Huevos rancheros, also called “rancher’s eggs,” is a classic Mexican dish that can be served a lot of different ways. It usually includes fried eggs, a spicy tomato sauce, refried beans, and tortillas. That’s a lot of different components, so we put the beans right into the sauce and now we can’t stop eating it! Note: You may have leftover sauce, which is also good served over rice, barley or quinoa, and, for the super-adventurous breakfast eater, oatmeal.
kitchen gear
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Cutting board
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Sharp knife (adult needed)
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Measuring spoons
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Measuring cups
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Can opener
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2 Medium-sized skillets
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Clean dishtowel
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Small bowl or mug
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Fork or whisk
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive or vegetable oil
- 1 small onion, peeled and finely chopped
- 2 garlic cloves, peeled and minced or put through a garlic press
- 1⁄2 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 (14-ounce) can crushed tomatoes
- 1 (15-ounce) can black beans, drained and rinsed
- 1⁄2 cup water
- 1 small can chipotle chile packed in adobo, chopped
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro leaves, plus more for garnish (if you like)
- 4 corn tortillas
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
- 4 to 8 large eggs
- 1 ripe avocado, pitted and sliced
- 1⁄2 cup shredded Monterey Jack or cheddar cheese or crumbled cotija, queso fresco, feta or goat cheese (if you like)
Instructions
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Put one skillet on the stove and set the heat to medium. When it is hot, add the oil, onion, garlic, and oregano and cook until the onion is soft, about 7 minutes.
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Add the tomatoes, beans, water, and chile, turn the heat down to low, and cook 20 minutes, stirring occasionally to keep the mixture from sticking. Add the cilantro and taste the sauce. Does it need a pinch of salt? If so, add it, and then set the sauce aside.
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Put the other skillet on the stove and set the heat to medium-low. When it is hot, add a tortilla until it is lightly charred on one side, about 2 minutes. Flip the tortilla and cook 2 more minutes. Repeat with the remaining 3 tortillas, wrap warm tortillas in a clean dishtowel, and set aside.
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Add 1 tablespoon oil to the same skillet to fry the eggs. Carefully crack each egg into a mug, then carefully pour each egg onto the skillet. Cook for 3 to 5 minutes (depending on how much you like your eggs cooked), flipping the eggs halfway through the cooking time.
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Top each tortilla with about 1⁄2 cup sauce and 2 eggs. Garnish with avocado slices and cheese, if you like. Serve right away.
Notes
Chipotle chiles are smoked jalapeños. You can usually find them in small cans in the Mexican or Latino foods aisle of your supermarket, and they tend to be “en adobo,” which means packed in a sauce of vinegar, tomato sauce, and spices. We love chipotles because they’re smoky and spicy and rich-tasting. But if you can’t find them, or you have everything else for this recipe but that, you can leave them out. Use 1⁄2 teaspoon smoked paprika or 1 teaspoon smoky hot sauce if you’ve got that, or something else spicy that you like — or skip the spice altogether.
