Huevos Divorciados, Deliciously Divided by Salsas & Refried Beans

“Huevos divorciados is a breakfast dish that gets its name because its two eggs are served on two corn tortillas, which are drizzled with two different salsas and then separated by a row of refried beans,” says Vivi Abeja, one of our favorite Mexican food cooks.

Forever divided and eternally 100% delicioso.

When Vivi wants to make her boyfriend and herself a special breakfast in her apartment in Little Village, Chicago’s traditionally Mexican neighborhood, this is one of their favorites. It’s flavorful, colorful, comforting, and uses the fresh red and green salsas she typically has sitting in her fridge.

“This breakfast fully reminds me of my abuelita because of every element in it,” says Vivi, who hosts a Mexican food cook-along Live series on her Instagram channel Vivis_Table. “From the refried beans, homemade salsas, and especially the fried egg on the fried corn tortilla. It’s the definition of comida de pobre because of the simple everyday ingredients found in the Mexican home.”

Her grandmother, Elisa Abeja, was proud to make what she called poor-people food or comida de pobre: Traditional dishes from her birthplace of Michoacan that use the least amount of ingredients possible for maximum delicioso results. Her food philosophy was steeped in the practicalities of economics: Feeding her very large family of eight children in their Little Village home. 

Vivi’s abuela remains her culinary inspiration, and Vivi credits most of her cooking how-to and kitchen smarts to her. Her abuelita is the reason she started selling Mexican dishes on the street corners on the streets of Little Village during COVID. That is how she was “discovered” and awarded a scholarship to go to Food He.ro cooking school. Feeding people is her life’s mission and profession, says Vivi.

“How to make cook a fried egg on a fried tortilla is the first thing my abuela showed me as a young girl, and everyone from my mom to my tias have memories of my grandmother making it for them. It takes some skill to keep the egg in the center of the tortilla while at the same time tilting the pan enough to scoop oil over it so when I succeed it feels like a huge accomplishment,” says Vivi.

“It’s truly a skill I’m proud of because my grandmother did it so gracefully.”

Vivi’s grandmother died at the age of 92 earlier this year, and Vivi misses her terribly. She keeps her spirit close and memory alive by cooking Abuelita Elisa’s favorite recipes, including this one.  “It’s something my grandmother and I would enjoy often back when she was still able to cook and it makes me very happy. I make the full meal of huevos divorciados when I have leftover salsa, but I make fried egg on fried tortilla every week” in her honor.

Check out Vivi’s family recipes for more delicioso Mexican dishes

Huevos Divorciados, Deliciously Divided by Salsas & Refried Beans

Recipe by Vivi Abeja

5.0 from 1 vote

Cuisine: Mexican

Servings

4

servings

Prep time

20

minutes

Cooking time

20

minutes

Ingredients

• 16 oz refried beans (from 1 can or homemade)

• 2 Tbsp olive oil

• 4 corn tortillas (store-bought or freshly made)

• 4 eggs

• 1 to 2 cups Vegetable or avocado oil for frying

• 1 cup spicy chile de árbol salsa (see below)

• 1 cup green tomatillo salsa (see below)

• Spicy Chile de Árbol Salsa (Red)

• 4 small tomatillos

• 20 to 30 to 30 chiles de árbol

• 2 Tbsp chicken bouillon seasoning

• 2 cloves garlic

• 1 tsp oregano, dried

• 1 bunch fresh cilantro

• Tomatillo Salsa with Serranos & Jalapeño Chiles (Green)

• 6 tomatillos (6 medium or 2 large + 4 small)

• 2 serrano chiles

• 1 jalapeño chile

• 1 tomato

• 2 cloves garlic

• 1/2 lime, juiced

• 1 Tbsp salt

• 1 bunch fresh cilantro

Directions

• In a saucepan set to medium low, add the olive oil. Add the refried beans and heat until they are warm. Set aside.
• In a second small pan, wide enough to fit 1 tortilla, add enough vegetable or avocado oil to cover the bottom of the pan in a thin layer.
• When the oil is warm but not smoking hot, place 1 tortilla in the center of the pan. Press a metal spoon in the center of the tortilla for 30 seconds to create a small well in the center of the tortilla as it fries. This will create a pocket for the egg to sit in tortilla’s center.
• Crack open 1 egg over the tortilla and let it slide into the tortilla center pocket. With a large metal spoon, pour the excess hot oil from the sides of the tortilla in the pan over the egg so that it cooks it. You may have to tilt the pan slightly to get enough oil, so be careful not to let the egg roll off the tortilla.
• Continue spooning oil over the egg in the tortilla until it cooks to your liking.
• Remove the tortilla and egg from the pan and place on a plate lined with paper towels to drain the excess oil. Sprinkle with salt, to taste, while it’s still hot.
• Repeat with the second tortilla and egg.
• You are ready to serve. Arrange each plate with warm refried beans in the center and tortilla with a fried egg on each side. Pour the red salsa over one egg and the green salsa over the other egg.
• If you wish, you can garnish with crumbled queso fresco, a drizzle of Mexican crema, and sprinkling of chopped fresh cilantro.
• To Make the Red Salsa With Chile Árbol
• In a hot, dry, cast-iron pan or comal set to medium high, dry-toast the tomatoes and dried chiles de arbol. When they blister and start to get black spots, remove from the heat and allow to cool.
• In a blender, add the cooled tomatoes and chiles, garlic, chicken bouillon seasoning and pulse.
• When the salsa is blended to your desired consistency, add the oregano and cilantro and give it one last pulse. Place in the fridge to chill until ready to use.
• To Make the Tomatillo Salsa with Serrano and Jalapeños
• Set the oven to 400°.
• Place a sheetpan or cast-iron pan in the oven while it preheats.
• Once the oven reaches 400°, place the tomatillos, serranos, jalapeño and tomato on the hot pan. When they blister and start to get black spots, remove from the heat and allow to cool.
• In a blender, add the cooled tomatillos, serrano and jalapeño chiles, tomato, and chiles, garlic, lime juice and salt. Pulse until desired consistency.
• Add the cilantro and give it one last pulse. Place in the fridge to chill until ready to use.

Notes

• The refried frijoles can be made with pinto beans (most traditional) or black beans, according to your taste.