There is nothing as simple and satisfying as the following huevos rotos recipe. This is a comfort food that Spaniards hold near and dear -- try it and you'll see why!
Looking for Spanish breakfast recipes? Try pan con tomate and this authentic Spanish hot chocolate. Don't miss these 14 Spanish egg dishes that are never served for breakfast!
Introduction
Huevos rotos are a seemingly simple dish, but they're surprisingly delicious and have earned a spot on my list of favorite Spanish meals along with tortilla de patatas and pisto con huevo. It's an easy, affordable, and quick dish I crave on a regular basis!
In Spain, eggs aren't served for breakfast, but are a popular choice for snacks, lunches, and dinners. No matter when you enjoy huevos rotos, this recipe guarantees an irresistible dish that's ready in less than an hour!
Ingredients
Curious what ingredients you need to make huevos rotos? Let's talk about the key ingredients.
- Eggs: Of course, these are the key ingredient! If you can find free range eggs, those will taste the best in this dish.
- Potatoes: You'll thinly slice the potatoes and cook them before adding the eggs.
- Meat of Choice: I like to use good quality Spanish jamón, which is thinly sliced cured ham, and chorizo, but feel free to change this up to whatever you like best.
See recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.
Variations
- Experiment with different toppings, such as chorizo, jamón, or morcilla (blood sausage).
- Want a vegetarian version? Top the eggs with fried green peppers, mushrooms, caramelized onion, or cheese.
- Serve over Spanish french fries for a traditional finish, or over steamed potatoes or potato wedges for a quicker but not traditional alternative.
How to Make Huevos Rotos
If you’d like to see the full ingredients and instructions, scroll to the bottom of the post for the printable recipe card.
- Coat a skillet with olive oil, then sauté the onions over medium heat. Add the thinly sliced potatoes. (image 1)
- Scatter the garlic, parsley, and green pepper strips on top and turn the heat to low. (image 2)
- Cook for 30 minutes, stirring every 10 minutes, until the potatoes are tender and slightly browned. (image 3)
- Crack 4 eggs on top of the potatoes and turn the heat down very low. Cook until the whites have just set. (image 4)
- Break each egg yolk with the tip of a knife and remove the pan from the heat. (image 5)
- Brown the chorizo in another pan. (image 6)
- Season the huevos rotos with salt and pepper, then add the browned chorizo and slices of jamón. (image 7)
- Serve hot and enjoy right away! (image 8)
Recipe FAQs
Huevos rotos literally means "broken eggs." The trick to these eggs is to fry them until perfectly over easy, and then to break the yolk with the tip of a knife before eating.
Huevos rotos are made of fried eggs served over Spanish french fried potatoes, and are often topped with onions, green peppers, and meats such as chorizo and jamón.
Right before serving huevos rotos, make sure to break the egg yolks with the tip of a knife. This allows the egg yolk to run down and mix with the potatoes for a delicious flavor!
Serve
Huevos rotos are traditionally served over homemade french fries, which are fried in Spanish olive oil and tossed with sea salt. I usually make mine over steamed potatoes, although it isn’t traditional!
Want to try extra toppings for your huevos rotos? Popular choices are chorizo (paprika spiced sausage), morcilla (blood sausage), pimientos (green peppers), and jamón (cured ham). My favorite toppings are fried green peppers and good quality jamón--it's heavenly!
Expert Tips
- Want to serve the huevos rotos over French fries instead of sliced potatoes? Cook the eggs over-easy, keeping the yolks runny, and sauté the peppers, onion, and garlic separately.
- Experiment with different toppings of sautéed onions, peppers, mushrooms, meat, or maybe even cheese.
Huevos Rotos (Broken Eggs)
Ingredients
- extra virgin olive oil for frying
- 4 potatoes thinly sliced
- 1 large onion
- ½ cup green pepper sliced
- 5 cloves garlic minced
- 1 tablespoon parsley
- 4 large eggs
- 1 link cured Spanish chorizo sliced or crumbled
- salt and pepper for seasoning
- Iberian or Serrano ham or prosciutto
Instructions
- Coat the bottom of the pan with olive oil and sauté the onions over medium heat.
- Add the thinly sliced potatoes, then sprinkle the sliced peppers, garlic, and parsley on top and turn the heat down to low. Cook for 30 minutes, stirring every 10 minutes, until the potatoes are tender and starting to brown.
- Crack the four eggs over the potatoes and turn the heat down very low. Cover and cook the eggs just until the whites have set. Then, break the yolks and remove from the heat.
- Brown the chorizo over medium heat in a separate pan.
