One Pot Easy Ranchero Sauce

Something spicy and savory to keep in your fridge

I’m a huge fan of Huevos Rancheros, just as I am a huge fan of all kinds of egg breakfasts. 

But sometimes I get in a rut—bacon and eggs, a “Full Irish” breakfast, omelets, Denver Omelettes, scrambled eggs, etc. So, to spice things up, I keep about a pint of ranchero sauce in my fridge at all times. 

“Ranchers’ Eggs” is from the border regions of Mexico and the United States and is hugely popular in Southern California, where I was born and lived a good portion of my life in the 1980s.

Most traditional versions of Huevos Rancheros have you fry the corn tortillas that will be the bed for your sunny-side-up, runny fried eggs. But, I prefer to serve mine on corn quesadillas, a purely personal taste. 

If I’m going to put more fat into my body, why not a lovely white cheese, like cheddar or a Monterey Jack?

This version is close to authentic as possible, based on the availability of herbs and spices. Purists would argue I should use Serrano or Habanero chilies—and to render down fresh tomatoes instead of my combination of fresh and canned—and I do when I can, but for this version, I used a Thai green chili, that has a sweeter skin, offset by the lovely heat and spice of its seeds. 

Ingredients

• 3 medium size tomatoes

• ½ red onion, chopped into thin, half-moon slices

• 1 medium size Habanero/Serrano pepper (or whatever is available)

• 1 14-ounce can of crushed tomatoes

• 1 cup chicken broth or water

• ½ cup chopped fresh cilantro (coriander)

• 1 tablespoon dried oregano

• 1 tablespoon cumin

• 1 teaspoon freshly crushed black pepper

• 1 tablespoon of salt

• 1 teaspoon sugar (optional)

Full Disclosure: I often make this up when I realize that I have some fresh tomatoes that are getting a little on the soft side. Whatever tomatoes I don’t use in the ranchero sauce, I throw in the freezer and will add to my chicken stock. Nothing goes to waste!

This is a one-pot wonder. First, toss your onions, garlic, and chopped chili into two to three tablespoons of olive oil. Liberally salt to help kickstart the sweating process over medium heat on your stove.

Once you’ve got a nice shimmer on the oil, and the chili and onions are shiny and glassy, toss in the cumin and oregano to let them cook and impart their flavor into the oil and liquor given off by the vegetables.

Next, toss in your sliced tomatoes. They give the sauce some body. I have seen versions where the cooks blend the final preparation into a smooth, deep orange-y-red sauce and you can go that route if you would like.

I feel that by adding the tomatoes now and slowly simmering and breaking them down, really adds to the richness of the final sauce and blends in all the flavors. 

I love how the sauce has an underlying heat to it; not just explosions of spice from the chili.

Once the fresh tomatoes have rendered, now add your can of tomatoes and bring to a simmer.

Here is where you want to taste the level of sweetness and/or acidity of the sauce. Sometimes the combination of fresh and canned tomatoes can have an underlying bitterness due to the high acid content, either of the fresh tomatoes or the canned. 

If you feel it’s a little too astringent, add a teaspoon to a tablespoon of preferably brown sugar. Let that simmer for a bit, then salt and pepper to taste. 

We’re getting near the end of the process and I now add the cup of chicken broth or water and the chopped cilantro/coriander.

Let the ranchero sauce simmer and reduce to the consistency you prefer—about 20 minutes. 

Again, if you don’t want to add the broth, just blend the mixture down into a fine sauce. But, I prefer mine with a lumpier texture of onion, chilies, and tomato.

Some would argue non-traditional, but like a lot of indigenous family-style recipes from the Americas or Asia, or Europe, it’s based on tastes and customs, and traditions.

You can serve it immediately, but I prefer to put it in the fridge for at least one day. 

A little trick I have is that I warm the ranchero sauce in the same small saucepan that I’ve fried my eggs, sunny-side up. Once I see the egg whites in the pan are firming up—but the white near the yolk is still somewhat raw and translucent—I ladle in the amount of ranchero sauce I want, then, place a lid on the pan and let the eggs continue to cook and poach a little in the sauce.

Then serve, on or over corn or flour tortillas; with or without a side of refried beans and rice.

Enjoy!