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Mexican Baked Eggs In Poblano Tomato Sauce

By 4 Comments

Baked Eggs for Breakfast, brunch or dinner. Mexican Style. Eggs are tucked into a beautiful spicy tomato sauce for this cast iron skillet one pan treat. A Mexican breakfast recipe that’s healthy but feels like a rich treat. Mexican baked eggs is a recipe you’ll want to make over and over again.

And if you love a good hearty breakfast like we do, don’t mis my recipe for a traditional 2-egg Western Omelette. One of our favorites.

Baked Eggs for breakfast in a cast iron skillet with a spicy tomato sauce.

I’m one of those people who wake up hungry. What does that mean to you? I really need a breakfast recipe that comes together pretty quickly, like these Potato and Egg Tacos, or I’ll eat a half bag of potato chips while waiting. Oh yes, it’s true.

So if you’re not one to fuss for a couple hours over breakfast, even a weekend breakfast, this recipe is one you’ll want to take a look at.

A little prep the day before and it’s an easy breakfast. And you’ll want to make Mexican baked eggs for breakfast over and over.

How To Make Mexican Baked Eggs

  • This recipe calls for roasted poblano peppers. I urge you to prepare this step of the recipe the day before. It takes about ten minutes to char the poblanos stovetop. After charring, place the peppers in a plastic bag for 5-ish minutes, then with your hands, remove most of the charred skin. Please don’t rinse the peppers under water, you’re washing away flavor.
  • Remove the tops and seed pods, chop and store in the refrigerator until morning.
  • Add the chopped poblanos, halved cherry tomatoes and chopped garlic to a cast iron skillet. Once sauteed, add tomato sauce and oregano. Cook on low for about ten minutes. Swirl in some apple cider vinegar.
  • Crack the eggs and evenly distribute into the tomato sauce.
  • Top with Muenster and Queso cheese and bake ten minutes. I like to sprinkle the cheese around the eggs, so as not to cover and hide them.
  • Garnish with jalapeno rings and chopped cilantro and dig in. It’s earthy, delightful and absolutely delicious.
A lame little video taken one handed with my cell phone on roasting poblano peppers stove top 🙂

Skillet Baked Eggs

I have a lovely relationship with my cast iron skillet. It heats beautifully on the stove top and carries its expert cooking attributes to the oven.

If you have a cast iron skillet, please use it for this recipe. If you don’t, an oven proof skillet will work fine…one that you can use stove top and then in the oven.

How Do You Cut The Acidity or Bitterness of Tomato Sauce?

There’s a splash of vinegar in this recipe, but why? Vinegar is magic. And in my kitchen, it’s as important as salt and pepper.

Plain and simple, a splash of vinegar can brighten, balance and sharpen your food.

If a tomato sauce seems a little too strong in flavor, a little bitter, or out of balance just add a splash of vinegar to bring all of the flavors into harmony. You don’t need to taste the vinegar, that’s why just a splash will do. The acid in tomatoes doesn’t become exaggerated by adding vinegar, the addition actually balances the flavors.

I keep cider, red wine and sherry vinegars close at hand. Try it sometime and let me know if you think it elevates flavors. Always add it at the end of the cooking process just as you would use salt and pepper to adjust flavors.

Recipe For Mexican Baked Eggs

Mexican baked eggs served with tortilla chips and jalapeno peppers

I hope you give this recipe for Mexican Baked Eggs a try. And if you do, please come back and give the recipe a star rating. And leave a comment about your experience with the recipe.

And if you have a favorite Oven Baked Eggs Recipe let me know, I’d love to give it a try.

More Mexican Breakfast Recipes

And one of our most favorite traditional Mexican Breakfast recipe for Huevos Divorciados.

And if you love making breakfast or making breakfast for dinner, you won’t want to miss my Breakfast Category. You’ll find lots of delicious eye opening recipes. The most popular being my recipe for smother Green Chile Breakfast Burrito.

If you liked this recipe, please leave a star ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ rating in the recipe card below and leave a comment. I always appreciate your feedback and hearing how everything went.

And, don’t forget to subscribe to my newsletter for more delicious recipes and cooking tips. Make it a delicious day … every day.

Mexican eggs baked in a cast iron skillet
Print Recipe
5 from 2 votes

Mexican Baked Eggs in Tomato Sauce

40 minutes
Prep Time10 minutes
Cook Time40 minutes
Course: Breakfast Recipes
Cuisine: Mexican
Servings: 4
Calories: 333kcal
Author: Lea Ann Brown

Ingredients

  • 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
  • 3 poblano chiles seeded and sliced ½ inch thick
  • 3 garlic cloves chopped
  • 2 cups tomato sauce canned
  • 2 cups halved cherry tomatoes 12 ounces
  • 1 teaspoon dried oregano preferably Mexican Oregano
  • ¼ teaspoon New Mexico Chili Powder or ancho
  • ½ teaspoon cider vinegar
  • 4 large eggs
  • 1 cup crumbled queso fresco 5 ounces
  • ½ cup Muenster Cheese
  • Chopped cilantro and sliced jalapeños for garnish
  • Corn chips for serving

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 425°.
  • Roast the poblanos over your gas stovetop until charred. Place in a plastic bag and let steam 10 minutes. With your hands, remove most of the charred skin. Remove tops and seeds and chop the peppers. Do this step the day before to avoid extra time when making this dish. It takes about 10 minutes for the chiles to char.
  • In a large cast-iron skillet, heat the olive oil. Add the chopped roasted poblanos, tomato halves and cook over moderate heat 4 minutes. Stir in the garlic, cook 1 more minute. Add the tomato sauce, chili powder and oregano and cook over low heat until thickened, 10 minutes.
  • Taste the sauce and add a splash of vinegar.
  • Crack the eggs into the tomato sauce and top with the cheese. I like to sprinkle the cheese around the eggs, so I can see if they're over cooking. Bake until set, about 10 minutes. Watch the eggs closely to get them to your desired doneness. 10 minutes will more than likely cook them to the hard stage. Garnish with cilantro and jalapeños and serve with corn chips.
  • While the eggs are in the oven, chop the cilantro and slice the jalapenos. Serve immediately with garnishes.

