Mole de Olla (Mexican Beef and Vegetable Soup)

Mole de olla is a traditional Mexican soup, hearty and flavorful, often described as a kind of rustic stew. The name literally means “mole (sauce) from the pot.” Despite sharing the word mole, it’s lighter and brothier than the thick, rich moles like mole poblano.

It’s typically made with beef—often shank or ribs—simmered until tender with vegetables such as corn on the cob pieces, green beans, zucchini, chayote, and sometimes potatoes or carrots. The broth is flavored with a chile sauce made from dried chiles (like guajillo and pasilla), garlic, onion, and herbs such as epazote. The result is a spicy, aromatic, and deeply comforting dish—perfect for cool days or whenever you want a taste of traditional home-style Mexican cooking.

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Prep Time 30

Cook Time 2

Total Time 2 30

Course Dinner, Homemade, Main Course

Cuisine Mexican

Servings

Calories 287 kcal

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Ingredients

For the broth:

1 ½ lb beef shank or short ribs, bone-in for flavor
10 cups water
1 medium onion quartered
3 cloves garlic
1 bay leaf
Salt to taste

For the chile sauce:

3 dried guajillo chiles stemmed and seeded
2 dried pasilla chiles stemmed and seeded
2 tomatoes roughly chopped
¼ medium onion
1 clove garlic
½ teaspoon cumin seeds (or ground cumin)
1 teaspoon oregano (Mexican oregano if you have it)
Salt to taste

Vegetables (you can adjust to preference):

2 ears corn cut into 3–4 pieces each
2 small zucchinis cut into thick slices
1 chayote peeled and cubed
1 cup green beans trimmed
2 potatoes peeled and cubed
1 small bunch epazote (or a few sprigs, optional but traditional)

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Instructions

Prepare the broth:

In a large pot, combine beef, water, onion, garlic, bay leaf, and salt. Bring to a boil, skim off foam, then reduce heat. Cover and simmer for about 1½ hours or until the meat is tender.

Make the chile sauce:

Toast the chiles lightly on a dry pan until fragrant (a few seconds per side). Soak them in hot water for about 10–15 minutes until soft.
Blend the softened chiles with the tomatoes, onion, garlic, cumin, oregano, and a bit of the soaking liquid or some broth until smooth. Strain if needed for a smoother texture.

Combine:

Add the chile sauce to the pot with the beef. Stir well and simmer another 10–15 minutes to let the flavors meld.

Add vegetables:

Add the longer-cooking vegetables first: corn, potatoes, and chayote. Simmer about 15–20 minutes.
Then add green beans, zucchini, and epazote. Continue simmering until all vegetables are tender, around 10 more minutes. Adjust salt to taste.

Serve:

Ladle into deep bowls, making sure everyone gets a bit of meat and vegetables. Serve hot with lime wedges, chopped onion, and warm corn tortillas on the side.

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Disclaimer

Some parts of recipe maybe AI-generated. Recipe pictures are examples of recipe and represent no affiliation with photographer.

Nutrition

Calories: 287kcal (14%)Carbohydrates: 35g (12%)Protein: 28g (56%)Fat: 5g (8%)Saturated Fat: 1g (6%)Polyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 2gCholesterol: 40mg (13%)Sodium: 117mg (5%)Potassium: 1440mg (41%)Fiber: 7g (29%)Sugar: 9g (10%)Vitamin A: 1747IU (35%)Vitamin C: 83mg (101%)Calcium: 111mg (11%)Iron: 5mg (28%)

Disclaimer

Nutritional information for this recipe is an approximation and is not to be construed as medical advice.

Keyword beef, comfort food, one-pot, spicy

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