Holy Mole! Using the Avocado Pit

Believe it or not, avocado pits can make themselves perfectly at home in your favorite mole, that quintessential Mexican dish whose namesake means “sauce” in the Aztec Nahuatl language. Avocado pits are not only easy to integrate into your favorite mole, but they add flavor, too!

Más Mole

Depending on the chiles used and methods employed, moles can range from light green, fresh and herbaceous, to the deeply smoky, almost mystical coloradito (red) and dark moles like earthy, inky chichilo. These usually contain anywhere from 20 to 30 or more ingredients, and are a labor of love to make from scratch. But the results are oh-so-worth-it. Bonus ingredient: adding grated avocado pit adds another layer of depth and complexity to these beautiful sauces.

First, you’ll need to source a perfectly ripe avocado, and, once you have your delicious avocado at home and washed, you’ll want to remove the pit.

Preparing the Pit

Now wash the pit (with water only) and let the seed dry so that it doesn’t slip out of your hands while you handle it. While the pit is drying, you can continue to make your mole, beginning with toasting your chiles and spices. Here’s a Sizzling Red Mole Chilaquiles recipe you can use to give this idea a try! Once you’re done with the toasting process, sift ingredients through a strainer and set them aside to cool.

At this point, you can grate your avocado seed*. Note that it may turn orange during this process. You’ll need only about a tablespoon of the grated seed, which you can add directly to your toasted peppers and spice mixture. A tablespoon of the grated seed will add just the perfect amount of nutty bitterness to your moles.

Note: Adding any more avocado seed can lead to an overly bitter taste.

Use the delicious green fruit to garnish or snack on as your mole cooks, building the complex flavors that have made moles such a staple across Mexico – and beyond!

*Grating an avocado pit can be dangerous and should only be performed by an adult with the utmost caution.