Huevos rancheros — the classic Mexican breakfast with eggs, tortillas and spicy tomato sauce

Huevos rancheros, which in Spanish means “the farmer’s eggs,” is Mexico’s most famous breakfast — a simple, warm and flavorful dish, born as a hearty meal for farm workers. Today it is served all over the world for breakfast, brunch or even a light dinner.

INGREDIENTS (serves 4)

For the ranchera sauce:

• 500 g crushed tomatoes (canned or fresh)
• 1 medium onion, finely chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, crushed
• 1–2 chili peppers (jalapeño), finely chopped (to taste)
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• Salt and black pepper to taste
• ½ bunch fresh coriander, chopped

To serve:

• 8 eggs
• 8 small corn tortillas
• 400 g cooked black beans (or canned) — optional
• 100 g cotija or feta cheese, crumbled
• 1 ripe avocado, sliced — optional
• Oil for frying the eggs
• Fresh coriander and lemon wedges, to serve

PREPARATION STEPS

1. Make the sauce: heat the olive oil in a large pan and sauté the onion for 4–5 minutes, until softened and golden.
2. Add the garlic, chili pepper and cumin; sauté for another minute, stirring, so the spices release their aroma.
3. Pour in the crushed tomatoes with all their juice, season with salt and pepper. Lower the heat and simmer for 12–15 minutes, until the sauce thickens. At the end, stir in half of the chopped coriander.
4. Warm the tortillas: in a dry, hot pan, warm each tortilla for 30–40 seconds per side, until softened; keep them covered with a kitchen towel so they don’t cool down.
5. The beans (if using): warm them in a pan with a little oil and chopped onion for 5 minutes, lightly mashing with a fork.
6. Fry the eggs: in a pan with a little hot oil, crack the eggs in one by one and fry for 3–4 minutes, until the whites are fully set but the yolks remain runny. Season lightly with salt.
7. Assemble the plate: place 2 tortillas on each plate, spoon over hot ranchera sauce, add the fried eggs and surround with a little more sauce. Serve with beans on the side, sprinkled with crumbled cheese, fresh coriander, avocado slices and lemon. Serve immediately, hot.

PREPARATION TIME: 10 minutes prep + 20 minutes cooking (about 30 minutes total)

SERVINGS: 4 people