The beauty of authentic Mexican breakfast dishes is the variety that you can enjoy from day to day. One morning you might feel like the hearty filling huevos rancheros, another a simple cuernitos. There’s something for all, no matter the appetite or taste.
7 Best Authentic Mexican Breakfast Dishes
What follows is a list of, arguably, the best authentic Mexican breakfast dishes that you can imagine. These are mouth-watering, spice-filled, morning-launching delights. You can’t get better than this. Put down the cereal box. Take the toast out of the toaster. There’s a better way, and this is it.
Chilaquiles
You already know that you love nachos. So why not have nachos for breakfast? That is precisely what Chilaquiles are. They’re fried triangles of tortilla, crisped into chips (just like nachos). Where Chilaquiles vary from traditional nachos is the preparation, the chips are covered in salsa and then simmered in a pan. Topped with a fried egg, some cheese, and maybe some avocado, you could even add some pulled meat. It’s a nourishing bowl of goodness for the soul.
Tetelas Oaxaca
Tetelas look almost identical to a nacho, but much larger. Made from a large tortilla folded into a triangle shape. Tetelas Oaxaca are typically filled with a refried black bean mixture (this helps seal them tightly) before being lightly pan-fried. They can then be topped with cheese and salsa. That’s the traditional method, but feel free to freestyle and create Tetelas of your own design.
Image Source: Cooking Without Borders
Huevos Divorciados
Divorced Eggs might not sound that appealing as a breakfast meal, but you should know these are worth the heartache. The key difference between huevos divorciados and huevos rancheros is that each of the two eggs is covered in a different sauce, giving two flavors. Traditionally these would be a green and a red salsa, but you could try something a little different such as a cilantro lime sauce recipe. They’re served with either tortilla chips, or some fresh tortillas if you’d prefer to mop up every last drop of sauce.
Image Source: Mexican Please
Huevos Rancheros
Probably the most famous of Mexican breakfast foods, huevos rancheros have quickly become popular around the globe and feature on brunch menus far beyond Mexico. To make the dish you’ll fry a couple of eggs (sunny-side-up), cover them with some crispy fried tortilla pieces (either nachos or strips, your choice), and plenty of red salsa. To add splashes of color reminiscent of the Mexican flag, you can top it with cheese, cilantro, and avocado.
Image Source: A Spicy Perspective
Torta de Tamal
Wander down some Mexican streets and it won’t be long before you come across a tamale or torta de tamal vendor. Freshly baked bread known as a bolillo with a crusty exterior (similar to the French baguette but much shorter) and a soft fluffy inside, makes for the perfect carrier for various different tamale options. Many locals opt for pork, cheese, or beef, but you can just as easily go with chicken or other mole options.
Top with garnishes of your choice, traditionalists will go with only cilantro, lime, or salsa, but you should feel free to go with whatever you’d like!
Pan Dulce
In English, pan dulce simply means sweet bread, and it’s a ubiquitous term for all things sweet and baked for breakfast. In many traditional towns and villages, you’ll see carts roaming the street early in the morning touting their freshly baked pan dulce. There is a huge variety of fillings from jelly to chocolate, sugar to cheese. French croissant fan? Don’t miss the cuernitos variety of pan dulce.
Licuados, Jugos and Biónicos
A staple alongside the goods that are eaten is the various drinks you have at the same time. Licuados and jugos are the main varieties, alongside traditional hot drinks such as coffee. Licuados aren’t too dissimilar to smoothies and include milk, fruit, and ice. Jugos covers all types of fruit juice, such as orange, apple, etc.
Alongside the traditional drinks, many people like to enjoy biónicos in the morning. It is a selection of fruit put together into a bowl much like a fruit salad but is often drizzled with condensed milk mixed with yogurt. Usually, you’ll find cantaloupe, papaya, apple, and banana in a biónico, many also include granola, raisins, and shredded coconut.
Key Takeaways
This list works brilliantly for those traveling to Mexico on holiday or those looking to bring some Mexican flair into their morning routines. No matter which camp you fall into, you’re in for a treat. My recommendation, if you’re cooking at home, you can’t go wrong by trying your own version of huevos rancheros. They’re simple and incredibly satisfying.
- Lots of dishes work using the same ingredients presented and cooked in different ways.
- Pan dulce has a huge number of varieties to choose from, try and find your favorite.
