Mole de olla (or kettle stew) is a traditional Mexican dish made from beef and vegetables – typically corn, potatoes, green beans and courgette.
This vegetarian version comes from the Sundays at Moosewood cookbook – I’ve been making it for years, and always serve it with fresh cornbread to soak up the delicious sauce.
We’d eat this tasty stew more regularly if the girls weren’t so stubbornly resistant to its charms – they remain deeply unconvinced by cooked courgette.
Vegetarian mole de olla
(serves 4)
- 3 Tb sunflower oil
- 1 onion, chopped
- 1 garlic clove, minced
- 1 green chilli, seeded and minced
- 1/2 tsp cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp ground cloves
- 4 potatoes, peeled and chopped
- 2 tins chopped tomatoes
- 2 cups green beans, cut into thirds
- 1 small courgette, chopped
- 2 cups corn kernels, frozen or fresh
- salt and pepper
- fresh coriander, grated cheddar and sour cream to serve (optional)
- Heat the oil in a heavy saucepan over a medium flame. Add the onion and cook until softened. Add the garlic and chilli and cook for another minutes.
- Add the cinnamon, cloves and potatoes and cook a few minutes more.
- Add the tomatoes, green beans, courgette and corn. Cook until the vegetables are just tender.
- Season to taste. Garnish with coriander, grated cheddar and sour cream to serve.
Ten More Bites 
Sounds like a fine everyday family dinner, especially with the recent outrageous prices for so much fresh produce.
It’s really tasty, and like you say, economical too. If I didn’t get so much blow back on the cooked courgette I’d make it more often…
Sounds delicious! I make a mole sauce too – but I add a touch of chocolate! 🙂 🙂
That kind of mole is delicious too!