Nutrition

Calories: 333kcal | Carbohydrates: 16g | Protein: 18g | Fat: 23g | Saturated Fat: 9g | Cholesterol: 198mg | Sodium: 1034mg | Potassium: 852mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 10g | Vitamin A: 1851IU | Vitamin C: 98mg | Calcium: 344mg | Iron: 3mg

Mexican Baked Eggs … It’s What’s For Breakfast.

Sweet Corn Soup with Roasted Corn Guacamole

By 10 Comments

Summer fresh Southwestern Sweet Corn Soup with Roasted Corn Guacamole. Flavors reminiscent of corn chowder, but with a lighter texture. Bright and fresh, this soup really shines during fresh sweet corn season. But make this one year round using frozen corn. Don’t skip the topping of Roasted Corn Guacamole, it’s out of this world.

Sweet corn soup topped with caramelized corn salsa

Sweet Corn Soup That Tastes Like Summer

There’s something magical about sweet corn at the height of summer. It’s so naturally sweet and juicy that it barely needs anything more than a little butter and salt. I could eat fresh Colorado sweet corn for breakfast, lunch and dinner. And as a matter of fact it seems like I do once our sweet corn crops arrive in our markets.

What To Expect From This Recipe

  • Sweet, fresh corn is the star. It’s roasted in the oven to caramelize them into something I would call bliss. Roasting the corn kernels takes the already natural sugars into a caramelized state and intensifies its flavor.
  • No Cream: Even though there’s no dairy added to this recipe, It’s creamy without feeling heavy.
  • Healthier: This recipe doesn’t use any cream. The starch from the corn brings the creamy consistency.
  • Fairly Quick: It’s ready in about 45 minutes. Makes a beautiful first course for an easy summer supper. Perfect for fresh Colorado sweet corn when it’s in season.
  • Light: This isn’t a thick, flour-heavy corn chowder. It’s lighter. Silky. The corn stays front and center, while roasted corn guacamole adds a smoky Southwestern flavor, creamy avocado, and just enough texture to keep every bite interesting.
  • Use That Corn: Every August I find myself bringing home far more ears than I planned. This soup is one of my favorite ways to put them to work.
  • Gluten Free: All of the fresh ingredients are naturally gluten free.

What Makes My Recipe Different?

There are plenty of corn soup recipes out there. Most lean toward chowder. Lots of cream. Bacon. Potatoes. That’s not what I wanted. I wanted a lighter Summer soup that actually tastes like sweet corn. Bright. Fresh. Smooth enough to feel elegant, yet hearty enough that you don’t miss all the extra ingredients. Every choice in this recipe pushes the corn forward instead of covering it up.

  • The roasted kernels pick up caramelized edges for an extra layer of flavor. You get depth without losing that fresh-picked flavor.
  • A lot of Southwestern recipes come out of my kitchen. This is a Southwestern style corn soup, rather than a Southern style chowder. Topped with a sweet corn guacamole that takes this recipe over the top.
  • The cool avocado against the warm soup is what makes this recipe memorable. Add roasted corn, cilantro, lime, and suddenly every spoonful has creamy, smoky, fresh, and sweet all happening at once. It’s more than garnish. It finishes the dish.

Is Sweet Corn Soup Supposed to Be Thick or Thin?

  • Traditional sweet corn soup should be silky, not heavy.
  • Think about the consistency of light cream. It should lightly coat a spoon without feeling like gravy. If your soup gets thicker than you’d like, simply stir in a little chicken stock or vegetable broth until it reaches the texture you enjoy.

After years of cooking Southwestern recipes and plenty of lessons from culinary school, I’ve learned that great soup comes from restraint. A handful of good ingredients. Gentle cooking. That’s really all it takes.

Let’s take a look.

Colorado Sweet Corn: Colorado is well known for producing some of the best conventional and organic sweet corn in the United States. Colorado produces more than 133 million pounds of sweet corn annually. Unique growing climate and soils combined with innovative farming practices, including controlled irrigation, ensure consistent quality and superior flavor.

Ingredients You’ll Need For The Soup

Ingredients to make sweet corn soup.
  • Fresh Sweet Corn: Kernels removed from the cob.
  • Chicken Broth: Or use vegetable to broth to make this a vegetarian sweet corn soup
  • Cilantro
  • Onion: Use a sweet or yellow onion.
  • Olive Oil: You can also use vegetable or canola oil.
  • Chile Powder: A single blend chile powder, New Mexico Chimayo Chile Powder preferred. Don’t use a chili (with an “i”) seasoning, as it’s a blend of seasonings used to season Chili Soups. Want to learn more about chile powders and chili seasoning, take a look at my article for Chili vs. Chile.
  • Jalapeno Pepper: For a milder seasoned soup, use a poblano peppers.
  • Garlic

Note: You can make this recipe with boxed chicken broth, canned green chiles and frozen corn and it will be fine. But there are a few extra steps you can take to make this soup more flavorful.

