A traditional mole served with roasted kabocha squash and fresh corn tortillas. Mole with roasted Kabocha squash is best to make in batches as it is a labor of love. Dairy Free, Gluten Free, Vegan, Whole 30.
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Mole, pronounced “mole-ay” is a traditional Mexican sauce made from ground spices, fruits—and in this case—seeds and chocolate. The most popular mole in the U.S. is guacamole. However, the avocado dip is very different from the rich, spice-full sauce that’s in this mole with roasted Kabocha squash.
I first came across Mole in a cookbook that my best friend’s dad gifted me for Christmas one year. He shares my love of cooking and has fostered my interest with various recommendations throughout the years. The Good Food cookbook is one of my favorites and it’s what I base my Mole off of. However, they’re version is a bit less complicated than mine, using spice blends and store-bought tortillas. I just love the tradition of frying my own spices and there’s nothing quite like homemade tortillas. But, if you’re looking for a quicker (still not quick) version, check out their book as it is a true gem. Now, on to the good stuff…
TIPS TO MAKE MOLE WITH ROASTED KABOCHA SQUASH
Batch Cook. Firstly, there are many steps involved and ingredients, so maximize your efforts and make a large batch. I can’t stress this enough. This recipe makes enough sauce for two batches of 8 servings. I use half and freeze the other half for a quick dinner later in the month. I’ve doubled the recipe and frozen the sauce for several months.
Toast Seeds and Spices Separately. It will be tempting to throw all the spices into the pan at the same time. I’ve done it before. But, this actually doesn’t save time because your smaller spices such as anise and cumin seeds will burn before the cloves and allspice are ready. Take your time with this recipe. It’s a labor of love and well worth the effort. I promise.
Pressing Tortillas – If you have a tortilla press, use it. I don’t have a tortilla press, so I take two pieces of parchment paper and place the ball in between them, then I use a sheet pan (or any flat surface like a heavy pan or cookbook) and push down until the tortilla is thin and about 3-3.5inches. You can do this as you go, or stack the uncooked tortillas with pieces of parchment in between them. Cook tortilla approximately 90 seconds on the first side or until you notice white lines or bubbles forming on the top side. Flip and cook another 45-60 seconds.
Time Management. Furthermore, making mole with kabocha squash takes time. Unless you’re defrosting your mole and just need to roast your kabocha – you’ll thank yourself for freezing it. Make sure you have enough time to make this dish.
Let it Marinade. While you can serve it right away and it will taste great, mole develops its flavor best by marinading 24 hours in the fridge. In conclusion, allow enough time for the flavors to come together.
Variations. This mole can be made into a stew with chicken, pork, or any other kind of squash. It also makes great leftover tacos. Try something interesting and tell me about it in the comments.
HEALTH TALK
Please take my advice like you do from a friend, not your doctor. As I am not a doctor, dietitian or nutritionist. I am just a person with a passion for health and cooking. Furthermore, I hope to bring you information that will help you live a health-filled life.
This mole with roasted kabocha squash contains No Dairy, is Gluten Free, Vegetarian, and all ingredients are Whole 30 approved. Although not a low-calorie food, it’s packed with nutrition and contains ingredients to keep you fuller longer.
I chose Kabocha squash for this dish because of its high fiber content, which helps aid in the digestion of this more decadent sauce. Furthermore, it is high in beta carotene, which may help to prevent cancer. It is also a good source of vitamin C, making it an excellent addition to Fall and Winter months where we need a little immunity boost. For more great information on Kabocha squash, see the sources at the bottom of this post.
EQUIPMENT:
10-12 inch skillet
Mortar and Pestle, or spice grinder
Large dutch oven or large pot
Blender
Tortilla press or pan and parchment paper
Serves 6-8, with an additional batch of mole sauce for another serving of 6-8.
Print
Mole with Roasted Kabocha Squash
- Prep Time: 30 Min
- Cook Time: 60 min
- Total Time: 1 hour 30 minutes
- Yield: 6-8 Servings
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Multi
- Cuisine: Mexican
- Diet: Vegetarian
Description
A traditional mole served with roasted kabocha squash and fresh corn tortillas. Mole with roasted Kabocha squash is best to make in batches as it is a labor of love. Dairy Free, Gluten Free, Vegan, Whole 30.
Ingredients
For Mole
½ C raisins
2-3 Tbsp white vinegar
12-16 corn tortillas, fresh (see below) or store bought – 1 tortilla is reserved for the mole, the rest are for serving.
