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Molletes

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Molletes Recipe
Photo by Emma Fishman, food styling by Susie Theodorou, prop styling by Elizabeth Jaime

My favorite thing about molletes is that they’re an open-faced blank canvas, as simple as they are flexible. This version has all the essentials, and makes for a hearty on-the-go breakfast, but can easily be dressed up to become the star of a fabulous brunch—add chorizo or bacon for a meatier variation, or summer squash blossoms or roasted poblanos for a lighter take. —Rosalyn Vera, Cocina Luchadoras, Baltimore, MD

This recipe is part of Short Is Sweet, our collection of summer dishes that deliver a whole lot of deliciousness in 30 minutes or less.

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What you’ll need

Recipe information

  • Yield

    4 Servings

Ingredients

Refried Beans

1 cup vegetable oil
2 large onions, chopped
2 15.5-oz. cans pinto beans, rinsed
1 bay leaf
Kosher salt

Pico de Gallo

1 medium tomato, halved crosswise, seeds removed, chopped
½ small red onion, chopped
2 Tbsp. chopped cilantro
1 Tbsp. chopped seeded jalapeño
Juice of ½ lime
Kosher salt

Eggs and Assembly

4 Tbsp. salted butter, room temperature
2 telera rolls, bolillos, birotes, or other crusty rolls, halved lengthwise
1 lb. Oaxaca cheese, pulled into strings, or Monterey Jack, coarsely grated
4 large eggs, fried
1 avocado, thinly sliced
⅓ cup pickled or sliced red onion
Hot sauce (for serving)

Preparation

  1. Refried Beans

    Step 1

    Heat oil in a medium Dutch oven or other heavy pot over medium. Add onions and cook, stirring, until just beginning to turn golden brown, 10–14 minutes. Stir in beans and add bay leaf. Cook, stirring occasionally, until beans begin to soften and fall apart, 9–11 minutes. Season beans with salt and remove from heat. Remove and discard bay leaf. Mash beans with a potato masher until smooth and spreadable.

    Do Ahead: Beans can be made 3 days ahead. Let cool; cover and chill.

  2. Pico de Gallo

    Step 2

    Toss tomato, red onion, cilantro, jalapeño, and lime juice in a small bowl to combine; season with salt.

  3. Eggs and Assembly

    Step 3

    Heat broiler. Generously butter cut sides of rolls and place, buttered side up, on a rimmed baking sheet. Broil until butter is melted, about 1 minute. Remove from broiler; spread ⅓ cup refried beans over cut side of each roll half and arrange cheese down center. Broil until cheese is melted and beginning to brown, about 2 minutes.

    Step 4

    Top each mollete with a fried egg, then pico de gallo, avocado, and pickled onion. Serve with hot sauce.

TagsToastSandwichMexicanLatin AmericanEggCheeseDairyMonterey JackAvocadoVegetablePinto BeanBean and LegumeTomatoJalapeñoChileRed OnionOnionRoot VegetableQuickEasyNut FreeVegetarianSauteBroilBreakfastLunchBon Appétit

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