Pipian rojo is a Mexican red mole, or sauce, made with toasted pumpkin seeds, colored with red chilies, wonderfully nutty, perfect for chicken or duck.
Pipian Rojo Recipe
Learn how to make Pipian Rojo right here, my friends.
Pipian Rojo, or "red pipian sauce", is a Mexican sauce made with pumpkin seeds and dried red chilies. It is very much like a classic Mexican mole, though simplified.
The flavor of pipian rojo is savory and nutty, perfect for serving with chicken breast or duck, though it is quite versatile with Mexican food.
You'll find many variations depending on the region and the cook, particularly pipian verde, which is a green version of the sauce, more of a green mole made with tomatillos and green chilies.
This version focuses on the dried red chilies, and I think you'll greatly enjoy the flavor.
Let's talk about how to make pipian rojo, shall we?
Pipian Rojo Ingredients
- Dried Red Chili Peppers. Use ancho peppers and/or pasilla peppers for this recipe. However, you can use red New Mexican chilies as a substitute.
- Pumpkin Seeds. Raw, untoasted.
- Sesame Seeds. Raw, untoasted.
- Lard. Or use vegetable or olive oil.
- Onion and Garlic.
- Seasonings. Black pepper, allspice, cinnamon, thyme, cloves, sugar, salt.
- Corn Tortilla. For thickening the mole. You can also use bread.
- Tomatoes. Tomatoes are optional. You can make this sauce without them if you'd like.
- Chicken Stock. Or chicken broth, to thin the sauce.
How to Make Pipian Rojo - the Recipe Method
Soften the Chilies. Heat a large pan to medium high heat and add the ancho chiles. Dry toast them for 1-2 minutes per side, or until they puff slightly and become fragrant.
Set into a bowl and cover with very hot water. Steep for 20 minutes, or until softened.
Drain and add the softened peppers to a food processor.
Toast the Pumpkin Seeds. In the same pan, add the pumpkin seeds. Heat at medium-low, stirring constantly, until the pumpkin seeds have all popped and toasted.
Toast the Sesame Seeds. Add the sesame seeds and toast for 1 minute to brown.
Transfer to the food processor. Reserve some for garnish, if desired.
Cook Onion and Garlic. To same pan, heat 1 tablespoon lard (or vegetable oil) to medium heat and add the onion. Cook the onion until softened and lightly browned, 9-10 minutes.
Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute, until fragrant.
Transfer the onion and garlic to the food processor.
Make the Pipian Paste. Add the spices, tortilla, and tomatoes to the food processor, then process to form a thick paste. You may need to scrape down the sides and process several times.
Cook the Pipian Paste. Heat the remaining 2 tablespoons lard (or vegetable oil) in the same pan to medium heat and add the paste.
Heat through and cook for 5 minutes. The mole sauce should darken a bit.
Simmer with Stock and Strain. Stir in 2 cup chicken stock and simmer at medium-low heat for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally, to let the flavors develop.
Reprocess and strain if desired for a smoother mole sauce.
Taste and Adjust. Taste and adjust for salt and pepper and sugar.
Makes about 4 cups unstrained, or 3.5 cups strained.
Boom! Done! Your pipian rojo is ready to serve. This makes a good sized batch, so plan to use it in multiple recipes.
Recipe Tips & Notes
- Other Ingredients. You'll find many variations of this recipe. You can omit the sesame seeds and focus on the pumpkin seeds. Other popular ingredients include smoky chipotle chilies and other local spices.
It's perfect with chicken! Try it with this Chicken Drumsticks Recipe with Pipian Rojo.
That's it, my friends. I hope you enjoy this pipian recipe. Let me know if you make it. I'd love to hear how it turned out for you, and if you decided to spice it up!
Cookbook Recommendations
If you love Mexican cooking, I love these cookbooks with recipes from all over Mexico. Definitely recommended. I used these books to adapt this pipian rojo recipe.
- Authentic Mexican, by Rick Bayless (affiliate link, my friends!)
- Mexico: The Cookbook (affiliate link, my friends!)
Try Some of My Other Popular Recipes
Got any questions? Ask away! I’m happy to help. If you enjoy this recipe, I hope you’ll leave a comment with some STARS. Also, please share it on social media. Don’t forget to tag us at #ChiliPepperMadness. I’ll be sure to share! Thanks! — Mike H.
Pipian Rojo Recipe (Mexican Red Pipian Sauce)
Ingredients
- 2 medium ancho peppers stemmed and seeded - or use pasillas, or a combination
- 1/2 cup pumpkin seeds raw/untoasted
- ¼ cup sesame seeds raw/untoasted
- 3 tablespoons lard or use vegetable oil - divided
- 1 small onion chopped
- 3 cloves garlic chopped
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
- ½ teaspoon allspice
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon dried thyme
- 1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
- ½ teaspoon sugar
- Salt to taste
- 1 corn tortilla torn (lightly toasted, if desired – for thickening)
- 2 small tomatoes chopped (optional – omit, if desired)
- 2 cups chicken stock
Instructions
- Heat a large pan to medium heat and add the ancho peppers. Dry toast them for 1-2 minutes per side, or until they puff slightly and become fragrant. Set into a bowl and cover with very hot water. Steep for 20 minutes, or until softened. Drain and add the softened peppers to a food processor.
- In the same pan, add the pumpkin seeds. Heat at medium-low, stirring constantly, until the pumpkin seeds have all popped and toasted.
- Add the sesame seeds and toast for 1 minute to brown.
- Transfer to the food processor. Reserve some for garnish, if desired.
- To same pan, heat 1 tablespoon lard (or vegetable oil) to medium heat and add the onion. Cook the onion until softened and lightly browned, 9-10 minutes.
- Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute, until fragrant.
- Transfer the onion and garlic to a food processor.
- Add the spices, tortilla, and tomatoes to the food processor, then process to form a thick paste. You may need to scrape down the sides and process several times.
- Heat the remaining 2 tablespoons lard (or vegetable oil) in the same pan to medium heat and add the paste. Heat through and cook for 5 minutes. The mole sauce should darken a bit.
- Stir in 2 cup chicken stock and simmer at medium-low heat for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally, to let the flavors develop. Reprocess and strain if desired for a smoother mole sauce.
- Taste and adjust for salt and sugar.
Notes
Nutrition Information
Cindy Flores says
Hi Mike. Looks good and I am going to try it ( I roasted my pumpkin seeds last week, though)
I see the nutritional information but Wanted to know the serving size. Thanks!!
Mike Hultquist says
About 1 cup is the serving size, so really for a large portion.
trina white says
Hi Mike, I want to try this recipe, and have reviewed it many times, but cannot see where the "soaked peppers" are added. can you tell me at which step you ad the softened peppers?
Mike Hultquist says
Trina, drain and add the softened peppers to a food processor with the other ingredients. I updated the recipe card to make that more clear. Sorry for any confusion!
Jérémie says
Anglais
I did not know this sauce; I marinated chicken thighs in it, then grilled the thighs, and tatse it: I felt like I've known this pipian rojo flavor all my life, it's so perfect! Thanks a lot, Mike!
Mike Hultquist says
Yes! So good, isn't it? So huge on flavor. Thanks, Jérémie!