Recipe

huevos rancheros

I wasn’t even going to mention this dish. I’ve got no expertise in the realm of Tex-Mex cooking and generally think it’s best left to those who know what they’re talking about. Furthermore, despite the fact that I had eggs exactly this way daily when we were at a resort in Mexico last year, I suspect this isn’t the most authentic thing out there.

But it makes no difference because these ad-libbed and hodge-podged huevos rancheros and the smitten kitchen are at something of a standstill. They were dinner last Tuesday. They were dinner on Thursday. They were brunch today. And if this site is indeed a reflection of what goes on in our kitchen, well, then obviously it’s time to share them with you.

Also, because they’re awesome.

huevos rancheros-6

Huevos Rancheros

  • Servings: 1
  • Source: Smitten Kitchen
  • Print
First, let me get my “semi-homemade” moment out of the way and I start by opening a can of beans, but by “beans” I mean Goya’s black bean soup, and no, I don’t feel bad about it. This is my favorite-est shortcut–these guys are so perfect right out of the can–with just the right amount of liquid–I see no reason to trouble myself with cooking and seasoning my own. Or at least not when I have a quick meal in mind.

huevos rancheros-1

Next I make a quick salsa fresca with diced tomatoes, some red onion, a minced jalapeno, salt and a good squeeze or two of lime juice. If you’re the cilantro type, you can mix that in as well. With tomatoes in high season right now, you’ll think you’ve died and gone to heaven.

Now, the egg is where this gets ugly, and I do mean that literally. This is one dish where the best taste makes for the fugliest tortilla and I suggest that you just run with it, because it’s quite simple.

First you heat a 5 to 6-inch corn tortilla in an oiled pan.

When it is golden brown underneath, flip it over. (Don’t worry, you’ll brown it a bit more in a moment.)

huevos rancheros-2

Sprinkle some shredded cheddar or jack cheese over the browned side, if you wish. and let it melt a bit. I like to use about half an ounce per tortilla.

Break a single egg over the tortilla, or the melting cheese on the tortilla.

huevos rancheros-3

Don’t worry if it rolls over the edges, that’s all part of the tasty mess of it. Season it with salt and pepper.

When the white is about halfway set (i.e., the edges and some of the egg on the tortilla), flip the whole thing over. For me, this is when the mess always strikes as the yolk is just itching to run off the spatula as I flip it.

huevos rancheros-4

Cook it for a few minutes on the other side, flip it back onto a plate and you’re done. All there is left to do is decorate.

If you’re Alex, that means a tidy arrangement of salsa fresca, beans, cilantro when we have it, salsa from a jar, extra and several shakes of Tabasco. For me, this means a scattered mess of salsa fresca, beans, cotija, avocado, and/or sour cream, everything muddling together in a glorious tangle of things that are delicious…

huevos rancheros-5

Hey hon, guess what’s for dinner tomorrow?!

P.S. These photos were updated in 2022, but below are the 2008 ones, in case you’re nostalgic for them.

huevos rancheroshuevos rancheros

Leave a Reply to Jennifer Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

New here? You might want to check out the comment guidelines before chiming in.

254 comments on huevos rancheros

  1. I saw this on your flickr stream shortly before the recipe came up here, and it inspired me to make it. Except with a 10″ flour tortilla, bottled salsa, and no beans. Still yummy, though!

  2. Ohiogirl

    That looks yummy!

    My shameful joy is eggs with salsa and fresh pita (a slight twist on the egg and ketchup sandwiches of my youth) this looks so much more dignified!

  3. Leilah

    I stared at that tomato-esque knife for so long, trying to figure out why those cherry tomatoes looked so fake….it’s because they were. lol.

  4. I love the technique of starting the egg on top of the tortilla. Are you able to keep it nice and over-medium, or do you end up hard-cooking the yolk? I want the hot runny yolk to mingle with the beans, so I brown my tortillas separately and cover the eggs to finish cooking separately, without a flip. But I think I’ll try the combo tortilla-egg style next time.

  5. Liz C

    those little tiny tomatoes in one of the pictures look totally fake for some reason.

    anyhow…my husband would love me even more if i made him this breakfast. maybe next sunday!

  6. pamela

    dear deb,

    i have been lurking on your page for months, reading and laughing and enjoying things like the crispy salted white chocolate oatmeal cookies, the lemon risotto, the blondies, etc., as well as not enjoying things like the corniest corn muffins (too desserty for my southern roots), but this, and i mean this one little thing is what prompts me to speak to you, oh kitchen goddess:

    honestly, are those little tomatoes fake? i mean really, who are you fooling? little tomatoes just don’t look that perfect. you can tell me. i’ll still love you endlessly, in an only mildly creepy kitchen-obsessed sort of fashion. c’mon, share.

    sincerely, pamela

  7. ridonkulus

    hmm i will have to look for black bean soup! everything looks delicious. am a little hesitant to use jalapenos what with the salmonella scare, i’d wash everything 3x. but most likely i’d use that canned salsa, herdez?? not sure what the brand is, but it is decent when i’m too lazy to make salsa.

  8. Hehe, your knife is something of a celebrity ;)

    This looks delicious; if only I had it yesterday morning, to go with our fantastic chorizo! I’ll certainly be trying this recipe soon, my husband will love it =]

  9. SAS

    This was fun to read and I appreciate the great photos showing how to make egg on a tortilla. The salsa fresca looks great. I LOVE salsa. LOVE black beans too and am curious about this soup you mentioned. I am a little scared to try black beans with eggs … but I do love it all.

  10. Eighth generation Texan here….never had black beans (or sour cream, for that matter) with my huevos rancheros but MAN that’s a dish I’m going to try! It makes my mouth water, I can’t wait to eat it. Tonight, maybe, tomorrow at the latest. Or maybe now. Thanks for sharing!

  11. Hmmm…what does it say about me that I didn’t even notice the knife?

    Seriously killer good recipe, and simple as all get out. Sometimes, when faced with a dish like this that could be the best and easiest quick dinner imaginable, I just want to curse for marrying a man who hates eggs, and for being so respecting of it.

    But then again, when he’s gone…….mmmmmmmmm

  12. I love making these. And I agree, the fugliest – is usually the tastiest. I add cilantro to mine because I adore it, but I know of your cilantro aversion. :-) Now I’m hungry.

  13. Oh, holy, these are dinner tonight. Seriously, they sound sooo fabulous, and salsa fresca? Why, the tiny jalepenos in my garden are crying out to be chopped up into that (though my tomatoes are all still green, green, green).

  14. In support and defense of Goya BB, another tasty application is to pulse them into a puree to cover bottom of plate, add grilled salmon or chicken for color contrast. A dish to be proud of!

  15. this fits in perfectly with my recent (last 3 weeks) menu that has consisted almost entirely of beans (yes i mean goya Black Beans)and rice. the only thing missing here is a diced avaocado on the top.

  16. deb

    I am glad you all like the knife so much! I do too. It was a bridal shower gift, but it was one of those “extra” things so I never knew who gave me which gadget. There’s also a grapefruit knife with grapefruits on the handle, but I don’t use it that much. (My OXO one is way better.)

    But this knife! It is shockingly awesome. I mean, I’m a big proponent of a good, sharp chef’s knife and I am no fan of limited-use gadgets. Don’t get me started on expensive bread knives. But when this guy even looks at a tomato, it splits perfectly open with no drag. It’s amazing.

