Eat in for brunch and enjoy this restaurant-quality classic!
While it’s fun to go out for a big brunch on a sunny weekend morning, sometimes it’s nice to just stay home and enjoy a big breakfast in your jammies. You can put on your favorite playlist, drink as much coffee or as many mimosas as you please, and cook up a delicious breakfast. Whether it’s for a party of one or a crowd, huevos rancheros is an ideal recipe for a weekend breakfast or brunch. Even if you’ve never made it before, you’ve got this. It’s a fresh, easy recipe that tastes delicious.
Huevos rancheros translates from Spanish to “ranch-style eggs,” meaning this is a hearty, protein-packed meal meant for fueling a day of physical labor. It’s considered a traditional Mexican meal, dating back at least several hundred years. The ingredients are simple and ones that would have been plentiful to working-class families and ranch hands. These days, even though it’s a dish you can often order when going out for brunch, making it at home is truer to its roots.
You will love huevos rancheros for its varied textures and fresh flavors. The soft corn tortilla and earthy refried beans are topped with fried eggs, fresh salsa, peppers, herbs, avocado, and a sprinkling of cotija. Not a fan of fried eggs? You can customize and make the eggs however you like them. Since you’re making your own, you can also control the spice level, whether you like it mild, atomic, or somewhere in between. Huevos rancheros makes for a pretty plate and tastes delicious. Who needs to go out for brunch with great homemade food like this?!
What is cotija?
Cotija is a Mexican cheese named after the town of Cotija, located in the state of Michoacán. It’s made from cow’s milk and usually sprinkled on top of dishes to add a little salty, briny flavor. Dry and crumbly in texture, it is easy to sprinkle just using your fingers to break up the clumps and scatter evenly. Look for it in the specialty or international section of your supermarket, or order it online if your grocery store does not carry it. If you can’t find it, you can substitute with feta or Romano cheese.
How do I store leftovers?
Huevos rancheros is best enjoyed right after it’s made. If you do have leftovers, store the main elements separately if possible. If you’ve already assembled the base of tortilla, beans, and egg, store that part on its own in an airtight container in the fridge. It will keep up to 2 days this way. The individual toppings should be stored separately in the fridge as well; they will keep up to 2 to 4 days. To reheat, place the base in a lightly oiled skillet and warm on low until it reaches the desired temperature. Add the toppings and serve.
Serving suggestions
In our house, we love huevos rancheros with potatoes on the side. A good candidate would be oven-roasted Breakfast Potatoes, but if you’re short on time, try Diced Potatoes In The Air Fryer. Along with the potatoes, set out some fresh fruit like diced pineapple or citrus, peeled and sectioned, for additional color and flavor. If it’s brunch, you can also set out chips and salsa—it’s never too early for chips and salsa, right?! Pour your favorite tortilla chips into a big bowl and make a batch of this Avocado Salsa; it’s full of fresh flavor.
Huevos Rancheros
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon avocado oil or another neutral oil
- 4 corn tortillas
- 1 cup refried beans
- 4 eggs
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
- 1 cup ranchero sauce or chunky tomato salsa
- 1 avocado sliced
- 1/4 cup fresh cilantro leaves chopped
- Crumbled cotija cheese for serving (optional)
- 1 jalapeño thinly sliced (optional)
Instructions
- Heat a nonstick skillet over medium heat. Lightly brush with avocado oil. Warm each tortilla for about 15 seconds per side until soft and lightly toasted.
- Warm the refried beans in a small pot over low heat, stirring occasionally until heated through.
- In the same skillet that you warmed the tortillas, fry the eggs to your preferred doneness, seasoning with salt and pepper.
- To assemble, place a tortilla on a plate, spread a layer of refried beans, add a fried egg, and drizzle with ranchero sauce. Top with avocado slices, chopped cilantro, cotija cheese, and jalapeño slices. Serve immediately.
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