As a breakfast or as a dinner, I love Huevos Rancheros for so many reasons. It is delicious. It is EASY. It requires little to no prep in advance.
The main reason I love Huevos Rancheros is that it is the absolutely perfect meal for those nights when I have forgotten to thaw meat or even cook the meal I planned in advance. My forgetfulness becomes everyone else’s win when these plates show up on the dinner table.
What is Huevos Rancheros?
Huevos Rancheros, at their most essential, are eggs cooked over easy and layered on tortillas with salsa and cheese. Traditionally served over corn tortillas, we prefer warm charred flour tortillas on the side with ours.
My version of this Mexican egg dish includes potatoes, peppers, and beans. Like many of our meals, the extra protein keeps my crew full a little longer.
You might even call it a “fully loaded” version of Huevos Rancheros. A little bacon or sausage makes this Huevos Rancheros recipe just about perfect.
How to Make Huevos Rancheros
I can have this meal on the table in 30 minutes or considerably less every time. Keeping some of the ingredients on hand and ready to go makes it even quicker.
This recipe starts by cooking baked diced potatoes in a pan with a little olive oil or bacon grease.
Once the potatoes are browned, you throw in diced onion and bell peppers and cook until they’re fragrant and softened.
Meanwhile, prepare your eggs in a separate skillet. I’ve seen versions of Huevos Rancheros use scrambled eggs (technically that is Huevos a la Mexicana) but over-easy is our favorite way to cook them for this recipe.
Over easy eggs are awesome for Huevos Rancheros because the runny yolks mix in beautifully and add a whole lot of great flavor to the dish in every bite.
Once everything is prepped and ready to go, it’s time to layer all of those delicious components on top of a tortilla. It’s fun to let everyone customize their plate of Huevos Rancheros based on personal tastes.
To Make Huevos Rancheros our way, layer the following on your plate:
- Flour tortilla
- Potatoes, onions, and bell peppers
- Black or pinto beans
- Shredded cheese
- Eggs
- Salsa, Red or Green Chile Sauce (or both!)
- Crumbled bacon or sausage (omit for a vegetarian option)
However you assemble your Huevos Rancheros, they’re guaranteed to make a tasty breakfast, lunch or dinner.
Huevos Rancheros Recipe Tips
To make this meal even quicker and easier, I try to keep baked potatoes and cooked beans on hand.
Next time you make Baked Potatoes, make a couple of extra and store them in the fridge for when a Huevos Rancheros craving strikes. If you don’t have any pre-baked potatoes, frozen diced hash browns work just as well!
Canned beans work perfectly in this recipe. We’ve made it with black beans, pinto beans, and even red beans and loved the meal just the same.
If you prefer, you can also cook your own beans! Try this method for How to Cook Beans in the Crock-Pot or your favorite stove top method. (Beans store well in the fridge and freezer and can be used in so many quick and easy recipes!)
Using store bought tortillas (or tortillas from your favorite Mexican bakery, if you’re lucky enough to live near one) is just fine here.
If I have the time, I’ll make homemade Whole Wheat Tortillas for our Huevos Rancheros. For a gluten-free option, try these Gluten Free Flour Tortillas!
After you make this Huevos Rancheros recipe, you’ll also want to give our other spins on this recipe a try. Frito Pie Huevos Rancheros combines this spicy egg dish with crunchy corn chips just like a Frito Pie. You can also turn this into a perfect on-the-go breakfast taco in this Huevos Rancheros Breakfast Wrap.
If you’ve been reading here for a while, you may have gathered that we love our chile sauces. This Green Chile Sauce is my personal favorite sauce to smother on my Huevos Rancheros. New Mexico Red Chile Sauce is another delicious option.
If you don’t have any chile sauce on hand, your favorite jar of salsa works just as well! Go as mild or as spicy as you like–it’s sure to turn out delicious.
When it comes to topping your plate of eggs, get as creative as you like. A spoonful of Spicy Guacamole makes a nice addition, along with extra finely diced red onion, chopped cilantro, or Pico De Gallo.
Everyone, including the baby, (who is now ten years old!) loves Huevos Rancheros and it is endlessly adaptable to suit individual tastes. It is my oldest son’s most often requested breakfast and dinner and has been since he was barely old enough to ask for it.
This Huevos Rancheros recipe is adapted from and with thanks to several different versions that Pam shared years ago on her site For The Love Of Cooking. Thanks again for the inspiration!
Edited to add: After making Huevos Rancheros for the family on a regular basis for 15+ years now, it’s a solid favorite with the entire crew. It’s requested for a birthday breakfast at least once a year and it’s still a guaranteed win on busy weeknights.
How To Make Huevos Rancheros
Ingredients
- 2 baked potatoes – diced into half inch pieces
- 1.5 cups cooked pinto, red or black beans (or 1 can drained and rinsed)
- 4-6 eggs
- 1/2 cup cheddar cheese – shredded
- 4-6 flour or corn tortillas
- salt and pepper, to taste
- salsa or chile sauce, to taste
Optional Ingredients
- 1/4 cup onion – finely diced
- 1/2 cup red/orange/yellow/green bell pepper – finely diced
- bacon or sausage – cooked and crumbled
Instructions
- Drizzle olive oil (or use bacon grease) in a large skillet and add the diced potatoes. Cook for 10 minutes over medium heat, stirring just often enough to prevent burning.
- Add onion and bell pepper, if desired, and then cook another 10-15 minutes stirring occasionally. Reduce heat to low and keep warm.
- In a second non-stick skillet, cook the eggs over easy, just until the yolks are clouded over. Once the eggs are cooked, layer the following ingredients on a plate:
- Tortilla, potatoes, with or without bell peppers and onions, beans, cheese, bacon or sausage, eggs. Smother with chile sauce or salsa, according to taste.
Nutrition
{originally published 6/12/11 – recipe notes and photos updated 2/22/21}
Pretty. Good. Food. says
Yum, sounds like perfection 🙂
Steph (The Cheapskate Cook) says
My mom just discovered a recipe similar to this one that she raves about for breakfast – only she uses sweet potatoes for some added depth of flavor. Your recipe sounds fantastic – and you're right, perfect for busy (or distracted) nights!
Larry says
Looks delicious Mary. Fried eggs over potatoes/onions/ peppers is about my favorite breakfast and adding some beans and salsa verde can only make it better.
Mary Younkin says
Heck yes, Larry! We definitely share the love for this one.
Janet C says
Loved it! Used a yellow pepper, onion, and pinto beans. I overcooked the eggs as I don’t like runny yoke, but it was delicious anyway!
Mary Younkin says
I’m so glad that you liked it, Janet!
Mchacon says
I have never cooked or seen Huevos Rancheros like these they looked horrible they need to get a good Mexican recipe book. No I will not list my recipe.
Mary Younkin says
Feel free to make your Huevos Rancheros, whichever way you like them best, hon. At the heart of Huevos Rancheros, it is simply eggs with chile sauce over corn or flour tortillas, with beans and maybe potatoes. We like to make it even heartier sometimes with a bit of bacon or sausage. This is simply the way that my family enjoys making them, I don’t claim it to be the only way you should ever make Huevos Rancheros either. It is just my way, and the fact that this is my recipe website means I get to share recipes how we like them best without taking any of it too seriously. Take it or leave it, it’s just food.