Ingredients For The Roasted Corn Guacamole

Ingredients to make roasted corn guacamole.
  • Sweet Corn Kernels, removed from the cob.
  • Onion: Use a sweet, yellow or red onion.
  • Olive oil
  • Lime: For the juice and zest.
  • Avocado
  • Cilantro
  • Jalapeno Pepper: For a less spicy guacamole, use a poblano pepper or mild Hatch Green Chiles.
  • Cherry Tomatoes: Please excuse my mistake. I accidentally photographed the cherry tomatoes in the upper photo. Thsey should be used for this guacamole.

How To Choose The Best Corn

Fresh corn makes all the difference here.

Fresh Corn Is Always My First Choice

If you’re lucky enough to live in Colorado, keep an eye out for Olathe sweet corn or locally grown corn from your neighborhood farm stand. You can taste the difference. The kernels are sweeter, juicier, and practically burst when you bite into them.

Tip: How to choose the sweetest ears of corn. Look for fresh tassels at the top. If the tassels are brown and shriveled, those ears aren’t as fresh.

Can You Use Frozen Corn?

Absolutely.

Fresh corn wins during summer, but frozen corn is picked and frozen at peak ripeness. It’s my second choice when corn season is over. You can also use equal amounts of canned corn, well drained. Use a paper towel to pat dry before roasting.

Yellow, White, or Bi-Color Corn?

Any of the three will work.

Yellow corn has a slightly richer flavor. White corn tends to be a little milder and crunchier in texture. Bi-color (Peaches and Cream) gives you the best of both worlds, and honestly, it’s what I grab most often.

How To Make Sweet Corn Soup, Step by Step

Removing corn kernels from cob using a knife.
Corn kernels on a sheet pan.
  1. Step 1: Using a sharp chef’s knife, stand the corn up and then use the knife to slice downwards to remove the kernels from the cob.
  2. Step 2: Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Toss the corn with the oil and place them on a sheet pan. Roast the corn, until it’s just starting to golden, about 30 minutes, stirring every 10 minutes.

Pro Tip Knife Skills: Always keep the hand that’s gripping the knife clean and dry. A wet hand could cause slips resulting in nicks or worse a nasty slice on your hand. 

Cooking chopped onions and jalapeno peppers in a dutch oven.
Grinding corn in a food processor.
  1. Step 3: Heat the oil in a Dutch oven and when hot, add the chopped onion and chopped jalapeno pepper. Cook until tender, about 5 minutes. Then add the garlic and stir until fragrant. This will take just a few seconds.
  2. Step 4: Place 3 cups of the roasted corn kernels (saving the rest for the guacamole) into a food processor. Add the cooked onion and jalapeno. Puree until almost smooth. You want a few chunks of corn to show.
Cooking sweet corn soup in a Dutch oven.
How to make roasted corn guacamole.
  1. Step 5: Pour the sweet corn puree into the soup pot and place over medium-low heat. Stir constantly for a two minutes. Slowly whisk in the chicken broth. Bring to a simmer and cook for about 15 minutes. 
  2. Step 6: Make The Roasted Corn Guacamole: Combine the remainder of the roasted corn (which should be about 1 ½ cups), chopped onion, cilantro, lime zest and juice, tomatoes and jalapeno. Gently stir in the chopped avocado. Season with salt and freshly ground pepper.
Fresh sweet corn soup topped with roasted corn guacamole served in a white lattice bowl garnished with a sprig of cilantro
  1. Step 7: How To Serve: Ladle the soup into bowls and place a generous amount of the guacamole in the center of each bowl. Garnish with a small sprig of cilantro and a dusting of Chimayo New Mexico Chile Powder if you wish. 

Tips For Success

  • Blend a little longer than you think. You’ll notice the soup become smoother right before your eyes. But be careful, you don’t want it to come to the texture of baby food. Keep kernels for texture.
  • Taste before you reach for more salt. Sweet corn isn’t the same every year. Some harvests are incredibly sweet. Others need just a little extra seasoning to balance everything.
  • The first time I made this soup, I boiled instead of roasting the corn. Don’t skip roasting. It brings such a depth of flavor. If not roasted, the soup will taste flat.
  • After testing, I realized the lime belongs in the guacamole, not the soup. The citrus brightens the avocado without distracting from the corn.
  • Don’t skip the roasted corn guacamole, it’s what makes this recipe stand apart. it’s an intentional contrast of creamy, cool, smoky, and fresh flavors that gives the soup a distinctly Southwestern identity

Variations

  • Scatter a little Cotija cheese over the top. Add roasted Pueblo chile peppers if they’re in season. Hatch chiles works beautifully, too.
  • Add grilled chicken for a heartier version.
  • Make it spicier: Colorado Pueblo chile peppers can be a bit spicier than jalapeno peppers. You’ll need to roast, peel and deseed them.
  • Chipotle peppers in adobo if you’re craving smoky heat. Be careful with this one, they’re super hot.
  • Make it creamier: If you’re looking for a creamy sweet corn soup. Swirl in a couple tablespoons of Mexican Crema once the soup is cooked. Mexican Crema is a thinner version of our American sour cream with a tangier flavor. Or you can drizzle in some heavy cream. Which ever you use, the starchy liquid will welcome and combine the cream.

