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Vegetarian

Huevos motuleños with fried plantains

Huevos motuleños is a Yucatán dish of fried eggs served on a corn tortilla with black beans, tomato sauce, peas and cheese, with fried plantains on the side. This recipe for 4 serves up in 40 minutes, easy difficulty, for €2.50 per person. The key is using very ripe plantains fried until dark and keeping the egg yolks runny.

Tonight, a Yucatán breakfast shows up for dinner, fried eggs on tortillas with black beans, tomato sauce and golden plantains.

Huevos motuleños with fried plantains
Total time
40 min
Difficulty
Easy
Cost per person
€2.50
Calories per person
690 kcalcalculated by Kiloach, your weight coach
Season
Summer, Fall, Spring
The kids
They generally like it

Under a tomato sauce lifted by sweet pepper, the fried egg spills its yolk over mashed black beans and a warm tortilla. Fresh cheese melts softly on top, and raw peas scattered at the last minute keep a bit of crunch. On the side, fried plantain slices bring a sweet, almost caramelized note that balances the whole plate.

It started as a Mexican breakfast, but it makes a full dinner that breaks up an ordinary weeknight. Kids like breaking the yolk into the sauce, and everyone can build their own plate however they want. Use shallow bowls rather than flat plates, there's sauce worth scraping up to the last bite.

The ingredients

4 people

Dairy

  • Eggs 8
  • Grated fresh cheese or feta 100 g

Pantry

  • Corn tortillas 8
  • Canned black beansoften in the pantry 480 g
  • Crushed tomatoesoften in the pantry 400 g
  • Oiloften in the pantry 6 tbsp
  • Saltoften in the pantry 1 pinch

Fruits and vegetables

  • Onion 1
  • Garlic 2 cloves
  • Ripe plantains 2
  • Sweet pepper 1

Frozen foods

  • Frozen peas 100 g

Allergens Eggs, Lactose

The step by step recipe

  1. Sauté the sliced onion and garlic in a tablespoon of oil, add the tomatoes and sweet pepper, season with salt and let it reduce into a sauce. 15 min

    The sauce should be thick enough to coat the eggs without drowning them.

  2. Mash the black beans with a little water and heat them in a saucepan.

    Add a splash of hot water if the puree gets too thick.

  3. Cut the plantains into diagonal slices and fry them in oil until well browned. 8 min

    Pick very ripe ones, blackened skin is a good sign.

  4. Warm the tortillas in a dry pan and fry the eggs in the remaining oil. 8 min

    Cover the pan for a minute, the white sets while the yolk stays runny.

  5. Build the plates with a tortilla, beans, an egg, the sauce, peas and cheese, with the plantains on the side.

    Scatter the raw peas over the hot sauce, they cook through on their own.

Our tips to get it right

  • Pick plantains that are very ripe, almost black on the outside, they turn sweet once fried and that's what makes this dish special.
  • Make the tomato sauce and the mashed beans before you cook the eggs, so everything lands hot on the plate at the same time.
  • Cook the eggs one or two at a time if your pan is small, a yolk that breaks too early loses its point.

The variations

  • Swap the plantains for firm bananas if you can't find any, the result will be less caramelized but close in texture.
  • For eggs without a runny center, cook them a minute longer, some kids prefer a firmer yolk.
  • Stir diced ham or browned chorizo into the tomato sauce for a heartier version on a hungrier night.

What to serve it with

  • A squeeze of lime juice
  • A crunchy cabbage slaw
  • A cold glass of lemon water

Storage

Keep the tomato sauce and mashed beans separately in the fridge, in a sealed container, for up to 2 days. Reheat them gently in a saucepan and cook fresh eggs and plantains right before serving, they don't freeze well.

Questions about this dish

Can you make the tomato sauce ahead of time?

Yes, make the sauce and mashed beans the day before and keep them in the fridge. You'll only need to cook the eggs and plantains right before dinner, which speeds things up a lot.

Can you use flour tortillas instead of corn tortillas?

Yes, though the original flavor comes from corn. Flour tortillas work fine too, just warm them for a few seconds in a dry pan before plating.

How do you know if plantains are ripe enough?

The skin should look heavily spotted, almost black, and feel slightly soft to the touch. That's when they turn sweet once fried, a green plantain stays starchy.

Is this dish okay for kids who don't like spice?

Yes, the sweet pepper used here isn't hot, it just flavors the tomato sauce. You can also leave it out entirely for a mild sauce.

How long does it take to make huevos motuleños with fried plantains?

Count 40 min in total, prep and cooking included. The recipe is rated “easy”.

How many calories are in huevos motuleños with fried plantains?

About 690 kcal per serving, for a recipe meant for 4 people. Calories are calculated by Kiloach, your weight coach, the app that partners with Mon Chou.

How much does huevos motuleños with fried plantains cost?

About €2.50 per serving, or €10.00 for 4 people, based on average supermarket prices.

What allergens does this recipe contain?

This recipe contains eggs, lactose. Always check the labels of the products you buy.

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