Vegetarian, Americas
Molletes with pico de gallo
Molletes are Mexican open faced sandwiches topped with mashed beans and melted cheese, served with fresh pico de gallo. This recipe serves 4, takes 30 minutes, rates very easy, and costs about €1.80 per person. The key to success is the contrast between the hot, broiled bread and the cold, crunchy pico de gallo added right before serving.
Tonight, molletes! Toasted bread, beans, melted cheese, and a fresh pico de gallo with just the right kick.
- Total time
- 30 min
- Difficulty
- Very easy
- Cost per person
- €1.80
- Calories per person
- 670 kcalcalculated by Kiloach, your weight coach
- Season
- Winter, Spring, Summer, Fall
- The kids
- They generally like it
Molletes are warm, open faced sandwiches where melted cheese meets soft mashed beans, all topped with a fresh pico de gallo that brings crunch and a bit of heat. That meeting of hot and cold, soft and sharp, is what makes this dish so appealing. Cilantro and lime add a brightness that wakes up the otherwise mellow beans.
This is the kind of dinner that comes together in no time on a weeknight, using ingredients you likely already have in your pantry. Kids tend to love the melted cheese part and can get their own pico without chile, while the adults spice theirs up as they like. You don't need any real cooking skill here, it's mostly about assembly and timing under the broiler.
The ingredients
Bakery
- Round rolls or half baguettes 4
Pantry
- Canned red or black beansoften in the pantry 400 g
- Olive oiloften in the pantry 1 tbsp
- Saltoften in the pantry 1 pinch
- Pepperoften in the pantry 1 pinch
Fruits and vegetables
- Onion 1
- Garlic 1 cloves
- Tomatoes 4
- Red onion 1
- Cilantro 1 bunch
- Lime 1
- Jalapeño or Espelette pepper 1
Dairy
- Butter 30 g
- Shredded cheese, mozzarella or Swiss style 200 g
Allergens Gluten, Lactose
The step by step recipe
-
Make the pico de gallo by dicing the tomatoes, red onion, cilantro, and chile, then add the lime juice, salt, and pepper.
Seed the tomatoes, the pico stays dry and crunchy instead of sitting in its own juice.
-
Sauté the chopped onion and garlic in the oil, add the drained beans, and mash them with a fork while adding a little water. 8 min
A pinch of cumin or smoked paprika gives it that homestyle refried beans flavor.
-
Slice the rolls in half, butter them, and broil them cut side up until golden. 4 min
Toasting the crumb before topping keeps the bread from going soggy under the beans.
-
Spread the beans over each half, cover with shredded cheese, and broil until melted and bubbly. 6 min
Watch it closely, the cheese goes from melted to burnt in about a minute.
-
Serve the molletes hot, topped with the pico de gallo.
Keep the pico separate until the last moment, it stays perfectly crunchy.
Our tips to get it right
- Drain the beans thoroughly before mashing them, otherwise the mixture turns watery and soaks into the bread.
- Make the pico de gallo first, letting it sit with salt and lime juice draws out the tomato juices and concentrates the flavor.
- Pick a roll that's fairly thick and dense, a soft one will collapse under the weight of the beans and cheese.
The variations
- Swap the jalapeño for ground Espelette pepper if that's what you have, the flavor shifts slightly but the heat still comes through.
- For a spicier version, add some crumbled chorizo cooked with the onion before the beans go in.
- For kids, serve the molletes plain with no chile in the pico, and offer chopped jalapeño on the side for the grown ups.
What to serve it with
- A crunchy cabbage slaw
- A glass of cold limeade
- Sliced avocado
Storage
Mashed beans keep for 2 days in the fridge in a sealed container, and pico de gallo keeps for just 1 day since the tomatoes release water over time. It's best to assemble and broil the molletes fresh rather than reheat them already topped. Pico de gallo doesn't freeze well.
Questions about this dish
Can you make the pico de gallo ahead of time?
You can chop the vegetables a few hours ahead and keep them chilled, but add the salt and lime juice right before serving. Otherwise the tomatoes release too much water and the pico loses its crunch.
What kind of bread works best for molletes?
A dense round roll or a slightly firm half baguette works best. Avoid soft bread, it collapses once topped with beans and cheese.
Can you use dried beans instead of canned?
Yes, as long as you cook them fully and drain them well before mashing. This adds extra prep time, canned beans remain the quicker option.
How do you tone down the pico de gallo for kids?
Remove the seeds and white membrane from the chile before chopping, that's where most of the heat lives. You can also leave the chile out entirely and offer it on the side for adults.
How long does it take to make molletes with pico de gallo?
Count 30 min in total, prep and cooking included. The recipe is rated “very easy”.
How many calories are in molletes with pico de gallo?
About 670 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 molletes with pico de gallo cost?
About €1.80 per serving, or €7.20 for 4 people, based on average supermarket prices.
What allergens does this recipe contain?
This recipe contains gluten, lactose. Always check the labels of the products you buy.
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