Turkey in Mole Negro: The Oaxacan Way to Serve Thanksgiving Turkey, and the Leftovers
By the Halietza family · Updated October 19, 2026 · 6 min read
Long before there was a Thanksgiving, there was turkey in mole. The bird is native to Mexico, and in Oaxaca guajolote en mole negro is what families cook for weddings, for Día de Muertos and for any day that deserves the good tablecloth. It is also, in our house, the best thing that ever happened to Thanksgiving leftovers. Here is how to do both.
Why turkey and mole negro belong together
Mole negro is the darkest, richest mole of Oaxaca, built on chiles, sesame, almonds, plantain and chocolate. Turkey is a lean, mild meat that can take a sauce with that much going on. Put them together and the turkey stops being dry and the mole has something to cling to. In Oaxaca, the plate is simple: a piece of turkey under a generous ladle of mole negro, white rice, warm tortillas and toasted sesame seeds on top. You can read more about the sauce in The seven moles of Oaxaca.
Two ways to do it
On the day: roast turkey with mole negro at the table
Roast your turkey the way you always do. Make a pot of mole negro and serve it in a pitcher or a wide bowl beside the gravy, so each person can ladle it over sliced turkey. This is the lowest risk way to put mole on a Thanksgiving table, because the people who want gravy still get gravy. In our experience the mole runs out first.
The day after: turkey mole with the leftovers
This is the Oaxacan plate, and it is the recipe below. Sliced or shredded leftover turkey is warmed in a pot of mole negro until it has soaked up the sauce, then served over rice with tortillas. Dark meat is best, but sliced breast works too, and the mole fixes any dryness.
How much mole for a whole turkey
| Serving | Dehydrated mole | Warm broth | Makes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Per person | 3 to 4 tablespoons | ½ to 1 cup | 1 plate |
| Side bowl for 8 to 10, next to gravy | One 8 oz pouch | 3 cups | About 3 cups of sauce |
| Mole as the main sauce for 10 to 12 | One 16 oz pouch (or two 8 oz) | 6 cups | About 6 cups of sauce |
| Leftover turkey mole for 4 | One 8 oz pouch | 3 cups | 4 plates |
Use turkey stock if you have it. The drippings and the carcass make the best broth for mole negro you will ever taste. Otherwise, low sodium chicken broth is the standard in Oaxaca.
Ingredients for leftover turkey mole
- 4 cups cooked turkey, sliced or shredded, dark meat if you have it
- 1 pouch (8 oz) Halietza dehydrated Mole Negro
- 3 cups warm turkey stock or low sodium chicken broth, plus ½ cup for thinning
- 1½ cups long grain white rice, cooked
- ¼ white onion, thinly sliced
- 1 tablespoon toasted sesame seeds
- Warm corn tortillas, for serving
Serves 4. About 10 minutes of work, 25 minutes start to finish.
How to make it
- Warm the 3 cups of stock in a wide pot until it steams. Whisk in the mole negro for 60 to 90 seconds until it dissolves, then simmer 2 to 3 minutes until the sauce is glossy and coats a spoon.
- Add the turkey, turn it in the sauce until every piece is coated, and lower the heat as far as it will go.
- Cover and leave it for 10 minutes so the turkey heats through and takes on the sauce. If it looks thick, whisk in a splash of the extra stock.
- Serve over rice with more mole spooned on top, the sliced onion and sesame seeds, and warm tortillas on the side.
A Thanksgiving table that fits
Mole negro gets along with the usual sides better than you would expect. Mashed potatoes soak it up like rice does. Cornbread stands in for tortillas. Cranberry sauce is sweet and sharp next to the smoky mole, the way pickled onion is in Oaxaca. If you want to lean into it, add a pot of white rice, a stack of warm corn tortillas, black beans and a plate of sliced onion and radish. More pairings are in What to eat with mole.
Día de Muertos
On November 1 and 2, families in Oaxaca cook mole negro for the people they are remembering as much as for the people at the table. A plate goes on the ofrenda beside the bread, the fruit and the photographs, and the rest is eaten together. If you keep an ofrenda, a small bowl of mole negro over turkey or chicken is one of the most traditional things you can set on it.
Which mole if you cannot find negro
Mole Negro is the traditional one, and it is the one we would choose for turkey every time. Mole Coloradito is the gentler, redder option if you are feeding people who are new to mole, and Mole Rojo is the brighter classic. A 16 oz pouch of any of them covers a holiday table.
Questions we hear a lot
- How much mole do I need for a whole turkey?
- For mole as the main sauce for 10 to 12 people, one 16 oz pouch of dehydrated mole whisked into 6 cups of warm broth makes about 6 cups of sauce. For a side bowl next to the gravy, one 8 oz pouch into 3 cups is plenty.
- Do I cook the turkey in the mole, or pour it over?
- Either. In Oaxaca the turkey is poached and then finished in the sauce. For Thanksgiving, roast the turkey as usual and serve mole negro at the table, or warm the sliced leftovers in the sauce the next day.
- Does mole go with Thanksgiving sides?
- Yes. Mashed potatoes soak it up like rice, cornbread works like tortillas, and cranberry sauce is sharp and sweet against the smoky mole. Rice, tortillas and black beans make it a full Oaxacan plate.
- Can I freeze turkey mole?
- Yes. Cool it, pack the turkey and sauce together in a container with a little extra sauce on top, and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw in the fridge and reheat gently with a splash of broth.
- Is turkey mole traditional for Día de Muertos?
- Yes. In Oaxaca, guajolote or chicken in mole negro is the classic Día de Muertos dish, cooked for the family and set on the ofrenda for the people being remembered.
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.