What To Serve With It

A big bowl of this corn soup is most certainly a main course, but serve it in smaller portions and serve it with:

Storage and Reheating

  • Refrigerator: Store the soup in an airtight container for up to 4 days. Unfortunately the guacamole will not store well for leftovers.
  • Freezer: Sealed well, it will keep in the freezer for up to 3 months. I like to use freezer safe zip-lock style bags. Stand them up, spoon in any left over soup. Squeeze the air out and seal well. Lay the bag flat in the freezer to optimize freezer space. Don’t forget to label and date.
  • Reheating: Let the soup thaw in the refrigerator overnight, then warm it gently over medium-low heat.
  • Make Ahead: This corn soup is an excellent candidate for making a day in advance. Just gently reheat over medium-low heat. The guacamole should be made just before serving.

FAQ’s

What’s The Easiest Way To Remove Kernels From Corn Cobs?

A good sharp chef knife is your best tool. Just stand the cob upright on a large cutting board and cut down the side of the cob, removing the first rows. Then quarter turn the cob and slice off the next row of kernels. Repeat. Voila. A naked-ish cob.

Is Sweet Corn Soup Healthy?

Sweet corn is considered to be a low fat food. The fat in sweet corn is a mix of saturated, monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats. The polyunsaturated fat, has heart health benefits. There are only 5g of natural sugar in a medium ear of corn. An ear of sweet corn has a third of the sugar than a banana, and only about ⅕ of the sugar in an apple. Corn has several health benefits that may benefit eye and heart health. Source: Eating Well, a great article about Sweet Corn myths.

Why Does My Corn Soup Taste Bland?

You may have opted to skip the roasting process to caramelize the corn. That process adds so much depth of flavor. It could also be that you used “old” sweet corn that had lost it’s flavor. Fresh sweet corn is at it’s absolute sweetest when eaten withing 1 – 2 days after harvest. The natural sugars quickly convert to starch. It’s best to cook it immediately. Stored in the refrigerator it can retain sweetness for 5 – 7 days.

Sweet Corn Soup with Roasted Corn Guacamole

Every summer, I look forward to making this soup at least once while sweet corn is at its peak. It reminds me that simple food can still surprise you. A bowl of silky corn soup is wonderful on its own, but that roasted corn guacamole takes it somewhere unexpected. It’s fresh, smoky, creamy, and unmistakably Southwestern.

After plenty of testing, a few disappointing batches, and a little culinary school technique tucked into the process, this has become the version I keep coming back to. I think you’ll find yourself doing the same every corn season.

More Southwestern Soup Recipes

I consider soup recipes to be my specialty, so if you’re looking for more, don’t miss my Soup Category. You’ll find lots of slurp worthy recipes, including the most popular on my site for Hatch Green Chili, Colorado Style.

If you liked this recipe, please leave a star ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ rating in the recipe card below and leave a comment. I always appreciate your feedback and hearing how everything went.

And, don’t forget to subscribe to my newsletter for more delicious recipes and cooking tips. Make it a delicious day … every day.

Sweet corn soup topped with corn guacamole
Print Recipe
5 from 2 votes

Sweet Corn Soup with Roasted Corn Guacamole

Flavors reminiscent of corn chowder, but with a lighter texture. Bright and fresh, this soup really shines during fresh sweet corn season, but make this one year round using frozen corn if you’d like. Don’t skip the topping of caramelized roasted corn guacamole – it’s out of this world. 
Prep Time20 minutes
Cook Time20 minutes
Total Time40 minutes
Course: Soup, Stews and Chilis
Cuisine: Southwestern
Diet: Gluten Free
Servings: 4
Calories: 195kcal
Author: Lea Ann Brown

Ingredients

  • 8-10 ears fresh sweet corn kernels removed. About 4 ½ cups of kernels.
  • 2 Tablespoon olive oil
  • salt and fresh ground black pepper
  • For The Sweet Corn Soup
  • 3 cups roasted sweet corn
  • 1 clove garlic crushed
  • 1 cup onion sweet or Vidalia, chopped
  • 1 jalapeno stemmed, deveined, seeded and chopped
  • Salt and fresh ground pepper to taste
  • 2 cups Chicken broth
  • For The Roasted Corn Guacamole
  • 1 – 1 ½ cups roasted corn kernels
  • 5-6 cherry tomatoes chopped
  • 2 Tablespoons onion sweet or Vidalia, chopped
  • 2 Tablespoons cilantro fine chopped
  • 1 lime zest and juice
  • 1 jalapeno seeded, deveined and fine chopped
  • 1 avocado pitted and chopped
  • ½ teaspoon olive oil
  • Cilantro sprigs for garnish
  • ½ teaspoon New Mexico Chimayo Red Chile Powder for garnish

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. 
  • Place all of the corn kernels on the baking sheet and toss with the olive oil and some salt and pepper. 
  • Spread the corn out evenly and roast for about 30 minutes or until the corn starts to turn a golden brown and caramelized and slightly crunchy. Stir the kernels every 10 minutes. Remove from oven and set aside.
  • For The Soup
  • Place 3 cups of roasted corn kernels in a food processor. 
  • Heat a Dutch oven over medium high heat and add the oil. Once the oil is hot, turn the heat to medium and add the onion and jalapeno. Saute until onions are translucent, about 5 minutes.
  • Salt and pepper and add the garlic. Cook until the garlic is fragrant, which will only take a few seconds.
  • Transfer this mixture to the food processor with the corn and puree until almost smooth. You want a few chunks of corn to show.
  • Pour the puree into the soup pot and place over medium heat. Str constantly for a few minutes. Slowly whisk in the chicken broth. Bring to a simmer and cook for about 15 minutes. 
  • For the Roasted Corn Guacamole
  • While the soup is cooking, make the roasted corn guacamole by combining the remainder of the roasted corn (which should be about 1 ½ cups), chopped onion, cilantro, lime zest and juice, tomatoes, a drizzle of olive oil and jalapeno. Gently stir in the avocado. Season with salt and pepper.
  • Ladle the soup into bowls and place a generous amount of the guacamole in the center of each bowl. Garnish with a small sprig of cilantro and a dusting of New Mexico Chimayo Chile Powder if you wish. 

