In 20 short minutes, crispy tortillas are piled high with bacon and beans simmered in salsa and topped with poached eggs and shredded cheese. This Mexican classic delivers big flavor and checks all the boxes for the nutrients your family needs to start their day off right. Making the traditional recipe with homemade salsa is a treat but when you’re short on time, this shortcut recipe tastes almost just like the homemade version. This 20 Minute Huevos Rancheros recipe is a quick and easy version created for those who crave that delicious flavor but are short on time.
Refried…remix!
Huevos rancheros are traditionally served with a layer of refried beans on the tortilla before the salsa is poured on top. I prefer to add a can of drained and rinsed black beans and/or pinto beans directly to the salsa. Whole beans deliver the same nutrients with a little added texture.
Less is more
Less time. Less mess. Less is more when it comes to quick and easy recipes. Traditional huevos rancheros have a fried egg but if I can skip the additional step of frying the egg (and another dirty pan to wash), I consider that a win. In this recipe I crack the egg right into the salsa mixture, cover and cook it on low for a few minutes. Using this skillet-poached egg method simplifies the recipe without compromising the flavor.
Bring home the bacon
Traditionally this dish isn’t served with meat, but what’s a savory breakfast without bacon? I chop up bite-sized pieces of bacon and sauté them until they’re crispy before I add the salsa to the pan. Sure…this isn’t part of the traditional recipe, but who can resist bacon? And if you prefer a vegetarian version, simply skip the bacon.
Huevos Rancheros Tacos
Any recipe in taco form is a win for my kids. While I prefer to eat my Huevos Rancheros in traditional form with the crispy tortilla on the bottom and layers of beans and salsa and topped with egg, I serve my kids a taco twist on this classic. I lightly crisp the tortillas and I stuff the salsa mixture and egg into them to make my version of huevos rancheros tacos.
What’s in 20 Minute Huevos Rancheros?
- Bacon – The traditional recipe doesn’t have bacon so if you’d prefer to go the traditional route and skip the meat, just leave it out!
- Salsa – Buy premade salsa for this recipe to save on time. I prefer restaurant-style but chunky would also work.
- Beans – My kids love black beans so that’s my go to, but pinto beans are also great in this recipe. Or…use both!
- Eggs
- Shredded Mexican Cheese or Queso Fresco cheese – I really like the taste of queso fresco or cotija cheese sprinkled on top of the poached egg, but if you prefer shredded cheddar cheese or a Mexican blend, go for it. My kids prefer shredded Mexican cheese.
- Corn tortillas or flour tortillas – The filling is enough for about 6-8 huevos rancheros. I use corn tortillas to make this recipe gluten-free but flour tortillas also taste great.
- Cooking spray to crisp up the tortillas.
20 Minute Huevos Rancheros
Ingredients
- 12 ounces bacon
- 32 ounces salsa
- 1 15 ounce can black and/or pinto beans If you like extra beans, add 2 cans.
- 6 eggs
- 4 ounces crumbled queso fresco cheese or shredded Mexican cheese
- 6-8 corn tortillas
- cooking spray
Instructions
- Cut the bacon into bite-sized pieces and sauté in a pan on medium heat until it's crispy.
- Remove the bacon from the pan and set aside. Pour most of the bacon grease out of the pan. Leave about one tablespoon of the grease in the pan and add the salsa. As a reminder, never pour the excess bacon grease down the kitchen sink drain. Always wait for it to cool and throw it in the trash or use it in another recipe.
- Add the beans to the salsa and simmer on low heat for 3-5 minutes.
- While the salsa mixture cooks, crisp the tortillas in a separate pan. Spray both sides of the tortillas with cooking spray and cook them on medium heat for about 3-4 minutes per side. I use a large pan to fit about 3 corn tortillas at once to reduce the total cooking time.
- Crack the eggs on top of the salsa. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. If you're using shredded Mexican cheese, sprinkle that on top of the eggs. Turn the heat to low and cover the pan with a lid and cook until the eggs are no longer runny.
- Assemble by placing the crispy tortilla on the plate and pour salsa/beans and an egg on top of the tortilla. Top with the cooked bacon pieces and if you're using queso fresco, sprinkle that on top. Serve as an open tortilla or fold for a taco.
- Optional garnishes are fresh cilantro, sliced avocado, or sliced jalapeño.
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