    P.S. New Yorkers: I once saw this in a Gristedes, you know, where they have random kitchen stuff lining the aisles. I’ll look again when I go next.

  17. Oh, the deliciousness. Another eggy Tex-Mex fave in our house is the stuffed chile omelet from Deborah Madison’s Vegetarian Cooking for Everyone. Just thinking about this sends my heart a-flutter!

  18. Yes! Inspiration! Muy bueno! I just do not feel like going to the supermarket today so I think you have just saved the day. Thank you! Huevos Rancheros, or some form of it is now on the menu tonight.

    Muchas gracias!

  19. OMG I LOVE huevos rancheros, although my homemade version consists of an egg poached in salsa and tortilla on the side…. and sour cream is a must…

  20. Dancer who eats

    I make these all the time. I start by scrambling my egg and making a pancake out of it. Then I layer on the skillet: tortilla, black beans, egg, salsa verde, queso fresco. YUM. I basically use my favorite beans, salsa and cheese to make it my own. I also let the cheese melt because that’s the kind of person I am! :D

    I have made more authentic versions but this is how I prefer it.

  21. I am LOVING your catch up week!
    Thanks for all the great meal ideas and tasty treats – I have NEVER been so inspired to get in the kitchen so much in one week.
    Your photos really do it for a visual person!
    Thanks Deb!

  22. Kristin

    My favorite breakfast! I’m not big on breakfasty things, so this is my kind of food to eat in the morning. We always stock up on Trader Joe’s Cuban Black Beans…I’m not sure how close the flavor is to the Goya ones, but I love having them on hand as a side dish when I make Mexican food for dinner. And I have to say, you must also add into your repertoire: homemade tortillas. Amazing.

  23. eM

    Disclaimer: my Mexican Grandmother was a bit of a food snob, which I inherited ;-)

    the proliferation of yellow cheese into mexican food is a bit too much assilimation for me…something about yellow cheese with cilantro and chili just does not work

    a nice queso fresco would be really tasty – or even some jack cheese, and if you could find some cotija to put on top – that would make this dish sublime.

  24. Susan

    Whoo-wave-o’s Ran-chair-o’s! My all time favorite, weekend brunch. Sub in the egg for any meat (but,you can add some chorizo or leftover fajitas if you like, potatos too) and add everything you would choose in a burrito, and you’ve got Huevo-R’s. Yum-Ole’!

  25. Maureen

    It’s like fate…I just happen to have all these ingredients and nothing planned for dinner tonight! Looks really good. Thanks for the idea!

  26. Karen

    Oh. My. Gosh. Even without the amazing-looking salsa fresca (no peppers here, and my tomatoes are just coming in), and no beans or sour cream (weep), these were delicious. Even with jarred salsa and muenster cheese (no cheddar either), I could eat these every day. I have always wanted to make huevos rancheros, but the recipes i’ve found were intimidating. Thank you, Deb!

  27. Yvo

    I shall share how stupid I am now: I was staring at the photograph “salsa fresca mise” and enthralled with the colors (which is what compelled me to click over, anyway, the colors of all the photos, hello drool!) and how perfect your little grape tomatoes looked. Absolutely enthralled. I kept thinking “There is no way those are real!” and “Why does she have fake veggies on her cutting board? No… they’re real, then?” and “How perfect, where the hell did she get those?” and “Why does she have little tomatoes and big ones?” finally I clicked over to your Flickr, where I see, no, they are not real (so I’m not that crazy!) and upon reading your caption, saw what I hadn’t been seeing before: the blade of the knife the fake tomatoes are attached to.

    I am an idiot, but this sounds delicious and easy and I love huevos rancheros at brunch.

  28. Hillary

    Thank you for taking the guess work out of what “should be” such a simple recipe. Light bulb moment on how the egg is introduced. Yum!

  29. I’m a little of a bean freak & though I regularly buy Goya’s black beans, I’ve never had the black bean soup. I’m making these this weekend for breakfast!!

  30. Hi Deb! This cooking-the-egg-over-the-tortilla-then-flipping-it reminds me of the way they make scallion pancakes on the street in Taiwan. With hot sauce of course. Yum!

  31. I’ve been wanting huevos rancheros for about a week now. Might have to be tonight. It’s one dish that DH and I always cook together. He’s in charge of the egg cooking, so I can’t wait to share your neat egg on the tortilla trick. I’m in charge of the black beans, and I use canned and cook them with some diced onion and cumin.

  32. This looks great! We Southern Cailfornians like to put the beans between the tortilla and the fried egg and use a good, white Mexican melting cheese (like Chihuahua, quesadilla or asadero) for crumbling on top. On the side, you have to have Mexican rice and oh, sliced avocados or guacamole with a few tortilla chips thrown on top for some crunch! Don’t forget that when making the fresh salsa, raw jalapenos are still on the no-no list (due to the salmonella scare) but thankfully tomatoes are now in the clear.

  33. I love Huevos Rancheros. Mine are lazier than yours. I fry an egg, and right after I drop the egg in the pan, I pour a little jarred salsa in (I love Whole Foods’ fire-roasted salsa), put the lid on top, cook til the white is set. I could pretty much eat that morning, noon and night. The fried egg with a little rice and black beans? HEAVEN.

    If you haven’t tried it, I must recommend the chipotle tabasco — I want to mainline that stuff. Eggs are a vehicle for chipotle tabasco the way fries are a vehicle for ketchup.

  34. deb

    I don’t usually drain the bean “soup” at all. I find it to have just the right level of soupiness straight of of the can, once mixed. Occasionally, I’ll get an extra-liquidy can and drain a tablespoon or two, but that’s rare.

  35. Tish

    I think I know what I’ll be having for breakfast this weekend. Pancakes saturday and this on Sunday. Or vice versa. Looks really yummy.

  36. Oh my gosh, I’m going to HAVE to make this for breakfast sometime..tex-mex is my weakness, probably because I grew up and live in texas :) Thanks for the recipe!

  37. oooh, these look deliciously unctous and fresh and crunchy and soft all at the same time – fantastic. I am with you on the not feeling guilty part, although I don’t think we can get good canned black beans here in the UK, it’s just no something that’s very popular for some reason. I could be wrong. I’ll keep a look out. I guess making a big batch and freezing could be the answer? Do you have a good recipe or do you always use the canned?

  38. This is directly RIGHT down my alley. I LOVE this type of food and I LOVE eggs, so this is something I would really like to make soon. I enjoy making breakfast, but sometimes I tend to make the same things (never does this happen in my dinner life, but for some reason I have my breakfast faves). I’ll have to add this to the rotation. That jalapeno looks absolutely perfect, too! Thanks!

  39. Oh I remember having this when we lived in Maui. There was a place to eat we would stop at on the way to Hana that had an awesome huevos rancheros. I do miss that! Thanks for the memories.

  40. Meg

    Thank you! I made these last night and they were delicious!! We’re going to try them again soon when we actually have the yummy accompaniments to go along–can’t wait.

  41. Laura

    hahahaha i just tried making these and flour tortillas dont work well….and….make sure you cook the eggs all the way….i nearly gagged.

  42. Jennifer

    Yummmmm… even without the Goya beans, that was fabulous!

