Here’s something different to try for breakfast this weekend! This is not for the dainty. You need to dig into this with your hands to really enjoy it!
“My Huevos Rancheros are served in tortilla bowls that are made by moulding pan fried tortillas in bowls. The tortilla bowls are a bit puffed and chewy, making them perfect for tearing bits off to scoop up the tomato filling and egg.”
Huevos Rancheros is a traditional Mexican breakfast that consists of a fried egg on a fried tortilla with a spicy tomato sauce. One of the things I like to do is take a traditional dish and put my spin on it. This is a classic example of this. I use traditional ingredients but assemble it a bit differently.
You have probably seen tortilla bowl recipes before – I’ve certainly seen many. But the difference with this one is that the tortilla bowl is not baked, it is dry pan fried then moulded into a bowl shape to set while it cools. The reason I do it this way is because the tortilla is not fully crispy, it is a bit chewy which makes it perfect for tearing bits off to scoop up the fragrant tomato broth and egg.
You could bake tortilla bowls if you prefer. This is just a personal preference. I have tried baked tortilla bowls before but I found that it was more difficult to eat because the crispy tortilla was not strong enough to scoop up much filling and it was too crisp to spear with a fork.
I got this idea from a Jamie Oliver recipe. I was a bit dubious at first, I wasn’t convinced it would hold its shape. But it does! It sags a bit, it is not like a baked tortilla bowl, but it holds its shape enough to spoon in the tomato filling and egg.
I moulded the tortillas in small casserole pots I have, but it works with any bowl. And the beauty of it is that because you dry pan fry it, you don’t need to wash the bowl afterwards, just give it a quick wipe with a dish cloth and it’s clean!
One of the things that appeals to me about this breakfast is that you can eat it with your hands. I have a theory that everything tastes better when you can pick at it with your hands, and this is a great example of a breakfast you can enjoy with minimal cutlery use.
The other thing I love about Huevos Rancheros is that it lends itself to such versatility. I made this with onion, capsicum, tinned tomatoes, spices and black beans. But you could add cheese, corn, shredded meats or anything else that you have lying around in your fridge. I’ve even made this with bacon before. Not Mexican at all, but hey, it was delicious!
As always, I would love to hear from you if you have any thoughts or suggestions! And if you have any questions at all, leave a comment and I will be sure to respond!
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Huevos Rancheros Tortilla Bowls
Ingredients
- 3 flour tortillas (20cm/8" rounds)
- 3 eggs
Filling
- 1 1/2 tbsp olive oil
- 2 garlic cloves , minced
- 1 small onion (red, brown, white, yellow), halved and sliced
- 1 cup red capsicum (bell peppers), roughly diced
- 1/4 cup coriander/cilantro (leaves and stems roughly chopped) (loosely packed)
- 400 g / 14 oz crushed tinned tomato
- 3/4 cup canned black beans , drained
- 1/2 tsp paprika powder
- 1/2 tsp cumin powder
- 1/2 - 3/4 tsp salt
- Black pepper
Garnishes (optional)
- Diced avocado
- Sour cream
- Grated cheese
Instructions
Tortilla bowls
- Heat a fry pan over high heat. Use a fry pan with a lid or use the lid of a larger pot (it doesn't matter if it doesn't fit snugly).
- Place tortilla in fry pan and cook for 30 seconds until charred. Flip and cook the other side for 30 seconds.
- Remove from fry pan and place into a bowl or casserole dish to form a bowl shape. As the tortilla cools, it will hold its shape in a bowl form.
- Repeat with remaining tortillas.
Tomato Filling
- Heat oil in fry pan over high heat.
- Add garlic and onion and sauté for 2 minutes until starting to become translucent.
- Add capsicum (bell pepper) and cook for 2 minutes until starting to char.
- Add remaining Tomato Filling ingredients, reserving some coriander leave for garnish. Bring to simmer and cook for 1 minute to thicken, then turn heat down to medium.
Cook eggs
- Use a spoon to make 3 indents in the Tomato Filling.
- Crack eggs into indents.
- Cover with lid and cook for 3 minutes or to your liking. Check it at 2 minutes, then take a quick peek every 30 seconds thereafter. It can go from under to overcooked in a flash! Note that the eggs will continue to cook slightly after taking it off the heat.
- Remove fry pan from heat.
Assemble
- Divide Tomato Filling between each Tortilla Bowl, topped with an egg.
- Top with remaining coriander leaves and garnish of choice. Serve immediately.
Recipe Notes:
Nutrition Information:
Hello. Love all your recipes. Been making this dish several times now but I keep forgetting to leave a comment. Thanks for sharing your love for cooking.
Hi Nagi, just wondering if you have a recipe for maize flour tortillas or taco shells? I managed to get my niece (when travel was allowed) to get me a small bag of maize flour – the recipes Ive tried havent worked out so well and I was wondering if you’ve made either the crispy taco shells or a soft maize taco. If I can get this right once hubby won’t be lookin at me sideways for getting the flour😀
Hi Nagi, just wondering if you have a recipe for maize flour tortillas or taco shells? I managed to get my niece (when travel was allowed) to get me a small bag of maize flour – the recipes Ive tried havent worked out so well and I was wondering if you’ve made either the crispy taco shells or a soft maize taco. If I can get this right once hubby won’t be lookin at me sideways for getting the flour😀
Thank you for printing your delicious recipes, I will definitely be trying them out, oh and I agree I love eating with my hands rather than with cutlery?
Where can I find canned black beans in Sydney? They don’t seem to stock them at Coles or Woolies.
They do! In the canned vegetables section, usually also the Mexican section 🙂 Same price as other beans otherwise red kidney beans is a great sub 🙂
This looks delicious! Can’t wait to try this recipe!!!
Thanks Linda!! So easy to replace the tortilla with a gluten free one to make this gluten free!
Another winner, Nagi! I have to say, the first time I made Huevos Rancheros (a long time ago, probably 10 years ago!) I thought I had died and gone to Heaven. It just seemed like the most ideal breakfast food ever because it eats like a dinner. I love your version with the tortilla bowls, so clever and delicious! And you’re right, you need something to scoop up the egg! Amazing. Pinning!
Thanks Meggan! And yes, I most definitely make this for dinner sometimes!!
I am in a breakfast rut so this would be a perfect change for me. I love the char on the tortillas, great added flavor. This is my kind of breakfast and a recipe I need to try soon.
Thanks for your kind words Janette!
I can definitely see your twist to this dish! It looks delicious! I think this is a very original way to pan fry the tortillas, instead of serving them baked. I now feel like cooking some Mexican food this weekend!
Thanks Mira!! I ALWAYS feel like cooking Mexican, weekend or not! 🙂
Hello, Nagi!
Wow, I’m so happy to have ‘found’ you! I get the feeling that our ‘blog philosophies’ are fairly similar so I’m really looking forward to following along with you here.
I had a tortilla bowl similar to this last week for the first time in absolutely ages and was wondering how you make them … so now I know! What a fabulous ‘posh’ brunch! 🙂
Ha ha! “Posh” – not! Gotta get your hands dirty with this one!
I don’t know how you do it! You always have the most delicious and creative dishes! I literally want to eat everything you make!
Thanks Kathleen! And honestly, you know that I find YOUR blog incredibly inspirational. That spaghetti pizza….I can’t get over it!