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You are here: Home » Recipes » Salsas

Mole Verde

Published: Jan 21, 2017 · Updated: Oct 24, 2019 by Mely Martínez

JUMP TO RECIPE

This is a really nice recipe that I’m happy to bring to you today. Its wonderful mix of flavors will make you feel that all that time you spent preparing it was definitely worthwhile! The ingredients in the Mole Verde add a bright green color to the dish, which easily makes it one of the most beautiful moles I’ve seen.

Mole Verde Recipe

Chicken Mole Verde recipe

You can also make Mole Verde with Chicken.

In Mexico, the variety of Mole recipes vary from region to region; this particular recipe is from the State of Veracruz, where the mole’s consistency is a little less thick than versions from other states. Mole Verde is also known as “Pipian” or “Pipian Verde” in some places of Mexico. It can be made with chicken or pork, and you can also add vegetables like green beans, chayotes, nopales, zucchini, and even sweet peas. Many cooks add a small amount of corn masa to thicken the sauce, but I didn’t use any in this recipe.

Green mole verde green chicken

What makes this particular recipe different from others is its addition of “hoja santa”, an aromatic herb. The green leaves of the Hoja Santa are thin with a heart-shaped form and soft texture and come in sizes ranging from 4-10 in. Its name literally translates to “Sacred Leaf” or “Holy Leaf”. Found in the tropical regions of Central America, Hoja Santa is also known as “Acuyo Leaf”, “Yerba Santa”, “Hierba Santa”, “Tlapena”, and “Momo”, among other names.

The flavor of this leaf isn’t easy to describe; it’s a combination of anise, mint, licorice, and even eucalyptus. Hoja Santa has many gastronomic uses and is used in states like Tabasco, Oaxaca, Veracruz, and Chiapas. It can be used in soups and stews, in sauces like this recipe, or just as a seasoning. It is also used to wrap tamales for steaming, and meats and fish for baking.

Mole verde recipe

Although fresh Hoja Santa can sometimes be hard to find, make sure to check out the fresh produce section of your nearest Latin Store. If you can’t find them, you can use the dried version. Dried Hoja Santa leaves aren’t as aromatic as the fresh ones, but they will still work fine.

How to make Mole Verde Recipe

JUMP TO FULL INSTRUCTIONS

Mole verde recipe chicken pork quick and easy

DIRECTIONS:

Mole Verde recipe
  • Place the meat and bay leaf in a large casserole, and add just enough water to barely cover it. Turn heat to medium and cook for about 30 minutes with the lid on. The water will start to reduce, and the meat will start browning on its rendered fat. (Please check the ingredients list below)

Mole Verde recipe, This recipe is done in minutes!

  • While the meat is cooking, place tomatillos in a saucepan, cover with water and bring to a boil over high heat. Once it starts boiling, reduces heat to low and simmer until tomatillos are pale green and soft.
  • Place the cooked and drained tomatillos in a blender with the pumpkin seeds, sesame seeds, Serrano peppers, garlic, onion, romaine lettuce leaves, Hoja Santa leaves, cilantro leaves, and 1 cup of water or chicken broth. Process until you have a very smooth sauce.
  • By this time, the meat should be starting to brown in the casserole. Pour the sauce over the meat and cook over medium-high heat, stirring frequently to avoid the sauce from sticking to the bottom. Once the sauce starts boiling, reduce the heat to low and simmer gently to allow all the flavors to be absorbed.  Add the cubed vegetables.
Mole Verde recipe
  • Keep slowly simmering until the vegetables are cooked. Serve warm with a nice portion of rice and corn tortillas.

¡Provecho!

Mely,

Do you have a favorite stew recipe?