    Random question here: I’ve read through your archives and know that you followed Weight Watchers for a while, and I just recently started the program. But I also know that, like me, you’re not a big fan of packaged, processed foods– which seem to feature prominently in their plan! If you happen to have the time to answer, do you have any words of advice from your experience? Thanks so much for your time!

  43. deb

    Hi Jennifer — I think that there is a certain temptation to lean towards packaged foods on WW because a) their nutritional and weight information is preprinted, making it easier to chart their points, and b) there are a lot of foods out there that have been hacked to make them less fatty or sugary, allowing people to better “game” the point system, so to speak. But, there’s no questioning that there are no foods with fewer points than fresh fruits and vegetables–often one point or less per cup. And then there are meals like this, that are shockingly low in points–something like 7 for the whole heaping plate up there.

    Hm, is this something I should post about? Would anyone else be interested?

        1. deb

          Sorry, I haven’t done it in over 10 years — I know the program is very different now, in good ways (fruits and vegetables having no points, etc.) meaning that it should be even easier to eat a plant-centric diet. It’s almost Whole30-ish!

  44. heather

    this was dinner last night. i was a bit terrified about the flip, but all went well. and we had refried black beans in place of goya.
    i’m also trying to stick to the ww plan and definately prefer the non-prepakaged route, which makes the whole endeavor even more trying! so i’d definately be interest to read anything post regarding such topics.
    thanks for a tasty meal!

  45. Jennifer

    Thanks for the response, Deb! I was thinking about the issue as I made this (ok, only one egg serving, and greek yogurt rather than sour cream, but still!) for a fabulous 5 pt breakfast. I hope others chime in with interest, as I know I would love all the ideas I can get, especially as I have adored everything I have cooked from Smitten Kitchen :-)

  46. Yowza … I love everything with eggs … and cheese … and black beans…and tomatoes!

    This is the bestest things since … (I won’t say sliced bread) well since BLOGGING.

    I’m Lovin this! I’ve been looking for a better breakfast sandwich for a very long time and this my dear is made for me! Thank you Deb for showing us that sometimes you take shortcuts and GREAT food doesn’t have to be difficult.

  47. I’m not a WW follower, but I have friends who are; I’d be curious about your methods. Also, if you’re looking for point count and just general nutrition info, nutritiondata.com is a good resource. You can enter your ingredients and how many servings you get out of a recipe and voila: a per serving nutrition label, customized! It’s a bit tedious to set up at first, but I find it interesting and it would at least get you an estimated point count.

  48. Your. Photos. Just. KILL. Me.!!!!
    No joke, I want to lick the screen right now. Because I can just taste the black beans, the cheese, the egg y el salsa.
    And I’m sure the recipe is glorious. And I’ll try it, I swear. But it’s better if I just go find the best huevos Rancheros in LA, because I’ll just torture myself otherwise.
    Deb, you’re killing me. Mercy!

  49. anonymous

    We had these tonight with avocado and loved them. I couldn’t find Goya Bean Soup but used Goya black beans, drained. I used queso fresca. These would be awesome with some chorizo. Thanks for posting.

  50. Stephanie

    Oh my goodness. I ate these three times yesterday. I want another one right now. Bah! Also, I’ve never commented before, but I’m always delighted in your lovely blog. Thanks for that!

  51. Mary

    Thank you SO much for my breakfast today! Read this post, got up, went to the kitchen, cooked & ate (multigrain flour tortilla – worked just fine), and came back – to say THANKS.

  52. RachelM

    Wow. I have de-lurked to say ‘thanks’! I cooked these up for my husband and 3 and 4 year old boys last night. They were a big hit – and easy! I was a little apprehensive – this is defintely not something that I would typically try to sell to my kids, but I had read this post and it kept floating around in my head. This is defintely going to be a go-to dish when I am trying to get a simple supper on the table quickly.

    We made a quick salsa with cilantro, tomatoes, onions and lime juice, salt and cumin. Then I let the boys top the tortilla/eggs with black olives, sour cream, cheese, and the bean soup (great tip by the way!). I am not sure if they just liked all the toppings, or the actual dish, but it was a hit either way. Thanks!!!

  53. LizNYC

    This is my standard three-days-til-payday meal. Well, everything but the homemade salsa. When I’m trying to stretch a dollar, fresh tomatoes are so not on the menu! But the jarred stuff from Trader Joes is good in a pinch. And don’t worry, I eat it three or four nights in a row, easy.

  54. Amanda

    YES! POST MORE ON WEIGHT WATCHERS!!! PUUUUHHHLLLEEEAASSEE! I cook your delicious recipes allllllll the time (and tell everyone I know to check your blog) and am always breaking them down into WW terms. I’d love more info from on WW; anything you care to share really.

    Thanks Deb- keep up the great work! Your blog is so so faaaaabulous!

  55. Marci

    I just had this for dinner two nights in a row – so quick, easy, and cheap and sooo fresh and tasty if you make the salsa! This went over really well with my husband. Great tip on the soup – even better than the refried black beans I usually get. And for those using flour tortillas (my grocery store was out of corn), it’s easier if you heat it up on lower heat for longer – that way, it won’t puff up, then flip, add the egg (and cheese if you’re adding cheese), and turn up the heat some. That worked out really well – the tortilla got nice and crispy without air bubbles that make the egg slide right off.

  56. Nia

    Try frying the tortillas in some lard. Corn tortillas fried in lard are like nothing else. This I promise you. We have a brand of salsa here called Salsa Lisa, it’s a fresh salsa that’s great but exponentially better when you fry it in a pan with a wee bit of olive oil and then poach/fry the egg in that, pour the whole hot mess on the crispy tortilla, top with some queso, this is how we do for huevos.

  57. I was afraid the tortilla would burn before the egg cooked enough to flip it, but apparently that isn’t a problem? I usually just scramble an egg with cheese, roll it up in a warm flour tortilla with salsa, but your version is a lot classier!

  58. Audrey in Oregon

    Hi all,

    I just googled “tomato slicing knife” and your little gem popped up on a site called Gourmac for $3.49! I’m ordering one for myself and a few more for gifts.

  59. This is the third recipe from this site (combined with hours of awed ogling and the occasional delighted giggle), and I have not once been disappointed! So yummy! I left out the jalapeno, because I didn’t have one, but mixed in some chili oil and corn. My lovah was appropriately impressed and drenched in deliciousness. Thanks!

  60. Great recipe, sounds like a good North-of-the-Border take on traditional huevos rancheros.

    For all the skinny on some super Mexican traditions, food and others, take a look at Mexico Cooks! We think you’ll like it a lot

    Cristina
    Mexico Cooks!

  61. Marisa

    I’m trying this recipe this week. If you like Tex-Mex, you should try Tyler Florence’s recipe for Braised Pork Tacos on foodnetwork.com. I promise, you will be bowled over. They are incredibly delicious and easy (with purchased corn tortillas, though). Probably in the top three tacos I’ve ever had. Make sure you add plenty of braising liquid to the shredded meat for flavor and moistness.

  62. I made these tonight and they were delicious. So simple but so yummy. I added guacamole to the mix as well, and LOTS of cilantro. Can’t get enough of the stuff.

    Thank you so much for such a terrific website!

  63. Julia

    I made these for breakfast on Sunday substituting refried beans and adding guacamole, and they were outstanding. I can’t stop thinking about them, and will probably have them for dinner sometime very soon…
    Another great recipe- grazie Deb!

