This delicious and authentic Huevos Rancheros recipe is a family favorite. The sauce is packed with veggies and is topped with a sunny side up egg, making it a perfect hearty breakfast or brunch.

huevos rancheros on a blue and white plate with refried beans and two sunnyside up eggs       

This easy Mexican breakfast recipe is worth getting out of bed for. Huevos rancheros come together in about 20 minutes with just a handful of simple ingredients. 

What is huevos rancheros?

Huevos rancheros (meaning “rancher’s eggs”) is a typical Mexican breakfast featuring a corn tortilla and a fried egg or sunny side up egg topped with plenty of cooked salsa. This dish was traditionally served to ranchers as a late morning breakfast after they had been hard at work, so you know it’s hearty and delicious!

diced tomatoes, onions and roasted green chiles on an oblong blue and white plate

Huevos rancheros is very similar to Huevos a la Mexicana. The same basic ingredients are used, but the chopped vegetables are simmered in chicken broth until thickened. The ranchero sauce can also be smothered on chiles rellenos.

While it is totally optional, I love to serve our huevos rancheros with a big side of refried beans to really round out the meal.

TIP: You can also slather the refried beans on the tostada instead.

close up shot of two whole tomatoes, a green chile, two brown eggs and a few white corn tortillas

How to make huevos rancheros

First up, make your tostadas. In a heavy skillet (preferably cast iron), heat oil until shimmering. Place tortillas carefully into the hot oil, one at a time, and fry for 20 to 40 seconds on each side or until lightly crisp and golden. Drain on paper towels.

Now, make the sauce. Heat olive oil in a saucepan and sauté onion until beginning to soften, about 3 minutes.

diced onions, tomatoes and roasted green chiles in a cast iron skillet

Add the tomatoes and chiles, and sauté for an additional 3 minutes. Add the chicken broth, stir the mixture and bring to a simmer. Continue to cook until most of the liquid has absorbed, about 7 to 10 minutes.

cooked salsa for huevos rancheros recipe in a cast iron skillet

To assemble, place a tostada (fried tortilla) on a serving plate; spoon on some refried beans, top with an egg cooked any style, ranchero salsa, and a sprinkle of queso fresco.

finished huevos rancheros on an earthenware plate with a silver fork on a rainbow striped placemat

How to serve this dish for a crowd

To serve a house full of visitors you can bake this recipe in a casserole dish like this: Baked Huevos Rancheros Casserole (Cazuela de Huevos Rancheros).

You can also set out a tostada bar and let everyone make their own plate.

This recipe serves four, but feel free to double or quadruple it depending on the number of guests you are entertaining.

Frequently Asked Questions 

Can I make these huevos rancheros recipe vegetarian?

Absolutely! Simply swap vegetable broth for the chicken broth.

roasted hatch green chiles in a bowl with one sliced on a wooden cutting board with a sharp knife

What if I don’t have access to Hatch chiles?

Not a problem! You can easily swap out fresh jalapeños or even canned chiles. Check out this blog post describing different kinds of Mexican chiles to help you decide which chile to use.

TIP: Remember that the majority of “heat” in a chile is held in its seeds and membranes. To keep the ranchero sauce from being too spicy, be sure to remove the ribs and seeds before making it. 

Can I serve this with black beans instead of refried pinto beans?

Of course! Try these Chorizo Refried Black Beans. 

What other toppings would go well on this dish?

Your imagination is the limit! You could serve this dish with sour cream or crema Mexicana for a bit more richness. Cilantro and green onions are always a favorite garnish at our house. Feel free to drizzle with hot sauce for some added heat and serve with fresh avocado slices.

And remember that your eggs are a topping too! My personal favorite kind of egg has a runny yolk, so poached, fried, or sunny side up eggs are all fair game. But you can also scramble your eggs or even combine huevos a la Mexicana with huevos rancheros for the ultimate breakfast!

Can I use store bought ingredients for this dish?

Most grocery stores now sell premade tostada shells, so if you want to make life easier on yourself go right ahead!

If you have Salsa Casera in the fridge or freezer, you can cook that for sauce. Or if you’d like, you can purchase your favorite store-bought salsa instead of making your own ranchero sauce, but the sauce is so easy and yummy that I recommend you try making your own.

Watch this video to see how to make huevos rancheros.

Need more breakfast inspiration? 

Check out these other Mexican and Tex-Mex breakfast recipes to start your morning on the right foot:

If you tried this recipe, please be sure to rate and review it below so I know how it turned out! If you’d like more Mexican recipes delivered straight to your inbox, be sure to sign up for my email newsletter. You can also follow me on Facebook, Pinterest and Instagram to brighten up your feed with yummy authentic recipe ideas!

close up shot of a fork piercing the yolk of a sunny side egg from a plate of huevos rancheros with a side of refried beans

plate of huevos rancheros with a side of refried beans on a blue and white plate

Huevos Rancheros

4.72 (7 ratings)
This delicious and authentic Huevos Rancheros recipe is a family favorite. The sauce is packed with roasted green chile, tomato, and onion and is topped with a sunny side up egg, making it a perfect hearty breakfast anytime of year.

Ingredients

  • 2 tablespoons canola oil
  • 4 corn tortillas
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1/2 cup onion, chopped
  • 3 tomatoes, chopped
  • 1/2 cup roasted green chile
  • 1 cup chicken broth
  • 2 cups refried beans
  • 4 eggs, cooked any style (recommend sunny side up)
  • Queso fresco (optional)

Instructions 

  • Heat canola oil in a heavy skillet. Place tortillas carefully into the hot oil, one at a time, and fry for 20 to 40 seconds on each side or until lightly crisp and golden. Drain on paper towels.
  • Heat olive oil in a saucepan and sauté onions, for 3 minutes.
  • Add tomatoes and chile, and sauté for an additional 3 minutes. Add chicken broth, stir everything together, and bring to a simmer. Continue to cook until most of the liquid has been absorbed, about 7 to 10 minutes.
  • To assemble, place a tostada (fried tortilla) on a serving plate; spoon on some refried beans, top with cooked egg (any style), cooked salsa, and sprinkle with queso fresco.
  • Continue with the remaining servings and serve warm.

Video

Notes

Calories: 325kcal, Carbohydrates: 32g, Protein: 13g, Fat: 16g, Saturated Fat: 3g, Cholesterol: 164mg, Sodium: 1047mg, Potassium: 404mg, Fiber: 9g, Sugar: 7g, Vitamin A: 1106IU, Vitamin C: 20mg, Calcium: 103mg, Iron: 3mg

Photography by Jenna Sparks 

Originally published: November 2020.