Quick Huevos Rancheros
Huevos Rancheros — or “Ranch Eggs” — is a popular breakfast of eggs and tortillas. Savory egg dishes such as this one are typically served in Mexico at “almuezo” — the second breakfast served to hard-working ranch hands and farm workers after their early-morning chores — they need to build more energy after a morning of hard work. The most basic version of huevos rancheros consists of fried corn tortillas, topped with scrambled or fried eggs, and a tomato–chili sauce or salsa. Common toppings include refried beans, avocado, chili peppers, and even fried potatoes.
While this can be a high-fat entree, it doesn’t have to be, and best of all, it is nutritionally balanced and nutrient dense.
Huevos Rancheros don’t have to take a long time to prepare. Try this easy-to-prepare version for a breakfast treat you can make on a work day. You will note it doesn’t have a fried corn tortilla which is customary in Huevos Rancheros. This savory, quick and healthy breakfast doesn’t need the tortilla at all, and you won’t even miss it. But if you feel it just isn’t Huevos Rancheros without it (we feel you!), try it with a baked corn tortilla, or baked no-oil corn tortilla or pita chips. That way, you’ll keep the fiber of the corn but lose the fat.
Read this post contributed by Dr. Dae, who explains the benefits of Huevos Rancheros for breakfast.
Ingredients
- 2 eggs
- 1/2 can beans drained and mashed
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
- Sea Salt and Ground Pepper to taste
- 1/2 avocado sliced
- Fresh deli salsa to taste
- Optional: 4 tablespoons grated low-fat cheddar cheese
- Optional: Fat Free Tortilla or split Whole Wheat Pita toasted
- Optional: cayenne pepper
- chopped cilantro to taste
Instructions
- Poach or steam fry the eggs
- Warm the beans in a skillet while eggs are cooking
- Remove beans from heat and mix in olive oil, lemon juice, salt and pepper Add a pinch of cayenne for spicy beans.
- Place warmed or toasted tortilla or pita half on a plate (if using)
- Place beans on tortilla (or plate), top with salsa, an egg, diced avocado, cheese (if using) and cilantro.
Spa Index Kitchen Notes
Nutrition
This is the post / article and recipe that got me started on savory breakfast stuff. I know it’s common in many cultures to eat spicy or non-sweet breakfast things, but I just didn’t grow up that way. The only non-sweet breakfast we had was bacon and eggs and toast or biscuits and gravy. Savory, but, fatty. More often it was cereal, or pancakes, or waffles. So I read this longish article about why this is a good breakfast entree and I tried it, and now when I’m on the road, I always order it. It really helped me cut out of breakfast as sweet and I really go for savory, almost always. In fact, leftover heated soup is one of y favorite breakfasts! In a thermos on the train even. Panczakes and Waffles are a treat now — not a breakfast entree. I really like this. Sometimes I do use the scrambled eggs and I break up a few tortilla chips insteasd of the flour tortilla, and I like it aht way too, like migas I guess?
always satisifes
This looks great! I think I will try mine with the scrambled, but my husband will test the runnier eggs, love the ingredients though!
Well, giving up the tortilla is a sacrifice I just can’t bring myself to make, but I make up for it by using my own corn tortillas or non-fat flour tortillas. They are so easy to make and so much better than store bought. But, nice to have a fast version of this recipe, which is usually high fat. I will give up the cheese, but keep the tortilla.
So delicious you will not miss the tortillas! I gave the kids tortillas but I ate 2 full helpings of this and was full the entire day.