Wednesday, April 27, 2022

Huevos Rancheros

Huevos Rancheros

Spicy, flavorful, and hearty, this traditional Mexican dish is ideal for breakfast, brunch, or dinner

The name translates as “Eggs Rancher’s Style.” It probably originated as a rib-sticking breakfast for ranch hands who needed to fuel up for a day of heavy labor.

We’re not cowboys, so we tend to serve Huevos Rancheros for brunch or dinner.

But anytime you eat this, you’ll want to say yippee-ki-yay.


Huevos Rancheros

Recipe: Huevos Rancheros

This dish has many variations – pretty much a different one for every cook. But some ingredients are almost always present.

The usual constants are eggs (fried sunny side up is the norm, but any style you like is fine), corn tortillas (though some cooks prefer wheat ones), and a spicy sauce (we like the texture and flavor of Homemade Salsa or Picante Sauce, but almost any chile-flavored Mexican sauce works). We often add beans of some sort (refried are classic). And we top it off with chopped cilantro, slices of jalapeño, and sometimes crumbled or grated cheese (Cotija is our favorite, but cheddar, fresco, and feta are also good).

From start to finish, this dish takes about 15-20 minutes to make. Much of the time involves assembling the components and warming up already-prepared ingredients like salsa and beans.

This recipe yields 1 serving. It’s easy to scale up for 2, 3, or a crowd.

Ingredients

  • 2 corn tortillas (Homemade are wonderful, but store bought are fine)
  • ~½ cup refried beans (or other Mexican-style beans; see Notes)
  • ~½ cup salsa or picante sauce (may substitute another chile-based sauce)
  • ~1 teaspoon lard, butter, bacon grease, or cooking oil (or to taste)
  • 2 eggs (or just 1 per serving if you prefer)
  • garnish of chopped cilantro, jalapeño slices, and/or crumbled Cotija cheese

Procedure

  1. Warm the tortillas. We prefer to warm tortillas in a microwave: Sprinkle some water on a kitchen towel, wrap the tortillas in it, and heat them in the microwave for a couple of minutes until they’re warm and supple (time depends on the power of the microwave). Or you can warm the tortillas briefly on a griddle or in a frying pan (use a little oil to keep them from sticking). Once the tortillas are warm, set them aside.
  2. Meanwhile, warm the refried beans and the salsa (or other sauce). You can put these in separate saucepans and warm them on the stove (it’ll take a couple of minutes; we usually add a touch of water to the beans before placing them on the stove to thin them a bit). Or you can microwave the beans and salsa. Once they’re warm, set the beans and salsa aside.
  3. Next, heat the fat in a small frying pan, crack the eggs into the pan, and cook the eggs until done – this takes just a couple of minutes. (If frying eggs is new to you, we have complete instructions in our post on Fried Eggs.)
  4. While the eggs are frying, begin assembling the dish. Place the corn tortillas on a plate (we place them so they partially overlap). Spread the warm refried beans over the tortillas. When the eggs are done to your satisfaction, place them on the beans. Next, spoon warm salsa over the eggs. Finally, add your choice of garnish, and serve.
Huevos Rancheros

Notes

  • Sliced avocados are another great garnish for this dish. As are black olives. Or almost anything that sounds appealing.
  • Quantities in this recipe are quite flexible. So use as much or little of the ingredients as you like.
  • We serve this dish with hot sauce on the table for those who want extra spicy.
  • If you’re really hungry, home-fried potatoes are a nice addition to the plate.
  • Although a tomato- and chile-based sauce/salsa is usual with this dish, a popular variation substitutes tomatillos for tomatoes. 
  • We like the texture of salsa, but a smoother sauce – like enchilada sauce – may be more typical in this dish. And although making your own salsa/sauce/whatever for this dish is fun, there are a lot of good commercial sauces out there that you can buy. More often than not, that’s what we use.
  • You can use canned refried beans in this dish, but it’s easy to make your own (and they will definitely taste better): Heat lard or bacon fat (or cooking oil) in a frying pan. Add ½ white onion, minced. Sauté until the onion is translucent. Add a clove or two of chopped garlic. Cook for another minute. Add 2 to 3 cups cooked pinto or black beans (plus about ¼ cup of the bean cooking water, or substitute tap water). Stir to incorporate the onion and garlic. Cook, mashing the beans several times with a potato masher or the back of a wooden spoon, until all the water has evaporated and the beans reach the consistency you prefer (which may range from chunky to a smooth purée). Taste, add salt if necessary, and you’re done.
  • BTW, “refried” means beans that are well fried (not fried twice). In Spanish, the dish is called frijoles refritos. “Refritos” means “well fried.”
  • Instead of incorporating refried beans into the recipe, we sometimes serve a side dish of whole Mexican beans (like our Mexican Charro Beans.)
Huevos Rancheros

Meanwhile, Back at the Ranch

“What a great way to serve eggs,” said Mrs. Kitchen Riffs. “Nice and spicy – my kind of dish.”

