Huevos Rancheros
This recipe guides you through making classic Huevos Rancheros, a vibrant Mexican breakfast dish. It features perfectly fried eggs served atop lightly crisped corn tortillas, all generously smothered in a fresh, tangy, and subtly spicy homemade tomato sauce. It's a satisfying and flavorful meal, perfect for a robust start to any day.
Equipment
- 1 Large Skillet For frying tortillas and eggs, and sautéing aromatics.
- 1 Saucepan For cooking down tomatoes and simmering sauce.
- 1 Blender For pureeing the tomato sauce.
- 1 Cutting Board
- 1 Chef's knife
Ingredients
Main
- 14 plum tomatoes cored
- 12 tbsp. canola oil
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 1/2 jalapeño stemmed and minced
- 1/2 medium yellow onion chopped
- 1 tbsp. fresh lime juice
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
- 8 corn tortillas
- 8 eggs
- Pickled jalapeño slices for garnish
Instructions
- Prepare the tomatoes: Core the plum tomatoes. For easier peeling, you may blanch them briefly in boiling water, then transfer to an ice bath before peeling and roughly chopping.
- Sauté aromatics: In a saucepan or large skillet, heat 2 tbsp. canola oil over medium heat. Add the minced garlic, minced jalapeño, and chopped yellow onion, cooking until softened and fragrant, about 5-7 minutes.
- Cook tomatoes for sauce: Add the chopped tomatoes to the pan with the sautéed aromatics. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the tomatoes break down and soften, about 10-15 minutes.
- Blend the sauce: Carefully transfer the tomato mixture to a blender. Add the fresh lime juice and blend until the sauce is smooth. Season with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste.
- Simmer the sauce: Return the blended sauce to the saucepan and simmer gently over low heat for 10-15 minutes, allowing the flavors to meld. Keep warm while you prepare the remaining components.
- Fry tortillas: In a large skillet, heat about 5-6 tbsp. of canola oil over medium-high heat. Fry each corn tortilla briefly until lightly crisped but still pliable, about 15-30 seconds per side. Drain excess oil on paper towels.
- Fry eggs: In the same skillet (adding more oil if necessary), fry the eggs, two at a time, until the whites are set and the yolks are still runny. Season the eggs with salt and pepper.
- Assemble the dish: Place two fried tortillas on each individual serving plate.
- Add sauce and eggs: Ladle a generous amount of the warm tomato sauce over the tortillas on each plate, then carefully place two fried eggs on top of the sauced tortillas.
- Garnish and serve: Garnish each serving with pickled jalapeño slices and serve immediately.
Notes
For a richer, deeper flavor in your sauce, consider roasting the plum tomatoes whole until slightly charred before blending, rather than just coring and chopping. This intensifies their sweetness and adds a smoky complexity. Adjust the amount of fresh jalapeño to suit your preferred spice level; for an extra layer of heat and depth, a touch of adobo sauce from canned chipotles can be incorporated into the sauce.
When frying the tortillas, ensure the oil is adequately hot to crisp them quickly without making them greasy. They should be pliable enough to fold but sturdy enough to hold the sauce and egg. For the eggs, aim for beautifully runny yolks that will meld with the tomato sauce, creating a luxurious texture. Fry them just until the whites are set but the yolks remain fluid. Beyond pickled jalapeños, fresh cilantro, crumbled cotija cheese, or a dollop of Mexican crema make excellent garnishes for added freshness and balance.