  64. Am I the only one who found this technique hard to master? My tortilla got soaked in oil on one. On another, I lost half the egg when I scooped the thing off the pan. On another, the egg slid right off the tortilla and on to the pan. I also had trouble getting the egg cooked all the way with it being on top of the tortilla. And there seemed no way to flip it without breaking the yolk. Also, the beans were good, but they seemed too soupy to me, and they contained MSG. Sorry to be a downer here, but it seems a lot easier to me to fry the eggs separately, then put them on top of a toasted tortilla.

  65. My husband is working late tonight and the baby is asleep, so I thought I’d whip this up for my dinner and HOLY COW!!! I’ve found a new favorite. This was so easy and so delicious – what a fabulous idea. I just sat there alone (ahhhh….solitude), enjoying every bite, just freaking out. BTW, I used a flour tortilla (I didn’t have any corn ones on hand) and as long as the heat was low, it was fine. In fact, it turned out all perfectly crispy. Anyway, I had no one to share this with at the moment, so I might as well, just send out a big thanks for sharing.

  66. Aerin

    Mmmmmm yum. I eat so much of these that it really no longer remains in the realm of the funny. :D Another thing you can do if you’re having trouble making the ingredients ‘stay’ is pop everything, all put together, into the oven (except for things like sour cream, tomatoes, fresh stuff), and let them get all melty and browned, and then put the eggs on top once they come out. That is my own personal sneaky and quick method.

  67. Thanks for this idea Deb! I made some guacamole with my new molcajete last night, and as delicious as eating it all with a spoon would have been, I was at a loss of what to do with all the guac…until I remembered this post. So quick and tasty. Thanks!

  68. Deb, thanks for inspiring us to cook! The photography on this site is amazing and makes me super hungry after browsing. As soon as I saw this post, I jotted down the ingredients and made it for a weeknight dinner for my husband. He LOVED it… thank you so much!

    I saw an earlier comment on preparing low-piont meals for people who are on the weight-watcher’s diet. I think it’s such a great idea since I am watching more of what I eat and have been told by my doctor to stop eating processed foods – but its so hard between a full-time job, working out, cooking, etc. Also, maybe some low-calorie low-point desserts would be a great idea as well. Your desserts are to die for.

  69. Emily

    Thanks for the post–these were amazing! Though admittedly I did have an awfully tough time with the flip—any advice on getting the egg to stay on the tortilla? Mine all wanted to run immediately off :) Have you ever tried this with just egg whites? I also experimented with that and ended up with a big (DELICIOUS) mess. Part of the problem might have been my base–I blended up black beans with garlic, serrano chiles, red onion, and lime juice and spread that on the tortilla as it began to cook. Again–amazing flavors, just messy.

  70. These are amazing! I threw a few together for dinner tonight and we loved them. I couldn’t believe how quickly they went together. I didn’t have trouble with them. We like our eggs hard so if the yolk broke, it wasn’t a problem for us. I found it easier to flip if I cooked it a bit longer on a lower temperature before trying to flip it. I can see that now that school is starting up, this will be a regular on our menu!

  71. Linda

    Thank you for the yummy and oh-so-easy recipe! I have made this twice in the last 2 weeks!! You mentioned your yolks are itching to run off the tortilla when you flip them… When I sprinkled the cheese on my tortilla before adding the egg, I sprinkled the cheese in a donut/ring shape leaving the very center bare. This is where I added the egg, and the yolk nestles right into the center and stays put!!! Thanks again for so many wonderful recipes!! You rock. :-)

  72. Helen

    I was steered here by a Wausau, Wisconsin newspaper reporter who posted your recipe on one of his blogs. I always have huevos rancheros when I go out to California for work trips. But I had never made them before. I took your recipe and tweaked it a bit (didn’t fry the egg on top of the tortilla), used a combo of cheddar and monterey jack cheese and used bottled salsa, plus added chopped avocado to the mix. I invited friends over and told (warned) them this was my first attempt at making huevos rancheros. Well, needless to say, they were to die for! Not only did we have them for supper, but I had them for lunch the next day and breakfast the following day.

    Huevos Rancheros…not just for breakfast anymore! Thanks for sharing.

    PS. I have bookmarked your site.

  73. Just saw your twitter post and came here right away! Yum! With my peppers and tomatoes finally ripening out in the garden, it’s time to make some fresh salsa and give this a go. I’ve never made this dish before, just never gave it much thought. Like you, I’m not a tex-mex cook…rather leave it to the experts. But, gee, I have all those ingredients (some are just staples in my kitchen), to why not?! Thanks for sharing. I think this would make a great dinner tonite!

  74. Mel

    I think I’ve happily eaten huevos rancheros for breakfast and dinner about 17 times since first reading your post. Prior to that, maybe once. Many thanks for sharing!

  75. Libitina

    I’ve never thought of this as a dish I’d feel authentic enough to make, but your version sounds so yummy I have no reason to wait anymore. I am glad I found your blog

  76. Susan Updike

    This was the absolute best breakfast — this is the first time I have used a jalepeno pepper. I didn’t realize there was a samonella scare on these, so as I’m reading the posts and eating the breakfast it made me a LITTLE nervous :) It was wonderful and will be made again and again.

  77. heather

    oh, my gosh! i finally made these last night and they were super. i used flour tortillas instead of corn though… it’s what i had on hand. yum yum yum!

  78. Wendy

    LOVE IT! Like many before me, this was the first time I cooked the egg of top of the tortilla and it turned out so fabulous that it made me question why I had never thought of it before. Growing up, my dad had also put red enchilada sauce on our Huevos Rancheros. The black beans and salsa were more my style! My only regret was that I didn’t have any of my homemade salsa to put on top, the salsa verde I had on hand worked well enough.

  79. Anne

    Not sure if I am too late on this one, but I have a Goya question. So confused – do you just use the canned black beans and liquid or do you make the soup that the link was for? I am not such a bean fan but want to make these for my husband. Have been looking for the Goya soup for months now, but no luck. Please help a total dummy out! Thanks

    1. beemo

      about 10 years late but stop and shop has the black bean soup if there’s s&s near you – look for the red label as was mentioned. Only place near us (out of 3 other places) that has it. but best bet is to go to the biggest and most “diverse” supermarket you can find. if they have an international section that’s more than just british tea and dried seaweed and taco shells…. better yet an entire Goya aisle.

  80. deb

    Hi Anne — The Goya black bean soup in the red can actually has very little liquid in it (less than a quarter of the can), oddly enough. I use the whole can, as is, with its liquid.

  81. June

    Since I just wrote a post for another recipe on this site, I thought I’d go ahead and comment on this recipe as well. These huevos rock! I have always been a fan of the dish and was tickled pink to see a recipe as simple and as delicious as this one. I’ve made it several times (for myself, for friends, for family) since I discovered it here this past summer. Thanks, especially, for the step-by-step guide — complete with pics! :-)

  82. I made these this morning for my parents and they loved it! I think next time we’ll have it for lunch, though. And I found the Goya Black Bean soup in the spanish section at WalMart, if anyone is having problems finding it.

  83. Kyla

    yum! I just finished a left over from last night’s dinner. We used whole wheat tortillas instead of corn (not so readily available in Edmonton, AB) and they were delicious! Added a side of homemade baked beans and I think we have found a new “fast food” dinner. Thanks for the great idea!