“Yup, I wasn’t horsing around when I made this,” I said.

“That joke was all hat and no cowboy,” said Mrs K R.

“Hey, I’m at home on the range!” I said.

“As long as the range has electric burners,” said Mrs K R.

“Well, I feel like a bucking bronco when I step into the kitchen,” I said. “This ain’t my first rodeo, no sirree.”

“You need to quit rustling up those jokes,” said Mrs K R. “Some things should be seen, not herd.”

Guess she’s pressing the moo-te button.

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68 comments:

Angie's Recipes said...

wow how good this huevos rancheros looks, John! p.s I need at least 5 eggs though, LOL.

Kitchen Riffs said...

Hi Angie, easy enough to add more eggs! :-) Thanks for the comment.

Pam said...

Just look at those perfect yolky eggs. Huevos rancheros is one of my favorites--it looks wonderful.

Kitchen Riffs said...

Hi Pam, we love this dish! :-) Thanks for the comment.

Anne in the kitchen said...

Just in time for the Cinco de Mayo meal planning!

Kitchen Riffs said...

Hi Anne, yup! :-) Thanks for the comment.

Healthy World Cuisine said...

Mouth is watering! We could eat this every day. Would love this for a Mother's day brunch too!

Kitchen Riffs said...

Hi Bobbi, we could eat this every day of the week, too. Unless, of course, we were having pancakes. :-) Thanks for the comment.

lisa is cooking said...

This is my favorite brunch dish! Such a great combination. Those jalapeno slices on top look fantastic.

Kitchen Riffs said...

Hi Lisa, don't those slices look nice? Taste nice, too. :-) Thanks for the comment.

savorthebest said...

So much flavor! I usually think of this as a breakfast or lunch but it is great for dinner as well. This would be great added to the brunch menu on Mother's Day

Evelyne CulturEatz said...

This si such a comforting dish. I agree on the refried beans. I should make it cause you can't find really where I live.

Kitchen Riffs said...

Hi Dahn, I suspect most people do eat this for breakfast, but we love breakfast for dinner. :-) Thanks for the comment.

Kitchen Riffs said...

Hi Evelyne, homemade refried beans are quite good. The canned? Not so much. :-) Thanks for the comment.

Eha said...

As others, love this as a brunch dish but have not made it awhile . . . somehow shakshuka has often pushed itself first in line when I think of ;eggs in sauce' :) ! Love feta but have not used it in this recipe . . . coming weekend perchance . . .

Kitchen Riffs said...

Hi Eha, this dish is rather similar to shakshuka, isn't it? Such good stuff. :-) Thanks for the comment.

Ben | Havocinthekitchen said...

I don't think I've ever tried Huevos Rancheros - very nice and hearty. I'm not sure about cowboys, but I will probably be lazy and want to sleep again after such a filling breakfast haha. But as a weekend option when you can allow yourself to have a slow morning, why not?!

Kitchen Riffs said...

Hi Ben, this is definitely not a light dish -- very filling. :-) Thanks for the comment.

Anonymous said...

What a coincidence — I posted a photo yesterday of some huevos rancheros I ate in Santa Fe at a nice diner. Like you, I prefer them for dinner, not breakfast. The special thing about them was blue corn tortillas. Plus red AND green chiles, and hash browns and of course beans and cheese and all that. It’s a great dish.

best… mae at maefood.blogspot.com

Kitchen Riffs said...

Hi Mae, I love this dish! Wish I had it with red and green chilies, though. :-) Thanks for the comment.

Sherry's Pickings said...

ooh yes eggs sunny side up please! and plenty of avocado.

speedy70 said...

Un bellissimo piatto colorato, molto invitante e gustoso!!!

Anonymous said...

I never make this dish at home. It is always a Sunday brunch order. Maybe, I will leave your post out as a hint for Mother's Day.

Kitchen Riffs said...

Hi Sherry, sunny side up eggs always look so great, don't they? :-) Thanks for the comment.

Kitchen Riffs said...

Hi Speedy, isn't this pretty? And SO good! Thanks for the comment.

Kitchen Riffs said...

Hi Anonymous, this would make for a terrific Mother's Day brunch. :-) Thanks for the comment.

Anonymous said...

Delicious!!! This would be so soulful. I admit its been awhile since I had Huevos Rancheros but, it is delightful.

Kitchen Riffs said...

Hi Anonymous, soulful is definitely a good word for this dish. :-) Thanks for the comment.

Raymund said...

One of the best breakfasts ever made, japalenoes definitely is early wake up zing to brighten your day. Mmmmmm

Kitchen Riffs said...

Hi Raymund, we love dishes like this that are just loaded with flavor. :-) Thanks for the comment.

Happy Retiree's Kitchen said...

What an excellent dish KR, it reminds me of a Mexican riff on Shakshuka, I'm all in. Just the meal to make before we line up to watch a Netflix western series like Yellowstone. I will definitely be making this for brunch one day, and I have avocadoes ripening in the bowl, so this is definitely on the menu. Your refried beans look much better than the bought ones.

