The Seven Moles of Oaxaca: Negro, Rojo, Coloradito, Amarillo, Verde and More
By the Halietza family · Updated October 10, 2026 · 7 min read
Oaxaca is called the land of the seven moles, and once you taste a few of them you understand why one word covers so much ground. Each mole has its own chiles, its own color and its own place at the table. Here is how our family tells them apart, and which one to try first.
What all Oaxacan moles have in common
A mole is a thick sauce built on dried chiles. Everything else varies: some moles add cacao, some add nuts and seeds, some lean on fresh herbs and tomatillo. Every one of them starts with chiles that are toasted, soaked and ground, then cooked slowly until the flavors come together. In Oaxaca the grinding was done on a stone metate, and the flavor of a good mole still comes from that patience.
Our moles are family made in Oaxaca. Our mom, Elisa Beristain, is from there, and she found them on a trip back to visit her family. They are sun dried the old fashioned way so they keep in the pantry for over a year, and you bring them back with warm chicken broth in a few minutes. You can read more about how that works in How to make mole from dehydrated mole.
Mole Negro: the celebration mole
Mole negro is the darkest and most complex of the seven. In Oaxaca it often gets its color from chilhuacle negro chiles, a variety grown almost nowhere else, along with charred chile seeds and cacao. Ours is built on black ancho chiles with sesame, almonds, plantain, chocolate and cacao, fifteen ingredients in all, and comes out dark and rich, a little sweet from the chocolate, with a slow, nutty heat.
In Oaxaca this is the mole for weddings, baptisms and Día de Muertos. It is traditionally served over turkey or chicken with rice and warm tortillas. See our Mole Negro.
Mole Rojo: the classic
If someone has never tried mole, we hand them mole rojo. Ours is built on red ancho chiles with almonds, sesame, plantain, a little chocolate and warm spices, cooked down into a deep red sauce that is rich without feeling heavy. It has a touch of sweetness and a gentle warmth that most people love on the first spoonful. Torn between this one and negro? See Mole negro vs mole rojo.
Mole rojo is wonderful over chicken and is the mole we reach for when we roll enchiladas. See our Mole Rojo.
Mole Coloradito: the everyday red
Coloradito means "a little red," and that brick red color is how you spot it. Guajillo chiles, chocolate, almonds and sesame give it a smoky sweetness that goes with almost anything. In Oaxacan homes this is the weekday mole, the one that ends up on chicken with rice on a Tuesday, in enchiladas on the weekend, and over fried eggs the next morning.
If you want one mole that does everything, start here. See our Mole Coloradito.
Mole Amarillo: golden and herbal
Mole amarillo is the one that surprises people, because it has no chocolate at all. In Oaxaca it is usually built on chilhuacle amarillo or costeño chiles, finished with hoja santa and thickened with a little corn masa. Ours gets its golden orange color from pasilla chiles and achiote, its anise note from hierba santa (hoja santa), and it is thickened with corn starch, so it is the one mole we make with no bread, nuts or seeds. It tastes brighter and more savory than the dark moles.
Amarillo is a stew mole. It goes with chicken and vegetables, inside tamales, and in the famous empanadas de amarillo sold in Oaxacan markets. See our Mole Amarillo.
Mole Verde: the fresh one
Mole verde is made with toasted pepitas (pumpkin seeds), tomatillo and green herbs like hoja santa, cilantro and parsley, so it tastes bright and green instead of dark and smoky. In Oaxaca you will also hear it called pipián verde because of the pumpkin seeds. It is the lightest of the seven.
Verde is a natural match for pork and chicken, and it is the mole we toss with roasted vegetables. See our Mole Verde.
Chichilo and Manchamanteles: the two you rarely see
Chichilo is smoky and dark, made with chilhuacle negro, charred tortillas and chile seeds, and usually cooked with beef. It is the hardest of the seven to find, even in Oaxaca. Manchamanteles means "tablecloth stainer." It is a fruity red mole with pineapple and plantain cooked into an ancho chile base, and it is sweeter than any of the others. We do not make these two yet, but if you visit Oaxaca, order them.
Side by side
| Mole | Color | Key ingredients | Tastes | Serve with |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Negro | Nearly black | Black ancho, chocolate, cacao, almonds, sesame | Deep, a little sweet, slow heat | Turkey, chicken, celebrations |
| Rojo | Deep red | Red ancho, almonds, sesame, chocolate | Rich, warm, gently sweet | Chicken, enchiladas |
| Coloradito | Brick red | Guajillo, chocolate, almonds, sesame | Smoky sweet, balanced | Chicken, enchiladas, eggs |
| Amarillo | Golden | Pasilla, achiote, hierba santa | Bright, savory, clean heat | Stews, tamales, empanadas |
| Verde | Green | Pepitas, tomatillo, herbs | Fresh, herbal, light | Pork, chicken, vegetables |
| Chichilo | Dark brown | Charred chiles and tortilla | Smoky, savory | Beef |
| Manchamanteles | Red orange | Ancho, pineapple, plantain | Fruity, sweet | Pork, chicken |
Which mole should you try first?
- Never had mole: start with Mole Rojo. It is the most approachable.
- Want the famous one: Mole Negro is the mole Oaxaca is known for.
- Cook on weeknights: Mole Coloradito goes with the most things.
- Prefer lighter, brighter food: Mole Verde or Mole Amarillo.
- Cannot decide: the 5-Flavor Bundle has one pouch of each so your family can pick its favorite.
Questions we hear a lot
- Which Oaxacan mole is the spiciest?
- None of the seven moles is very hot. Mole amarillo has the cleanest, most noticeable heat because it does not have chocolate or much sweetness to soften it. Mole negro, rojo and coloradito are warm rather than spicy.
- Which moles have chocolate in them?
- Mole negro, mole rojo and mole coloradito include chocolate, and negro and rojo have cacao as well. Mole amarillo, mole verde and chichilo do not. The chocolate in mole is a background note for depth and bitterness, so mole does not taste like a dessert.
- What is the difference between mole negro and mole rojo?
- Mole negro is darker, more complex and slightly sweeter. Ours gets its color from black ancho chiles, chocolate and cacao. Mole rojo is built on red ancho chiles and tastes brighter and simpler. Negro is the celebration mole; rojo is the everyday classic.
- Is mole verde the same as pipián?
- In Oaxaca the names overlap. Pipián refers to a sauce thickened with ground pumpkin seeds, and Oaxacan mole verde is made that way, so it is often called pipián verde. Our Mole Verde is this style.
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.