Anjie’s Huevos Rancheros: “A Flavor Explosion”

These huevos rancheros are a “flavor explosion,” promises Anjie Villalobos, one of our favorite Mexican-food homecooks. Best of all: her family-famous recipe can be prepared in less than 15 minutes and has just three main ingredients.  

“I never tire of making it or eating this dish,” Anjie says. 

She especially loves making these huevos on mornings when she’s pressed for time but is craving something delicioso, hearty and healthy. 

Luckily, Anjie almost always has everything she needs for these huevos rancheros stocked. The ingredients are staples in her Southern California kitchen: eggs, salsa and corn tortillas. Using homemade salsa takes this dish to the next level, she says. Anjie tries to always keep a jar of fresh salsa in her refrigerator, which is a time-saver when she wants to add mucho flavor to this or any of her favorite Mexican dishes. “It’s a rare day that you won’t find one variety or another of homemade salsa in my fridge,” Anjie says.

Using a rotating mix of salsas helps keep this dish exciting, since their flavor greatly depends on whichever salsa she has on hand that day. To elevate your huevos rancheros, check out Anjie’s homemade salsa recipes posted here at Familia Kitchen, including her top-four go-tos:

Anjie’s Favorite Red Salsa Recipes

• Red Salsa with Serrano Chile

• Red Salsa With Chile de Arbol

Anjie’s Favorite Green Salsa Recipes

• Avocado and Serrano Chile Salsa
• Salsa Verde with Serranos and Tomatillos

To Fry or to Poach Huevos Rancheros?

Huevos ranchers are traditionally made with eggs that are fried sunny side up or poached. Anjie prefers poached, as you’ll see in her recipe directions, below. (FK cooking tip: we like to use this Nordic Ware nonstick insert for perfectly poached eggs. And no, we’re not getting paid to recommend this product. We really do love it.). Here’s another of Anjie’s recommendations: To take huevos rancheros to the next level, says Anjie, make your own corn tortillas. Making them from scratch takes about 30 extra minutes and is 100% worth the effort, she explans. The resulting tortillas have a stronger taste of real corn and heartier texture.Plus they’re surprisingly easy to make once you get the hang of it. Serving them with avocado slices and a side of homemade refried beans topped with queso fresco makes this delicioso dish even more memorable. 

Huevos rancheros are a delicioso meal any time of the day, but Anjie says she especially enjoys making this dish for weekend brunch get-togethers with family and friends. She loves serving this dish with her daughter Aysia’s refreshing palomas, made with tequila and a touch of mezcal. No matter who’s coming over, huevos ranchers make the morning a little extra special. Plus, there’s the flavor-explosion factor. This dish is a guaranteed wow, says Anjie.

Find more of Anjie’s family-famous Mexican dishes here, and let us know which one you make for your crowd of familia and friends. We’d love to know.

Ready to Make Anjie’s Delicioso Huevos Rancheros?

Anjie’s Huevos Rancheros: “A Flavor Explosion”

Recipe by Anjie Villalobos

5.0 from 1 vote

Cuisine: Mexican

Servings

4

servings

Prep time

10

minutes

Cooking time

15

minutes

Ingredients

• 8 eggs

• 1 tsp vinegar

• 8 corn tortillas, store-bought or homemade

• 1 cup salsa, red or green (recipe for red, below)

• 2 avocados, sliced

• 1/2 tsp salt, divided, to taste

• 2 Tbsp fresh cilantro, chopped

• Red Salsa with Serrano Chiles

• 4 to 6 tomatoes, medium

• 2 to 3 serrano chiles, deseeded to your taste

• 1 clove garlic

• 2 tsp salt, to taste

• 1/8 tsp cumin

• 1 lime, freshly juiced

• 1 bunch cilantro

• 1/2 large onion or 1 small onion, white or yellow

Directions

• Make the Salsa (or You Can Use Store-Bought)
• Preheat oven to 400°.
• Line a baking pan with foil or parchment paper. Place the tomatoes and serrano chiles on the lined pan. Roast in the heated oven for 10 to 15 minutes, until slightly blackened.
• Remove from the oven and let rest until the tomatoes and chiles reach room temperature.
• Place the cooled tomatoes and serrano chiles, garlic, salt, cumin and lime juice in a blender or food processor and pulse on low until blended. (If heat is a concern, add one serrano chile at a time until desired heat tolerance has been reached).
• Add the cilantro and onion to the blender and pulse until the salsa reaches desired texture.
• This will keep in the refrigerator for up to a week.
• Toast the Tortillas
• Heat a cast-iron pan or griddle on the stovetop, on medium-high.
• Place 8 store-bought or homemade corn tortillas on your counter. (Homemade is so much better, and worth the effort if you can, says Anjie). See her step-by-step guide on making fresh corn tortillas here.
• Toast each corn tortillas on the medium-hot pan or griddle so that each turns golden and even slightly browns in small areas.
• Poach the Eggs
• Fill a large pot with water, add vinegar, and bring to a boil.
• Crack the eggs in small bowls, one for each egg.
• When the water starts to boil, lower to simmer.
• Give the water a good stir, so that it is swirling in one direction.
• Using a large spoon, gently place the eggs in the swirling water, one at a time, so that they do not touch. You may have to make the eggs in batches, depending on the width of your pot.
• Poach the eggs in the boiling water for 3 to 4 minutes.
• Remove with a slotted spoon and place on a plate. Cover with a paper towel, to keep them warm while you put together the huevos rancheros.
• Build the Huevos Rancheros
• Place 2 toasted tortillas on each plate.
• Place a poached egg in the center of each tortilla.
• Top with sliced avocados, a sprinkle of fresh cilantro and a dash of salt.
• Drizzle each egg with 2 to 3 Tbsp of the red or salsa (any kind of salsa will do, but we are especially partial to Anjie’s red sauce, recipe above).
• Serve hot, with a side of salsa for extra drizzling.

Notes

• This recipe is endlessly customizable, says Anjie. She often adds leftover vegetables and garnishes, such as crumbled queso fresco or chopped green or red onions.