If you follow me, by now you’ve probably noticed I have a passion for Mexican food. And maybe you do, too? So when I started thinking about Cinco de Mayo coming up and Mother’s day right after, I couldn’t help but think of the classic Huevos Rancheros. Make that Huevos Rancheros! With an explanation mark!

If there is ever a classic breakfasty brunchy dish with a Mexican flair, it has to be Classic Huevos Rancheros!If you’ve never had it, Huevos Rancheros is a sunnyside up egg nestled in Ranchero Sauce served atop a crispy, crunchy tortilla. Usually, that tortilla is slathered with refried beans and the dish is accompanied by avocado and diced onion. Maybe cheese, too.

What makes Huevos Rancheros so great are the layers and layers of flavor and texture. You’re going between the silky egg, the slightly spicy ranchero sauce with its signature sweet/sour taste, the fragrant corn tortilla, warm and crunchy and the heavier refried beans to ground it all. It just keeps you wanting to take a bite and then another and it keeps your mouth happy, happy, happy!

About Classic Huevos Rancheros:

Classic Huevos Rancheros used to be more of a special occasion brunch dish for me. Coz, I’m no morning person and Classic Huevos Rancheros is a bit of a production. Now I cook smarter and hope you will, too, and make it doable by making my Ranchero Sauce ahead. as a matter of fact, I usually have some in my freezer. Not that it’s any super big deal to make Ranchero Sauce, it’s just more than I usually manage for breakfast.

So with the Rancheros Sauce out of the way, there are still the tortillas, eggs & refried beans to whip up. All of which is really no biggie. The tortillas are fine to make ahead, too, the night before or can be made right before serving.

For the refried beans, I keep it super simple. I just Doctor up a Can of Refried Beans – this method is a game changer. It will seriously transform your refried game! If you want you can use home-made refries or mash whole beans, either canned or your own.

About the Egg for Classic Huevos Rancheros:

It’s just a little extra touch, but I do use a generous amount of butter in the skillet when I make eggs for Huevos Rancheros. Once the egg is set on the bottom, just enough to move when you shake the skillet, but the top is not quite cooked, tip the skillet just a bit and with a spoon, toss a little of that hot butter back over the top of the egg.

That gives you a great egg that’s light and crispy on the edges, with the perfect yolk: guaranteed runny without the yolk cooking too much & no raw egg white on the top of the egg. There’s no risk of overcooking the bottom of the sunnyside up egg in order to get the top done.

Of course, you’re on your own with undercooked eggs – there are risk factors to consider.

Saving Money on Classic Huevos Rancheros:

As much as I have a passion for Mexican food, I have a passion to help you save money! Eggs are cheap, especially around holidays. Stock up – they keep weeks past the buy date. Look around for tortillas in the refrigerator section, end caps, and the Mexican food areas. They’ll have different pricing, and you’ll want to compare.

In my store, there is a Mexican food aisle with all the basic American Mexican food, then there’s the aisle with the Mexican ingredients in the international or global aisle. Just like the tortillas, check around and compare prices. If refrieds are pricey, just buy a can of pintos and mash them yourself. Unless, of course, you make your own pintos, the cheapest way to go.

The Ranchero Sauce is the priciest ingredient, with its piquant blend of peppers and tomatoes. Pick peppers up when they’re on sale and buy extra to last beyond the sale week. They keep pretty well for a week or two.

Classic Huevos Rancheros

The classic Mexican brunch dish; a crispy tortilla, refried beans, classic ranchero sauce and a sunnyside up egg.

• Author: mollie kirby
• Total Time: varies - time intensive
• Yield: 4 servings

Ingredients

• 1/2 recipe of Simple Classic Rancheros Sauce, warmed through
• 1 recipe of Doctored up Refried Beans, warm
• 4 corn tortillas
• several tablespoons oil
• 4 eggs
• 2 tablespoons butter, as needed
• 1 avocado
• 1/4 cup diced red onion

Instructions

For the tortillas:

Heat several tablespoons oil (to a depth of about 3/8ths an inch) in a small skillet over medium-high heat. Add a tortilla and cook until the bottom is very lightly colored and the top begins to bubble. With tongs, turn over and cook the other side. Drain on a paper towel. Repeat, adding oil as necessary, with the other tortillas.

Remove the oil from the skillet and add a tablespoon of butter, Add one egg, cooking until the edges are set. Slightly tilt the skillet and continue to cook, while using a spoon to scoop up the hot butter and toss over the yolk of the egg. As soon as the white is set on the top of the egg, remove to a plate. Continue with the remainder of the eggs, adding butter as necessary.

Assembly:

Place tortilla on a plate, add refried beans on the tortilla or next to it. Top with a generous scoop of Ranchero sauce, then the egg.

Garnish with avocado and red onion.

Notes

Links for the Rancheros Sauce and Refried Beans are at the bottom of the page.

It’s recommended to prepare the Rancheros Sauce ahead.

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