Huevos ahogados: Drowned eggs in red sauce

Huevos ahogados (drowned eggs) is a traditional Mexican breakfast featuring easy eggs simmered in a hearty, flavorful sauce. Learn how to make stey by step this authentic recipe and enjoy any day of the week.

Huevos ahogados served with beans and queso fresco cheese.

About this easy recipe

Huevos ahogados means drowned eggs in English. The recipe takes its name from the way the eggs are cooked, that’s it, poached in a flavorful and delicious red sauce made of tomatoes and chilies.

Is well known that Mexicans love eggs, not only as a first meal of the day but also for lunch and dinner. So in Mexico, besides being a family staple recipe, this dish can be found on the menu of any restaurant that serves breakfast.

About the red salsa

Without a doubt, the star of the drowned eggs recipe is the salsa. Our recipe calls for simple seasonings because I think everything should be balanced to appreciate all flavors together and not let certain seasonings overpower and ruin the dish.

We have prepared the red salsa with fresh tomatoes, onion, and chipotle chili peppers in adobo that gives a particular flavor. We’ve also roasted the ingredients to get that delicious smoky flavor that many people love.

Anyway, because cooking is mostly about personal taste, don’t be afraid to experiment with other seasonings and ingredients. For example, a pinch of cumin, one or two guajillo or pasilla chilies, some cilantro, etc. But remember, balance is the key.

Tomato and chipotle salsa in a immersion blender.

The ingredients

For Huevos Ahogados you really need a few simple ingredients that probably are sitting in your fridge and pantry. Fresh eggs, ripe tomatoes, onions, and hot peppers, any kind of chili hot peppers are good and, if you don’t like spicy you can leave them out or add just a little.

I really recommend you to make this breakfast at least once with chipotle peppers, the sauce comes out so good and tasty! You can find chipotle peppers in adobo sauce at any Mexican or Latin American store, they’re sold in small cans and last like 2 months in the fridge once opened.

Regarding the use of pork lard, if you don’t like the taste or don’t want to use it at all, just replace it with your favorite oil.

How To Make Huevos Ahogados Recipe

In a comal or cast-iron skillet put the tomatoes to roast over medium heat for 15 minutes. Add the onion and roast turning it from time to time.

Roasted tomatoes on a comal.

If you add another type of chili (for example, chile de arbol) you can also roast it, but only at the end since it can burn very easily.

Transfer the tomatoes, onion, and chipotle peppers in adobo sauce to a blender. Add the garlic, a cup of water, or chicken stock and blend until you will have a sauce nicely combined.

A collage with two photos of the red salsa being prepared.

In a cooking pan, heat pork lard (or oil) over medium heat. Pour over the sauce, season with salt and pepper, and let it simmer for 2 minutes.

Add two cups of hot water or chicken stock. Bring to a simmer and cook the sauce for about 5 minutes. Adjust seasonings to taste.

A collage with two photos of the sauce being cooked in a pan.

Crack an egg into a bowl and add it into the sauce very carefully so that it won’t break and make a mess. Repeat until all eggs are on the pan.

Let the drowned eggs boil for a few seconds and, with a spoon pour over some hot sauce so they can also cook on top.

A collage with two photos of huevos ahogados cooking on a pan.

The longer you leave the sauce to simmer, the more cooked the eggs will be, so is really up to you and how you’d like your eggs. Turn off the heat and serve as suggested below.

Useful Notes & Tips

  • Be careful when adding the eggs to the sauce as they can break easily and make a mess. You can also crack them directly into the sauce, if you feel confident with it.
  • Do not mix immediately after adding the eggs to the sauce. Wait about 10 seconds and then carefully baste them with the hot sauce.
  • Other chilies can be used to make this recipe, such as serrano, jalapeño, or chile de árbol. Roast them too before blending.
  • If is easier for you, roast the tomatoes and onions in the oven, just wrap them in foil and bake at 200°C (390F) for about 20 minutes.
  • Tomatoes are not on season or you don’t have them available? Don’t worry, use a can of fire roasted tomatoes instead.