More recipes:

Doña Maria Mole Recipe

Chunky Guacamole Recipe

Mole de Olla

📖 Recipe

Mole Verde

Mely Martínez
This is a really nice recipe that I’m happy to bring to you today. Its wonderful mix of flavors will make you feel that all that time you spent preparing it was definitely worthwhile!
5 from 16 votes
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 15 mins
Cook Time 40 mins
Total Time 55 mins
Course Pork, Salsas
Cuisine Mexican
Servings 6
Calories 538 kcal

Ingredients
  

  • 2 pounds of pork country style ribs, cut into ¾-inch pieces
  • 1 Bay leaf
  • 6 medium tomatillos husks removed
  • ⅔ cups of pumpkin seeds shelled and toasted
  • ½ cup of sesame seeds toasted
  • 2-3 Serrano peppers
  • 2 large garlic cloves
  • ½ small white onion chopped
  • 3 large romaine lettuce leaves chopped
  • 2 Hierba Santa leaves chopped*
  • A small bunch of cilantro
  • 1 large squash or zucchini cubed
  • 8 black peppercorns whole
  • 6 spice clove whole

Instructions
 

  • Place the meat and bay leaf in a large casserole, and add just enough water to barely cover it. Turn heat to medium and cook for about 30 minutes with the lid on. The water will start to reduce, and the meat will start browning on its rendered fat. The slow cooking process will produce a tender meat. If after this period of time your meat still looks though, keep cooking and add a little bit more water as needed.
  • While the meat is cooking, place tomatillos in a saucepan*, cover with water and bring to a boil over high heat. Once it starts boiling, reduce heat to low and simmer until tomatillos are pale green and soft, about 6-8 minute.o
  • Place the cooked and drained tomatillos in a blender with the pumpkin seeds, sesame seeds, Serrano peppers, garlic, onion, romaine lettuce leaves, Hoja Santa leaves, cilantro leaves, spices, and 1 cup of water or chicken broth. Process until you have a very smooth sauce. Depending on your blender, you may need to work in batches.
  • By this time, the meat should be starting to brown in the casserole. Pour the sauce over the meat and cook over medium-high heat, stirring frequently to avoid the sauce from sticking to the bottom. Once the sauce starts boiling, reduce the heat to low and simmer gently to allow all the flavors to be absorbed. Add the cubed vegetables and more water as needed.
  • Keep slowly simmering until the vegetables are cooked, about 8 minutes. Serve warm with a nice portion of rice and corn tortillas to scoop up the mole sauce from the plate.

Notes

*If you don’t find the fresh Hierba Santa, you can use the dried version of the Latin Stores. However, you can make this recipe without the Hierba Santa and still have a memorable Mole Verde.
*You can also roast the tomatillos, peppers and garlic, this will render a rustic flavor. 
*You can also add chayotes, green beans, and nopales to this stew.

Nutrition

Serving: 6ozCalories: 538kcalCarbohydrates: 7gProtein: 40gFat: 38gSaturated Fat: 12gCholesterol: 130mgSodium: 105mgPotassium: 777mgFiber: 3gSugar: 2gVitamin A: 510IUVitamin C: 9.7mgCalcium: 176mgIron: 5mg
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

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Reader Interactions

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  1. Max

    June 13, 2021 at 1:35 pm

    Hello, I'm very excited to make this! How many nopales would you recommend I use?
    Thank you

    Reply
    • Mely Martínez

      June 13, 2021 at 1:45 pm

      Hello Max,
      About two large nopales.
      they will render sort of 1-1/2 to 2 cups of diced nopales.

      Reply
  2. Adriana

    June 01, 2021 at 2:48 pm

    What if l wanted to make this with chicken. Would the measurements be the same?

    Thank You.

    Reply
    • Mely Martínez

      June 01, 2021 at 6:43 pm

      Hello Adriana,
      Yes, bone-in chicken, like chicken quarter: Tights & legs.

      Reply
  3. esteban

    November 12, 2019 at 3:54 pm

    The water will not evaporate if you leave the lid ON as you suggest in step 1. You need to have it OFF.