Notes

Tips For Success
  • Blend a little longer than you think. You’ll notice the soup become smoother right before your eyes. But be careful, you don’t want it to become the texture of baby food. Keep kernels for texture.
  • Taste before you reach for more salt. Sweet corn isn’t the same every year. Some harvests are incredibly sweet. Others need just a little extra seasoning to balance everything.
  • Don’t skip roasting the corn. It brings such a depth of flavor. If not roasted, the soup will taste flat.
  • After testing, I realized the lime belongs in the guacamole, not the soup. The citrus brightens the avocado without distracting from the corn.
  • Don’t skip the roasted corn guacamole, it’s what makes this recipe stand apart. it’s an intentional contrast of creamy, cool, smoky, and fresh flavors that gives the soup a distinctly Southwestern identity.

Nutrition

Calories: 195kcal | Carbohydrates: 9g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 18g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Sodium: 331mg | Potassium: 351mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 235IU | Vitamin C: 26mg | Calcium: 20mg | Iron: 0.6mg

Sweet Corn Soup with Roasted Corn Guacamole … It’s What’s for Dinner

Skillet Enchiladas With New Mexico Red Chile Sauce

By 9 Comments

Red Chile Skillet Enchiladas, classic Mexican Street Food. Tortillas are dipped in a rich New Mexico Red Chile Sauce, fried, folded and simply sprinkled with an assortment of small chopped crunchy vegetables.

If you like these quick Mexican style light dinner options, try these Queso Fresco Quesadillas. Corn tortillas never had it so good.

Street style folded enchiladas in red chile sauce topped with radish and crunchy vegetables

What You Can Expect From This Recipe

I’ve always said that if someone makes enchiladas for you, it means they love you.

Hands down, enchiladas are our favorite Mexican food here on the Ranch. We’re slightly obsessed.

Traditional enchiladas are time consuming, tedious and usually involve an assembly line procedure to guarantee a successful rolled and filled corn tortilla. And very fun to make in a rewarding sort of way.

One person to soften the tortillas by frying, one to dip and one to carefully take that soft tortilla, without tearing it, fill it and roll it. So worth every bit of the effort.

This recipe reverses the procedure by first dipping the corn tortilla in a beautiful earthy, New Mexico Red Chile Sauce. The sauce is just spicy enough to get your attention.

The dipped tortillas are then quick fried, folded, arranged on a warm plate and sprinkled with an assortment of tasty toppings. And there it is folks, the best little folded enchilada. You’ll fall in love.

No assembly line necessary.

The toppings are zucchini, tangy romaine lettuce, jalapeno and crunchy radish and onion. This all comes together for contrasting flavors and textured that sing in harmony.

These easy skillet enchiladas with red sauce was declared a WOW the first time I made them and have received those same accolades each time they’ve landed on a dinner plate.

This is a recipe courtesy of renowned Chef Rick Bayless. He has spent many years living in Mexico to bring us fresh, delicious creations inspired by authentic Mexican cuisine. 

Let’s take a look.

Ingrediens to make street style red chile folded enchiladas

Ingredients You’ll Need

  • Cotija cheese: Readily found in the Mexican produce section at your grocery store, Cotija cheese is a dry Mexican crumbling cheese, much like Feta.
  • Thin sliced radishes: Radishes are a customary topping for many Mexican Dishes. We especially like them with Pork Posole or as a topping for Tacos like these Saucy Chicken Soft Tacos.
  • As with radishes, chopped raw onion is another customary topping for Mexican Enchiladas.
  • Please don’t skip the sliced fresh Jalapeno Pepper.Remove the seeds and veins if you’d like to reduce the heat level of the peppers. This is where the spicy heat lies in any chile pepper.
  • Zucchini Sticks are somewhat the star of the show here.
  • Chopped Olives and Cilantro: Both of these ingredients add some excitement to this recipe.

Have fun with these skillet enchiladas. Think of this as a core recipe get creative. Add corn kernels, cooked chorizo or even shredded chicken on top.

Recipe For Red Chile Sauce Enchiladas

Street style skillet enchiladas are common in West Central Mexico. And just the thought of these spicy little snacks gets mouths watering. They’re street food fare, not saucy and just spicy enough to get your attention. The bold flavors of the New Mexico Red Chile Sauce shines with this simple method.

Red chile enchiladas topped with strips of zucchini, radish, sliced jalapenos, green olives, sliced romaine lettuce.

Tips For Success

  • While frying corn tortillas, keep the skillet temperature at medium high to avoid the tortillas from sticking. The consistent temperature will also keep the tortillas from falling apart.
  • Choose yellow corn tortillas. They are sturdier than white corn and will be easier to handle.
  • Chopping all of the vegetables and toppings in advance will make this a more streamlined process.

Explore More Southwestern Recipes

Love homemade Mexican flavors? Don’t miss this recipe for Red Chile Ground Beef Enchiladas, New Mexico Style. And head on over to my Mexican Southwest Recipes Category.

If you liked this recipe, please leave a star ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ rating in the recipe card below and leave a comment. I always appreciate your feedback and hearing how everything went.

And, don’t forget to subscribe to my newsletter for more delicious recipes and cooking tips. Make it a delicious day … every day.

