Huevos Motuleños (Yucatecan Eggs with Plantain and Beans)
A famous Yucatecan breakfast of fried eggs on crisp tortillas with black beans, sweet fried plantain, ham and peas.
Made with Salsa ranchera and Corn tortillas from masa harina and Mexican black beans. Make a batch of the base first, then this takes minutes. Skip to the method
- Time40 min
- LevelMedium
- Costabout £1.70 a head
Cost is worked out from Aldi and Tesco shelf prices in October 2026. Your shop and brands will differ.
Ingredients
Tick what you need to buy. It goes on your shopping list.
Method
- 1
Warm your ready made frijoles negros (see the base recipe) in a small pan with a splash of water until hot, and warm your ready made salsa ranchera in another pan. Keep both on a very low heat.
- 2
Heat 1 tbsp oil in a large frying pan over a medium heat. Fry the plantain slices for 2 to 3 minutes each side until deep golden and soft. Lift onto kitchen paper.
6 min - 3
Boil the peas in a small pan for 2 minutes and drain. Stir them into the warm salsa ranchera with the ham.
2 min - 4
Fry the tortillas, one at a time, in 1 tbsp oil for about 40 seconds each side until crisp at the edges but still bendy. Drain on kitchen paper.
- 5
Fry the eggs in the last 1 tbsp oil until the whites are set and the edges are lacy, about 3 minutes.
3 min - 6
Spread each tortilla with black beans, top with a fried egg, spoon over the ham and pea sauce, and add the plantain. Finish with the queso fresco and serve immediately.
Tips
- Use a really ripe plantain with black skin. It fries sweet and soft, which balances the savoury sauce.
- The ham, peas and sauce are the traditional topping. Warm everything first so the eggs are the last thing to cook.
- Make all the parts before you fry the eggs. This dish is about assembly speed.
Storing and freezing
Best eaten straight away. Leftover beans and sauce keep 3 days in the fridge, but eggs and fried tortillas do not keep.
Questions
Where is huevos motuleños from?
It comes from Motul, a town in Yucatan in south east Mexico, and is a staple of Yucatecan breakfast menus.
Can I leave out the ham?
Yes. The dish is still good with just the beans, plantain, peas and sauce, and it then suits vegetarians.
What plantain should I buy?
Use a ripe plantain with mostly black skin. A green or yellow plantain is starchy and will not caramelise.
More made with salsa ranchera
Bistec Ranchero (Beef Steak Strips in Ranchera Sauce)
DFEFNFPapas Fritas con Chile y Queso (Chilli Cheese Fries with Salsa Ranchera)
GFEFNFAlbóndigas Rancheras (Meatballs in Ranchera Sauce)
GFNFChuletas de Cerdo en Salsa Ranchera con Arroz (Pork Chops in Ranchera Sauce)
GFDFEFDouble check before you cook. Recipes can contain mistakes. Any diet labels come from the ingredients as written in this recipe and are a guide, not a guarantee. Always check every ingredient and the packet label for allergens and cross contamination, and ask your doctor or dietitian what is right for you, especially with coeliac disease, diabetes or a serious allergy. This is not medical advice.