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
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.
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.
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
DIRECTIONS:
- 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)
- 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.
- 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?
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📖 Recipe
Mole Verde
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.
JL
Really wanted more flavor from this recipe. Can you give a weight or volume for the cilantro? Thank you
Mely Martínez
Hello JL,
Did you add all the spices and the Hoja Santa to the sauce?
Max
Hello, I'm very excited to make this! How many nopales would you recommend I use?
Thank you
Mely Martínez
Hello Max,
About two large nopales.
they will render sort of 1-1/2 to 2 cups of diced nopales.
Adriana
What if l wanted to make this with chicken. Would the measurements be the same?
Thank You.
Mely Martínez
Hello Adriana,
Yes, bone-in chicken, like chicken quarter: Tights & legs.
esteban
The water will not evaporate if you leave the lid ON as you suggest in step 1. You need to have it OFF.
Mely Martínez
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.
randi k
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!
mmartinez
Hello Randi,
Sorry, but I haven't tried making this in a slow cooker.
Yosef Malone
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
Yosef
This is the best Mole Verde recipe I have found! Great instructions!
mmartinez
Thank you, Yosef,
I'm glad to like our authentic Mexican recipe for Mole Verde. I hope you find Hoja Santa in your area.
Merissa
First off I would like to say wonderful blog!
Ceci Morales
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!
Cathleen
Thank you for sharing with us, I think this website really stands out :D.
Claire Wayner
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!
mmartinez
Hello Claire,
Do not remove the seeds, Peppers should be fresh. I hope everything comes out great!
Happy cooking!
Claudia Quinonez
I love all your recipes they're easy and delicious, I only wish you can add a friendly printer version. Saludos !!!
mmartinez
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.
NORA CHAVEZ
Wonderful .thank u!
Prieta
This looks amazing! I will definitely try it!
Jesusan
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.