Nothing is better than Skillet Huevos Rancheros in tomato sauce, covered in rich cheese on a crispy tortilla. The eggs in this dish are poached in a tomato sauce. The tomato sauce and eggs are then mixed with roasted poblano chilis and shredded potato. Once everything is put together, the whole shebang is covered in grated cheese and sour cream.
My Skillet Huevos Rancheros have layers upon layers of flavor and textures. Crisp tortilla on the bottom. Tomato sauce with shredded potatoes cradling a perfectly poached egg. The eggs are then topped with soft cheese and cool sour cream. It is such a colorful and delicious brunch dish. If you want to break up your boring weeknight dinner situation with something exciting, this is your gift.
Modify the Skillet Huevos Rancheros recipe to suit anyone’s taste buds. Make it completely vegetarian by omitting the bacon. You can make it really spicy by adding a roasted and chopped jalapeno and lots of Tabasco. If you are a wimp like me in the spice level department, just go with the mild roasted poblanos for flavor.
Spicy or not, Skillet Huevos Rancheros are an exciting breakfast with a cup of hot coffee any morning. If you are in the mood for sharing, serve these for a weekend brunch with a pitcher of margaritas and you will win a popularity contest.
Skillet Huevos Rancheros
This versatile Skillet Huevos Rancheros recipe can be made all vegetarian by omitting the bacon from the tomato sauce. You can also make it as spicy as you like by adding a jalapeno and plenty of Tabasco sauce.
Ingredients
- 4 slices thick cut bacon finely chopped or 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 onion finely chopped
- 2 tablespoons minced garlic
- one bunch of cilantro divided into stems and leaves and each finely chopped
- ¼ cup chopped basil
- 1-2 Poblano peppers peeled, seeded and chopped
- 1 jalapeno pepper peeled, seeded and chopped, optional
- 1 28 ounce undrained whole plum tomatoes pureed in the food processor
- 1 large Idaho potato peeled and julienned into a thick julienne, medium julienne blade of food processor
- 1 cup water
- ½ teaspoon Tabasco
- 1 ½ teaspoons salt
- 6 eggs
- 1 cup Monterey Jack cheese finely shredded
- 1 cup Cheddar finely shredded
- 1 cup sour cream
- 6 corn tortillas brushed with olive oil on both sides
Instructions
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If you are using the bacon, sauté it in a large sauté pan until it is brown. With a slotted spoon remove the cooked bacon from the skillet and drain the bacon. Pour off the bacon fat and leave 2 tablespoons of fat in the skillet. If you are not using the bacon, put 2 tablespoons of oil in the pan over medium high heat. Add the onion to the pan (with the bacon fat or oil) and sauté the onion until it is translucent, about 6-7 minutes.
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Add the garlic, the chopped cilantro stems and the basil to the skillet. Stir in the chopped Poblano pepper and all or part of the Jalapeno, depending on how spicy you like it. Saute for 3-4 minutes and then add the tomatoes and potato and stir until the potatoes are completely mixed with the tomatoes. Bring to a simmer and then immediately lower the heat to low and cover the skillet.
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Cook the mixture for 45 minutes, stirring frequently so the sauce does not burn and the potatoes do not stick to the bottom. When the sauce is done you can refrigerate it for a day or two before finishing the dish.
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While the sauce is cooking, preheat oven to 375 degrees. On a foil lined cookie sheet bake the tortillas for 15 minutes and then turn them over. Bake for another 10 minutes until well browned and crispy. Set aside until ready to serve the Huevos Rancheros. Ten minutes before you are ready to serve, put the tortillas back in the oven and turn the oven off.
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When ready to finish the dish, heat the oven to 350 degrees. To the skillet add the water, Tabasco and salt and stir the mixture thoroughly allowing it to come to a slow simmer. The sauce should be very thick. Remove the pan from the heat and press the bowl of a serving spoon on top of the tomato sauce, creating 6 cavities for the eggs. Break an egg into a ramekin and gently place the egg into a cavity. Repeat with the remaining eggs and cover the skillet.
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Put the skillet in the oven and bake the eggs for 10 minutes. Sprinkle the cheese over each egg and put the skillet back in the oven, covered, for about 5 minutes. Remove the skillet from the oven and dollop the sour cream on each egg and sprinkle each egg with chopped cilantro leaves.
If this piques your taste and cravings for Mexican food, be sure to check out my recipes for Mexican Tamale Pie, Pulled Pork Carnitas Tostados, and Carne Asada Tacos.