  84. Heidi

    I have to say, I usually hate eggs… but for some reason, this was the first recipe i saw tonight that appealed to me, and I make it and it was DELICIOUS!

  85. Charlotte

    I love the use of “fugliest” in this article. These buggers are hard to flip… the last one I made was perfect and got loud cheers from the husband and I. I don’t like eggs all that much, but I love these!

  86. Black bean soup from Goya is one of the best creations, ever. I don’t think many people have it as soup though. My Cuban future mother-in-law cooks rice in the soup (and maybe a bit of water or oil) as a great and ridiculously easy side dish for just about any meal.

  87. Vegisaurus

    Delicious and fun! These are so enjoyable and easy to make. I think these huevos rancheros would be wonderful to cook as a group with a friends. I used canned cooked black beans and heated them up in a small sauce pan. I also added in a yummy sliced avocado for topping. Definitely messy and the pre-garnished result is a bit ugly, but oh so worth it. Consider substituting plain yogurt for sour cream. (I’ve found plain Greek yogurt to be a perfect replacement for sour cream.) I also think these would fair very well with a small whole wheat tortilla instead of corn tortilla. It took a few tries to get the egg just right: not too hard, not too runny, but still yummy regardless. The salsa fresca was just perfect and fresh. Thank you for this scrumptious recipe, Smitten Kitchen!

  88. Emily

    Are those three little tomatoes on the side of the cutting board fake? they look just too cute to be real. Btw, huevos rancheros is like the easiest thing to make, thsnk for putting the recipe up!

  89. Sarah

    I just wanted to say how much I loved this recipe! We made it just as written and served with patatas bravas — delicious!

  90. Jamie

    this is the food i crave. whenever i have leftover mexican food i make a variation of this. today i made it from scratch for the first time using your recipe as an outline. eating it now and it is a party in my mouth.

  91. Pedro

    It is very important to notice this are Texmex “Huevos Rancheros” there are sevral types of Huevos Rancheros in Mexico, and I can Asure you they are not only very popular, very very good. But the truth is that they are very diferent frome the ones in this recipie.

    Huevo Ranchero is a Fried Egg over a Fried Corn Tortilla, and covered with a good Huevos Ranchero is a Fried Egg over a Fried Corn Tortilla, and covered with a good Hot cooked Salsa.
    The Salsa is usually made but not forcefully by firing Tomatoes with Onions Serrano Chiles and Cilantro.
    You can also use Gren Salsa, or Mole which is a grate result.

  92. davemx

    Loved your take on Huevos Rancheros!
    Other than the cheddar cheese, it’s a very Mexican egg dish I could have come up with any time! Mexican Manchego or Oaxaca cheese would make it more “authentic”, but hey!
    Just PLEASE, when naming your dish, always remember that the “H” is mute. It’s more like “Oueh-vos” than “Jouei-vos”
    Same applies to “Habanero”, BTW…. and it’s habanero as in Havana, not Haba”gn”ero… please guys!!!

  93. Cookie Maker

    Can’t go wrong with tortillas, eggs, tomatoes, jalapenos and cilantro! But I’m confused about the black bean soup. You just scoop it out of the can and eat it cold? It isn’t soupy? I am tempted to substitute in some fresh guacamole instead!! I love your casual, homey, easy approach to food. Many thanks.

    1. deb

      It is surprisingly un-soupy, actually. We often heat it up, but you can have it cold too. If anything, a little water is sometimes needed to thin it out.

  94. Good stuff! I love tortillas and eggs – so dang good! Better than toast! Yum, yum! I make this dish a little differently by adding more chiles because I like it spicy, but yours looks really good and simple! Nice job!

  95. Heather

    I love this site, adore the postings and I am considering becoming a site lurker myself. I am making Huevos Rancheros tonight and this is the best recipe I have come across. As for the Goya black bean soup, it is a life saver. My in laws came last weekend. My father in law is from Bayamon Puerto Rico. I quickly tossed 3 cans in pot, added heaping teaspoons of home made soffrito (oilive oil, garlic, cilantro,peppers, onions etc) I added a wee bit of water, mostly to rinse the cans. I keep calabazzo in the freezer. Its the pumpkin puerto ricans out in thier beans for flavor. I sliced off a few slivers and tossed it in. this took 5 minutes total. I hid the cans and served lol His father was raving about the food, priceless. He is quite opinionated so it was fun. I am not spanish btw. The same is true for the pinto beans in sauce. I’ll let ya know how the Huevos rancheros turned out!!

  96. Heather

    PS since I am here and see a few doing WW I thought I would offer this alternative to tortillas. I bought these wraps at BJ’s, they have them at Costcos also. The weeks that my husband and I eat them for at least 2 meals we always double our weight loss, even when we arent even trying. They are called Whole wheat Roll up, it has a picture of a tape measure around the wrap. It has 10 net carbs 110 calories 7 grams of fiber and 10 protiens per wrap. They taste incredible and you really cant eat more than one. You can use them for panini, pizza crusts, wraps etc so we are going to replace the tortilla in the huevos rancheros tonight. Damascus Bakery is the maker of the “Roll Up”

  97. Found this recipe via a link on SAVEUR and am officially in love with your site!

    I made these for dinner last night and blogged about them this morning–though your photos are far superior to mine! I made a few tiny changes to the Salsa Fresca, but otherwise followed your recipe exactly. The Goya black bean soup is fantastic! Thanks!!

    ps – My NYC apartment kitchen is only 32 square feet (I just measured), with 11 square feet of actual floor space. My rolling island from my old apartment is too big and now lives in my (also tiny) livingroom!

  98. Sarah

    I use this method regularly for eggs, often just with flour tortillas, pre-shredded cheddar, and jarred salsa (still very, very tasty!). For those having “technical difficulties”, here are my suggestions, at least for flour tortillas:

    A couple minutes is all that’s needed on the first heating of the first side…just make sure your pan has heated up all the way (on my stove it’s over solid medium heat), or your tortilla will absorb too much oil and get soggy on that side. Flip.

    On the other side, I follow Deb’s instructions and crack the egg when the cheese is just starting to melt. Once the egg is cracked, i swirl the pan a bit to spread it out and let some of the white drip over the sides to anchor it. Then – and here’s where I differ – I cover the pan for a minute or so, which helps the egg set a little bit before the flip (it’s not going to cook through or anything, but it gets it a touch past “goo”).

    Once I flip, I turn the heat off, but keep the pan on the burner. Three minutes or so on the unheated pan gets the whites set, the yolk runny, and doesn’t cause the eggs or cheese to brown (which was a problem for me initially).

  99. Jendorf

    My kids and I loved this one today! They gobbled it up. . .which is always good for anything with salsa or tomatoes, since my son says he doesn’t like them (and then eats them when he doesn’t really realize they’re there, LOL.

    I added avocado to the salsa–yum!

  100. MJ

    I always love your recipes, but I must share how to make it more authentic to Mexican cooking. My husband is Mexican and when I made this for him, he told me that you do not use salsa, you use enchilada sauce. The next time I made it, I used his suggestion, and oh my, was he right! You add the enchilada sauce into the pan about a minute before removing and it cooks nicely and adds a slight softness to the crispy corn tortilla. Tasted just like eating a fonda.

