Huevos Divorciados Recipe: Dos Salsas, Un Platillo

Huevos Divorciados, or “divorced eggs,” is a classic Mexican breakfast dish that features two sunny-side-up eggs, separated by two different salsas – one verde, the other roja – symbolizing the complexities of love on a plate.

WHAT ARE HUEVOS DIVORCIADOS

Huevos divorciados, which translates to divorced eggs, is a Mexican breakfast classic that features two eggs, each topped with a different salsa. One egg is covered in a green salsa, while the other is covered in a red salsa. The dish gets its name from the fact that the two eggs are “divorced,” or separated, by the two distinct salsas. I’ve created this huevos divorciados recipe with two of my absolute favorite salsas.

WHY YOU’LL LOVE THIS RECIPE

• Flavorful contrast: With huevos divorciados, you get the best of both worlds! No need to pick between the two salsas because you get both in one harmonious dish.  
• Easy to meal prep: If you want to make it easy on yourself when making this dish, I highly recommend preparing the two salsas in advance. This way, when you’re ready to eat (or serve guests), all you have to do is fry your eggs!
• Customizable: Mexican huevos divorciados are highly customizable, allowing people to tailor the dish to their personal preferences. From adjusting the spiciness of the salsas, to adding extra toppings like queso fresco, cotija cheese, cilantro, fresh avocado slices, thinly sliced red onion, or even cooked Mexican chorizo – sky’s the limit!

INGREDIENTS YOU’LL NEED

For the Fried Eggs

• Eggs: I always reach for Nellie’s Free Range eggs because they tend to have firmer whites and richer, more flavorful yolks, which results in some very tasty fried eggs. Nellie’s also treats its hens with kindness by following Certified Humane free-range guidelines, leading to healthy and happy hens that lay delicious eggs.
• Oil: My preferred oils for frying eggs are safflower or canola.
• Salt: just a pinch.

For the Salsa Roja

I prefer an authentic Mexican salsa roja, but your favorite store bought red salsa will work for this recipe. Here’s what you’ll need if you’re making it from scratch:

• Serrano peppers are small, slender chili peppers that are bright green in color. They are reminiscent of jalapeños but with a bit more spice.
• Garlic cloves and onion add flavor and complexity.
• Diamond Crystal Kosher Salt is my salt of choice when cooking, so be sure to taste and adjust as you cook if using a different salt.
• Fresh cilantro adds a burst of bright, citrusy flavor.

For the Salsa Verde

Again, homemade is always best and I love the tanginess of my salsa verde, but any green salsa will work.

• Not to be confused with green tomatoes, tomatillos add flavor, texture, and balance to this salsa recipe. You can find them in the produce section of most grocery stores. Be sure to remove the husks and rinse off the sticky residue before cooking them.
• Arbol peppers are widely used in Mexican cuisine. They are known for their fiery heat and slightly nutty flavor. Find them at your local Mexican grocery stores or online.
• White distilled vinegar adds a tangy acidic flavor and enhances the flavors of the other ingredients. It also helps preserve the salsa. I love this salsa with eggs!
• Salt enhances and balances the flavors, bringing out the natural taste of the ingredients.

RECOMMENDED FOR THIS RECIPE

Hestan 8.5-Inch Frying Pan

I’ve used all different types of pans to fry eggs, from cast-iron and ceramic, to carbon steel and non-stick. This titanium stainless steel pan is the best for cooking all styles of eggs. VIEW PRODUCT

HOW TO MAKE THIS RECIPE

1. Prepare the Salsa Roja

• Add serrano peppers, tomatoes, onion, and garlic to a small saucepan and add enough water to cover ingredients. Bring ingredients to a boil over medium heat and cook until soft but not mushy, for about 8 to 10 minutes. 
• Using a slotted spoon, remove ingredients from the saucepan and add them to a blender along with the cilantro and salt. Process ingredients on medium setting until smooth, for about 30 to 60 seconds.
• Transfer to a glass jar until ready to use.

2. Prepare the Salsa Verde

• Lightly toast chiles on a comal or flat pan on low, for about 3 minutes or until they release their aromas. Move and turn frequently to avoid burning. Remove from heat and then remove the stems.
• In a small saucepan or pot, boil tomatillos and chiles with enough water to cover them, for about 8-10 minutes.
• Transfer tomatillos and chiles to a blender or food processor and blend on medium setting for 60 seconds with salt and vinegar. If necessary, add small amounts of water from the boiled tomatillos until salsa reaches desired consistency. 
• Transfer to a glass jar until ready to use.

3. Fry Eggs and Serve

• Heat oil in a separate skillet over medium heat.
• Fry eggs until whites are set and yolks are cooked to your liking. I like mine sunny-side-up, or over-medium. 
• Place two eggs on each plate. Top one with green salsa, and the other with red salsa. Season with a sprinkle of salt. Serve immediately, with additional salsa on the side if desired. 

HOW TO SERVE HUEVOS DIVORCIADOS

After topping eggs with the two salsas, I like my huevos divorciados with a side of refried beans and warm corn tortillas. Sometimes, when I have guests or am feeling extra hungry, I’ll make a batch of papitas con chorizo, too.

Once you make this recipe, try my Easy Breakfast Tostadas with Black Beans and Eggs.

RECIPE TIPS AND TRICKS

• I highly recommend that you make your salsas in advance!
• If you’re hosting a large group, double, triple, or quadruple your salsa recipes. You can also heat your salsas with a little bit of chicken broth to yield more.
• Some people like serving the eggs on lightly fried corn tortillas, which is similar to how you would serve huevos rancheros (another one of my favorite Mexican egg recipes). For huevos divorciados, I prefer warm corn tortillas on the side.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

​​​​​​​Can I make huevos divorciados ahead of time?

While huevos divorciados are best enjoyed fresh, you can prepare the salsas and toppings up to three days in advance to save time – especially if you’re hosting friends and family. Simply reheat the salsas and fry your eggs just before serving.

What are some recommended toppings for huevos divorciados?

Popular toppings include sliced avocado, crumbled queso fresco or cotija cheese, chopped cilantro, thinly sliced red onions, and Mexican crema.

Can I adjust the spiciness of the salsas?

To control the spiciness of the salsas, adjust the amount of chili peppers you use. For a milder salsa, use fewer peppers or remove the seeds and membranes. For a spicier salsa, leave them in or add more peppers.

Can I use store-bought salsa instead of making it from scratch?

If you’re short on time, feel free to use good-quality store bought salsas for this recipe. However, given that aside from the eggs, your two salsas are the other stars of this dish, making salsa from scratch is preferred. 

LOOKING FOR MORE INSPIRATION? 

If you’re looking for more Mexican egg recipes, here are a few of my favorites:

• Easy Breakfast Tostadas
• Tacos de Huevos a la Mexicana
• Burritos de Chorizo con Huevos (Mexican Chorizo and Egg Burritos)
• Kale and Mushroom Egg Bites
• Huevos Rancheros
• How to Build a DIY Breakfast Tostada Bar

If you make and love this recipe, I’d love to know! Please leave me a 5-star review and comment below. 

Many thanks to Nellie’s Free Range Eggs for sponsoring this post. As always, the recipe and opinions shared about these products are my own.

Lola’s Cocina is a small business that earns various revenue streams. This includes sponsored posts and affiliate commissions from linked products, which I use and love, at no extra cost to readers. This income helps sustains the site. 

Photography and Styling: Cacey McReavy