How to serve

There are many ways to serve huevos ahogados, the most common is to do it on a deep plate so you can add plenty of sauce. Then you can add the following sides and toppings to make it a full meal:

Store and Reheat Instructions

Huevos ahogados can be made ahead and have them ready for a quick breakfast or lunch. For storing, allow them to cool down and then place all in a container with a tight lid and store in the fridge for up to 3 days.

Reheating is very simple, place the dish in a pan and heat with a splash of chicken stock or water over medium heat. Alternatively, use the microwave with 30 seconds intervals until heated through.

Watch How To Make It

Other Mexican Breakfast Recipes

Huevos Ahogados (drowned eggs)

2 people
Huevos Ahogados are poached eggs “swimming” in a delicious red sauce, a simple and very quick meal to prepare in less than 30 minutes. Serve them with some warm tortillas and coffee.
prep 10 minutes
cook 25 minutes
total 35 minutes

Ingredients 

  • 4 large eggs
  • 3 small (300 gr) fresh tomatoes
  • 1 small (30 gr) onion
  • 1 Tbsp chipotles in adobo sauce (or more to taste)
  • 1 Tbsp lard (or any oil you prefer)
  • 1 ⅔ cup (400 ml) hot water (or chicken stock)
  • 1 garlic clove (peeled)
  • salt and pepper

Instructions
 

  • In a comal or skillet put the tomatoes to roast over medium heat for 15 minutes. Add the onion and roast turning it from time to time (read notes).
  • Transfer the tomatoes, onion and chipotle peppers in adobo sauce to a blender. Add the garlic, a cup of water or chicken stock and blend until you have a smooth sauce without lumps.
  • In a medium saucepan, heat the pork lard (or oil) over medium heat. Pour the sauce, salt and pepper and let it simmer for 2 minutes.
  • Add the remaining hot water or chicken stock. Raise the heat on the stove to medium high and bring to a boil. Let the sauce cook for 5 minutes.
  • Add the eggs directly into the sauce very carefully so that they won’t break. Let them boil for a few seconds and, with a spoon pour over some hot sauce so that they also cook on top.
  • Adjust with salt, turn off the heat and serve immediately.

Notes

  • If you add another type of chili (for example, chile de arbol) you can also roast it, but only at the end since it can burn very easily.
  • Be careful when adding the eggs to the sauce as they can break easily and make a mess. You can also crack them into a bowl rather than directly into the sauce.
  • Do not mix immediately after adding the eggs to the sauce or you’ll make a mess. Wait about 10 seconds and then carefully bathe them with the hot sauce.
  • If you don’t want the sauce to be spicy, you can use some kind of chili that is easy to remove the seeds and veins. This way you can add the flavor of chillies but at the same time they won’t be so spicy.
  • If you wish, you can also roast the tomatoes and onions in the oven, just wrap them in foil and bake at 200°C (390F) for approximately 20 minutes.
  • The longer you leave the sauce to simmer, the more cooked the eggs will be, so is really up to you how you’d like your eggs.
Nutrition Information
Calories: 309kcal
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8 Comments

  1. 5 stars
    Hi Maricruz!
    I am going to try this recipe with my 4-year-old son who loves to help out in the kitchen.
    I hope it will turn out the same. Thanks a lot for sharing the recipe

  2. Hello – we are in the middle of making this, but we’re a bit confused on the liquid. The ingredient list calls for ONE AND TWO-THIRDS cups of water or chicken stock. Instruction 2 says to pour ONE cup of the liquid in the blender. Instruction 4 says to pour TWO cups of liquid in the pan.

    How much liquid are we really supposed to use and when?

    Thanks!

    1. Hi Megan, you are right, I’ll fix the recipe card to make it clear. Use 1 cup to make the sauce and use 2/3 to add to the pan. You need a thick sauce, so 2 more cups would be just too much.
      Thank you for trying the recipe and my apologies for the mistake :)