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This easy recipe for scrambled eggs with tomatoes and onions (huevos revueltos con tomate y cebolla) is a traditional Guatemalan breakfast prepared with eggs, fresh tomato and onion, lightly fried in vegetable oil.
It’s often served with black beans, white cheese and caramelized plantain as part of a typical Guatemalan breakfast known as desayuno chapín or desayuno típico.
Enjoyed throughout the country, this one-pan egg dish is the Guatemalan version of huevos á la Mexicana and Turkish menemen, minus the hot chile peppers.
Why We Love This Variation of Scrambled Eggs
While many Americans and Canadians don’t eat breakfast at all, in Guatemala, we eat twice each morning! We typically begin the day with a hearty breakfast between 6 and 8 am, or prior to whenever we need to leave the house.
This traditional early morning meal — which everyone eats seated together — often features eggs, white cheese, plantain, black beans plus tortillas, champurradas or French rolls. There might also be a steaming bowl of mosh (oatmeal) and pancakes with honey.
Later, at around 10:00 am, when we’re at work or school, we’ll enjoy the morning refacción, a light snack served with coffee, atole or other beverage. A Guatemalan refacción can be as simple as a tostada with chojin or more elaborate like a tortita de ejote (green bean fritter) tucked inside a crusty roll.
This eggs and tomato breakfast instantly takes me back to Guatemala in my heart. It’s the perfect blend of traditional Guatemalan comfort food and deliciousness.
In Canada, I usually make it Saturday or Sunday mornings, with as many sides as I have time to make or buy. It’s a handy recipe for other reasons too:
- It’s also fast and easy to make.
- Tomatoes are nutritious! They add a boost of vitamin C and potassium to the high protein eggs.
- If you need an inexpensive dish to make in large amounts for breakfast or brunch for a crowd, huevos revueltos con tomate y cebolla is your dish.
- It also happens to be one of those versatile low carb, low calorie recipes that’s enjoyed by all ages.
- Spanish scrambled eggs with tomato and onions is also handy for small gatherings and solo breakfasts because you can easily adjust the amount you make without complicated calculations.
Main Ingredients You Need for Huevos Revueltos con Tomate Y Cebolla
This egg dish requires no complicated ingredients, methods or equipment. You likely have everything you need on hand.
Plum Tomatoes – Also known as roma tomatoes, these are firmer and have a lower water content than round or beefsteak varieties. To ensure the best flavour, store at room temperature away from direct sunlight. Or, if refrigerated, allow them to reach room temperature before using.
White Onion – A common, easily accessible onion with a tangy flavour but less bite than yellow onions.
Vegetable Oil – Choose quality canola or corn oil. Olive Oil isn’t the best choice for this recipe as it brings its own unique flavour that doesn’t play all that well with eggs.
Eggs – Eggs absorb odours and lose flavour over time, so you should aim to use eggs that have been in your refrigerator for less than three to five weeks.
Fresh Cilantro – This fresh herb brings brightness and aromatic flavour to the dish. You can substitute other fresh herbs such as parsley if you’re not a cilantro lover. Did you know that due to genetics, cilantro tastes like soap for around 20% of the population?
Step by Step Instructions
Scroll down to the recipe card for full method and quantities.
1. Peel the tomatoes. To do it easily, cut an X in the bottom of each tomato, plunge them into a pot of boiling water for 30 seconds, lift them out with a slotted spoon and place them in an ice-bath.
The peels should now be easy to remove. Remove the peel and cut out the stem.
2. Chop the tomato and onion finely, discarding the majority of the tomato seeds.
3. Heat the vegetable oil in a non-stick skillet set to medium.
4. Add the onion to the pan, sprinkle with salt and sweat until translucent. Add tomatoes, cover and continue to sweat over medium heat until the vegetables are softened, stirring occasionally.
Try not to let the vegetables brown. Reduce heat and add a few tablespoons of water if necessary. The mixture should be slightly saucy in around 5 minutes.
5. Meanwhile crack the eggs in a separate bowl and beat with a fork or a whisk until fluffy. Season with a pinch of salt.
6. Pour the beaten eggs into the tomato and onion mixture in the frying pan. Stir to distribute the eggs evenly.
7. Cook over medium heat until the eggs are firm, stirring occasionally, for around 5 minutes. The finished dish should be most and not browned.
8. Remove from heat and garnish with chopped, fresh cilantro.
9. Serve immediately with a side of black beans sprinkled with a salty, white cheese such as queso de Zacapa, cotija or feta as well as wedges of avocado and black beans.
How to Serve Scrambled Eggs with Tomato and Onions
- Serve it with refried or cooked black beans topped with cotija or feta, tomato sauce, a wedge of white cheese, fried plantain and slices of avocado.
- Traditionally, Huevos Revueltos con Tomate Y Cebolla is served alongside a basket of Guatemalan breakfast bread such as French rolls, champurradas (a Guatemalan sesame seed cookie similar to thin biscotti) or warm corn tortillas.
- Many people like to add a few dashes of hot sauce (I love Marie Sharp’s habanero sauce) to their scrambled eggs or crumble some dry salty cheese such as queso de Zacapa (substitute Mexican cotija or Greek feta) over top.
- Serve with a Guatemalan chirmol or Mexican salsa verde on the side.
- You could also serve these scrambled eggs with tomatoes and onions on toast brushed with butter.
Tips and Variations of Scrambled Eggs and Tomatoes
- Don’t overcook scrambled eggs. This is a common mistake that can make them dry and less appetizing. Take your eggs off the heat when they still look slightly moist. They’ll continue to cook in the serving dish. The finished dish should be moist and not browned.
