Until moving to Texas, I had never heard of Huevos Rancheros, which means ranch-style-eggs…or at least some translation similar to that. But after living in Austin, I saw it on menus everywhere. Every restaurant has their own version of Huevos Rancheros but they all contain eggs, some style of beans, and tortillas. This meal is typically found on a breakfast or brunch menu but in our house, we eat it for dinner.
For some reason, I can’t get <3M onboard with the idea of breakfast for dinner but when I offer to make Huevos Rancheros, he’s all about it. It’s definitely a hearty, more savory meal so it’s a great dinner option!
For my Huevos Rancheros, I chose to create a simple, one-pot version that can be made quickly for a weekend breakfast and in less than 30 minutes if you choose to have ‘breakfast for dinner’ some weeknight like we do.
My version uses whole black beans as its base with salsa to add flavor along with a mix of red bell pepper, onion and jalapenos. There’s also the added touch of traditional spices found in Mexican cooking like oregano, chili powder, cumin, and cilantro which contribute to the warmth of the dish. Smoked paprika also stars in my Huevos Ranchero! I think it helps add some authenticity to the dish, giving the meal a slight smokey note, as if you truly were cooking in on a ranch over an open fire.
My favorite part about this dish is the egg. I love poached eggs and for this recipe, the eggs are poached within the beans, soaking up some of the spices and sauce while cooking! If you soft-poach the eggs, you also get a bit of a creamy-sauce when you cut into it. I love the creaminess a soft egg adds to the mix of beans, tortilla, and spices.
If soft eggs aren’t your thing, you can always hard-poach the eggs. <3M isn’t a fan of runny eggs, so I typically add his eggs first so they have a few minutes head start and cook all the way. He loves the dish just the same even without the creamy-yolk sauce.
Lastly, this dish can be served very simply with just a sprinkle of cilantro to finish it off or you can pile on the toppings. In our house, we favor a dollop of guacamole and sour cream along with a bit of shredded cheese.
Whether you serve this for breakfast, brunch or dinner, I promise you’ll love find it a meal you come back to again and again.
- 2 15oz cans no salt added black beans
- 4 large eggs
- 4 corn or flour tortillas
- 2 cloves garlic, crushed
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 red bell pepper, diced
- 1 small yellow onion, finely chopped
- ½ jalapeno, finely diced
- 1 cup salsa
- ½ cup vegetable broth
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- ½ teaspoon oregano
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- 1½ teaspoons salt
- ¼ teaspoon pepper
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- ¼ cup cilantro, chopped
- Optional Toppings: avocado, sour cream, cheese, cilantro
- Add the olive oil to a large skillet over medium heat.
- Once warm, add in the onions and garlic. Saute 4-5 minutes until softened.
- Add in the red bell pepper and jalapeno and saute for 2-3 minutes.
- Add in all spices - paprika, oregano, cumin, salt, pepper, and chili powder.
- Stir well to keep the vegetables from sticking and cook for another 2-3 minutes until flavorful.
- Add in the drained black beans and combine with vegetables.
- Add in the salsa and vegetable broth. Cook until warmed through, about 2-3 minutes
- At this point, crack your eggs into the beans, turn the heat to low and cover until eggs are cooked to desired doneness -- about 5-7 minutes.
- While the eggs are cooking, lightly toast the tortillas over an open flame or on a small skillet until slightly browned but still soft.
- To serve, once eggs have reached your desired doneness, top each tortilla with a bit of
beans , an egg and any other toppings you choose.