1 cup blanched almonds
¼ C sesame seeds
2 Tbsp sunflower seeds
½ tsp whole allspice
¼ tsp whole cloves
¼ tsp whole coriander seeds
1 tsp cumin seeds
½ tsp anise seeds
2 oz (4-6) whole dried ancho chiles
2 oz (8-10) whole dried guajillo chiles
2 med white onions
3 cloves garlic
2 Tbsp chipotle in adobo
1 tsp oregano
½ tsp ground cinnamon
18 oz strained tomatoes
2 C broth (vegetable, or bone broth)
2.5 oz Mexican ground dark chocolate (at least 85% cacao)
For Roasted Kabocha Squash
2 2-lb Kabocha Squash
1 Pinch sea salt
½ tsp fresh ground black pepper
For Tortillas
1 C harissa cornmeal
Warm water
½ lime, juiced
Optional Garnish
Fresh Cilantro/Coriander – finely chopped with stems
Pepitas/Pumpkin Seeds (shelled)
Instructions
- Preheat Oven. 400°F
- Prepare the Tortillas. First, prep the harissa corn meal for the tortillas. Combine all tortilla ingredients in a bowl until it forms a ball. Then, divide into 18-20 equal balls and cover with a kitchen towel. You can stack them as they won’t stick to one another.
- Soak the Raisins. Place raisins into a cup. Pour 2-3 tablespoons of white vinegar over them—just enough to cover the raisins.
- Roast Kabocha Squash. Cut squash in half to clean out the pulp and seeds. If you wish to remove the skin, peel now, but I leave it on. Place cut-side down on cutting board and slice squash into 1-inch-thick pieces. Brush lightly with oil and season with salt and pepper. Place on a baking sheet and transfer to top rack of oven. Bake for 20 minutes, flip pieces, and bake for an additional 10-15 minutes or until the squash can be poked with a fork. If you would like to brown it at the end, broil for 1-2 minutes. By following this order, the mole should be ready at around the same time the squash is coming out of the oven.
- Chop and peel. Quarter the white onions and peel garlic. Place in blender.
- Toast Spices and Nuts, Separately. First, heat the skillet for 2 min on medium heat. You may choose to toast on a dry skillet (this is what I do) or add a little oil. Important! Toast like-sized spices together in order to get uniform browning and not burn anything. Start with your blanched almonds and toast until golden brown specks appear. Place toasted almonds in a bowl to cool. Next, toast sesame seeds and place in the same bowl. Again, toast sesame seeds and place in the same bowl as the nuts and seeds. Then, toast cloves, allspice, and coriander, and place in your mortar or spice grinder and grind finely. Lastly, toast cumin seeds and anise seeds and grind as before. Add all cooled ingredients to a blender.
- Fry Chiles. First, destem chiles and remove seeds. If you want a spicier dish, keep the seeds. I like to leave about ½ the chiles with seeds intact – I try the seeds first to determine how much to include based on my family’s taste. Next, heat the skillet for 2 min on medium heat. Then, add oil. Lastly, fry the ancho and guajillo peppers on both sides. Should take approximately 1 minute each side. Let cool. Place in a blender.
- Press and Cook 1 Tortilla – Heat skillet. Press tortilla ball into a flat 3-inch circle (see note above if you don’t have a tortilla press). Cook tortilla on each side approximately 90 seconds on the first side or until you notice white lines forming on the top side. Flip and cook another 45-60 seconds. Let cool. Add to blender. If using store bought tortillas, just add 1 corn tortilla to the blender at this time.
- Season and Blend. Add chipotle in adobo, cinnamon, oregano, salt and pepper to the blender. Blend until all ingredients are smooth.
- Transfer to Stove and add Liquids. Place blended ingredients into a large dutch oven, and add strained tomatoes and broth. Bring to a simmer.
- Add Chocolate and Simmer. Add chocolate and stir until melted and combined. Cook on medium-low and simmer for 20-30 minutes.
- Prepare the Remaining Tortillas. Meanwhile, follow steps above to cook the remaining tortillas.
- Serve Warm or Refrigerate 24+ Hours. Remove the mole from the stove. As mentioned above, this recipe makes 2 batches of 6-8 servings, so there will be plenty of sauce. Place 1/2 cup of sauce on a plate and top with slices of kabocha squash and any garnishes you’d like. Serve with tortillas and enjoy! Let the remaining sauce cool before placing in a freezer safe-container. Freeze for a quick meal at a later date.
- Top it Off (Optional). Add pepitas (pumpkin seeds), and cilantro as a flavorful garnish.
Notes
This recipe makes two batches of the mole sauce so you can use half now and freeze the other half for a quick meal at a later date.
Keywords: mole, mexican, kabocha squash, main course, vegetarian, gluten free
ADDITIONAL RESOURCES
For further reading about Mole or Kabocha Squash, check out these resources:
VeryWell Fit, Kabocha Squash Nutrition Facts and Health Benefits
Health.Learninginfo.org, Kabocha Squash Nutrition Facts and Health Benefits
Wikipedia, Mole sauce