- A medium heat and a slow approach to cooking scrambled eggs is better than using a high temperature.
- This dish can also be made with cherry tomatoes. Just cut them in half, don’t peel.
- For scrambled eggs with tomatoes and spinach, add chopped baby spinach after cooking the tomato and onion. Cook until wilted and then add the beaten egg.
- Add finely chopped chile pepper such as poblano to the tomato mixture. This will add heat to the dish. Depending on your heat tolerance, with added peppers, you may want to serve with crema or sour cream.
- Sprinkle with crumbled bacon or chorizo.
- Instead of garnishing with cilantro, serve on a bed of arugula. It’s a very similar flavour and adds a nice amount of greens to the meal.
Frequently Asked Questions
Are scrambled eggs with tomatoes healthy?
Eggs are high in protein and amino acids. Tomatoes are a good source of vitamins and minerals including Vitamins C and A and folacin. As long as you limit the amount of oil you use in the skillet, this dish is very healthy.
How do you make scrambled eggs taste better?
By themselves, scrambled eggs can taste pretty bland. The best way to make scrambled eggs taste better is to add flavour with fresh ingredients. That’s what makes huevos revueltos con tomate y cebolla a requested dish over and over again.
To avoid a bitter aftertaste, don’t use aluminum and non-stainless steel frying pans because the tomato’s acid will react with them. Instead, prepare your scrambled eggs with tomato in a frying pan with a non-reactive surface (such as enamelware, PFOA-free nonstick, ceramic or stainless steel).
How to avoid your scrambled eggs from being grey?
The grey colour on cooked eggs is actually ferrous sulfide. The best ways to avoid this ugly greenish-grey colour in scrambled eggs is to:
- Cook the eggs at a medium rather than high temperature.
- Don’t use a cast-iron skillet to scramble your eggs. Opt for stainless steel or non-stick PFOA-free pan.
- Use the freshest eggs possible.
- If you’re using ground pepper, add it at the end of the cooking process rather than the middle or end.
- Serve the scrambled eggs immediately rather than allowing them to sit.
If you follow the above rules, you shouldn’t end up with grey scrambled eggs.
Other International Breakfast Recipes You’ll Love
- Easy Green Chile Eggs and Cornbread
- Spanish Breakfast Casserole
- Easy Mango French Toast Casserole to Make Ahead
- Tortitas de Berro – Guatemalan Watercress Fritters
- Arepa di Pampuna – Caribbean Pumpkin Pancakes
Scrambled Eggs with Tomato and Onion - Huevos Revueltos con Tomate Y Cebolla
Equipment
- Skillet
- Bowl
Ingredients
- 3 plum tomatoes Roma
- 1 white onion small
- 1 Tablespoon vegetable oil
- 4 eggs large
- ½ teaspoon salt or to taste
- cilantro (garnish) optional
Instructions
- Peel the tomatoes. To do it easily, cut an X in the bottom of each tomato, plunge them into a pot of boiling water for 30 seconds, lift them out with a slotted spoon and place them in an ice-bath. The peels should now be easy to remove. Remove the peel and cut out the stem.
- Chop the tomato and onion finely, discarding the majority of the tomato seeds.
- Heat the vegetable oil in a non-stick skillet set to medium.
- Add the onion to the pan, sprinkle with salt and sweat until translucent. Add tomatoes, cover and continue to sweat over medium heat until the vegetables are softened, stirring occasionally. Try not to let the vegetables brown. Reduce heat and add a few tablespoons of water if necessary. The mixture should be slightly saucy in around 5 minutes.
- Meanwhile crack the eggs in a separate bowl and beat with a fork or a whisk until fluffy. Season with a pinch of salt.
- Pour the beaten eggs into the tomato and onion mixture in the skillet. Stir to distribute the eggs evenly.
- Cook over medium heat until the eggs are firm, stirring occasionally, for around 5 minutes. The finished dish should be most and not browned.
- Remove from heat and garnish with chopped fresh cilantro, if desired.
- Serve immediately with a side of black beans sprinkled with a salty white cheese (such as queso de Zacapa, cotija or feta) as well as wedges of avocado.
Notes
- Try not to overcook your eggs. This is a common mistake that can make scrambled eggs dry and less appetizing. Take your eggs off the heat when they still look slightly moist. The heat from the eggs will continue to cook them. The finished dish should be moist and not browned.
- A medium heat and a slow approach to cooking scrambled eggs is better than using a high temperature.
Nutrition
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Managing editor, Francisco Javier Sanchez is a photographer and content creator who is passionate about the interrelation between food, sustainable tourism and heritage. He studied agriculture at the University of San Carlos in Guatemala and his work has appeared in leading print and online publications. Learn more about Francisco Sanchez.
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Nicole
This scramble eggs recipe is delicious and filling. Would high recommend on vacation time off.
Agnieszka
This is my favorite way to eat scrambled eggs! So creamy and delicious!
Amanda Dixon
These eggs turned out perfectly soft and fluffy. I really loved the tomato addition!
Jean
This recipe is similar to what we have in PH, and the best way actually to cook scrambled eggs the smell fills the kitchen. We pair it with bread and rice too and a side of ketchup!
Michele Peterson
Yep! I like it with ketchup too!
Jill
simple and so delicious! Love how the flavors of everything is so balanced! With a side of beans, its a complete meal!
Andrea White
What a unique recipe! Love how simple it is!