Vegan Pipián Verde
April 22, 2021
Gluten-free · Nut-free · Soy-free
Pipián verde is a traditional, staple Mexican sauce. Sometimes called green mole, it’s a thick sauce based on pumpkin seeds and tomatillos and is often served alongside chicken, meat, or fish. It is complex in flavor and versatile in use. Every state of Mexico makes their pipián verde slightly differently (even within each family!), with some varieties containing iceberg lettuce, radish greens, poblano peppers, or even epazote. Today we’re doing a twist on the Mexico City version, but I’m adding spinach to make it greener and vegetable broth for extra flavor.
For vegan dishes, you can serve this pipián with tofu, grilled/roasted/steamed vegetables, rice, mushrooms, tempeh, or any soy protein of choice.
Substitutions
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Try tomatoes instead of tomatillos
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You can use jalapeño instead of serrano pepper
Equipment
For this pipián verde, you’re going to need:
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Medium cast-iron or stainless steel pan for charring
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High-speed blender
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Rubber spatula
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Large pot
Uses
Use this sauce on your:
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Enchiladas
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Tostadas
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Rice
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In a stew
Yields: 1 kg
Ingredients
216g toasted pumpkin seeds
30g toasted sesame seeds
40g white onion
30g garlic, skin on
10g serrano pepper
250g tomatillo
2 pinches of ground cloves, preferably toasted and ground
3 pinches of ground allspice, preferably toasted and ground
800ml vegetable broth
50g cilantro with stem
50g baby spinach
Sea salt, to taste
40ml olive oil, for pan-frying
Method
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Heat a medium cast-iron pan on high heat and char the tomatillo, garlic, onion and serrano pepper. Flip and turn everything so that they char evenly. When the garlic skin is dark, take the garlic cloves out of the skin and set aside. Note: I prefer using a cast-iron pan for charring because it transfers and holds heat fantastically and is also easy to clean after charring). Once everything is charred evenly, remove from heat and set aside.
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Place charred ingredients in the blender with the toasted pumpkin seeds, sesame seeds, and spices. For a smooth pipián sauce, blend on high until completely smooth (about 3 minutes). For a more traditional pipián, pulse the blender to leave the sauce a little chunky (if you make it like this be aware that it might break if reduced in the pan too much in the next step, as it is not completely emulsified). Be careful not to overfill the blender, only fill it halfway. Before you blend it for the last time, add the cilantro and spinach. This is done so that their green color is preserved and the delicate leaves aren’t overheated. Transfer the pipián into a container.
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Heat a large pot on medium heat and add olive oil. Once the oil is heated enough that you see some bubbles forming in it, start to add the pipián little by little—be careful because the oil might splatter. Once all of it is in the pan, use a spatula to stir it so that it doesn’t stick on the bottom. Bring it to a boil over medium-low flame, then taste and adjust seasoning. Remove from heat and serve hot. Store in an air-tight container in the fridge for up to 7 days.
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