About This Oaxacan Mole Buddha Bowl
This is the kind of bowl that makes you close your eyes mid-bite. Chickpeas simmered in a creamy, rich Oaxacan mole Coloradito, piled on top of brown rice with roasted cherry tomatoes, sautéed greens, and a sprinkle of toasted sesame seeds. It’s naturally vegan, comes together in under 30 minutes, and tastes like a bowl of Oaxaca.
I created this recipe using the Coloradito mole paste from La Guelaguetza. The moment you open the jar, the smell hits you: complex, rich, and deeply Mexican. Their mole pastes are the real deal, made the traditional way in Los Angeles by a family from Oaxaca.
Why This Mole Buddha Bowl Works
Mole (from the Nahuatl word mōlli, meaning “sauce”) is one of the most complex and celebrated sauces in Mexican cooking. It can include dried chiles, nuts, seeds, chocolate, dried fruits, and spices, all ground together into a thick, layered paste. There are dozens of regional varieties across Mexico: mole negro, mole poblano, mole verde, mole amarillo, and many more.
The one I use here is mole Coloradito, an Oaxacan mole that’s slightly sweet, brick-red, and silky smooth. When you blend it with almonds, garlic, and water, then simmer it with chickpeas, the sauce thickens into something incredibly creamy and rich. It coats every chickpea perfectly.
Served over rice with greens and roasted tomatoes, it becomes a complete, balanced meal. This is the kind of dish that transports me straight to Oaxaca every time I make it.
Ingredients for the Oaxacan Mole Buddha Bowl
- Mole Coloradito from La Guelaguetza or any other mole paste you like
- Garlic, peeled
- Almonds, use slivered almonds if you want a smoother sauce
- Vegetable oil, avocado, safflower, or olive oil works well here
- Rice, I like to use brown rice or any other steamed rice
- Chickpeas, if you want to make it legume-free, use sautéed vegetables
- Cherry tomatoes, roasted until they burst
- Kale, spinach, or any other green, steamed or sautéed
- Toasted sesame seeds
- Sliced red onion or Mexican pickled onions
How to Make the Oaxacan Mole Buddha Bowl
Blend the mole paste with almonds, water, and a garlic clove until smooth. Add it to a pan with the chickpeas and let it simmer for a few minutes. The sauce will thicken and coat every chickpea in that rich, slightly sweet mole.
Serve the mole chickpeas over your favorite cooked grains, alongside sautéed greens and roasted cherry tomatoes. Finish with thinly sliced red onions and toasted sesame seeds.
What to Do with Leftover Mole
Mole is one of the most versatile sauces in Mexican cooking. If you have leftover mole paste or sauce, you can use it in so many ways:
- Mole enchiladas (enmoladas) — pour the sauce over rolled tortillas filled with beans or potatoes
- Black bean and mole burgers — mix some mole into the patty mixture for incredible depth
- Roasted vegetables — drizzle warm mole over roasted sweet potatoes, cauliflower, or squash
- Tamales — use it as a filling or sauce for vegan tamales
There’s something about the Coloradito mole from La Guelaguetza that has special powers. One bite of this bowl and I’m back in Oaxaca, sitting in a courtyard with a plate of mole and handmade tortillas. That’s what good mole does — it takes you somewhere.
More vegan Mexican recipes you might love:
- Vegan Mole Enchiladas (Enmoladas)
- Black Bean and Mole Burgers
- Mexican Lentil Picadillo Tacos
- Mexican Horchata
- Agua de Jamaica (Hibiscus Tea)
Oaxacan Mole Buddha Bowl with Chickpeas
Equipment
Ingredients
Sauce
- 2 tablespoons mole paste Coloradito of the Guelaguetza
- 1 clove garlic
- 1/2 cup chopped almonds
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 2 cups water
- 1 teaspoon of oil
Bowl
- 3½ cups cooked rice
- 3 cups cooked chickpeas or two cans
- 1 pound cherry tomatoes
- 4 handfuls kale, spinach or a mix of greens
- toasted sesame seeds
- sliced red onion
Instructions
- Add the mole paste, garlic clove, almonds, salt, and water to the blender. Mix well and test well. Adjust the seasoning if necessary.
- In a frying pan, add the teaspoon of oil, pour the sauce, and leave over medium heat until it begins to boil.
- Add the chickpeas and lower the heat.
- In a separate skillet sautée the tomatoes and greens with salt and a teaspoon or so of olive oil.
For serving
- Divide the rice, greens, and tomatoes into four pasta bowls, ladle the chickpea and mole sauce.
- Finish it off with toasted sesame and sliced red onion. onion.
Nutrition
information
Nutritional information of this recipe is only an estimate, the accuracy for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
Hi, I’m Ale Graf!
I’m a Mexican home cook based in Texas and the voice behind AleCooks and Piloncillo & Vainilla.
I create easy, family-friendly recipes with Mexican roots and a plant-forward mindset—always flexible and made to bring people together. I’m also the co-author of Yo Cocino Latino and love helping home cooks feel more confident in the kitchen.
Come say hi on Instagram—I’d love to hear what you’re cooking.