- Season the huevos rotos with salt and pepper, then scatter the browned chorizo and sliced jamón on top.
- Serve hot and enjoy right away!
Notes
- Want to serve the huevos rotos over French fries instead of sliced potatoes? Cook the eggs over-easy, keeping the yolks runny, and sauté the peppers, onion, and garlic separately.
- Experiment with different toppings of sautéed onions, peppers, mushrooms, meat, or maybe even cheese.
Nutrition
Photography by Giulia Verdinelli
Carl Miller
Great receipe and dialog. Yo have struck gold in my book. My next door neighbors in childhood were from Madrid and Edwardo D. and his family did all they could to teach me this dish. Being only seven to eight years old, they had to endure my eating the dish voraciously while trying to teach the technique.
Thanks for the memories and I appreciate your contributions.
CC
Lauren Aloise
Such a nice memory! Thanks for the comment 🙂
RKBKirin
Sounds like an amazing recipe! Thanks for posting it. I'll have to give it a try.
Also it reminded me of this scene from Parks and Rec
https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/originals/66/19/fe/6619febc680d5e95bb389d2735411cfa.jpg
Mo
You´re so right Lauren. Amazingly (or tragically) I´ve never made them but had them when out. They´re fantastic. I´m a green pepper maniac, the long ones that are supposed to be "Italian" and with the huevos rotos the whole thing is just spectacular. Having served up haggis, neeps and tatties and then dumpling (a sort of fruit cake) recently, I am very clear that Spanish food is better, even something as simple as huevos rotos!
p@man
Mo, imho there's nowt wrang wi a guid haggis, champit tatties and bashed neeps, even a wee slice o Dundee - each dish in its place and time can be a delight. We have served this to Spanish friends who absolutely loved it.
I have never tried making rotos since eating them over Majorquine lobsters in Palma, which was such an extraordinary but amazing dish that I didn't want to sully its memory! However, after reading this I am now inspired to have a go - wish me luck!
Ansley
I, too, love huevos rotos. To me, this dish is a perfect example of the use of basic and inexpensive Spanish ingredients to make a satisfying meal that feels luxurious because each bite is so flavorful. I've never tried to make this at home, however. You've inspired me to try!
Lauren Aloise
Exactly! I'd venture to say that this dish is one of the best representatives of Spain I know of. It is really satisfying which is why I'm always craving it! Definitely make it at home.
Kaley [Y Mucho Más]
Why do I keep reading this blog when I'm hungry? Damn you! 😉
I love Spanish eggs dishes--huevos rotos, huevos estrellados, OBVIOUSLY tortilla, and huevo frito (that Mario's mom makes to perfection). I love dipping really good pan de pueblo in that runny yolk. Heaven!
Katherina
I LOVE huevos rotos... specially with really really good jamon iberico!!
jimy
I've never had these or heard of them. Closest thing I've had is" huevos a la flamenca". I'll definitely try this recipe!
Dan
So delicious and so easy to cook! Apparently, because whenever I cook them at home, they never come out even remotely close to the awesomeness they are in Spain. But then, I always try the "patatas a lo pobre" version, which is maybe too demanding for my poor culinary technique. Funny, I thought that "huevos estrellados" came from "estrellar" (like in crashing them against the pan) rather than from "estrella".
Steve
I agree with Dan. "Huevos estrellados" means "crashed eggs". If it had to do with stars, it would mean star-filled, as in a star-filled sky (cielo estrellado).
Some people ( a few) say huevos estrellados and huevos rotos are different. I know one restaurant that says the rotos are served on top of the potatoes as whole sunnyside-up eggs and you have to cut them up, while the estrellados are already cut up and mixed with the potatoes.
Lauren Aloise
It's true Steve! When I had my husband read this post, he couldn't stop laughing at my little mistake... oh well, it was a good theory while it lasted! I'm not sure if the two are technically different or not, but every restaurant seems to have their own version. Some are more mixed up with the potatoes and others are like whole eggs that are just oozing a little at the yolk. I like them both ways!
ChgoJohn
These dishes sound wonderful and the recipe you shared would make a great meal anytime of day. I see why it's your favorite.
Lauren Aloise
And it's easy to make anywhere-- AKA you must try it asap!
Shana
This is one of my absolute favorite Spanish dishes. I first had it on a hot Saturday afternoon when I studied abroad - our señora woke us up after a very late Friday night out (home around 7, of course) and took us out to her terrace to have gazpacho and huevos rotos. That, plus ice cold water, is my ultimate Spanish hangover cure. 🙂
Lauren Aloise
That would cure any hangover! For sure!!