Kitchen Riffs said...

Hi Pauline, this really is somewhat similar to Shakshuka. Definitely worth making. :-) Thanks for the comment.

Dawn @ Words Of Deliciousness said...

This sounds like kind of dish. I love all of the flavors and the ingredients. Yum!

Kitchen Riffs said...

Hi Dawn, yum indeed! :-) Thanks for the comment.

Anonymous said...

I’m from LA where even the French restaurants serve this dish. It makes me happy to see it here. It reminds me of home. GREG

Kitchen Riffs said...

Hi Greg, it's a happy dish. :-) Thanks for the comment.

Abbe@This is How I Cook said...

Manservant could eat this breakfast, lunch and dinner and even in between. Of course, then he'd have a hard time getting on his horse!

Kitchen Riffs said...

Hi Abbe, lol! We could eat this all the time, too. :-) Thanks for the comment.

Liz That Skinny Chick Can Bake said...

My dad would always order this when we went out for Sunday breakfast on our Colorado vacations! Yours looks so much more tempting than those restaurant versions. YUM.

Frank said...

That looks stick to the ribs good, John! I usually don't have much for breakfast, but I'd gobble this up as lunch or brunch. Heck, even dinner...

Kitchen Riffs said...

Hi Liz, this is one of those dishes that varies so much depending on who is making it. We love salsa, so we pile it on. :-) Thanks for the comment.

Kitchen Riffs said...

Hi Frank, we actually eat pretty light breakfasts too. Dinner, though . . . :-) Thanks for the comment.

mjskit said...

Your pictures made me so hungry for Huevos Rancheros yesterday that I had to make this. Normally I make mine with whole beans and smother everything in red chile, but this time I used refried beans and hot salsa as you recommended. What a fabulous plate of deliciousness! Thanks John!

Food Gal said...

Total comfort food that I'd relish any time of the day or night! ;)

David Scott Allen said...

John — what a great way to start or end your day! I think, since we don’t least large breakfasts, this will be perfect for an evening meal. Thanks!

Kitchen Riffs said...

HI MJ, so many different ways to make this, all of them good. :-) Thanks for the comment.

Kitchen Riffs said...

Hi Carolyn, us too! :-) Thanks for the comment.

Kitchen Riffs said...

Hi David, pretty much an evening meal for us, too. :-) Thanks for the comment.

Simone said...

Wow, that looks so good John! Anything with eggs works well for me!

Kitchen Riffs said...

Hi Simone, we love eggs! And salsa. And beans. And . . . :-) Thanks for the comment.

Balvinder said...

My favorite quick meal for breakfast, lunch or dinner. The only thing I do differently is to use less sauce.

Kitchen Riffs said...

Hi Balvinder, I think most people probably do use less sauce. And it's good that way. We're just, well, saucy. :-) Thanks for the comment.

Judee said...

This looks like a really hearty breakfast and reminds me of a dish called Shakshooka!

Kitchen Riffs said...

Hi Judee, very hearty, very good. :-) Thanks for the comment.

Judy@SavoringToday said...

This is the dish I long for when we go out for breakfast and yours looks fabulous! What a great plan for the weekend. :)

Kitchen Riffs said...

Hi Judy, isn't this such a great dish? SO much flavor! :-) Thanks for the comment.

Inger said...

I love Huevos Rancheros! Yours looks so good plus doable-why have I never made this!

Kitchen Riffs said...

Hi Inger, it's a bit of a production getting all the ingredients together, but once you're ready to go, this dish comes together quickly Thanks for the comment.

EASYFOODSMITH said...

In love with this delicious and hearty breakfast and more so, since I prefer something savoury for my breakfast :D

Kitchen Riffs said...

Hi Taurana, we prefer savory rather than sweet for breakfast, too. Well, most of the time. :-) Thanks for the comment.

shirleysimplerecipe said...

Looks yum😃!

Kitchen Riffs said...

Hi Shirley, it is! :-) Thanks for the comment.

Anonymous said...

One of my favorite dishes ever, and I'll be making yours later this week. Thank you! I usually don't think of it for dinner, but dinner it shall be. :-) ~Valentina

Kitchen Riffs said...

Hi Valentina, so good any time of the day! :-) Thanks for the comment.

Marcelle said...

I love huevos rancheros, I literally just had a plate full at a taqueria for breakfast this morning!! Yours looks delicious, John. It's a stick-to-your-ribs breakfast, for sure!

Kitchen Riffs said...

Hi Marcelle, it definitely is a filling dish. And a really good one! :-) Thanks for the comment.

Judee said...

I had this in a restaurant one time and we really enjoyed it - It reminds me Israeli shakshukah too... Your recipe looks delicious

Kitchen Riffs said...

Hi Judee, there's SO much flavor in this dish -- we love it. :-) Thanks for the comment.