Flavor Pairings

Spices & Dried Aromatics

Pasilla Chile

Also: chile negro, pasilla negro, dried chilaca

A long, wrinkled dried Mexican chile with deep earthy, herbal, and berry-like heat — the backbone of complex moles.

The pasilla is the dried form of the chilaca chile, a slender dark green pepper grown in central Mexico. Once dried, the skin turns nearly black and wrinkled, earning it the regional name 'chile negro.' Its flavor is earthy and herbal with notes of dried cherry, tobacco, and mild licorice, and it carries a gentle heat (1,000–2,500 SHU) that adds depth without brutality. It is one of the 'holy trinity' of mole chiles alongside mulato and ancho.

In photos

Pasilla Chile in its natural form. The pasilla is the dried form of the chilaca chile, a slender dark green pepper grown in central Mexico. Tasting profile: dried cherry and raisin, tobacco and dried herbs, earthy, mushroom-like depth, mild licorice undertone.
Pasilla Chile in its natural form. The pasilla is the dried form of the chilaca chile, a slender dark green pepper grown in central Mexico. Tasting profile: dried cherry and raisin, tobacco and dried herbs, earthy, mushroom-like depth, mild licorice undertone.
Pasilla Chile paired with dark chocolate (Mexican) — the canonical affinity made visible. Shared bitter, earthy notes fuse seamlessly in mole negro; chocolate extends the pasilla's fruit-tobacco depth.
Pasilla Chile paired with dark chocolate (Mexican) — the canonical affinity made visible. Shared bitter, earthy notes fuse seamlessly in mole negro; chocolate extends the pasilla's fruit-tobacco depth.
Pasilla Chile in its element — Mole negro (Oaxaca). Adventurous crossover: coffee — Espresso-ground coffee reinforces the roasted tobacco notes in a pasilla mole or a chile-rubbed steak, tying together the bitter spectrum..
Pasilla Chile in its element — Mole negro (Oaxaca). Adventurous crossover: coffee — Espresso-ground coffee reinforces the roasted tobacco notes in a pasilla mole or a chile-rubbed steak, tying together the bitter spectrum..

Flavour profile

dried cherry and raisintobacco and dried herbsearthy, mushroom-like depthmild licorice undertonelow, gentle heat

Classic pairings

  • dark chocolateMexican

    Shared bitter, earthy notes fuse seamlessly in mole negro; chocolate extends the pasilla's fruit-tobacco depth.

  • turkeyMexican

    The mild, meaty bird absorbs the pasilla's herbal complexity without being overwhelmed — the core of mole negro con guajolote.

  • dried mulato and ancho chilesMexican

    The classic mole trinity; each chile contributes a distinct note — pasilla's herbaceous tobacco rounds out ancho's sweetness and mulato's chocolate.

  • black beansMexican

    Pasilla refritos and soups gain earthy resonance from this pairing; the beans mirror the chile's dark, mineral quality.

  • tomatilloMexican

    Tart tomatillo cuts through the pasilla's richness in green moles and salsas, providing brightness.

  • cuminMexican

    Cumin's warm, slightly musty aroma aligns with the pasilla's earthy profile and is a standard pairing in Mexican chile pastes.

  • pork shoulderMexican

    Long-braised pork absorbs the pasilla's dried fruit and herbal notes deeply; a natural match for pozole rojo and carnitas salsas.

Adventurous pairings

  • coffee

    Espresso-ground coffee reinforces the roasted tobacco notes in a pasilla mole or a chile-rubbed steak, tying together the bitter spectrum.

  • aged goat cheese

    The tangy, funky edge of aged chèvre contrasts the pasilla's dark fruit and earthy heat in a dip or flatbread topping.

  • dried apricot

    Stone fruit sweetness echoes the pasilla's own dried-cherry note while lifting the overall brightness in mole-style tagines.

  • miso paste

    White or red miso's umami depth mirrors pasilla's mushroom-tobacco earthiness; a compelling base for fusion braising sauces.

Tread carefully

  • delicate white fishavoid

    The earthiness and tannin of pasilla overwhelms the subtle flavor of sole or tilapia; use a milder fresh chile instead.

  • fresh citrus zest in excessavoid

    Heavy citrus oils clash with the pasilla's dried, tobacco-forward character, producing a bitter, metallic edge.

How to use it

  • Toast briefly on a dry comal until fragrant (30 seconds per side) before rehydrating to deepen flavor
  • Rehydrate in hot water, chicken stock, or dark beer for 20–30 minutes; reserve the soaking liquid as sauce base
  • Blend rehydrated pasilla with soaked seeds, charred onion, and garlic into a smooth paste
  • Pass blended chile through a fine sieve to remove skins and seeds for a silky mole base
  • Fry the paste in lard or oil until it darkens and thickens before adding liquid
  • Grind toasted, dried pasilla into powder for dry rubs or seasoning blends

Appears in

Mole negro (Oaxaca)Mole poblanoPozole rojoChile negro salsaPasilla-braised short ribsEnfrijoladas

Related flavours

  • Ancho Chile

    Both are dried poblano-family chiles with fruity, mild heat; ancho is sweeter and wider while pasilla is more herbaceous and narrow.

  • Mulato Chile

    Close relative in the mole trinity; mulato is darker and carries chocolate-coffee notes compared to pasilla's dried-herb character.

  • Guajillo Chile

    Another essential Mexican dried chile; guajillo is brighter and more tannic, often combined with pasilla for layered salsas.

References

  1. 1.The Essential Cuisines of Mexico — Diana Kennedy
  2. 2.Truly Mexican — Roberto Santibanez
  3. 3.Mexico: The Cookbook — Margarita Carrillo Arronte

Confidence: high

Notes

Name confusion

Outside of Mexico, especially in California and the US Southwest, the term 'pasilla' is often incorrectly applied to the fresh poblano chile. In traditional Mexican cooking, pasilla strictly refers to the dried chilaca. When buying dried pasilla, look for the long, narrow, nearly black pods — not the wide, flat ancho.