Huevos Rancheros

The best Mexican breakfast is ready in just 20 minutes and it's so, so good.

By
Elise Bauer
Elise Bauer
Elise Bauer
Elise founded Simply Recipes in 2003 and led the site until 2019. She has an MA in Food Research from Stanford University.
Learn about Simply Recipes' Editorial Process
Updated September 03, 2024
Elise Bauer

A classic Mexican breakfast, huevos rancheros (translated "ranch eggs") are fried eggs served on a lightly fried corn tortillas and smothered in cooked salsa.

Eggs + Salsa + Tortillas = Huevos Rancheros

When you cut into them, the egg yolks mix in with everything—the salsa, tortillas. So good!

You can also make the eggs scrambled instead of sunny side up. In that case, the dish is known as Huevos a la Mexicana.

Either way, salsa with eggs and tortillas makes a wonderful breakfast.

Huevos Rancheros Topped Chopped Cilantro on a Plate, and Surrounded by, a Small Plate of Chopped Cilantro, Orange Juice, a Bowl of Salsa, and a Deep Yellow Table Napkin With a Fork

Simply Recipes / Ciara Kehoe

A Longtime Family Favorite

One benefit of being raised in California by a mother with Mexican heritage is that we grew up eating and loving Mexican food. From the age of five, it was my job to prepare the salsa for our family.

You may not always find bread at our house, but you can always find tortillas. And more often than not, huevos rancheros for breakfast.

Some people like refried beans with their huevos rancheros. Just spread some warmed refried beans over the tortillas before adding the egg and salsa.

Close-up: Huevos Rancheros and Chopped Cilantro

Simply Recipes / Ciara Kehoe

Eggs for Huevos Rancheros

You can scramble the eggs instead of frying them, which makes them Huevos a la Mexicana. You can also make your eggs over easy, over medium, or over hard, however you like.

More Topping Ideas

Although the traditional toppings for huevos rancheros are ranchero sauce and refried beans, you can experiment with a range of other toppings. Here are some ideas:

  • Black beans
  • Sliced or chopped avocados
  • Shredded cheese
  • Chorizo
  • Spanish rice

You can also top one egg with ranchero sauce and another with salsa verde for huevos divorciados ("divorced eggs").

More Mexican Breakfast Favorites with Eggs

From the Editors Of Simply Recipes

Huevos Rancheros

Cook Time 20 mins
Total Time 20 mins
Servings 2 to 4 servings

The recipe is flexible! Sometimes, we use canned salsa and just add a few more chopped tomatoes and some chopped pickled jalapeños to make the sauce.

Sometimes if we have some leftover refried beans, we'll spread some on the tortillas before topping them with the eggs and salsa. My mother has been known to add a pinch of sugar to the salsa if she feels it's too acidic for her taste.

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Ingredients

  • 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

  • 1/2 medium onion, chopped

  • 1 (15-ounce) can whole or crushed tomatoes (preferably fire-roasted), or 1 to 2 large fresh tomatoes, when in season

  • 1/2 (6 ounce) can diced green Anaheim chiles

  • Chipotle chili powder, adobo sauce, or ground cumin to taste, optional

  • 4 corn tortillas

  • Butter

  • 4 large eggs

  • 2 tablespoons fresh cilantro, chopped, optional

Method

  1. Make the salsa:

    Sauté the onions in a little olive oil in a large skillet on medium heat. Once the onions are translucent, add the tomatoes and their juices. If using whole canned tomatoes, break them up with your fingers or a spatula as you put them in the pan.

    If you are using fresh tomatoes, chop them first before adding. Note that fresh tomatoes will take longer to cook as canned tomatoes are already cooked to begin with.

    Add chopped green chilies. Add additional seasoning to taste, either chipotle chili powder, adobo sauce, regular chili powder, or even ground cumin.

    Pot of Salsa Ingredients Mixed With a Wooden Spoon

    Simply Recipes / Ciara Kehoe

    Bring to a simmer, reduce heat to low, and let simmer while you do the rest of the cooking, stirring occasionally. Reduce to warm after it has been simmering for 10 minutes. Add salt to taste, if needed.

    Pot of Salsa With a Wooden Spoon for Huevos Rancheros Recipe

    Simply Recipes / Ciara Kehoe
  2. Warm the plates:

    Heat the oven to 150°F. Place serving plates (not plastic, obviously) in the oven to keep warm.

  3. Prepare the tortillas:

    Heat a teaspoon of olive oil in a large non-stick skillet on medium high, coating the pan with the oil.

    One by one (or more if your pan is big enough) heat the tortillas in the pan, a minute or two on each side until they are heated through, softened, and pockets of air bubble up inside of them.

    Tortilla Heated on an Oiled Skillet for Huevos Rancheros Recipe

    Simply Recipes / Ciara Kehoe

    Remove and stack the tortillas on one of the warming plates in the oven to keep warm while you continue cooking the rest of the tortillas and the eggs.

    A Plate With the Toasted Tortillas

    Simply Recipes / Ciara Kehoe
  4. Fry the eggs:

    Using the same skillet you used for the tortillas, add a little butter to the pan, about two teaspoons for 4 eggs. Heat the pan on medium high heat. Crack 4 eggs into the skillet and cook for 3 to 4 minutes for runny yolks, a minute or two longer for firmer eggs.

    Four Sunny Side Eggs Fried on a Skillet for Huevos Rancheros Recipe

    Simply Recipes / Ciara Kehoe
  5. Assemble and serve:

    To serve, spoon a little of the sauce onto a warmed plate. Top with a tortilla, then a fried egg. Top with more sauce, sprinkle with cilantro if desired.

    Serve either one or two eggs and tortillas per plate, depending on how much you want to eat. I'm a two-egg, two-tortilla person myself.

    Did you love the recipe? Give us some stars and leave a comment below!

    A Toasted Tortilla Added to a Plate Over Some Salsa Smeared for Huevos Rancheros

    Simply Recipes / Ciara Kehoe
    Eggs and More Salsa Added to the Tortillas

    Simply Recipes / Ciara Kehoe
    Huevos Rancheros Topped With Chopped Cilantro

    Simply Recipes / Ciara Kehoe
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
236 Calories
12g Fat
24g Carbs
10g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 2 to 4
Amount per serving
Calories 236
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 12g 16%
Saturated Fat 4g 20%
Cholesterol 194mg 65%
Sodium 416mg 18%
Total Carbohydrate 24g 9%
Dietary Fiber 5g 16%
Total Sugars 6g
Protein 10g
Vitamin C 19mg 95%
Calcium 103mg 8%
Iron 3mg 17%
Potassium 520mg 11%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate. In cases where multiple ingredient alternatives are given, the first listed is calculated for nutrition. Garnishes and optional ingredients are not included.