Orange-Almond Mole Sauce: Quick Recipe for Rich, Zesty Flavor

This citrusy almond-and-orange mole is a light, quick sauce that brightens fish, chicken or vegetables. It comes together in about an hour and layers charred citrus, roasted garlic and toasted nuts for rich, complex flavor.

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This mole is a shortcut version of classic Mexican moles — it skips the multi-day simmering but keeps deep, layered flavor. You’ll blister tomatoes, roast garlic, toast and soak guajillo chiles, grill oranges and fry blanched almonds. Each step builds a fragrant, balanced sauce you finish in the blender.

Ingredients

This mole emphasizes citrus and earthy chiles with a touch of sweetness. Adjust salt and honey to taste.

• Tomatoes: large red tomatoes, blistered or roasted.
• Oranges: zest, grilled halves and their juice for a smoky citrus note.
• Almonds: blanched almonds, deep-fried until golden to create a creamy base.
• Dried guajillo chiles: mild to medium heat, sweet and slightly smoky.
• Garlic: roasted in the skin for a mellow, sweet garlic flavor.
• Cinnamon and honey: a pinch of cinnamon and a little honey to balance acidity and spice.
• Olive oil, kosher salt, boiling water: boiling water rehydrates the chiles and is used to thin the sauce if needed.

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 450°F (230°C). Arrange tomatoes on a sheet pan and roast until their skins blister and they soften.

Place garlic cloves, unpeeled, in a small foil pouch with a drizzle of olive oil and roast alongside the tomatoes. Check after about 15 minutes; you want soft, tender garlic, not burned. Let cool, then squeeze the garlic from the skins.

Remove stems and seeds from the guajillo peppers. Toast the chiles briefly in a dry skillet over medium heat until fragrant and pliable — do not let them darken or burn. Transfer the chiles to a bowl and pour boiling water over them to cover. Place a small plate on top to keep them submerged and let soak about 30 minutes. Reserve the soaking liquid.

Meanwhile, blanch the almonds in boiling water for a minute, drain and let cool enough to handle, then slip off the skins. Heat a generous amount of olive oil in a skillet and fry the blanched almonds until golden brown. The almonds should be deep-fried (they’ll become very creamy when blended). Drain on paper towel and cool.

Zest the oranges and reserve the zest. Cut the oranges in half and grill them cut-side down until they have char marks and the juices are slightly smoky. Let cool, then juice the grilled oranges.

In a blender, combine the fried almonds, rehydrated guajillo chiles (drained), roasted tomatoes, orange juice, orange zest, roasted garlic, cinnamon, honey and kosher salt. Purée until smooth. Add the reserved chile soaking liquid, a little at a time, until the sauce reaches your desired consistency. Taste and adjust salt and honey as needed.

Warm the mole gently if desired, then spoon a dollop onto a plate and top with grilled fish, roasted chicken or vegetables. The sauce also keeps well refrigerated for several days and can be gently reheated.

Related Recipes

• Baked Eggs in Avocados with Chorizo and Queso Fresco—another dish inspired by Baja flavors.
• Mexican Black Beans (Frijoles de la Olla)—simple and satisfying when you have time to simmer.

Quick Mole with Oranges and Almonds — Recipe Summary

Equipment

• 12″ cast iron skillet or heavy skillet
• Chef’s knife
• Cutting board
• Blender

Ingredients

• 3 dried guajillo peppers, seeded and stemmed
• 3 cups boiling water (for soaking chiles)
• 2 tomatoes, roasted
• 1 cup blanched almonds
• 2 teaspoons roasted garlic (from ~5–6 cloves)
• 3 oranges, zested, grilled and juiced
• ⅛ teaspoon cinnamon
• 2 teaspoons honey
• Olive oil for frying and roasting
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt, or to taste

Step-by-step Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 450°F (230°C). Roast tomatoes on a sheet pan until blistered.
2. Roast garlic in the skin with a drizzle of olive oil in foil; check after ~15 minutes until soft. Cool and squeeze garlic from skins.
3. Remove seeds and stems from guajillo chiles. Toast briefly in a dry skillet until fragrant, then soak in boiling water for about 30 minutes. Reserve the soaking liquid.
4. Blanch almonds in boiling water, cool and remove skins. Deep-fry the blanched almonds in enough olive oil to brown them, then drain and cool.
5. Zest the oranges, grill them cut-side down until charred, then juice when cool.
6. Blend fried almonds, drained chiles, roasted tomatoes, orange juice, orange zest, roasted garlic, cinnamon, honey and salt until smooth. Add reserved chile soaking liquid to thin the sauce as needed. Adjust seasoning.

Notes

• The recipe involves several small steps, but each is straightforward. Once everything is prepped, the blender finishes the job quickly.
• Store leftover mole in the refrigerator for several days and reheat gently before serving.

Nutrition (per serving, approximate)

• Calories: 252 kcal
• Carbohydrates: 23 g
• Protein: 8 g
• Fat: 17 g
• Sodium: ~600 mg