  101. VINNY

    Your recipe is mouth watering. Am I the only one who noticed MSG is an ingredient of Goya black bean soup? It might taste good but it’s toxic.

  102. JBrown

    My husband had a tip for helping to keep the egg from making a mess on the flip. He added a small “moat” of cheese around the edge of the tortilla to hold it in. It gets melty then crispy but is pretty delicious if one has a taste for fried cheese (YUM). This recipe is awesome.

  103. Gina G

    Hi-
    I just started looking at this site. I live in the San Luis Valley in Colorado. While this dish looks tasty, it is not what we call Huevos Rancheros around here. Here, we use homemade green chili to top a couple of eggs inside of a flour tortilla. Serve it with crispy has browns with green chili and cheese on it as well. It will stick to your ribs and make your mouth water. (I have to use my own green chili- hot and lots of flavor- and now my mouth is watering!)

  104. Courtney

    Just made these for lunch on my lunch break! I’d never seen the egg cooked on the tortilla before like it calls for in your recipe. It was AMAZING – I have found my go-to recipe for huevos rancheros! Thanks for the tip on the goya bean soup. I also bought pre-made salsa fresca since I needed this to be extra-quick. I’ll definitely be making this again.

  105. Nancey

    made it, loved it. Turned out great. I like eggs cooked a bit more, but it was still delicious. Used fat free refried beans, salsa, yum, I’m having that again tonight and then making it for my husband and myself for our weekend breakfast.

  106. I had a little trouble with this, but I’m a cooking newbie and can’t flip a fried egg to save my life, so maybe practice makes perfect. The main problem I had with the first round (I was just cooking for myself thank GOD) was that I put the heat too high, so trying to cook the egg from underneath was burning the tortilla. The pan was smoking and it was a big mess. The second time went a little smoother, with a very low flame. Still couldn’t get the yolk to stay together upon flipping, but I’ll get it eventually!

  107. Alana

    Delicious. I’ve made this several times. I like to add spice to my black beans and a bit of jalapeno salsa (canned). It adds a bit of flare. Its a balancing act to keep the egg in the middle, but I find using a smaller pan and a small tortilla shell makes it easiest. The homemade salsa is the best, extra lime juice, extra cilantro, extra jalapenos!! Yum.

  108. Emily

    This has recently become my absolute favorite breakfast dish, and one I’ve shared with a multitude of people. I also love adding rosemary potatoes with jalapeños, which I boil then sauté. Those with the fresh tomatoes, etc – yum, my mouth is watering. Midnight snack? Thank you for the inspiration!

  109. Carolyn

    Hello Deb, thanks for a fabulous new twist on a fried egg. After reading your blog for so long I feel like I should have tuned in to this recipe long ago, but it all clicked! today & thank goodness, better late than never. Husband doesn’t even like fried eggs, but I broke the yolk which I believe makes it easier to flip too, & voila he’s sold! It was great with fresh tomatoes & green onions drizzed in extra virg olive oil. Also made your Zucchini Bread this morning. Going to a get-together later with it so all I can say so far is it looks good with a nice gentle rise, & smells good & wholesome. Congrats also on keeping up your witty & creative blog during motherhood,
    Carolyn

  110. Susan

    I made your version of these this morning to rave reviews. The flipping of the tortilla got better as I went along, but it was a wee bit tricky! These are delicious and so filling with all the accompaning condiments and some chorizo sausage (that I chopped into the scrambled egg mixture that I used to top mine). The only additional I’ll make next time is to heat and add some corn. I bought, as a trial, a microwave pkg of seasoned black beans that made just enough for the four of us for this. A little corn garnish would have made it perfect. So glad I tried this and will make it again. So fun!

  111. Rebecca

    Since a friend referred me to your blog a couple months ago, my husband and I have made this dish almost weekly. One of the best takeaways: only Goya black beans for us from now on! Plus, this time of year (September in Ohio), we utilize our garden tomatoes, jalapenos, and onions (with a must-have addition of avocado) for the perfect salsa fresca accompaniment. Thank you for a simple and delicious dinner idea for those days when we both get home way too late from work and take out holds zero appeal.

  112. I just fell in love with your site. Thank you for being here! I’ll start with these seemingly easy tips for huevos rancheros, one of my all-time favorite meals…

  113. I never would have thought to make these, ’cause really, eggs plus salsa??? But I came across this recipe and it looked simple, so I figured what the heck. And y’know, they’re actually pretty good. You wouldn’t think eggs and Mexican would work, but here, it sorta does. Plus, thanks for turning me onto that black bean “soup” — I never would have given that a second glance in the store, ’cause it says soup, but apparently, they lie, ’cause it’s not soup at all, just delicious beans with no work. Yay! :)

  114. Sarah F

    my hubby made this for our dinner tonight and it was fabulous. we used store bought salsa and also topped it with some sliced avocado. I was very impressed. A keeper.

  115. Sara B

    My fiance and I were stoked to try this recipe. It looks so delicious and really we like anything Mexican inspired. It was a little tricky getting the hang of the timing and adjusting the heat on our range. We got the last half to turn out alright once we got it down. Though they were pretty ugly but delicious. Though neither of us are huge egg fans, so I have a feeling that next time we might just fry the tortillas with cheese and add the toppings and skip the eggs. (I know not so much “Huevos Rancheros” then, but hey this got us out of our beef burrito rut so thank you!)

  116. ZBK

    Just made this for dinner. Yum…it was so delicious, easy and healthy. My kids loved it too. This is going to be a regular whenever I don’t have too much time to prepare ahead. Thanks!

  117. Hedy

    definitely want to try this one. Goya black bean soup is a staple in my house..my husband makes it over rice for the kids when I’m at work.

  118. Alma

    Here’s a native born Mexican talking, so listen up. There is NOTHING better than a spicy egg breakfast with hot coffee in the morning. Did I say NOTHING, I mean NADA. Sooo good, hot and spicy together. Yum!

  119. Linda

    Deb, just had to tell you I got a recipe from Saveur for huevos rancheros and I saw yours as a link on their site.We are having your version tonight and just wanted to thank you for sharing it.It is so easy to make and we will have it again tomorrow.I enjoy getting and reading your recipes.Thanks so much,Linda

  120. Thanks for the delicious and simple recipe, it was breakfast today! I added some avocado and fresh cilantro and we were very pleased. :) We still had fresh salsa so it was mostly farmers markets local goodies in this recipe. Thanks again!

  121. Michelle

    I am an enormous fan of your site. Hard to pick a favorite among the 40 or so recipes I have tried of yours but this one is high up there. We add a tomatilla salsa from Frontera, and after the egg/tortilla is done we fry a banana just until slightly brown. It adds such a nice bit of sweet to balance out all the savory. Yum. Thank you again. Even my 3 year old twins ate every bite.

  122. Mary

    My oh my! While reading this week’s delight (corn tacos, which I do not have the ingredients to make), I was sent to this page. Why oh why haven’t I ever made these? They are fantastic! I’m making a mental note to freeze my home made black bean soup leftovers in small portions so I can enjoy these at will and without any guilt (the whole $1.99 for a small can? MSG? line of thinking).

  123. Sally

    I made this over the weekend. My yolk ran over the edge and broke when I flipped it. So much for the runny yolk I was hoping for! But it was delicious.

