Huevos Rancheros

The Method for Huevos Rancheros

Tap a step to highlight it, or turn on Cook Mode for large type and step-by-step focus.

1. Grill the tomatoes, onion, jalapeños and unpeeled garlic on a tray under a high grill for 8 to 10 minutes, turning, until blackened in patches and collapsing.

   Mark done Start 8 min timer

2. Peel the garlic and blend everything with the cumin, oregano and salt to a coarse purée.

   Mark done

3. Heat the tablespoon of oil in a pan until shimmering and pour in the sauce. Fry for 6 to 8 minutes, stirring, until it darkens and thickens. Keep warm.

   Mark done Start 6 min timer

4. In a separate pan, shallow-fry the tortillas in the 3 tablespoons of oil for 30 seconds a side until they blister and firm up but remain foldable. Drain.

   Mark done Start 30 sec timer

5. Fry the eggs in the same pan over medium heat until the whites are set and the edges are lacy, about 3 minutes, keeping the yolks runny.

   Mark done Start 3 min timer

6. Set a tortilla on each plate, spoon over black beans, top with an egg, and ladle the warm ranchero sauce around — not over — the yolk.

   Mark done

7. Finish with avocado, queso fresco, coriander and a wedge of lime.

   Mark done

Something wrong or unclear in this recipe? Report a problem with this recipe.

Worth Getting Right

• Keep the sauce loose. It should pool around the egg rather than sit on it like a stew.
• A tinned chipotle blended into the sauce adds smoke if you cannot be bothered to char.
• Two tortillas per person, stacked, is the traditional and more generous serving.

Changing the Recipe

• Lemon is the everyday swap for lime in this kind of dish — the acidity plays the same role even though the flavour is not identical.
• An eighth of a teaspoon of garlic powder per clove is the stand-in usually given when you are out of fresh garlic; it will not brown the same way, and it burns easily, so add it with the liquid.
• Fresh herbs work in place of the dried oregano at roughly three times the quantity — a teaspoon of dried is about a tablespoon of fresh, chopped.

Serve It With

Strong coffee or a michelada · Serve with warm flour tortillas on the side · Finish with fresh papaya and lime

Keeping and Reheating

The sauce keeps 5 days refrigerated and freezes 3 months. Fry the eggs and tortillas to order.

The Numbers per Serving

Per serving, an approximate calculation from the ingredient list. Treat it as a rough guide: part of the energy comes from foods, or weights per item, with no recorded source. How the figures are worked out.