Divorced Eggs (Huevos Divorciados)
Huevos divorciados Say it: WEH-vohs dee-vor-syah-DOHS
Huevos divorciados is a Mexican breakfast of two fried eggs served side by side, each under a different salsa: a tart green tomatillo salsa on one, a deeper red tomato-and-chile salsa on the other. A band of refried beans and warm corn tortillas sits between them, keeping the two halves apart — hence “divorced.” The plate contrasts cool, bright green with smoky red, creamy garnishes and crisp egg edges. It is a routine morning dish in fondas and home kitchens across Mexico.
Divorced Eggs (Huevos Divorciados)
Huevos divorciados
Pronounced WEH-vohs dee-vor-syah-DOHS
- Serves
- 4
- Prep
- 20 min
- Cook
- 40 min
- Total
- 1 hr
- Level
- Medium
Ingredients
Amounts are scaled. Cooking times and pan sizes stay the same.
Red salsa
Green salsa
To finish
Method
Make the red salsa. char the tomatoes, onion quarter, garlic and serranos in a dry skillet over medium-high heat, turning often, until the skins blister and blacken in spots and the vegetables soften, 6–8 minutes. Slip off the garlic skin, then blend everything with the water and salt until smooth.
Heat 1 tbsp (15 ml) oil in a small saucepan over medium, pour in the red salsa and simmer, stirring, until it thickens and darkens slightly, 5–7 minutes. Taste for salt and keep warm over low heat.
Make the green salsa. char the tomatillos, onion quarter, garlic and serranos in the dry skillet, turning often, until the tomatillos soften and blacken in patches, 8–10 minutes. Peel the garlic, then blend with the cilantro, water and salt until pourable but not watery.
Heat 1 tbsp (15 ml) oil in a saucepan over medium, add the green salsa and simmer until it thickens a little and loses its raw edge, 4–5 minutes. Season and keep warm.
Warm the refried beans gently in a small saucepan, adding a splash of water if they are stiff. Warm the tortillas in a dry skillet for about 20 seconds a side, or wrapped in a clean towel, and keep them covered.
Heat 1 tbsp (15 ml) oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium until it shimmers. Fry the eggs in batches, spooning hot oil over the whites, until the whites are fully set and the edges are crisp and golden, 2–3 minutes for runny yolks. Season with salt and pepper and keep warm.
Plate it. lay 2 warm tortillas on each plate and spoon a thick band of refried beans down the middle. Set 2 fried eggs on either side of the beans.
Spoon green salsa over one egg and red salsa over the other, then drizzle with crema, scatter with queso fresco and extra cilantro, and serve at once while the eggs are hot.
Regional variants
Some cooks serve the salsas in small bowls on the side, add sliced avocado or a spoonful of chilaquiles under the eggs, or use a single swirled salsa instead of two. Poached eggs can replace fried ones for a lighter plate.
Cook's notes
- Charring the salsa vegetables in a dry pan is what gives the salsas their smoky depth; do not rush this step.
- Use 100% corn tortillas and check the label if you need the plate to be gluten-free, since some brands blend in wheat flour.
- Fry the eggs in shimmering oil and baste the whites for the crisp, lacy edges that contrast with the soft salsas.
Serve with
Extra warm corn tortillas, black coffee or café de olla, and fresh fruit.
Make ahead and storage
Both salsas and the beans keep refrigerated up to 3 days; reheat gently and fry the eggs just before serving.