Street style folded enchiladas in red chile sauce topped with radish and crunchy vegetables
Print Recipe
5 from 3 votes

Street Style Skillet Enchiladas with New Mexico Red Chile Sauce

Red Chile Enchiladas are as gutsy as street food should be. Tortillas are dipped in a spicy red sauce, fried, folded and simply sprinkled with an assortment of small chopped crunchy vegetables.
Prep Time30 minutes
Cook Time40 minutes
Course: Mexican
Cuisine: Mexican
Servings: 4
Calories: 272kcal
Author: Lea Ann Brown

Ingredients

  • 1 Cup New Mexico Red Chile Sauce
  • For The Enchiladas
  • ¼ cup Mexican Queso Cheese crumbled. Cotija or queso anejo
  • 3 leaves Romaine lettuce sliced crosswise into ribbons
  • 1 tablespoon cider vinegar
  • 4 radishes thin sliced
  • ¼ cup sweet onion fine chopped
  • 3 tablespoons cilantro chopped
  • 1 jalapeno pepper sliced thin, seeds and veins removed if you want less heat
  • 2 medium zucchini cut into matchsticks
  • 10 small Green olives cut in half
  • 12 corn tortillas

Instructions

  • Prepare the Red Chile Sauce up To 3 days in advance.
  • Prepare the toppings. Crumble the Cotija cheese. Slice the lettuce into thin ribbons cutting across the leaves and toss with 1 tablespoon vinegar. Thin slice the radishes. Chop the onion. Chop the cilantro. Slice the jalapeno peppers. Cut the zucchini into matchstick shaped pieces. ¼ inch thick and about 2 inches long. Cut the green olives in half.
  • Finish the enchiladas. Heat a small non-stick skillet over medium high heat. Add 1 tablespoon of oil and 1 tablespoon of the red chile sauce. Fry the zucchini sticks until just becoming tender and starting to brown. Remove from heat and set aside. Keep warm.
  • Preheat oven to 220 degrees. And have an oven safe plates ready for the tortillas once they're fried.
  • Heat a non-stick skillet over medium heat. Once the pan is hot, add 1 tablespoon oil. One at a time, dip the corn tortillas into the sauce and fry them in the oil for 10 seconds. Don't let the skillet get hot or the tortillas will stick and you'll have a mess.
  • Using a spatula, flip them and cook on the other side 10 seconds. Transfer them to a plate (3 per plate) folding them in half as you do. Slightly overlapping them. Place each plate of three in the warm oven until you're ready to serve. Continue with the rest of the tortillas. Adding a drizzle of oil when needed.
  • To serve: Spoon several sticks of the zucchini over the enchiladas. Then add the remaining ingredients keeping them in the middle of each plate of enchiladas. Serve immediately.

Notes

Tips For Success:
Prepare the sauce up to three days in advance. You can either make the New Mexico Red Chile Sauce from Dried Chile Peppers, or from Red Chile Sauce From Powder.  Or make these with Homemade Enchilada Sauce.

Nutrition

Calories: 272kcal | Carbohydrates: 49g | Protein: 9g | Fat: 6g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Cholesterol: 5mg | Sodium: 812mg | Potassium: 743mg | Fiber: 8g | Sugar: 8g | Vitamin A: 2826IU | Vitamin C: 124mg | Calcium: 160mg | Iron: 3mg

Smashed Potatoes with Chimichurri Sauce

By 27 Comments

Smashed potatoes are crispy on the outside and tender on the inside and so easy to mke. Topped with fresh chimichurri sauce, they make an easy and lively side dish for any meal.

Smashed yukon gold potatoes with chimichurri sauce on a sheet pan

If I had known smashed potatoes were THIS good, I’d have made them long before now.

Mashed potatoes, baked potatoes, scalloped potatoes , I simply have never met a potato dish didn’t like. Have you ever made roasted smashed potatoes? This was a first for me. And most certainly not the last little little golf ball sized potato I’ll ever smash.

And if potatoes rule around your house, like they do here, you’re going to love this version of roasted smashed potatoes. The great part about this Argetinean Chimichurri Potatoes recipe is that it’s easy and, not to mention, exciting in flavor.

yukon gold potatoes on a sheet pan getting smashed by a fork

How To Make Smashed Potatoes

The process was simple. I bought a pound and a half of Yukon Gold mini potatoes. Boiling them in a pot of salted water, it only took about 20 minutes to get the potatoes fork tender.

The next step was to move them on a sheet pan, and with a fork, smash the potatoes until they partially break apart. Don’t crush them. Drizzled with some olive oil, I let them roast for about 30 minutes.

Once they were done, I doused them with some Chimichurri sauce and dug in. The texture is what makes this side dish so special. They’re fluffy on the inside but crispy on the outside. Say hello to delicious.

What Is Chimichurri Sauce?

Chimichurri is an uncooked sauce used both in cooking or as a condiment for grilled meats and in this case, roasted potatoes. It’s originally from Argentina. Made of finely chopped parsley, minced garlic, olive oil, oregano and red wine vinegar its flavor is lively and exciting.

I first fell in love with it years ago when I had it in a traditional manner served over Grilled Flank Steak. And more recently, I’ve used it to make Chimichurri Shrimp.

Its delightful combination of flavors simply blows me away.

And the best part – they’re both sheet pan recipes for easy clean-up.

Smashed potatoes topped with chimichurri sauce next to baked chicken thighs and slices of watermelon

What To Serve With Smashed Potatoes

This would make a great side dish for:

Recipe for Chimichurri Potatoes

I hope you give this chimichurri potatoes recipe a try, and especially if you’re looking for Argentina side dishes. Full of pizzazz, you’re going to love them.

