An easy pantry recipe, Tacos Rancheros (huevos rancheros tacos) are loaded with flavor! Made with Black Beans or Black Refried Beans, ranchero sauce, and soft tortillas or Crispy Tostada Shells, topped with scrambled or a fried egg. Flavorful and simple, these breakfast tacos satisfy even the most particular of eaters. This recipe is vegetarian and easily gluten free.
Serving Up My Best Huevos Rancheros Tacos
Breakfast tacos were a discovery so many years ago in Austin, Texas. Eggs in tacos? A triumph in gastronomy! The simplest of ingredients and a snap to pull together, they check all the boxes for breakfast, brunch and dinner.
What you’ll love about this recipe:
- Quick to make
- Versatile
- Hearty and nourishing
- Loads of Mexican food flavors we love
- Easily made gluten free and/or dairy free
Ingredients For Tacos Rancheros
If you’re familiar with my recipes for Cooking Black Beans from scratch or Black Refried Beans, you know the flavor of homemade will take this rancheros taco recipe over the top! However, prepared beans make this recipe so convenient. Here’s what you’ll need for these saucy egg and bean tacos (see recipe card for details):
- Whole Eggs
- Black Beans or Black Refried Beans
- Soft tortillas – either flour or corn
- For serving: cilantro, cojita or queso fresco cheese, sliced avocado or guacamole, sour cream if desired
For the Easy Homemade Ranchero Sauce
- Fire Roasted Tomatoes – one can
- Onions + Green Bell Pepper
- Fresh Garlic
- Chipotle Pepper in Adobo Sauce – look for it in the Mexican food isle
- Teaspoon Ground Cumin
- Fresh Lime Juice
Quick Guide: How to Make Ranchero Sauce
The heart of this recipe is the tomato based ranchero sauce. This is my best ranchero sauce recipe also found in Tofu Rancheros Scramble. You can make it spicy or mild depending on taste. Use a blender for quick prep. Here’s how to do it (see recipe card for details):
- First, you’ll put all the sauce ingredients in a blender.
- Last, pulse the ingredients together until a finely diced sauce forms.
The sauce can be made up to three days in advance, and can be frozen for up to two weeks. Talk about an easy breakfast tacos recipe in a hurry. The sauce can also be used in Slow Cooker Pinto Beans (double duty)!
How to Make Tacos Rancheros
Now that the sauce is made, you’ll whip up the tacos in minutes. Here’s how to do it (see recipe card for details):
- First, stir the sauce into the black beans and gently warm on the stove.
- Second, fry or scramble the eggs.
- Next, warm the tortillas.
- Last, layer the ingredients: first the tortilla, beans with sauce, eggs, avocado or guacamole.
Share with, cojita cheese, Creamy Guacamole, cilantro, more sauce and sour cream if desired. Garnish just before serving.
Tacos Rancheros FAQs
What Are Rancheros Tacos?
Rancheros Tacos (huevos rancheros tacos) hail from Mexico. The name means ‘ranch-style eggs’ (Wikipedia). It’s a simple dish made of a spicy tomato based sauce, fried eggs and served on lightly fried or charred flour or corn tortilla. They can be enjoyed with or without beans.
What Differentiates Ranchero Sauce from Enchilada Sauce?
Ranchero sauce is a spicy tomato based sauce whereas Enchilada sauce is made primarily from chilis.
How Do You Eat Huevos Rancheros Tacos?
Easily enjoyed as a taco, fold it up and devour! Or, with a fried, runny egg, it can get messy so be sure to have a fork on hand. Tasty garnishes such as queso fresco, cilantro, guacamole, salt and pepper are a must!
Variations on Tacos Rancheros
- Traditionally, huevos rancheros tacos are made with a fried egg, sunny side up. However, I find scrambled eggs easier to manage when feeding a small crowd, and for those that prefer them. You can fry, sunny side up or over medium with a touch of olive oil, or scramble, soft or hard cooked eggs… whatever floats your boat!
- Breakfast tacos can be shared on corn or flour tortillas. Use a gas stovetop to char flour tortillas, or warm corn tortillas stovetop in a pan. These egg tacos are delicious too on baked homemade Tostada Shells (also make ahead!).
- One of my favorite breakfast spots serves up their version: Huevos Rancheros Verde style using green salsa or Tomatillo Salsa Verde on a crispy tostada shell. It’s fabulous! Simply use it in place of the rancheros sauce.
A Few Recipe Tips
- Ranchero sauce can be made up to three days in advance, or two weeks if stored in the freezer.
- For the tastiest Rancheros Tacos, Cook Black Beans From Scratch (it’s super easy).
- Enjoy with your favorite egg preparation, scrambled or fried.
- To make with just a touch of oil, be sure to use a non stick pan. This is the pan I use.
- If sharing with corn tortillas, double them up as they tend to tear easily.
