How to make Mexican huevos rancheros – a hearty Mexican egg breakfast served over a corn tortilla with refried beans and salsa; a wholesome, filling breakfast, brunch, or light meal! Plus, this eggs rancheros recipe is ready in just 10 minutes, naturally gluten-free, meat-free, and can be made vegan!

If you want a hearty, savory vegetarian breakfast (or lunch) that’s packed with flavor, protein, and wholesome ingredients – then this Mexican huevos rancheros recipe is for you. Cut into the egg yolk and allow it to ooze over every other element for the perfect bite of rich, creamy, spicy, fresh, and slightly ‘toasty’ elements.

Recently I’ve loved sharing some recipes for Mexican classics, including corn tortillas, Pico de Gallo, and Salsa Roja. Now I finally get to put them all into action for this simple, delicious Mexican egg breakfast. All you need is just 9 elements for this wonderful, stacked breakfast tortilla – ready in just 10 minutes!

You can even make these eggs rancheros vegan by substituting the fried egg for some tofu scramble!

What is huevos rancheros?

Huevos rancheros (aka ‘eggs ranch style’ or ‘Rancher’s eggs’ in Spanish) is a popular Mexican egg breakfast dish served farm-style, with a fried egg served over lightly fried (or charred) tortillas with salsa Fresca (Pico de Gallo). This dish then often contains several extra elements, including refried beans, guacamole, or Mexican rice.

Over time, as the dish has spread in popularity, other optional add-ins have been introduced, including cheese and sour cream and the use of different sauces and salsas.

The Huevos Rancheros Ingredients

• Eggs: I like to use large, free-range eggs.
• Corn tortilla: I used homemade corn tortillas (which are naturally gluten-free). You could, alternatively, use a small flour tortilla if that’s all you have.
• Refried beans: I use homemade refried beans (leftovers can be stored in the freezer!)
• Pico de Gallo: I use homemade Pico de Gallo, which requires just 5 ingredients and can be made the night before to marinate in the refrigerator overnight.
• Salsa Roja: I use homemade salsa Roja – you could substitute this with another salsa (like salsa Verde), ranchero sauce, or the sauce of your choice.
• Avocado: I added avocado slices. However, you could alternatively mash the avocado and make a simple guacamole.
• Lime: this adds a wonderful ‘freshness’ to the dish.
• Cheese: this is technically optional but tastes amazing with this combination of ingredients. Cotija is the best choice, but you can use feta if that’s all you can source or even Monterey Jack.
• Cilantro: I love cilantro over everything Mexican/Tex-Mex. However, if you aren’t a fan, feel free to omit it entirely or use another herb like parsley or green onions.
• Oil: Use any neutral cooking oil like avocado oil or olive oil.

Variations

• The egg: you can swap the fried egg for scrambled egg instead (this is called ‘Huevos a la Mexicana’)
• The beans: if you don’t have refried beans, you can use whole cooked pinto beans instead and use a layer of the salsa Roja as the base on the tortilla, topped with the beans and other toppings.
• Huevos divorciados: (aka ‘divorced eggs’) is a version where you use salsa Roja on one side of the place and salsa Verde on the other.
• Vegan huevos rancheros: Substitute the egg for tofu scramble and either omit the cheese entirely or use a vegan alternative – like vegan feta.

How to Make Huevos Rancheros

I tend to make sure I have most elements (tortillas, Pico de Gallo, Salsa Roja, refried beans) pre-made and waiting in the fridge. So, this recipe assumes they are prepared.

Step 1: Fry the egg and tortilla

Heat up a pan with a bit of oil until it’s shimmering, and then add your egg/s to fry. You can leave it sunny side up or flip it to make it over-easy/ medium, depending on how cooked you want the yolk.

I like to wait until the white is mostly cooked and then add a lid to the pan to help the steam to slightly cook the remaining white and outside of the yolk – so it still has a creamy, runny interior.

In a separate pan, lightly fry the tortilla for 1-2 minutes per side with a little oil. This will allow it to slightly crisp up and become lightly charred.

For crispier results, you can add more oil to the pan to properly ‘fry’ the tortilla. However, I like to keep mine slightly ‘lighter.’

Step 2: Assemble the huevos rancheros

It’s time to layer the ingredients.

First, spread a thin layer of the refried beans. Then place the egg on top.

Surround the egg with the salsa Roja and top that with the Pico De Gallo. Make sure the egg yolk is still visible.

Finally, add the avocado slices, a sprinkle of cheese, and then top with cilantro – enjoy!

How to Make Ahead and Store

Make ahead: Most of the elements for this Mexican egg breakfast can be prepared ahead and stored in the refrigerator/freezer for several days. Just make sure to keep the elements all separate, and you’ll have breakfast for days. I only recommend making the eggs fresh each time.

Storing: Once prepared, eggs rancheros are best eaten immediately. The wet elements will begin to make the tortilla soggy, and fried eggs are always best when eaten fresh. However, if you made any of the elements fresh and have leftovers, store them in the fridge to use the following day!

Recipe Notes

• Serve the salsa warm: If you like, warm the salsa Roja before adding it to the huevos rancheros. Do this on the stovetop or in the microwave.
• If tomatoes aren’t in season: You can skip the Pico de Gallo or use a preserved/canned version instead.
• For more spice: Feel free to adjust the heat level in your salsa or even top the huevos rancheros with sliced jalapeño or chile flakes.
• Using flour tortillas: I’ve given this as an option. However, flour tortillas tend to become soggy quicker, so corn tortillas are recommended.

Other Mexican and Tex-Mex Recipes

• Rainbow Vegan Tacos
• Healthy Veggie Burrito Bowl (Mexican Rice Bowl)
• Quick & Simple Watermelon Salsa
• 7+ Healthy Breakfast Quesadillas (Viral Tortilla Hack for Breakfast Wraps)
• Simple Fresh Authentic Guacamole (Mexican)
• Easy Mushroom Tacos
• Mini Breakfast Tacos (Vegetarian OR Vegan)
• Easy Mango Salsa (Mango Pico De Gallo)

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If you try this huevos rancheros recipe, I’d love to hear your thoughts/questions below. Also, I’d really appreciate a recipe card rating below, and feel free to tag me in your recipe recreations on Instagram @Alphafoodie!