Huevos Rancheros

So – is this authentic huevos rancheros? Probably not. But that is what makes cooking so great – you can take staple ingredients of a dish and completely make it your own and make it unique. I love a good huevos rancheros and find myself gravitating towards it everytime we go out for brunch on the weekend. But I thought, why am I paying $15+ for a dish I could easily make at home that would probably taste better (I am probably biased to that last part tho!). Well that is exactly what I did – this is my version of a delicious huevos rancheros that anyone can whip up for a weekend brunch at home and be super satisfied. This dish is smoky, spicy, crunchy, and creamy…it was sooo good I should have made more! This dish also reminds me of home – my mom has a great huevos rancheros recipe (that she has yet to share with me lol) that she used to make for my dad growing up. When I was younger, I didn’t like spicy foods (heck, I still am a big wimp; but I used to think ketchup and black pepper were spicy…so we’ve come a long way). Anyways, the recipe my mom would always make would definitely be on the spicier side, so I rarely participated in the eating of it. But I can still remember the kitchen smelling like fresh made tortillas and spicy red sauce. This recipe to me is also love – here’s why. My mom HATED, I mean really hated making this dish – it was time consuming and had so much work involved and she didn’t even like it. BUT my dad LOVES this dish so so much. So my mom would always make it for him anytime he asked for it even though she would have rather been doing anything else….that is love; you do things for the people you love even if you don’t like it. Anyways, enough of my life story for now – go make this dish and save some $$ on the next girl’s brunch!

1 Cup Corn
10 oz Black Beans
14.5 oz Can Diced Tomatoes
1/2 Cup Red Enchilada Sauce + 4 Tbsp for Serving
1 Yellow Onion, Diced
1 Tbsp Onion Powder
2 Tbsp Cumin
1/4 Tsp Cayenne Pepper
1 Tsp Chili Powder
2 Adobo Peppers, Finely Diced
2 Tbsp Minced Garlic
6 Eggs
8 Corn Tortillas* (can substitute for tortilla chips or tostadas that are already crunchy to save some prep).
1/2 Cup Oil, Split (2 Tbsp for tomato mixtured; 2 Tbsp for frying eggs; 4 Tbsp for frying the tortillas)
salt + pepper

For Topping:

1/2 Cup Cotija Cheese, Crumbled
3 Tbsp Cilantro, Finely Chopped
1 Avocado, Sliced
1/4 Cup Yellow Onion, Diced
1/4 Cup Lime Crema (Sour Cream + Lime Juice)

Serves: 3-4
Prep Time: 15 Minutes
Cook Time: 30 Minutes
Total Time: 45 Minutes

To Make:

If you are using premade tostadas or tortilla chips then skip this step. Heat a large pan over medium heat and add in 2 tbsp oil. Add in as many corn tortillas as possible while not having them overlap (I was able to cook 4 at a time in my pan). Cook for 6-8 minutes until they start to crisp up (but make sure they are not burning, reduce the heat and time if they start to burn). Flip and cook for another 6-8 minutes. Remove from the pan and transfer to a plate with a paper towel, cover and set aside until ready to use. *repeat this step until all tortillas are cooked*
In the same pan you cooked the tortillas in, keep the heat on medium and add in another 2 tbsp of oil. Add in the onion and cook for 5 minutes until the onion starts to soften.
Next add in the diced tomatoes, garlic, onion powder, cumin, cayenne pepper, chili powder, adobo peppers, and the 1/2 cup of red enchilada sauce. Stir well and let simmer for 5-8 minutes so the flavors are well incorporated.
Add the corn and black beans to the tomato sauce and reduce the heat to low. Continue cooking, stirring occasionally, while we cook the eggs.
In another large pan, heat over medium heat and add in 2 tbsp oil. Once hot, gently crack the eggs in to the pan. Reduce the heat to low, cover and cook for 5-7 minutes until the whites have set, but the yolks are not cooked all the way through. When done, uncover, and remove from heat.
Now it is time to assemble. Grab a plate and add two tortillas to the bottom. Top with a generous serving of the tomato mixture and top with two eggs. Lastly, top with cotija, diced onion, cilantro, crema, enchilada sauce, and avocado! *repeat this step until all plates have been served* (you do not have to use 2 eggs per plate!).