  124. Steph

    Of all the recipes on your site, I think this is the one that I make most often. It makes a quick, easy, pretty healthy dinner that I fall back on quite a bit. But I never seem to get tired of it! So glad you share this – even if it isn’t the prettiest thing in the world, it’s delicious and such a useful recipe!

  125. Maggie

    Hi Deb! Where do you find the Goya black bean soup? I’ve looked for it in quite a few grocery stores with no luck. I’ve been mixing black beans with refried to get a better consistency than just plain old beans, but it makes a lot and almost always goes to waste. Which drives me bonkers!

    1. deb

      Maggie — I usually find them right next to the Goya regular beans, except the can is red instead of blue. But, your store also might keep it by the canned soups.

  126. Kirsten T

    Just made this tonight with fresh corn on the cob that I cut off the cob, oh my gosh it was so good!

    Maggie- I haven’t looked for the GOYA soup but here’s what I do: one can of black beans (low sodium) dump a good bit of the liquid. You may want to reserve the liquid to adjust consistency later. Heat beans and add seasonings. Using a pastry cutter or potato masher mash the beans a bit to break up about half of them. As thye heat up the mashed beans will help thicken the rest. Add liquid if needed to thin to desired consistency. Voila!

  127. outdoorfoodie

    I’ve done Huevos many times before, but never with the egg cooked with the tortilla method, so was inspired to try this. It being foggy and grey and Decembery around here, and no decent tomatoes to be found, I had to make some adjustments, but turned out really tasty. Used a regular can of black beans and added a bit of tomato sauce, a tiny bit of chipotle, garlic, cumin, oregano, AND…some chopped roasted sweet potatoes I had leftover. Only thing missing was some sliced avocado…next time. The flip thing wasn’t at all messy doing it on a griddle.

  128. pdxer

    Made this tonight and added lettuce on top to make it more dinner-y. It was absolutely delicious and didn’t need to change a thing (except to add a teensy bit of bacon on the side). Also plated up surprisingly pretty.

  129. Noodoggy

    Just made this for lunch and it was great! gonna have to put this in my school nite dinner reportoire! Quick and easy. And messy the way I like it! I added some italian sausage mixed with some chipotle flavoring, and used somoe store bought salsa. Gonna have to get some of the black bean soup and some sour cream and cilantro, cuz those are what would make this perfect! Thanks for the great recipe and neat way to add eggs!

  130. Cynthia

    I just made this. It was so good! I substituted the black beans with a layer of Tuscan white bean dip (a Ted Allen recipe) that I had leftover from a party – it has sage in it; and just that hint of sage was so delicious. So glad I found you!

  131. Kim

    This is our latest go to breakfast when we camp! Our friends were in awe over how ingenious it is over a campfire. Plus there really isn’t much to clean up afterwards!

  132. Jerrell

    This was the first Recipe i tried from smittenkitchen, Of course mine didn’t turn out exactly like the ones posted above, but still very good i must say. I’ve eaten them so much, i think it will be a while before i’m ready for more, lol. Thank You!

  133. Jessica

    I found this yesterday and thought about it all day. I made it for dinner and it is fantastic. My 3 1/2 year old loves it, too. Thank you!

  134. Jean

    I’m all ready to go…I love the look of the Salsa Fresca instead of a heated sauce especially for summer. My questions is to heat or not to heat the Goya black bean soup (yes, in the red can). Can’t wait to serve for Sunday Brunch.

  135. SK

    I think Goya Black Bean soup may be harder to find on the West coast – we had no problem finding it when we lived back East, but have had no luck finding it in California. We recently used Trader Joe’s Cuban Style Black Beans which were good, but no Goya (must be the MSG that makes them so yummy!). Thanks for posting this recipe – we make it for dinner when we don’t feel like “really” cooking, which is pretty often!

  136. jennifer

    I don’t like breakfast at all. It is my least favorite meal of the day. I made this recipe this morning and OH MY GOODNESS it was SO good! I can’t wait for breakfast tomorrow. I used salsa from the del, added a couple black olives, and left out the black beans.

  137. Kristen

    This is now my new favourite lunch/quick dinner. Thanks for the inspiration! I make a version without cheese and on top of quinoa with a simple lime + chile vinaigrette. Yumyum!

  138. TOM

    I lived in New Mexico for a while and there is one thing I do different with the tortilla, I fry it a bit of oil to make it crispy. Really adds another layer to the dish imho.

  139. Kaye

    My Mom used to serve us Huevos Rancheros (Ranch Eggs) almost every week-end when we lived in South Texas. Her’s were a little different, very easy. Scrambled eggs (sometimes on a tortilla, sometimes not), served covered in chili with lots of cheese and sour cream and salsa.
    Yummy, easy and fast!! Not actually authentic, but Mom always did things her way, LOL

  140. Amy

    Just made these yesterday, and they were a huge hit! The only alteration I made was spreading a little ripe avocado on the tortilla before sprinkling the cheese one. I will definitely make them again!

  141. Charlotte

    I’m in love with this recipe, ,I could and would eat if for breakfast every day with some diced white onion and cilantro and Tapatio. But what kind of oil do you use in your pan? I tried vegetable oil (worse for the egg) and butter (worse for the tortilla). A nonstick is probably best but I had messy success either way.

    1. deb

      Nonsticks are easiest with eggs, but with anything else, it’s about how you preheat the pan. You’ll want to get it fully hot, then add the oil, let that oil fully heat, then add your ingredients and try not to move them right away, so that they can seal off from the oil.

  142. HPH

    Would you consider writing up a quick recipe for this as I wanted to share it with some friends & they got a little confused with the link. It’s great…love it because I can use goat cheddar as I can’t eat the regular cheddar due to a milk allergy

  143. Amanda

    First, I came to your talk at the Minneapolis Central Library and it was wonderful. Having heard you explain why you love to cook got me very excited to try the recipes from your book and more recipes on the website.

    I have a bit of a huevos rancheros obsessions, so I’ve made your version a few times and this morning, I tried a new recipe. It is on the site Awake at the Whisk (http://awakeatthewhisk.com/huevos-rancheros-recipe/). While the ingredients are similar, the ranchero sauce (link to a separate recipe in the ingredients) is amazing. The recipe is a little bit of a production, but I thought that the end-results was absolutely worth the effort (and dirty dishes).

  144. The first time I ever saw huevos rancheros in person was when I made them last night. I made a nest of the cheese to keep the yolks centered, but flubbed all four flips and popped the yolks. Next time, I’ll use room-temp eggs and cover to let it set up a little more. I also used a runny tomatillo salsa which made the whole thing rather flattened on the plate, and the non-Goya black bean soup I bought had to be served as soup due to its runniness.

    Still, it was delicious, and my wife was thrilled, especially because it came in under 600 calories per serving. Thanks, Deb!

  145. Heather

    I just made these for my husband. Him and I LOVED them!! Especially the salsa, so fresh and simple! Thank you for the recipe!

  146. Just made this for my fam for the first time and it was absolutely simple and delish! Thank you so much. I have always wanted to learn how to make Huevos Rancheros. I used Pace Picante Salsa, lime, avocado and hot sauce as garnish.

