas, or a spoon over fried eggs. The full list of ideas is in What to eat with mole.
Questions we hear a lot
- How long does mole last in the fridge?
- Prepared mole sauce keeps 4 to 5 days in a covered container. Chicken or turkey already in the sauce keeps 3 to 4 days. It will thicken as it chills; reheat gently with a splash of broth.
- Can you freeze mole?
- Yes. Freeze the cooled sauce in an ice cube tray, then bag the cubes. Use within 3 months and reheat over low heat with a little warm broth.
- Does mole paste need to be refrigerated after opening?
- Yes. Cover the jar and keep it in the fridge, where it lasts several months. Unopened jars keep in the pantry until the date on the lid.
- How long does dehydrated mole last?
- Sealed, over a year in a cool, dark cupboard. Opened, a few months with the air pressed out and the pouch sealed tight, or in the fridge in a humid climate.
- Why did my mole get thick in the fridge?
- The nuts, seeds and plantain in mole set as they chill, the way a gravy does. Warm it slowly with a splash of chicken broth and whisk, and it turns smooth and glossy again.
From our kitchen
Moles mentioned in this guide
Cooked in small batches in Oaxaca and sun dried the old fashioned way. Stir into warm chicken broth and dinner is ready in minutes.