Egg Tostadas with Fresh Salsa Verde

Egg tostada with fresh salsa verde, and cotija cheese

One of my favorite ways to used up leftovers is to find creative ways to pair them with eggs. If you have leftover taco night fixings, these are a breeze to convert into an interesting, quick breakfast.   

Salsa, cheese, and tortilla are the core of this recipe, but feel free to incorporate substitutions –  avocado, chopped veggies, seasoned meat etc. would all play nicely here.

Ingredients (serves 2)

4 small flour tortillas

2 Tbs coconut oil

4 eggs

½ cup crumbled cotija cheese

Fresh salsa verde (homemade or store bought is fine)

2 TBS white vinegar

Hot sauce (optional)

Toasted Tortillas

While the eggs are cooking, add the coconut oil to a separate pan on medium high heat.  I like using coconut oil here because you can get really crispy tortillas and it lends a slight sweetness that really balances out the dish.

Add a tortilla to the pan and toast on either side (about 30 seconds per side). When the tortilla begins to puff up and brown on one side, flip it over to toast the other side. Transfer your toasted tortillas to a plate with paper towel to blot. 

Poached EggsStart by prepping a pan of water for poaching the eggs.  Add a splash of white vinegar to the water to ensure that the egg whites shape up nicely. You’ll want to have the water almost boiling before you add the eggs in.  

Crack the eggs one by one into a small cup and add to the water with the heat on low.  Cracking the eggs into a cup first also helps keep the whites together when you add them to the pan.

Use a slotted spoon so that the poaching water can drain and gently place one egg in the middle of each toasted tortilla.

Plating
Top the eggs with crumbled cotija cheese (a Mexican cheese with a similar flavor/texture to feta) or whatever your taco cheese of choice is.

Add a liberal dressing of salsa verde on top.  The brightness of this salsa has a great contrast with the richness of the eggs, cheese, and fried tortilla.

If you like a little spice, accent your tostadas with a hint of hot sauce for added punch and a burst of contrasting color.  Cholula was great here because it’s more flavorful and just a little hot.