Mole Blanco Is The Rare Version Of The Classic Mexican Sauce

If you love Mexican food and you love mole, you are probably familiar with mole negro, the rich dark version of mole associated with Dia de los Muertas, the Day of the Dead. Or, perhaps, if you like things a bit spicier, and you are more than happy to celebrate Cinco de Mayo with mole poblano. But even the most die-hard mole fans may not know about — much less have tried — mole blanco, a nutty and creamy sauce (molli is the Aztec word for sauce), prepared only for special events.

Like all moles, the specific ingredients in mole blanco vary from recipe to recipe. It often consists of some combination of almonds, peanuts, pine nuts, Spanish almonds, garlic, onion, habanero peppers, coconut oil and chicken broth. Versions of the recipe also include apples, raisins, white chocolate, and plantains. It is prepared using a method familiar to mole: The ingredients are toasted, ground into a paste, fried and combined with chicken stock.

Mole blanco has another thing in common with other moles: Its Oaxacan roots. Oaxaca is often called the "land of seven moles" but this sauce is not considered one of the seven. That may be one reason why this particular sauce — the eighth mole, perhaps — has gone under the radar. Obscure or not, it is often served on holidays like Easter or Christmas and on special occasions. Mole blanco is sometimes referred to wedding or bridal mole, which is either because of its white color or because of one particular occasion when it is served.

Although rich in texture, mole blanco has a delicate flavor and is served in Mexico with chitapí, the edible blossoms of trees growing in the region. If you want to give a weeknight dish a little Mexican flair, make it over the weekend and then try it on lighter fare like chicken, fish and vegetables.