Green mole (pipian verde)
A fresh, nutty green sauce of toasted pumpkin seeds, tomatillos, green chilli and coriander.
Make this once, then cook it into 17 different dishes.
- Time50 min
- LevelMedium
- Costabout £0.85 a head
- Makesabout 900 ml of thick green sauce, enough for 3 dishes for 4 people
Cost is worked out from Aldi and Tesco shelf prices in October 2026. Your shop and brands will differ.
Ingredients
Tick what you need to buy. It goes on your shopping list.
Method
- 1
Toast the pumpkin seeds in a dry wide pan over a medium heat for 4 to 5 minutes, stirring, until they swell, pop and smell nutty. Tip onto a plate and cool for 5 minutes.
5 min - 2
Put the tomatillos, jalapenos, onion and garlic in a pan with water to half cover. Bring to the boil and simmer for 8 to 10 minutes until the tomatillos turn dull olive green and soft. Drain. If using tinned tomatillos, simmer only the chillies, onion and garlic.
10 min - 3
Blend the pumpkin seeds with half the stock until as smooth as possible, about 2 minutes. Add the drained tomatillo mixture, coriander, lettuce and the rest of the stock and blend again for 2 to 3 minutes until completely smooth. Work in batches if your blender is small.
- 4
Heat the oil in a wide pot over a medium high heat. Pour in the puree (it will spit) and fry, stirring all the time, for 6 to 8 minutes until it thickens, darkens a little and oil begins to separate at the edges.
8 min - 5
Lower the heat and simmer gently for 15 minutes, stirring often, until it coats the back of a spoon. Do not boil hard.
15 min - 6
Season with the salt and lime juice and taste. Add a splash of water if too thick. Cool quickly if you are not using it straight away.
About green mole (pipian verde)
Green mole, or pipian verde, is a Mexican sauce made from toasted pumpkin seeds blended with tomatillos, green chillies, coriander and lettuce. It is thick, creamy without any cream, tangy, herby and mildly hot, and it is bright green when made properly.
Pipian is the name for the family of Mexican sauces thickened with ground squash or pumpkin seeds, and the green version is one of the best known. The seeds give body and a nutty flavour, the tomatillos give sharpness, and the lettuce keeps the colour and texture soft.
Spoon it over poached chicken, pork, white fish, prawns or vegetables such as courgette, potato and green beans, or use it for green enchiladas. Always fry the blended puree before simmering: it deepens the flavour and gets rid of the raw edge. Simmer gently, because a hard boil can make it grainy and split the oil.
Tips
- Toast the pumpkin seeds until they puff and pop, but pull them off before they brown too much. Dark seeds turn the sauce brown and slightly bitter.
- No fresh tomatillos? Use two 400 g tins, drained. Skip simmering them and just soften the chillies, onion and garlic.
- Keep the heat to a gentle simmer. A fierce boil can split the sauce and make it gritty.
- For more heat leave the jalapeno seeds in, or swap in serrano chillies. For a milder sauce remove the seeds and membranes.
- If the sauce is too thick, loosen it with a little hot stock or water. It thickens a lot as it cools.
- Fresh or dried epazote, if you can find it, makes it more authentic. Add a few leaves in the last 5 minutes.
Storing and freezing
Cool quickly and keep in the fridge for up to 4 days, or freeze in portions for up to 3 months. Reheat gently in a pan, loosening with stock, until steaming hot all the way through. A little oil on top is normal, so stir it back in.
Dishes you can make with green mole (pipian verde)
Pollo en Pipián Verde (Chicken in Green Pumpkin Seed Sauce)
GFDFEFEnchiladas de Pipián Verde con Calabacín (Pumpkin Seed Courgette Enchiladas)
EFNFCerdo en Pipián Verde (Pork in Green Pumpkin Seed Sauce)
DFEFNFPescado en Pipián Verde con Pico de Gallo (Fish in Green Pumpkin Seed Sauce)
GFDFEFCamarones en Pipián Verde (Prawns in Green Pumpkin Seed Sauce)
DFEFNFHuevos en Pipián Verde (Poached Eggs in Green Pumpkin Seed Sauce)
DFNFVVerduras en Pipián Verde (Vegetable Stew in Green Pumpkin Seed Sauce)
GFDFEFTacos de Hongos con Pipián Verde (Mushroom Green Pipian Tacos)
GFDFEFTamales Verdes de Pollo con Pipián (Green Chicken Tamales)
GFDFEFTostadas de Pollo con Pipián Verde y Frijoles (Chicken Pipian Tostadas)
GFEFNFSopa de Pipián Verde con Frijoles Blancos (Green Pumpkin Seed Soup)
DFEFNFPollo Asado con Pipián Verde (Grilled Chicken with Green Pipian)
DFEFNFQuestions
What does green mole taste like?
Fresh and savoury, with the nuttiness of toasted pumpkin seeds, the tang of tomatillos and the herbal lift of coriander. It is mildly hot rather than fiery, and thick enough to coat meat or vegetables.
Can I use tinned tomatillos?
Yes. Use two 400 g tins, drained, and blend them in without boiling. Tinned tomatillos are softer and a little less sharp, so a squeeze of lime at the end brings the tang back.
Why did my pipian turn brown?
Over-toasted seeds, or overcooking, turn it brown. Pull the pumpkin seeds from the heat as soon as they puff and pop, keep the herbs fresh, and simmer gently for no more than 15 minutes.
Is it vegan, gluten free and nut free?
Yes, with gluten free vegetable stock. It contains pumpkin seeds, which are seeds rather than nuts, but always check the packaging if you cook for someone with a seed or nut allergy.
Can I freeze green mole?
Yes, for up to 3 months. The texture stays good. Defrost in the fridge, then heat gently in a pan with a splash of stock, stirring, until steaming hot all the way through.
More base recipes
Double check before you cook. Recipes can contain mistakes. Any diet labels come from the ingredients as written in this recipe and are a guide, not a guarantee. Always check every ingredient and the packet label for allergens and cross contamination, and ask your doctor or dietitian what is right for you, especially with coeliac disease, diabetes or a serious allergy. This is not medical advice.