Cheesy Huevos Rancheros Casserole Recipe That'll Be A Brunch Favorite

If you've never had huevos rancheros before, well, you are certainly in for a true breakfast treat. As registered dietician and recipe developer Kristen Carli of Camelback Nutrition & Wellness puts it, "Traditional huevos rancheros are eggs over beans and corn tortillas, usually cooked on the stovetop." Fans of the Mexican dish already know how delicious the combination of tangy enchilada sauce, eggs, and beans is. Whether you are new to huevos rancheros or a frequent orderer of the meal at restaurants, you will love this simple, yet delicious casserole that puts a slight twist on the brunch favorite.

Carli thinks this is an awesome breakfast. We agree and would totally be fans of fixing the eight-ingredient meal for lunch or dinner. No matter what time of day you make huevos rancheros baked casserole, you will find the process so easy and fast. You are sure to make it again and again.

To bring your huevos rancheros baked casserole from concept to kitchen, you will need only a handful of ingredients. So, add to your shopping list small corn tortillas, mild salsa — or go for spicy if that is your jam — as well as enchilada sauce or ranchero sauce, a can of refried beans, shredded cheddar cheese, half a dozen eggs, and cilantro and jalapeño for serving.

As far as what the difference would be with enchilada sauce versus ranchero sauce, Carli explains, "Ranchero sauce and enchilada sauce are pretty similar. Ranchero sauce is usually more tomato-forward. But both work well here!" So, whatever you can find at the store will be just fine.

Meanwhile, Carli notes that this iteration of the recipe is "not super spicy." She adds, "But you can certainly pump up the heat if you would like with some hot sauce."

To start preparing the casserole, you will preheat the oven to 400 F. Next, prep a baking dish by coating it with nonstick cooking spray. 

Now, this baked huevos rancheros casserole is all about the assembly. The first step in the assembly process is to place three of the tortillas on the bottom of the prepared baking dish. You will top each of the tortillas with a dollop of refried beans. Carli uses refried beans versus, say, regular pinto beans for this recipe. She says, "I love using refried beans in this dish, because they are traditionally found in huevos rancheros." She adds, "They are super creamy and delicious!"

Next, you will top the beans with ⅓ cup of salsa, and then drizzle a cup of enchilada or ranchero sauce over the top of this layer, followed by ⅔ cup of the shredded cheddar cheese.

Next, repeat the assembly process, layering on another three tortillas. On go your dollops of beans, then the salsa, enchilada sauce, and cheese, in the same increments. 

Finally, your last layer of tortillas go on top. You will layer on one more round of bean dollops, pressing down gently to smooth out the layer. Top the casserole with the remaining ⅓ cup of salsa and 1 cup of enchilada sauce. Lastly, on goes your remaining ⅔ cup of cheese.

Now, it's time to ever-so-carefully break six eggs on top of the casserole, with Carli noting this should be done along the outer border of the baking dish. The casserole bakes for 20 to 25 minutes, until the eggs are cooked through. "The dish will be done when the whites of the eggs are cooked through (jiggly, but not transparent)," Carli says, adding, "The yolks can still be runny."

The last, last step? Top servings with chopped cilantro and jalapeño.