More Taco Recipes to Love
- Tofu Tacos
- Cauliflower Tinga Tacos
- Creamy Poblano Corn and Zucchini Tacos
- Rancheros Tofu Scramble Tacos
Tacos Rancheros Recipe
Ingredients
For the Ranchero Sauce
- 14 1/2 ounce (411 grams) Can of Fire Roasted Tomatoes
- 1 cup (115 grams) Green Bell Pepper large dice
- 1 cup (100 grams) Red Onion large dice
- 1 Plump Clove of Garlic
- 1 Chipotle Chili in Adobo Sauce + 1-2 teaspoons of adobo sauce (optional) for a spicier sauce. Gluten free if needed.
- 1 teaspoon Ground Cumin
- 3/4 teaspoon Fine Sea Salt
- 1/2 Lime juiced
For the Tacos
- 15 ounce (425 grams) Can of Black Beans or about 1 3/4 cup homemade black beans , drained and rinsed
- 3/4 cup (180 grams) Ranchero Sauce
- 1/4 teaspoon Fine Sea Salt
- 8 Large Eggs pastured and organic if possible
- Salt and Pepper to Taste
- 8, 6 inch (15 centimeter) Flour Tortillas 16 if using corn so you can double up
For Serving
- Cojita or Queso Fresco Cheese, Ranchero Sauce, Chopped Cilantro, Tabasco, Chives, and/or Avocado Slices optional
- Creamy Guacamole
Instructions
For the Rancheros Sauce
- Into a blender add the tomatoes, bell pepper, onion, garlic, chipotle chili, adobo sauce if using, cumin salt and lime juice. Pulse until a fine chopped sauce forms. Set aside.
Make the Beans
- In a small sauce pot set on medium low heat, add the beans, rancheros sauce and salt. Stir and taste for salt adjustment. Heat on low to medium low for about 10 minutes.
Warm the Tortillas
- A. Flour Tortillas: Warm flour tortillas on a low open flame on the stove top turning with tongs a few times to lightly char the tortillas. You can also gently warm them in a 300 degree fahenheight oven stacked 8 high wrapped in foil for about 15 minutes. B. Corn Tortillas: Warm flour tortillas on a low open flame on the stove top turning with tongs a few times to lightly char the tortillas. To warm in a pan, on the stove top over medium low heat, place a tortilla in the pan and gently cook about 30 seconds each side. Wrap in foil once heated through.
Cook the Eggs
- Note: The beauty of this recipe is that you can make exactly the number of tacos needed, and the leftover beans/sauce store with ease. If serving two, plan on one to two tacos each, one egg per taco. Eggs cook fast and are best served fresh out of the pan, so have all your other ingredients ready, and set up an assebmly line. A. For Fried Eggs (sunny side up*): In a non stick skillet lightly spray or brush the pan with olive oil. Heat on low. Gently crack the egg(s) into the pan and put a lid on it. Cook on low for about four minutes. The egg whites should be cooked through, and with a soft runny yolk. Sprinkle with salt and pepper, transfer to a warm tortilla (*see note for a sunny side up egg as seen in the first blog post image). B. For Scrambled Eggs: Whisk the eggs in a medium bowl until there are no whites steaks. Over medium low heat a non stick skillet, lightly spray or brush the pan with olive oil. If desired, omit the oil and add a pat of butter, about half a teaspoon per egg, allow it to melt but not brown. Pour the eggs into the pan and turn heat to the lowest setting (gentle heat for soft eggs). Let the eggs set for about 20 seconds, then using a silicon spatula, push the eggs through the pan (like a bulldozer), slowly, allowing the eggs to curdle in between pushes. Cook to desired consistency, adding a pinch of salt and pepper as the eggs cook. Remove from heat and transfer to a warm tortilla.
To Assemble:
- Use a slotted spoon to scoop up the beans and spoon about three tablespoons onto a flour tortilla (if using corn double the tortilla base since they tend to tear easily). Top with an egg, and garnish as desired: cojita or queso fresco cheese, more ranchero sauce, chopped cilantro, Tabasco, chives, avocado slices, Pickled Jalapeños and/or Creamy Guacamole.
To Store:
- Store indiviual components or assembled tacos in the refrigerator for up to three days. Gently rewarm in 20-30 second intervals in the microwave.
Yummy!
I could just eat the sauce!! :)
Oh Yes! It’s sooo good on its own! Thank you for your note, Autumn!
great dish, love all of these ingredients, eat them regularly, but usually in separate things, so in combination, much better, so thank you!
Hi Sabrina! Thank you for your note and giving the tacos a go. Aren’t all the flavors so nice together!
This is one of Tom’s favorites Traci! We go to a local place here in Florida that serves this dish and Tom orders it every time. Now I have no excuse to not make it homemade! Thanks for the recipe!
You’re going to love how easy these are to make at home, Mare! Tom definitely has good taste!