While some of the ingredients we associate with Mexican food came to Mexico with the Spanish conquistadors, many others date back to pre-Columbian times. One of these ingredients is eggs. The Spanish didn’t bring birds to the New World, so eggs have long been an important element of Mexican cuisine. They make a great base for any other ingredients you want to add, and they’re also an excellent source of protein.
In American food culture, eggs are typically a breakfast food, but there’s no reason to limit them like that. You can enjoy huevos rancheros—or any Mexican egg dish—at any time of the day.
Let’s explore the history of eggs in Mexican food and some of our favorite huevos dishes at Los Primos.
Ancient Ingredients
Mexican cuisine as we know it today is technically a fusion of ancient Mexican recipes and ingredients and techniques imported from Spain and other European countries. The indigenous people of Mexico, such as the Aztecs and the Mayans, incorporated eggs into their diets well before the Spanish realized there was a New World to sail to. Eggs were readily available, making them a convenient food to include in the meals. Additionally, even if the ancient people of Mexico didn’t know what protein was, they would have noticed the differences in their overall health.
More Than One Way to Cook an Egg
The indigenous people of Mexico had several ways to cook eggs, just as we do today. Scrambled, boiled, and fried eggs were all common, and eggs were often included in recipes for tamales and stews. As Spanish culinary traditions influenced Mexican cuisine, eggs remained an integral ingredient, even as new foods and cooking methods were introduced.
Our Favorite Huevos Dishes
As we’re sure you’ve figured out, huevos is the Spanish word for “eggs.” At Los Primos, our customers enjoy our huevos dishes throughout the day, so don’t stop yourself from ordering eggs for dinner if that’s what you want! We, of course, have the perennial favorite Huevos Rancheros, which is eggs over-easy served on a fried tortilla and covered with red salsa. We also have some other heuvos offerings. Huevos con Chorizo is scrambled eggs with chorizo, and Machaca con Huevos is scrambled eggs with beef and red salsa. For the vegetarian crowd, we have Huevos a la Mexicana, scrambled eggs with onions, tomatoes, and green jalapeños. All our huevos dishes come with refried beans and tortillas, just in case you need your meal to have some more Mexican staples.