  147. Had a variation of this for lunch yesterday and it was absolutely excellent! I’ve never considered cooking my eggs like that before, and the combination with some goat’s cheese and cherry tomatoes, with the crispy tortilla, was incredible. The only thing left now is to perfect the art of flipping the tortilla over without creating an absolute mess!

  148. qayaqgirl

    I needed a central brunch item for a gluten free guest and this was PERFECT! This way of serving eggs is so brilliant and yet simple. Was a great combination of flavors and textures, and not too heavy yet still with enough protein to fuel the afternoon hike. Will go into frequent rotation!

  149. Lorri

    So let’s say you are making this with the fabulous black bean ragout from your cookbook. The beans cooked and are delicious but there was a ton of extra water. Do you drain them before serving? Do you think I’d be safe cutting back the liquid to 7 cups for 1 pound of beans?

    1. deb

      Lorri — Yes to draining and yes to cutting back the liquid. That recipe drove me bonkers; sometimes I’d have too much water, other times, it would be horribly overdry. I think I threw up my hands at one point, went for the higher number (I’m sorry), hoping that people could better drain it off as needed than salvage burnt/dried beans. I’ll do better next time!

  150. Sarah

    Oh my goodness!! I just made this for my husband for Father’s Day. He said it was the best thing I’ve ever made! I used green chile instead of salsa and whole pinto beans mixed with retried beans. He loved it and my kids did too!

  151. gigi

    Another Father’s Day meal here. Delicious, hit the spot for a Dad’s Day brunch. Will try it on the griddle next time to get three or four done at a time but this was fun too and everyone got to cook their eggs just the way they like them.

  152. Erika

    This is my favorite dinner for when I’m on my own or when we’re having an everyone-fends-for-themselves night. Especially because I think theyre best when they’re made one at a time, as you’re ready to eat them. I always have enough of the basic ingredients (cheese, tortilla, egg, beans) for it to work, but the toppings are always a little different (tonight it was quick guacamole from an aging avocado and some salsa from a jar).

  153. Just wanted to let you all know that these would be aMAZing with the Smitten Kitchen Black Bean Ragout (I got a lot of liquid, but great! — then I have black bean soup — and it’s easy enough to drain as much of the liquid from the beans as you want to). Those beans are the absolute BOMB — I found them in the cookbook, but haven’t found them on this site? But there are a few versions linked on the web if you’d like to try them — and Deb, you’ve absolutely NOTHING to apologize for with that recipe.

    Enjoy!

    H

  154. Laurie

    My Sunday morning involved coffee, huevos rancheros, and now more coffee on the couch. A lovely morning – and these mounds of goodness were fantastic.

    Deb, I honestly don’t think I’ve ever found a clunker on your website. Thanks, again, for another great recipe and sharing with us.

  155. Monica

    Your recipe looks so good, but you should try huevos rancheros in a mercado in Mexico not in a resort! The mexican food you get in a resort is so different, it is costumized for tourists, in little mercados you find real mexican food! And huevos rancheros is not tex mex, it is mexican food…

  156. Amanda Schwinder

    Made this tonight for my husband. We couldn’t believe how simple and delicious it turned out! Great idea that we will definitely turn to again!

  157. That WAS a messy proposition! But so yummy. Just made a test one for myself in anticipation of a quick Sunday brunch for my husband and son. Doubt if theirs will be any prettier than mine (and I’ve got a pretty good flip) because darn if that yolk isn’t tricky! But again, a little crema and some Mexican hot sauce will dress it up quite nicely.

  158. Pam

    Holy heaven on a hot plate – I want to make this right now. Love love love how you cook the egg on the tortilla … there goes me not being able to flip over-easy eggs over, well, easy. Thank you for sharing!!!

  159. Kristi L

    Saw this recipe and then made it for my breakfast two seconds later. I found that if you work quickly and make a ring with the cheese, then crack the egg into the middle that the cheese dams in the yolk a bit.

  160. Made it this morning and it’s a solid 5 start breakfast! Healthy, fast, and beautiful on the plate first thing in the morning. I put the salsa together the night before to make it easier on the wake-up, and added some avocado. Thank you! Will be a regular in our house.

  161. JP

    Made this this evening – delightful. Even without fresh tomato (sadly, only salsa in the jar in the kitchen tonight) it was so good. I only had flour tortillas, and they puffed up slightly and became crispy – so, so good! Thanks for another winner, Deb!

  162. beemo

    Do you use olive oil or veggie oil for stuff like this? Thoughts on oil in general?
    Post- cancer house hold, nutritionist is a big fan of olive oil whenever possible when we cook and i’m trying to gauge when it works and when it doesn’t… your thoughts? (new book is great!!)

  163. Megan Angelos

    I’m pretty obsessed with this recipe. I could eat it multiple times a week. I’m not even really a fan of fried eggs, but stick an egg to a corn tortilla, and it’s heaven!

  164. Marcy Brown

    LOVE THIS RECIPE. I’ve been making this for years. I’ve enjoyed it more times than I can count and have impressed so many others with its deliciousness.

    Thanks, Deb, for this messy (not really all that messy) perfection! BEST. BREAKFAST. EVER.

  165. Betty Weiss

    I learned to make a very similar preparation from my ex that we call NHRs (Nuevos Huevos Rancheros). I don’t flip them, but cover the pan to cook the yolk faster or break the yolk on purpose if my tortilla is large. They work great with flour tortillas too, nice crispness.

  166. Karen

    I’m impressed you paid attention on your vaca and knew to use corn tortillas, which are more authentic! Flour tortillas are just too gummy for me, regardless of how prepared!

  167. Made this for the kids tonight – they LOVED it, and agreed it is now part of our rotation. THANK YOU!!! You don’t know how hard it is to find meals they both like, and this was so quick and easy!! 😍

  168. Ellen

    Hoping you’ll respond to this — I am going to be boycotting Goya, and this has been our once-a-week emergency dinner for years. Other brands? It’s not too difficult to saute red onion and red pepper and cumin and then add the beans, but wondering if there’s another way to just open a can and pour it over rice . . .

  169. Sk fan

    This is a wonderfully elevated struggle meal that doesn’t feel like a struggle meal. Adapts easily, I’ve made it 3x and want it on constant repeat.100% approve the technique of flipping the egg with the tortilla, it’s brilliant

  170. Ellen

    Made this today and it was scrumptious. Your index made it easy to find – I recalled seeing a post of yours with “egg fried onto tortilla” and swiped through the Egg section. Thanks! I now have yet another SK cooking skill.

  171. Donna Peha

    This is delicious!! I could see it as a quick dinner with jarred salsa (!). The salsa fresca gave it a wonderful flavor. I also added plain yogurt instead of sour cream, black beans and TJ’s Guajillo Salsa.

  172. Betty Weiss

    My ex ( and still friend) taught me a similar recipe that he and his college roommate had developed; they called them NHRs, for Nuevos Huevos Rancheros and I still make them whenever I have salsa fixings around. It works with a flour tortilla too and you have more room there to do a second egg if you wish. I don’t flip them, but add cheese and salsa while it’s cooking and then cover the pan to set the whites.

  173. Frances

    Love it and the method. I took your recipe and used up some chopped onion, diced zucchini ( As I always try to add an extra veggie to a recipe) some left over fire roasted tomato and mild green chili’s for the tomato part. The corn tortillas were so much better this way, and I managed to flip the egg so things stayed mostly in place! A favorite Thank you