Huevos Rancheros is a hearty Mexican breakfast featuring eggs nestled in a rich tomato sauce, accompanied by black beans and bacon. It is served with corn tortillas, avocados, cheese, limes, and cilantro, making it a satisfying meal to start the day. Huevos rancheros translates to “rancher’s eggs,” and this traditional rural Mexican dish, consisting of eggs, beans, and a rich sauce, eaten with tortillas, is considered the best Mexican breakfast.

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Huevos Rancheros Recipe
The magic lies in the rancheros sauce, which can be thought of as a cross between enchilada sauce and cooked tomato salsa. The thick-cut bacon provides robust, meaty flavor that forms the base, while the combination of onions, tomatoes, and seasoning creates a rich foundation. The eggs cook gently in the sauce, absorbing flavors while maintaining perfect texture. This one-skillet approach allows all components to meld together beautifully.
Ingredients
For the Rancheros Sauce:
- Thick-sliced bacon – Provides robust, meaty flavor base and essential fat for cooking
- Red onion – Adds sweetness and aromatic depth when sautéed
- Green onions – Contributes mild onion flavor and bright color
- Canned unsalted diced tomatoes – Forms the sauce foundation with rich tomato flavor
- Canned black beans – Adds protein, fiber, and earthy flavor
- Fresh cilantro – Provides bright, herbaceous flavor throughout the sauce
For Seasoning:
- Sazón Goya con Azafrán seasoning mix – Creates authentic flavor with saffron’s distinctive taste and color
- Salt – Enhances all flavors, use sparingly due to the seasoning mix salt content
- Ground black pepper – Adds gentle heat and aromatic spice
For the Eggs:
- Fresh eggs – The star protein that cooks gently in the flavorful sauce
For Serving:
- Corn tortillas – Traditional accompaniment for authentic presentation
- Avocados – Add creamy richness and healthy fats
- Limes – Provides bright acidity to balance rich flavors
- Cotija cheese – Contributes sa alty, crumbly texture
- Fresh cilantro – Garnishes with fresh herb flavor
- Crema fresca – Adds cooling, tangy creaminess
Storage & Reheating Instructions
- Refrigerator Storage: Store leftover sauce separately from eggs in airtight containers for up to 3 days. Cooked eggs don’t store well and should be consumed immediately.
- Reheating Method: Gently reheat the sauce in a saucepan over low heat, stirring frequently. Add a splash of water if needed to restore consistency. Fresh eggs should be cooked into the reheated sauce.
- Freezing: Sauce can be frozen for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating. Do not freeze cooked eggs.
How to Make Huevos Rancheros
- Cut bacon slices into ½-inch pieces.
- Heat a large saucepan over medium heat.
- Fry bacon until crispy.
- Use a slotted spoon to transfer cooked bacon to a plate. Drain all but 2 tablespoons of the grease from the pan.
- Sauté red onions and the dark green parts of green onions until they start to wilt and sweat.
- Add Saźon Goya seasoning and stir well.
- Add diced tomatoes, bacon, and cilantro. Stir to combine.
- Let the sauce simmer for 10 minutes over medium heat.
- Add black beans and mix well.
- Simmer the sauce for 15 to 20 minutes over medium heat until the liquid has reduced and the sauce has thickened.
- Season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Use a ladle to make indentations in the sauce, spaced 1-inch apart.
- Gently crack an egg over each indentation.
- Lower the heat and cover the pan with a lid.
- Reduce heat and simmer for 4 to 6 minutes for runny yolk or 8 to 10 minutes for firm yolk.
- Remove the pan from the heat.
How to Serve Huevos Rancheros
- Heat corn tortillas in a skillet or according to the package instructions.
- Place a tortilla on a plate.
- Scoop one egg with sauce onto the tortilla.
- Serve with crema fresca, cotija cheese, crispy bacon, cilantro, green onions, lime wedges, and avocado slices on the side.
Love Mexican food? Try these recipes!
- Carne Guisada Recipe
- Charro Beans Recipe
- Chile Verde Recipe
- Chili Rellenos Casserole
- Chipotle Barbacoa
- Homemade Taco Sauce
- Taco Bell Tacos
- Taco Ring Recipe
Favorite Breakfast Recipes
Check out more of my easy breakfast recipes and the best Mexican food recipes here on CopyKat!
Huevos Rancheros Easy Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 pound thick-cut bacon
- 4 green onions chopped, Reserve 1/2 cup of white parts for garnish
- 1 cup chopped red onion
- 2 (28) ounce unsalted diced tomatoes, with juices
- 1 cup canned black beans rinsed and drained
- 3/4 cup cilantro (stems and leaves) chopped and divided into stems and leaves
- 3 packages Goya Sazon seasoning with Azafran seasoning mix
- 8 eggs
- salt and pepper to taste
Garnish
- 2 avocados halved and sliced
- 1/2 cup cotja cheese crumbed, see notes for substitutions
- 1/2 cup green onions white and light parts chopped
- 1/4 cup cilantro leaves
- 8 corn tortillas
- 1/2 cup Mexican crema or sour cream
Instructions
- Heat the pan over medium heat. When the pan is warmed, fry the bacon. When the bacon slices look crispy, transfer them onto a plate/bowl with a slotted spoon and set aside.
- Drain the bacon grease from the pan (can be saved in a jar for future use), leaving approximately 2 tablespoons in the pan.
- Return the pan to the stovetop. Add the red onion and the dark green parts of the green onions. Sauté until they start to wilt and sweat. Add the Goya Sazón seasoning and stir well.
- Once the onions are translucent, add the diced tomatoes (including juices), 2/3 of the bacon, and 1/2 cup of chopped cilantro and mix well. Let the sauce simmer for 10 minutes (uncovered) over medium heat.
- Add the black beans and mix well. Simmer the sauce for 15-20 minutes (uncovered) over medium heat until the liquid has reduced and the sauce has thickened. Season with salt (if necessary – see notes) and pepper to taste.
- Take a ladle and use the bottom part of the bowl to make indentations in the sauce, spaced 1" apart. Gently crack one egg over each indentation.
- Lower the heat and cover the pan with a lid. Let simmer for 4-6 minutes for runny yolks or 8-10 minutes for yolks that are more set.
- Remove pan from the heat and keep warm.
- To serve, heat the corn tortillas on a frying pan or griddle over medium heat for about 90 seconds to 2 minutes on each side. Place a tortilla on each plate.
- Scoop one egg with sauce (careful not to break the yolk) onto the tortilla.
- Garnish with Mexican Crema, crumbled cotija cheese, crispy bacon, cilantro, green onions, a squeeze of lime juice. Serve avocado slices on the side.
Made these for dinner, very filling. The hubs loved them.