More Potato Side Dish Recipes

During the Summer months, don’t hesitate to grab some of those very special purple potatoes for this Roasted Purple Potatoes Recipe. They add a splash of color to your Summer entrees.

And don’t miss my Side Dish Category, you’ll find tons of side dish ideas for that favorite main course including the most popular potato recipe on my site for Marbled Potatoes.

If you liked this recipe, please leave a star ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ rating in the recipe card below and leave a comment. I always appreciate your feedback and hearing how everything went.

And, don’t forget to subscribe to my newsletter for more delicious recipes and cooking tips. Make it a delicious day … every day.

Smashed yukon gold potatoes with chimichurri sauce on a sheet pan
Print Recipe
5 from 8 votes

Smashed Potatoes with Chimichurri Sauce

These roasted smashed potatoes are crispy on the outside and tender on the inside. Topped with chimichurri sauce, makes this an easy perfect side dish for any meal.
Prep Time20 minutes
Cook Time50 minutes
Course: Side Dish
Cuisine: Argentina
Servings: 6
Calories: 264kcal
Author: Lea Ann Brown

Ingredients

  • 1 ½ pounds Yukon Gold potatoes small potatoes
  • ⅛ cup salt
  • ¼ cup olive oil
  • salt and freshly ground black pepper
  • For the Chimichurri
  • ½ cup red onion minced
  • ⅓ bunch parsley finely chopped
  • 1 tablespoon oregano fresh, chopped
  • 1 tablespoon garlic minced
  • 3 tablespoons Red Wine Vinegar
  • ½ teaspoon crushed red pepper
  • 1 tablespoon lemon zest
  • ⅓ cup extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 teaspoon coarse salt
  • ⅓ teaspoon black pepper

Instructions

  • For the Chimichurri:
  • Mix chimichurri ingredients in a bowl and let stand at room temperature for at least 15 minutes.
  • Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
  • Add the potatoes and ⅛ cup salt to a large saucepan. Bring to a boil and then reduce to a simmer. Cook the potatoes until fork-tender, about 20 minutes. Drain the potatoes.
  • Add ¼ cup oil to a baking sheet and spread it around. Gently transfer potatoes to the baking sheet. Shake the pan back and forth so the potatoes roll in the oil.Smash the potatoes with the back of a fork. Don't crush them, just smash them until they break open. Drizzle with more oil and season with salt and pepper.
  • Bake the potatoes for 30 minutes or until they're starting to turn golden brown on the top. Transfer the potatoes to a serving platter and drizzle on the chimichurri sauce.

Nutrition

Calories: 264kcal | Carbohydrates: 17g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 21g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Sodium: 2374mg | Potassium: 498mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 64IU | Vitamin C: 16mg | Calcium: 53mg | Iron: 4mg

Chimichurri Potatoes … It’s What’s For A Side Dish

Grilled Shrimp Salad with Citrus Mint Dressing, Avocado and Orange

By 17 Comments

Grilled Shrimp Salad Recipe. Sweet grilled shrimp are tossed with avocado, petite tomatoes and red onion that have been marinated in a lively citrus mint dressing. You’ll want to make this fresh, delicious and oh-so healthy salad over and over.

If you’re looking for more shrimp salad recipes, take a look at this Blackened Shrimp Salad with Champagne Vinaigrette. A recipe from a popular Denver restaurant.

Grilled shrimp salad with avocado, orange wedges, mint and cherry tomatoes

The flavors in this healthy shrimp salad are absolutely fresh and divine. The citrus and mint dressing that soaks the sweet cherry tomatoes and the bright red onion is so very tasty.

And with a lively surprise of hot sauce, you’ll fall in love.

The crispy grilled shrimp are sweet and luscious. And the garnish of fresh orange wedges and healthy avocado, you’ve got a fabulous main course seafood salad.

One of the keys to this grilled shrimp salad is sweet orange slices. Orange slices that have had the white bitter pith properly removed. You find instructions on how to supreme an orange below.

How To Remove White Pith From An Orange

Before we get to the recipe, I want to show you how to “supreme” an orange. That means, to cut the rind off the orange to remove the white bitter pith. And create orange wedges that are clean, pleasant to the eye and the palate. A technique I learned at Culinary School.

How to peel an orange to remove the white pith. How to supreme an orange.
  • With a sharp knife, slice the two ends off of the orange.
  • Turn the orange onto one of the ends, and angle the knife so that you can slice the first piece of rind from the orange.
  • Move the knife downwards and along the curve of the orange.
  • Don’t be shy with this, you want to make sure you’re cutting off that white pith.
  • Continue slicing the skin from the orange until you have a completely naked piece of fruit.
  • You’ll then find those thin white lines that mark where the segments are.
  • Using the tip of your knife, cut along those lines and remove the pieces of orange into wedges.

Voila, clean orange slices that have no flavor indication of that white bitter pith flavor.

Culinary School Tip: Tip: hold the peeled orange over a bowl to separate the wedges and capture the juice for a vinaigrette.

Now that we’ve got that beautiful clean orange, let’s make this grilled shrimp salad.

Let’s Make This Grilled Shrimp Salad

This fresh citrus shrimp salad recipe is one that can most certainly grace your dinner table year round. With the containers of orange, red and yellow petite tomatoes that are available to us, you can have Summer in a bowl, year round.

This shrimp salad is a great recipe for clean eating during the Winter and Summer months. Use your outdoor grill in the warm months and grab that stove-top grill pan during the Winter.

