Machaca con Huevos (With Variations)

By
Chelsie Kenyon
Chelsie Kenyon
Chelsie Kenyon, author of "Knack Mexican Cooking," is a former freelance writer and recipe developer with more than 10 years' experience in Mexican cuisine.
Learn about The Spruce Eats' Editorial Process
Updated on 12/6/21
Machaca con huevo recipe

​The Spruce Eats / Diana Chistruga

Prep: 5 mins
Cook: 10 mins
Total: 15 mins
Servings: 2 servings
Yield: 2 tortillas

Machaca, (muh CHA kuh) in its traditional form, is beef that has been marinated, cooked, shredded, and then dried—a kind of Mexican beef jerky. It developed in northern Mexico and the southwestern United States and remains popular in that region

It used to be that cooks had to rehydrate machaca before using it, but that step is no longer necessary; as refrigeration has become widely available, machaca rarely gets fully dried anymore.

One of the easiest ways to eat machaca is in the scrambled egg preparation called machaca con huevos. Look for the seasoned meat in the Latino foods section of a supermarket or a Mexican grocery store and whip up a flavorful, hearty, high-protein breakfast, brunch, or dinner. If you can't find authentic Mexican machaca, use a shredded beef jerky, or make the recipe with fresh shredded beef or pork.

Since machaca con huevos originated in northern Mexico, hot flour tortillas generally accompany it.

Ingredients

  • 1 teaspoon pork lard, or vegetable oil

  • 1/4 cup coarsely chopped onion

  • 1 teaspoon finely chopped fresh serrano chile pepper

  • 1/4 cup machaca, finely shredded

  • 1 small tomato, seeded and diced

  • 1 pinch cumin

  • 1 pinch salt

  • 3 large eggs, beaten

  • 2 warm flour tortillas

  • Refried beans, optional

  • Sliced tomatoes, for garnish

  • 1 mashed avocado, for garnish

Steps to Make It

  1. Gather the ingredients.

    Gather ingredients
    ​The Spruce Eats / Diana Chistruga

  2. Heat the lard or oil in a medium skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering. Sauté the onion and serrano chile for about 20 seconds.

    Heat the lard
    ​The Spruce Eats / Diana Chistruga

  3. Add the machaca and cook for about 1 minute more.

    Add the machaca
    ​The Spruce Eats / Diana Chistruga

  4. Mix in the tomatoes and seasonings. Remove the mixture from the pan and set aside, keeping it warm.

    Mix in the tomatoes
    ​The Spruce Eats / Diana Chistruga

  5. In the same pan, scramble the eggs until they just barely set.

    Eggs
    ​The Spruce Eats / Diana Chistruga

  6. Remove the pan from the heat and fold in the tomato and machaca mixture.

    Add tomatoes
    ​The Spruce Eats / Diana Chistruga

  7. Let the eggs sit in the hot pan for an additional minute to finish cooking.

    Let sit
    ​The Spruce Eats / Diana Chistruga

  8. Serve machaca con huevos with hot flour tortillas and refried beans, if you like. Garnish with a scoop of smashed avocado and tomato slices. Serve and enjoy.

    Serve
    ​The Spruce Eats / Diana Chistruga

Recipe Variations

  • Use a jalapeño instead of a serrano chile pepper.
  • Omit the chili in the recipe (or substitute green pepper for the chili) and serve machaca and egg scramble with spicy guacamole or Mexican table sauce.
  • Omit the onion, tomatoes, and chili from the recipe, then serve a simplified machaca con huevos with a fresh pico de gallo salsa (same ingredients, different presentation).
  • Use machaca con huevos as a filling for burritos or tortas.
  • Fry the machaca with the other ingredients, omitting the eggs. Cook the eggs independently (scrambled or over-easy) and serve them alongside the prepared meat.
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
1327 Calories
57g Fat
169g Carbs
41g Protein
×
Nutrition Facts
Servings: 2
Amount per serving
Calories 1327
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 57g 73%
Saturated Fat 12g 60%
Cholesterol 290mg 97%
Sodium 1687mg 73%
Total Carbohydrate 169g 61%
Dietary Fiber 25g 91%
Total Sugars 11g
Protein 41g
Vitamin C 62mg 310%
Calcium 199mg 15%
Iron 12mg 65%
Potassium 2168mg 46%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

Recipe Tags: