Mexican breakfasts for every day of the week

In Mexico, breakfast is the most important meal of the day - and we are not joking. Mexicans eat a hearty breakfast, with dishes that in the UK might seem more like lunch than breakfast. Eggs in every form, hot salsas, beans, tortillas, cheese, avocado... A Mexican breakfast is a feast that sets you up for the day and that, honestly, is one of the best reasons to get up early.

In this article we propose 7 different Mexican breakfasts, one for each day of the week, with complete recipes and realistic prep times so you can fit them into your routine in the UK.

Monday: Green chilaquiles with egg

Time: 20 minutes | Difficulty: Easy

Chilaquiles are THE quintessential Mexican breakfast. They are totopos (fried tortillas) bathed in green or red salsa, served with cheese, cream and a fried egg on top. They are the perfect way to start the week with energy.

Recipe:

1. Make the salsa verde: blend 6 cooked green tomatoes (or green plum tomatoes) with 2 serrano chillies, 1/4 onion, 1 garlic clove, coriander and salt.
2. Heat the salsa in a large pan. When it boils, add the totopos (you can use plain tortilla chips or fry tortillas cut into triangles).
3. Mix quickly - the totopos should absorb the salsa but keep some crunch. Do not leave them too long or they will go soggy.
4. Serve on a plate, top with crumbled fresh cheese (feta works), a drizzle of sour cream, sliced red onion and a fried egg on top.

Chilaquiles do not wait: they are served and eaten immediately. A chilaquil that waits 10 minutes is a sad, soggy chilaquil.

Tuesday: Huevos rancheros

Time: 15 minutes | Difficulty: Easy

Huevos rancheros are the breakfast of the Mexican ranch: fried eggs on a corn tortilla, bathed in homemade red salsa. They are simple, hearty and tremendously satisfying.

Recipe:

1. Ranchera salsa: blend 3 roasted tomatoes with 1 serrano chilli, 1/4 onion, 1 garlic clove and salt. Fry the salsa in a pan with a little oil until it darkens (5 minutes).
2. Warm 2 corn tortillas in a dry pan or with a little oil.
3. Fry 2 eggs to taste (Mexicans prefer them with a runny yolk).
4. Place the tortillas on the plate, put an egg on each one, bathe with the hot ranchera salsa.
5. Serve with refried beans on the side and sliced avocado.

Wednesday: Molletes

Time: 15 minutes | Difficulty: Very easy

Molletes are the quickest and most satisfying Mexican breakfast. They are bread rolls (such as a small baguette or ciabatta) split open, spread with refried beans, covered with grilled cheese and served with pico de gallo.

Recipe:

1. Cut 2 rolls or ciabattas in half lengthwise.
2. Spread each half generously with refried beans (you can use tinned beans mashed and fried in oil with onion and garlic).
3. Cover with grated melting cheese (Gouda, Edam, mozzarella).
4. Grill in the oven for 5-7 minutes until the cheese is bubbling and golden.
5. Serve with fresh pico de gallo (chopped tomato, onion, coriander, chilli and lime) on top.

Thursday: Huevos a la mexicana

Time: 10 minutes | Difficulty: Very easy

Huevos a la mexicana are scrambled eggs with the colours of the flag: red tomato, green chilli and white onion. They are the quickest and most Mexican breakfast there is.

Recipe:

1. Finely chop: 1 tomato, 1/4 white onion and 1 serrano chilli (or green chilli).
2. Heat a little oil in a pan. Soften the onion and chilli for 2 minutes.
3. Add the tomato, cook for 2 minutes more.
4. Beat 3-4 eggs with salt and pour them over the vegetables.
5. Stir gently until the eggs are cooked but moist (not dry).
6. Serve immediately with warm tortillas and beans.

Friday: Enfrijoladas

Time: 20 minutes | Difficulty: Easy

Enfrijoladas are tortillas bathed in black-bean sauce. They are the Friday breakfast in many Mexican homes - comforting, slightly indulgent and perfect for starting the weekend.

Recipe:

1. Blend 2 cups of cooked black beans with their broth to a smooth sauce. If it is too thick, add more broth.
2. Heat the sauce in a large pan.
3. Pass corn tortillas one by one through the hot sauce, letting them soak slightly.
4. Fold each tortilla into quarters and place 3-4 on each plate.
5. Bathe with more bean sauce.
6. Decorate with crumbled fresh cheese, sour cream, red onion rings and avocado. Optionally, add shredded chicken or a fried egg.

Saturday: Huevos motuleños (Yucatán)

Time: 25 minutes | Difficulty: Medium

Huevos motuleños are a Yucatecan speciality that is a complete breakfast on a single plate. They have a fried tortilla, beans, egg, tomato sauce, ham, peas and fried plantain. It is excessive, it is glorious, and it is perfect for an unhurried Saturday.

Recipe:

1. Lightly fry 2 corn tortillas in oil until firm but not crisp.
2. Spread each tortilla with refried black beans.
3. Place a fried egg on each bean-topped tortilla.
4. Bathe with homemade tomato sauce (blended tomatoes fried with onion and garlic).
5. Decorate with cubes of cooked ham, cooked peas and slices of fried plantain (a very ripe plantain, fried in slices).
6. Top with crumbled fresh cheese.

Sunday: Tamales with atole

Time: 30 minutes (if you buy the tamales) | Difficulty: Easy

Sunday is tamal day in Mexico. Traditionally, someone goes to buy tamales early and the whole family has breakfast together with tamales and hot atole. It is the Mexican social breakfast.

If you cannot buy tamales (although more and more Mexican shops in the UK sell them to order), you can make them the weekend before and freeze them. They reheat in the steamer in 20 minutes.

Chocolate atole: Dissolve 3 tablespoons of cornflour (or maize dough) in a glass of cold milk. Heat 3 more glasses of milk with a tablet of Mexican chocolate (or 30g of cocoa powder + sugar + cinnamon). When it boils, pour in the cornflour mixture, stirring constantly. Cook for 5 minutes until it thickens. Serve hot with the tamales.

Tips for a Mexican breakfast in the UK

• Tortillas: Always keep a pack of corn tortillas in the fridge. They warm up in 30 seconds in a dry pan.
• Beans: Cook a big pot of beans on Sunday and use it all week. They keep for 5 days refrigerated.
• Salsa: Make green or red salsa at the weekend and keep it in the fridge. It improves with time.
• Chilli: Always have fresh chillies or pickled chillies. Heat in the morning wakes you up better than coffee.

Discover more breakfast recipes and other dishes in our section of Mexican recipes. And if you would rather have breakfast made for you, check our Mexican restaurants that serve brunch at the weekend. Enjoy!