Raw shrimp in a white bowl with a marinade of orange juice and cilantro

15 minute marinade for grilled shrimp

We’ll first marinate the shrimp.

  • Simply place raw, deveined and peeled shrimp in a deep bowl.
  • Add olive oil, hot sauce, orange juice and mint.
  • Let this sit for about 15 minutes.
  • You can leave or remove the tails. I like to leave them.
Salad dressing for grilled shrimp salad with red onion, cherry tomatoes, cilantro and olive oil and hot sauce

Meanwhile, slice the tomatoes, the onions and chop the cilantro. Place this in another bowl and add lime juice, olive oil and more hot sauce. Set aside and grill the shrimp.

Stove-Top Pan Grilled Shrimp for Salad

Is your grill covered in snow most of the Winter like mine? Just grab your stove top grill pan. It works beautifully to sear shrimp. Let’s take a look:

  • I simply spray the pan with Pam. Or you can use a silicone brush to coat the pan with olive oil. Heat grill pan over medium high heat.
  • Once the pan is hot, add the shrimp.
  • Most importantly, don’t let the shrimp touch. You need air to circulate around each piece. If you crowd the pan, you’ll find moisture building. This will prevent the shrimp from getting that perfect sear with those perfect grill marks.
  • Cook shrimp in batches if you need to.
  • Let the shrimp cook about 2 minutes per side.
  • Shrimp have a built in pop-up timer – as soon as they turn pink, they’re cooked.
  • Done!

To grill the shrimp outdoors, coat the grates of a grill with oil and heat to medium high. Add the shrimp and watch them closely. Grill 1 – 2 minutes per side. I like to use a slotted grill pan for shrimp. With the cost of premium quality shrimp, I don’t want to lose any between the grates.

Assemble The Salad

  • To plate the salad, add a big spoonful of the onion and tomato dressing to a plate.
  • Add orange slices and sliced avocado and top with the grilled shrimp.
  • I’ve added some garnish of frisee lettuce for garnish.

Grilled Shrimp Salad with Avocado and Orange

I hope you give this grilled shrimp salad recipe a try. It’s truly a very special main course shrimp salad recipe.

And don’t miss my Seafood Category. You’ll find lots of great recipe ideas. And don’t miss the most popular shrimp recipe on my site. It’s an appetizer recipe for Campechana. Mexican shrimp cocktail.

If you liked this recipe, please leave a star ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ rating in the recipe card below and leave a comment. I always appreciate your feedback and hearing how everything went.

And, don’t forget to subscribe to my newsletter for more delicious recipes and cooking tips. Make it a delicious day … every day.

Grilled shrimp salad with avocado, orange wedges, mint and cherry tomatoes
Print Recipe
5 from 2 votes

Grilled Shrimp Salad with Avocado, Orange and Citrus Mint Dressing

Sweet grilled shrimp are tossed with avocado, petite tomatoes and red onion that have been marinated in a lively citrus mint dressing.
Prep Time30 minutes
Cook Time5 minutes
Resting time15 minutes
Course: Main Course Salad
Cuisine: Amerian
Servings: 4
Calories: 368kcal
Author: Lea Ann Brown

Ingredients

  • 2 oranges
  • 2 teaspoons hot sauce
  • ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil plus 1 Tablespoon
  • 2 tablespoons fresh mint chopped
  • Salt and freshly ground black pepper
  • 24 large shrimp shelled and deveined, about 1 ½ pounds
  • 3 tablespoons fresh lime juice
  • 1 cup cherry tomatoes halved
  • ½ small red onion thinly sliced
  • ¼ cup coarsely chopped cilantro
  • 1 pinch dried oregano preferably Mexican oregano
  • 1 teaspoon brown sugar
  • 2 Hass avocados cut into thin wedges

Instructions

  • With a knife, peel one orange to remove the bitter pith.
  • Using a juicer, squeeze the 2nd orange and place the juice in a small bowl.
  • Add 1 teaspoon of the hot sauce into the orange juice. Add 1 tablespoon of olive oil and the mint. Whisk and season with salt and pepper.
  • Add the shrimp and with a large spoon, gently toss to coat the shrimp with the marinade. Let this sit for 15 minutes.
  • In another bowl, place lime juice, the remaining ¼ cup of oil. Add the remaining teaspoon of hot sauce and brown sugar. Whisk to emulsify then add the tomatoes, onion, cilantro and oregano, Season lightly with salt. Toss to combine with a large spoon to combine.
  • Oil the grates of the grill. Or preferably coat a grill basket with Pam. Heat grill to medium high heat. Or coat a stove top grill pan with Pam. Heat the grill pan over medium high heat.
  • Once the pan or grill is hot, add the shrimp. Don't over-crowd shrimp. Cook the shrimp in batches if necessary. Crowded shrimp will build mositure and not sear properly.
  • Grill the shrimp over high heat for about 4 minutes, turning once or twice until lightly charred and cooked through.
  • To plate, place a large spoonful of the tomato dressing on plates. Add the sliced avocado and orange slices. Top with grilled shrimp. Garnish with frisee lettuce (optional)

Nutrition

Calories: 368kcal | Carbohydrates: 21g | Protein: 11g | Fat: 29g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Cholesterol: 91mg | Sodium: 346mg | Potassium: 763mg | Fiber: 9g | Sugar: 9g | Vitamin A: 650IU | Vitamin C: 62mg | Calcium: 104mg | Iron: 2mg

Grilled Shrimp Salad with Avocado and Orange…It’s what’s for Dinner