Huevos rancheros is one of my absolute favorite dishes to make (or order!) when I’m looking for a more substantial, savory breakfast. And if my husband wasn’t completely opposed to the whole breakfast for dinner concept, it is one of those recipes that would also be on constant repeat as an easy weeknight meal. So when we take this favorite dish of mine and turn it into mini portable cups? Well, it just doesn’t get much better.
Quartered, flour tortillas are pressed into a muffin tin to form the base of the cups. I have found that flour tortillas do work best, as they mold easily and won’t break or crack. A simple black bean mixture is then spooned into each (a small cookie scoop works great here), before being topped with some salsa, cheese and then finally an egg.
As for the black bean mixture, you will have some leftover after assembling all the cups. It is excellent as a dip, especially along with some salsa. You can also serve it on the side with the breakfast cups or even put it to use in another Mexican-style recipe. I think it would be a great addition to burrito bowls.
I would encourage you to stick with medium-sized eggs for this recipe. They cook more evenly than large eggs here, and also fit much better in the cups. If you do choose to use large eggs, you’ll want to either add less of the other fillings or not use the entire egg (holding back a small amount of the egg white). Otherwise, they tend to overflow a bit.
Regarding cook time, keep an eye on the cups the first time you make them, as all ovens run slightly different and the time will vary depending on how you like your eggs. In my oven, at around 26 to 27 minutes, the whites are fully cooked and the yolk is still soft but not overly runny. Use that as your guide, being mindful that it may be slightly different in your oven.
Ingredients
For the cups:
- 1 15-ounce can black beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 tablespoon minced jalapeño pepper
- 2 tablespoons thinly sliced green onion
- Juice of a small lime
- ¼ teaspoon chili powder
- ¼ teaspoon ground cumin
- Salt and cayenne pepper to taste
- 6 6-inch flour tortillas, cut into quarters
- ¼ cup salsa
- ¼ cup shredded cheddar cheese
- 8 medium eggs
Ideas for serving:
- Chopped cilantro
- Sliced avocado
- Additional salsa
- Hot sauce
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350ºF. Generously spray a muffin tin with olive oil or nonstick cooking spray. Set aside.
- Add the black beans to a medium bowl. Use a fork or potato masher to roughly mash the beans. Add in the jalapeño, green onion, lime juice, chili powder, cumin, salt and cayenne pepper. Mix to combine (it will be a thick mixture). Taste and adjust any seasonings as needed.
- With the pointed ends facing down, press 3 tortilla pieces into each muffin tin, arranging them so that the sides overlap and they form a cup (leaving a lip at the top so the cup is slightly taller than the tin). Spoon 1 ½ to 2 teaspoons of the bean mixture into each cup (smearing it down), followed by some salsa and cheddar cheese. Carefully crack one egg into each of the assembled cups, then transfer to the oven. Bake for about 25 to 30 minutes, until the eggs are set and cooked to your liking.
- Let the cups rest for about 5 to 10 minutes, then remove from the muffin tin (use a butter knife to loosen the edges if needed). Serve as desired.
Elizabeth says
Could you freeze these for a make ahead breakfast?
Ashley Jennings says
Hey Elizabeth - I'm not sure if these freeze well (I haven't tested it myself), but they do keep in an airtight container in the fridge for several days!
Ciera says
Delicious! Are these freezer friendly?
Ashley Jennings says
Hey Ciera - I haven't tried freezing them myself so it's hard to say how they would do. Sorry!
Jen says
Can you use corn tortillas instead?
Katie Trant says
Hey Jen, you can definitely try making this with corn tortillas. Let us know how it turns out!
Elizabeth says
If you freeze egg whites they turn to a rubbery terrible monster. If you stirred up the eggs as if you were scrambling them and baked them that way, then the freezer might be okay.