Huevos Rancheros with Quick Ranchero Sauce
Crisp corn tortillas, refried beans and fried eggs smothered in a quick smoky ranchero sauce. A Mexican breakfast that makes a great 30-minute dinner.
33% of it needs you at the counter
- Hands-on
- 10 min
- Cooking
- 20 min
- Serves
- 4
- Calories
- 475
- Protein
- 22 g
- Per serving
- $1.89
Why this recipe works
Huevos rancheros, or ranch-style eggs, is a classic Mexican breakfast that works just as well at dinner. Make the sauce first; it keeps for a week and turns this into a 15-minute meal next time.
- Blending fire-roasted canned tomatoes gives the sauce a charred, slow-cooked flavor in 10 minutes.
- Crisping the tortillas in a little oil keeps them from going soggy under the beans and sauce.
- Frying the eggs last means the yolks are still runny when everything comes together.
Ingredients
For the ranchero sauce
To serve
You will need
- 12-inch nonstick skillet
- Blender
Method
Tap a step number to mark it done.
Blend the sauce
Blend the tomatoes with their juices, onion, jalapeño, garlic, cumin and salt until fairly smooth.
Simmer the sauce
Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a small saucepan over medium heat. Add the sauce (it will splatter) and simmer, stirring, until slightly thickened and darker red.
Crisp the tortillas
Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in the skillet over medium-high heat. Fry the tortillas one or two at a time until blistered and lightly crisp, about 30 seconds per side. Keep warm on a plate. Warm the beans in the microwave or a small pan.
Fry the eggs
Add the last tablespoon of oil to the skillet over medium heat. Crack in the eggs and cook until the whites are set but the yolks are still runny.
Assemble
Overlap two tortillas on each plate, spread with beans, top with two eggs and spoon over plenty of ranchero sauce. Finish with cheese, avocado and cilantro.
Cook's notes
- Make a double batch of sauce; it keeps a week in the fridge and freezes for months.
- If your tortillas crack, warm them first for a few seconds in the microwave wrapped in a damp towel.
- For less heat, remove the jalapeño seeds and ribs; for more, add a chipotle in adobo to the blender.
Nutrition per serving
475 calories
$1.89 estimated cost per serving
Where the calories come from
| Protein | 18% of calories | 22 g |
|---|---|---|
| Carbs | 37% of calories | 45 g |
| Fat | 45% of calories | 24 g |
| Fiber | 10 g | |
| Sodium | 850 mg |
Calculated from USDA FoodData Central values for the listed ingredients and amounts; not lab-tested. Cost estimated from average US retail prices.
Questions people ask
What is the difference between huevos rancheros and shakshuka?
Both pair eggs with a tomato sauce, but shakshuka poaches the eggs in a spiced pepper-tomato sauce, while huevos rancheros fries the eggs and serves them on tortillas and beans with a chile-tomato sauce.
Are huevos rancheros healthy?
They are a balanced meal: about 22 grams of protein and 10 grams of fiber per serving from the eggs and beans. Fry the tortillas in less oil, or warm them dry, to cut the fat.
Can I use jarred salsa instead of making the sauce?
Yes. Simmer about 2 cups of a smooth red salsa for 5 minutes to thicken and deepen it before spooning it over.
