Mexican Name Finder
Main dishNahuatlPuebla

Mole

"sauce"

Say it

MOH·leh

Where it comes from

mōlli (sauce, stew, spiced broth)

What Mole means

Mole is a Mexican main dish name of Nahuatl origin meaning "sauce". It comes from mōlli (sauce, stew, spiced broth). It is pronounced MOH-leh, and it is most associated with Puebla.

mōlli meant any sauce or stew in Classical Nahuatl and formed compounds like chīlmōlli and nacamōlli. The elaborate chile-and-chocolate mole is a later specialisation of an everyday word.

Mole is one of the many Mexican food words formed in Nahuatl. Spanish borrowed it, and in several cases English borrowed it again from Spanish. See how Nahuatl builds words and the full list of Mexican food names.

This is a site about what Mexican words mean, so there is no recipe here. For the name itself: The plated dishes, most named for a cooking method or a place. Cochinita pibil is pork cooked in a píib, the Maya earth oven. Barbacoa gave English the word barbecue. Chiles en nogada is named for the walnut sauce that covers it.

Share card

Mole means sauce

Related Mexican food names

  • chiles in walnut sauce

    CHEE-les en noh-GAH-dahSpanish
    Puebla
  • MixioteMain dish

    maguey membrane

    mee-SHYOH-tehNahuatl
    central Mexico
  • Mole poblanoMain dish

    Puebla-style sauce

    MOH-leh poh-BLAH-nohSpanish
    mōlli+Spanish poblanoPuebla
  • NopalitosMain dish

    little cactus paddles

    noh-pah-LEE-tosNahuatl
    nohpalli+Spanish -itoscentral Mexico
  • Tacos árabesMain dish

    Arab tacos

    TAH-kos AH-rah-besSpanish
    Puebla
  • TingaMain dish

    shredded meat in chile and tomato

    TEEN-gahSpanish
    Puebla
  • CamoteSweet

    sweet potato

    kah-MOH-tehNahuatl
    Puebla
  • ChileatoleSoup or stew

    chile maize gruel

    chee-leh-ah-TOH-lehNahuatl
    chīlli+ātōlliPuebla

Browse all Mexican food names, or the name finder for people's names.