What to Eat With Mole: 12 Dishes and Sides From Our Oaxacan Kitchen

The short answer: mole is served over chicken or turkey, with white rice, warm corn tortillas and black beans on the side, and sliced white onion, radishes and toasted sesame seeds on top. Beyond that plate, it goes on enchiladas, eggs, tamales, pork, roasted vegetables and tortilla chips. The twelve ideas below are the ones our family actually cooks.

The classics

1. Chicken in mole

The dish everyone pictures. Poach chicken thighs or legs in salted water with onion and garlic, then spoon warm mole over them. Use the poaching liquid as the broth for the mole and nothing goes to waste. Any mole works, and Mole Negro and Mole Rojo are the traditional picks. The step by step is in Easy chicken mole.

2. Turkey in mole negro

Guajolote en mole negro is the Oaxacan wedding and Día de Muertos plate. It is also the best thing that can happen to Thanksgiving leftovers: warm sliced turkey in mole negro and serve with rice. We wrote the whole holiday plan in Turkey in mole negro.

3. Enmoladas (mole enchiladas)

Warm corn tortillas, dip them in mole, fill with shredded chicken or crumbled queso fresco, roll, and spoon more mole on top. Finish with sesame seeds, onion and a little crema. Mole Coloradito is the classic for this, and rojo is a close second. The recipe is in Mole enchiladas.

Breakfast and brunch

4. Eggs in mole

Fry or scramble eggs and spoon warm coloradito or rojo over them, with tortillas on the side. This is a real Oaxacan breakfast and a very good use of leftover sauce.

5. Mole chilaquiles

Swap the usual salsa for thinned mole. Toss fried tortilla chips in warm mole until just softened, then top with a fried egg, crumbled cheese and onion. The full recipe is in Chilaquiles with mole negro.

Beyond chicken

6. Pork in mole verde

Simmer pork shoulder until tender, then finish it in Mole Verde. The bright pepita and tomatillo flavor cuts through the richness of the pork.

7. Tamales

Oaxacan tamales are often filled with chicken and mole, wrapped in banana leaves. Mole Amarillo and mole negro are the two you will find most. Mole also makes a great sauce spooned over store bought tamales.

8. Empanadas de amarillo

A market favorite in Oaxaca: a large corn tortilla folded over chicken and mole amarillo, then griddled until the edges crisp. At home, use fresh masa or thick tortillas and a dry skillet.

9. Roasted vegetables

Roast cauliflower, sweet potato, squash or mushrooms until browned, then toss with warm mole. Verde and amarillo keep it light, negro makes it feel like a main course.

10. Steak or grilled meat

Tasajo, the thin grilled beef of Oaxaca, is often served next to mole. At home, a sliced grilled steak with a spoon of coloradito does the same job.

Sides for mole: what belongs next to it

11. Rice, tortillas and beans

Plain white rice or rice cooked with a little onion is the standard side for mole, because it soaks up the sauce. Warm corn tortillas are not optional. A bowl of black beans rounds out the plate. In Oaxaca you will also see a few slices of avocado and a wedge of lime.

12. Something fresh

Mole is rich, so put something bright beside it: sliced white onion, radishes, a squeeze of lime, pickled red onion, or a simple salad. Toasted sesame seeds on top of the mole are traditional and worth the thirty seconds.

Which mole with which dish

Not sure which to keep in the pantry? The 5-Flavor Bundle has one pouch of each. And if you are new to making the sauce, the ratios are in How to make mole from dehydrated mole.