7 Layer Huevos Rancheros

These huevos rancheros may not be quite traditional, but we’re sure you’re going to love our version.

Huevos rancheros or rancher’s eggs, in their traditional sense is basically a corn tortilla topped with an egg and salsa. They might be garnished with avocado slices or guacamole. Mexican-style rice and refried beans may also be served with them. While there’s nothing wrong with this, we feel there could be a bit more substance to the dish.

Rather than eating two servings, what if we combined two in one skillet? We actually wanted to stack three, but the skillet wasn’t deep enough. Two actually worked out well; three might have hinged on the side of gluttony.

We felt it was important to cook our version of huevos rancheros in individual sized skillets (roughly, 6-inch dia. or #3). This allowed for individual tastes to be accommodated. Some like sliced jalapeño peppers added to the mix, others not. Everyone has their own preference to how they like their egg cooked. I like my yolks runny, but not everyone does.

Our huevos rancheros starts with a 6-inch corn tortilla which is placed in the bottom of the skillet. We then add a layer of beans, Mexican cheese, another tortilla, layer of beans and cheese. Finally we spread on some salsa and make a divot in the middle where we place our egg. We then cook it on a 400°F (200°C) grill, or oven for about 15 minutes or until the egg whites have set and the yolk is cooked to the desired doneness. Pretty simple, eh? Well let me tell ya…it’s pretty darn tasty, too!

This huevos rancheros recipe is also quite adaptable. Add some jalapeños into one of the layers, substitute flour tortillas for the corn or make a big batch using a larger skillet with up to four eggs. Also, our single skillet version can only handle one egg. If two eggs are wanted, fry them up in a separate pan and place on top before serving.

We think you’re going to like this recipe. These huevos rancheros are a perfect way to start the day, compliment a brunch or even make a great dinner when served with rice and beans.

Although the recipe is down below, here’s a quick overview of the process.

Building the 7 Layer Huevos Rancheros

Step 1: Lightly oil skillet and place tortilla on the bottom. If using a large skillet and tortilla is not large enough, cut a couple of smaller tortillas into “pie-shaped” pieces. Space pieces around the outside perimeter of skillet and one whole one in the center.

Step 2: Place a layer of beans on top of tortilla. Sprinkle with choice of cheese.

Step 3: Place another tortilla on top of those layers, followed by another layer of beans and cheese.

Step 4: Spread a thin layer of salsa on top. Go easy on the salsa. It’s easy to overpower the flavors with too much.

Adding the Egg

Step 5: Using a teaspoon, make a pocket for the egg by spreading the beans, cheese and salsa away from the center. You’ll be exposing the last tortilla. Don’t go too small here, otherwise it will hinder the egg’s cooking. It should be about the size of a typical fried egg.

Step 6: Sprinkle a little bit more cheese for the egg to rest on…it’s sort of like a nest, isn’t it? This will help keep the egg contained.

Step 7: Unless you’re an excellent (or is it eggcellent?) egg cracker, it’s best to crack the egg into a small bowl. This assures that the yolk remains whole, any shell chips can easily be removed and allows more control when guiding the egg into the pocket.

Step 8: You’re ready to cook.

Recipe © 2016 Gary Glen | Photo © 2016 Gary Glen | All rights reserved

Now that you have Mexican on your mind, add one of these to your next brunch.