Huevos Rancheros
Crisp-fried low-carb tortillas topped with fried eggs, a quick, smoky ranchero sauce and melted Jack cheese. Low-carb tortillas and no beans keep it to about 7 g net carbs.
Nutrition per serving
1 tortilla with 2 eggs- Net carbs
- 6.7g
- Calories
- 403kcal
- Protein
- 22g
- Fat
- 30g
- Total carbs
- 23 g
- Fiber
- 16 g
Calculated from USDA FoodData Central values for each ingredient (optional ingredients excluded). Brands vary — check your labels if you track closely.
Ingredients
With chorizo: Crumbled Mexican chorizo is scattered over the eggs, for a heartier, spicier plate that keeps you full until dinner.
- Before frying the tortillas, brown the chorizo in the skillet over medium heat 5–6 minutes, until cooked through (160°F/71°C). Lift it out, then fry the tortillas in the red fat with a little of the oil.
- Scatter the chorizo over the eggs before spooning on the sauce.
Gluten-free (cheese tostadas): Lacy rounds of baked cheddar replace the tortillas. They are crisp, naturally gluten-free and lower in carbs, and they add even more cheesy flavor.
- Heat the oven to 375°F (190°C). Spread the cheddar into two thin 6-inch (15 cm) rounds on a parchment-lined sheet and bake 7–9 minutes, until bubbling has slowed and they are golden all over. Cool 2 minutes on the sheet so they crisp, then lift onto plates.
- Fry the eggs in the oil (no cheese on top) and build the plates as directed.
- Ranchero sauce
- Tortillas & eggs
- Nice to have (optional)
- Ranchero sauce
- Tortillas & eggs
- Also add
- Nice to have (optional)
- Ranchero sauce
- Tortillas & eggs
-
¼ cup Monterey Jackleave out - Nice to have (optional)
Estimated cost $3.33 for 2 servings ($1.67 each) · how we estimate
Instructions
-
Make the ranchero sauce: warm the olive oil in a small saucepan over medium heat. Cook the jalapeño 2 minutes, until softened, then stir in the garlic, cumin and oregano for 30 seconds.
-
Add the tomatoes and salt and simmer 8–10 minutes, mashing the tomatoes with the spoon, until thickened into a chunky sauce. Blitz briefly with an immersion blender if you like it smoother. Keep warm.
-
Heat half the avocado oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Fry the tortillas one at a time, 45–60 seconds per side, until blistered, golden and crisp at the edges. Drain on paper towels and set on plates.
-
Lower the heat to medium, add the remaining oil and crack in the eggs. Fry 3–4 minutes, until the whites are set with lacy edges and the yolks are still runny. Scatter the cheese over the eggs for the last minute and cover the pan to melt it.
-
Set two eggs on each tortilla, spoon the warm ranchero sauce around and over the whites and finish with cilantro and avocado.
Tips for success
-
Fire-roasted tomatoes give the sauce a smoky, charred flavor with no extra work. Plain diced tomatoes work too; add a pinch of smoked paprika. - Low-carb tortillas vary widely. Choose one with about 4 g net carbs or less per 8-inch tortilla, and check for wheat if you avoid gluten.
- For more heat, leave the seeds in the jalapeño or add a dash of hot sauce. A spoonful of chunky guacamole is a great addition.
Nice to have, not needed
- An immersion blender gives a smoother sauce — chunky is traditional and just as good.
Storage & meal prepMeal-prep friendly
- Keeps 4 days in the fridge
- Freezes up to 3 months
Reheat: Reheat the ranchero sauce in a small pan until bubbling; fry the tortillas and eggs fresh.
Prep tip: Make a triple batch of the sauce and freeze it in single-recipe portions.
The ranchero sauce keeps 4 days refrigerated or 3 months frozen. Fry the tortillas and eggs fresh.
Variations
2 variations, each with its own ingredients and macrosWith chorizo
ProteinCrumbled Mexican chorizo is scattered over the eggs, for a heartier, spicier plate that keeps you full until dinner.
- + 2 oz raw Mexican chorizo
7.8 g net · 486 kcal · 26 g protein · 37 g fat · ≈$2.05 per serving (+1.1 g net carbs vs the original)
Gluten-free (cheese tostadas)
SwapLacy rounds of baked cheddar replace the tortillas. They are crisp, naturally gluten-free and lower in carbs, and they add even more cheesy flavor.
- low-carb tortillas (8-inch) → sharp cheddar
- no Monterey Jack
4.5 g net · 508 kcal · 26 g protein · 42 g fat · ≈$1.66 per serving (−2.2 g net carbs vs the original)
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