Holy mole! The very best Mexican mole can be found in Oaxaca City. And after spending a month in this authentic city, we can safely say that we ate all variants and on all sorts of dishes. Mole is delicious!
Before visiting Mexico we had never heard of Mexican mole (the right pronunciation is mo-lay). but after eating our way through Oaxaca for a whole month, we truly understand what the fuss is about. We fell in love with mole. Spoiler alert... we fell especially in love with the mole negro!
A brief history of Mexican mole
Mexican cuisine is quite unique because it's a mix of the Spanish, Mayan, and Aztec cuisines. UNESCO put the classic traditional Mexican cuisine on the World Heritage List in 2010. And one of the most traditional dishes from this cuisine is mole, a rich sauce that covers dishes like meat or enchiladas. The name mole comes from the Nahuatl word for sauce, mōlli.
The origins of mole remain a mystery, as the first written recipes for mole did not emerge until after the War of Independence in 1810, but it probably originated in the Mexican states of Puebla or Oaxaca.
Would you also want to eat mole in Oaxaca? Great! Book your flight to Mexico here and your hotel room here!
What's mole sauce made of?
We ate mole in Oaxaca for the first time and fell in love with this amazing unique rich flavorful sauce/marinade. There are 7 types of moles: colorado, mole negro, mancha manteles, verde, amarillo, chichilo and coloradito.
They all contain many ingredients, more dan 30! The most famous ingredient are chili peppers, nuts, and chocolate. But as a rule, all mole is a combination of nuts, fruits, and chili peppers. Due to the number of ingredients, it takes almost a whole day to make mole from scratch.
Mole negro is the moles that contain chocolate and is the most popular mole in Oaxaca, you will see it on almost every menu. And it is our favorite too!
Having a food coma after eating all that mole? Check out these 7 best accommodations in Oaxaca City.
What does Mexican mole taste like?
In one word: like heaven! Mole is a rich thick sauce that is often poured over meat or enchiladas as a thick layer. Yum…
As mentioned above, there are 7 types of moles and they all taste a bit different. One is spicier and the other is sweeter. But they are all thick sauces with a more or less spicy taste, sweet notes, and a rich earthy taste. We liked it so much that we dipped mole in almost everything, even our pizzas. After a month of eating our way through Oaxaca, we therefore can say that our tastebuds have become spoiled brats!
Where to eat mole in Oaxaca
You will find Mexican mole everywhere in Oaxaca. Almost all restaurants have at least mole negro on their menu. But some moles stole our heart and you can taste them here:
If you ask us, and we have become quite the experts, the very best mole negro can be found at the Alhondigo foodcourt. See the picture here below for the mole with enchiladas. The mole negro here is made by original recipe.
Serves mole negro with an own twist. It´s very good, quite affordable, and the ambiance here is beautiful. We went back several times to get more of this mole.
For the most authentic moles, made by locals, you go to this crazy market place. You will find almost all moles here like the mole negro, verde, rojos, colodarito.
Beautiful thick mole negro which you can enjoy while enjoying the view of the Zocalo. Little more expensive, but you will be in heaven here!
Let´s eat mole!
So, now you know all you need to know about the very best mole in the world. The final thing you need to do is to book that ticket to Mexico!
Disfrute de su mole!
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► The 7 best accommodations in Oaxaca City, Mexico
► 3 things we didn´t like about Oaxaca City
► What to eat and drink, when in Oaxaca
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