When it comes to egg-based dishes, it doesn’t get more Mexican than huevos rancheros and huevos a la Mexicana. But what is the difference between these two ways of preparing eggs? Keep reading to find out.
What Are Huevos Rancheros?
Huevos rancheros consist of a fried or sunny side up egg served with tomato sauce (known as “salsa ranchera”) on a tortilla.
“Huevos rancheros” is Spanish for “eggs rancher style,” so they are associated with rugged country life, where a nutritious breakfast is a necessity more than a luxury.
Eggs served on a tortilla with generous amounts of spicy salsa offer the right combination of carbohydrates, protein, and spiciness to get your day off to a great start.
What Are Nuevos a la Mexicana?
Huevos a la mexicana, another Mexican favorite, consist of scrambled eggs scrambled in tomato sauce and cooked with sautéed onions, jalapeños, and tomato.
The name “huevos a la mexicana” comes from the fact that the combination of salsa, chopped onions, tomato, and jalapenos is meant to emulate green, white, and red, the colors of the Mexican flag.
The Difference Between Huevos Rancheros and Huevos a la Mexicana
As you can see, there are some crucial differences between huevos rancheros and huevos a la mexicana. To begin with, huevos rancheros are fried or sunny side up eggs, while huevos a la mexicana are scrambled eggs.
Salsa is another important difference. Huevos rancheros are bathed in salsa, while huevos a la mexicana include salsa as well, but in that case the eggs are battered with it before cooking them.
If you are craving authentic huevos rancheros or huevos a la mexicana, you;ve come to the right place.
At El Pollo Norteño, we serve delicious huevos rancheros and huevos a la mexicana in addition to our famous chicken grilled over real mesquite charcoal. Come visit us, call 866-MI-POLLO, or order online now!
El Pollo Norteño: Authentic Mexican Food
Craving delicious, authentic Mexican food made with ingredients of the highest quality? El Pollo Norteño has you covered!
Visit any of our five locations (Anaheim, Santa Ana, Garden Grove, and Lake Forest), order online, get in touch through Facebook, or call 866-MI-POLLO to enjoy our vast selection of authentic Mexican dishes.
To learn more about huevos rancheros, check out our previous blogs, “Are Huevos Rancheros Authentic Mexican Food?” and “Huevos Rancheros: Everything You Need To Know.”
FAQs
To begin with, huevos rancheros are fried or sunny side up eggs, while huevos a la mexicana are scrambled eggs. Salsa is another important difference. Huevos rancheros are bathed in salsa, while huevos a la mexicana include salsa as well, but in that case the eggs are battered with it before cooking them.
What is the difference between huevos rancheros and huevos motuleños? ›
Although they both have a tortilla as a base, and then beans and egg on top, they are very different because huevos motulenos have some very distinctive ingredients, such as the fried plantain, peas, and ham. They also have a different salsa too - motulenos is less spicy and rancheros is normally spicier.
What is the difference between huevos divorciados and rancheros? ›
Huevos divorciados (divorced eggs) are simply two eggs served in the same style as huevos rancheros but with a different sauce for each egg – usually a salsa roja and a salsa verde. Similar dishes are huevos motuleños of Yucatan and New Mexican enchiladas montadas.
What's the difference between huevos rancheros and chilaquiles? ›
Huevos Rancheros and Chilaquiles share many of the same ingredients. In Huevos Rancheros, the fried eggs are served over hot, crispy tortillas smothered in warm salsa over top. In Chilaquiles, however, the chips are actually combined with the warm sauce so they soften before the fried eggs are added on top.
Do Mexicans eat huevos rancheros? ›
Huevos Rancheros are a breakfast staple both in Mexico and the United States. The idea is pretty much the same everywhere: two eggs over easy over a flat tortilla and topped with ranchero sauce and other condiments.
What is the difference between huevos a la Mexicana and rancheros? ›
To begin with, huevos rancheros are fried or sunny side up eggs, while huevos a la mexicana are scrambled eggs. Salsa is another important difference. Huevos rancheros are bathed in salsa, while huevos a la mexicana include salsa as well, but in that case the eggs are battered with it before cooking them.
Where does huevos a la Mexicana come from? ›
It's a Mexican celebration. All of the ingredients in this breakfast were enjoyed in Texas before the1500s: eggs, tomato, chile, onion, corn, oil and salt. Among these, onion is of interest because it, like salt, appears everywhere on the planet, unlike chiles, tomatoes and corn which are original and native to Mexico.
Why are they called divorced eggs? ›
They are called divorced eggs because they have two different salsas (red and green) and they are separated by refried beans.
What is the main ingredient in huevos rancheros? ›
What do huevos rancheros contain? huevos rancheros plainly contain fried eggs, crispy fried corn tortillas, and salsa, but it can be expanded to add refried beans, cheese, and occasionally meat, or you can get creative with it.
Do you eat huevos rancheros with a fork? ›
Huevos rancheros usually has fried eggs, beans, tortillas, and salsa. How do you eat Huevos rancheros? I usually eat mine with a fork, however, you could load the tortilla up instead and eat it like an open-faced taco.
What is the difference between migas and huevos rancheros? Migas are made with freshly fried tortillas mixed with eggs while huevos rancheros are made with fried tortillas topped with a fried eggs and a ranchero sauce.
What is the difference between migas and chilaquiles? ›
But there's a difference in that regard: migas usually feature short strips of fried tortilla, while chilaquiles use what are essentially tortilla chips. There are other distinctions too. The tortillas in migas are mixed with scrambled eggs; chilaquiles' are drenched in salsa.
What's the difference between enchiladas and chilaquiles? ›
Do you like enchiladas? Chilaquiles are basically the same ingredients, but with a lot less work and Chef Hugo Ortega from Hugo's and Caracol is sharing his secret on the best way to prepare this traditional Mexican dish.
What is the difference between Mexicana and Ranchero? ›
When making steak “Ranchero”, the ingredients are ground in a molcajete or a blender, and when making steak “a la Mexicana”, the ingredients are simply chopped or diced. Nevertheless, there are many places that confuse the two terms and name something “Ranchero” or “a la Mexicana” incorrectly.
What is the most eaten breakfast in Mexico? ›
What is the most popular breakfast in Mexico? Chilaquiles is one of the most popular Mexican breakfast dishes. They are prepared with deep-fried tortillas soaked in either a red tomato-based sauce or a green sauce made with tomatillos.
What does Motuleños mean in English? ›
Huevos means eggs, and Motuleños means “from Motul”, a small city and a municipality in the Mexican state of Yucatan.
Where are the huevos motuleños from? ›
Huevos motuleños (pronounced [ˈweβos motuˈleɲos]) is a breakfast food which originated in the town of Motul (Yucatán). The dish is made with eggs on tortillas with black beans and cheese, often with other ingredients such as ham, peas, plantains, and hot sauce.
What does huevos montados mean? ›
Translation: egg. mounted on a horse.