    Reply
    • Mely Martínez

      November 22, 2019 at 8:02 am

      Hello Esteban,
      In this recipe the ingredients will thicken the sauce as they cook, if we remove the lid as you mention, the sauce will reduce and become a dry paste. That is why we need to leave the lid ON the pot.

      Reply
  4. randi k

    August 20, 2019 at 5:01 pm

    This looks fantastic and I'm just about ready to cook it. However, I was wondering if I could use a slow cooker. If so, how would you modify the recipe? Thanks so much!

    Reply
    • mmartinez

      August 24, 2019 at 3:16 pm

      Hello Randi,
      Sorry, but I haven't tried making this in a slow cooker.

      Reply
  5. Yosef Malone

    August 02, 2019 at 3:31 pm

    Voy a probar esta receta mañana. Soy estadounidense/canadiense pero tengo mucha experiencia y exposición a la cultura mexicana y tengo familia extendida mexicana. Me encanta aprender de la cultura de los Azteca y Maya.
    Una pregunta la hija mágica si es seca-porque aquí en Arizona no se encuentra fresca se
    Debe side estar hidratada antes de ponerla en la licuadora o así la hecho así seca? Cómo las semillas?
    Gracias

    Reply
  6. Yosef

    July 30, 2019 at 9:52 am

    5 stars
    This is the best Mole Verde recipe I have found! Great instructions!

    Reply
    • mmartinez

      July 30, 2019 at 12:56 pm

      Thank you, Yosef,
      I'm glad to like our authentic Mexican recipe for Mole Verde. I hope you find Hoja Santa in your area.

      Reply
  7. Merissa

    July 25, 2018 at 4:37 am

    5 stars
    First off I would like to say wonderful blog!

    Reply
  8. Ceci Morales

    January 08, 2018 at 1:28 pm

    5 stars
    Hi Mely,

    I tried this recipe on Friday and it was delicious. It was different then what I had tried before but that may be to the hierba santa... i think they may have used epazote. Thanks for posting recipes on here I have tried many and they always come out great!

    Reply
  9. Cathleen

    December 03, 2017 at 7:21 pm

    Thank you for sharing with us, I think this website really stands out :D.

    Reply
  10. Claire Wayner

    November 28, 2015 at 9:04 pm

    Should I do anything with the serrano peppers, like remove the seeds, before I add them? Should they be fresh or dried? I haven't cooked with peppers that much, and I have to make this for my Spanish class. Thanks!

    Reply
    • mmartinez

      November 30, 2015 at 2:01 am

      Hello Claire,

      Do not remove the seeds, Peppers should be fresh. I hope everything comes out great!

      Happy cooking!

      Reply
  11. Claudia Quinonez

    October 16, 2015 at 4:45 pm

    5 stars
    I love all your recipes they're easy and delicious, I only wish you can add a friendly printer version. Saludos !!!

    Reply
    • mmartinez

      October 17, 2015 at 3:41 pm

      Hello Claudia,

      There is a "print friendly" option right above the comment section. It is a small green printer widget. Press the printer, and select whatever you want to print, it gives you the option to select photos or just the text.

      Thank you for visiting.

      Reply
      • NORA CHAVEZ

        December 14, 2017 at 5:55 pm

        5 stars
        Wonderful .thank u!

  12. Prieta

    January 17, 2015 at 3:38 am

    This looks amazing! I will definitely try it!

    Reply
  13. Jesusan

    January 15, 2015 at 4:32 am

    5 stars
    This recipe sounds wonderful. I'm hoping that since I live on the border with Mexico that I can find Hoja Santa with relative ease.

    Reply

Trackbacks

  1. Mole Verde Recipe - Cake Baking says:
    August 26, 2022 at 1:07 pm

    […] How to make Mole Verde Recipe (Green Mole Recipe) […]

    Reply

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About me

Hi, I'm Mely Martinez, a former Mexican school teacher, home cook, and food blogger. I moved to the United States about ten years ago, after living in Mexico my whole life. Now I love to share home-style recipes for authentic Mexican food.
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