How Do You Brunch?
We are BIG brunch fans around here. Whether it's pulling out all the stops on a Saturday morning and making way too much food for our families, or heading downtown on a Sunday to sip mimosas and overload on fluffy pancakes, we just can’t get enough. In fact, the recipe for this easy Mexican breakfast is inspired by one of our long time favorite brunch spots right here in Portland, Oregon: Mother’s Bistro. We’ve been piling into the quaint and crowded Portland favorite for years, making our loud and hungry families brave long lines, all for a coveted table to enjoy some of our favorite breakfast food in the city. Their migas always hits the spot for us, but we wanted to create a simple version we could make at home to enjoy any day of the week.
What Is Migas?
Directly translated from Spanish, the word “migas” means ‘crumbs’. And in the culinary world, “migas” can mean many different things depending on where you are! The migas we love and decided to try to replicate fall under the umbrella of Tex-Mex migas, and are closely associated with Austin, Texas.
Simply put, migas are a simple Mexican egg dish that consists of strips of corn tortillas (NOT tortilla chips) pan fried till just barely crisp, and then flooded with whipped egg and bright spices and quickly cooked together. This ultra-craveable Mexican-inspired breakfast food plays nice with whatever it’s served with—be it waffles or home fries, hash browns or pancakes—and we cannot get enough.
How Do You Make Migas?
Now that we’ve sold you on its merits, let’s get down to how you make this easy migas recipe.
- Heat two tablespoons of oil and one tablespoon of butter in a skillet set to medium-high.
- Add freshly-cut strips of corn tortillas and a pinch of salt and cook until just crispy (about 5-7 minutes).
- Add onion and bell pepper to the skillet and saute until tender. Add the garlic and stir for 30 seconds, then turn the heat down to low.
- Whip eggs in a bowl with chili powder and salt, then add to the pan.
- When the eggs are almost cooked through, add the Monterey cheese, cilantro and tortilla strips to the mix.
- Toss a few times until eggs are cooked through.
- Garnish, eat, enjoy!
Tips For Making The Best Migas:
- Good quality, fresh corn tortillas are a must! Do not attempt this migas recipe with flour tortillas.
- Don’t overcook your eggs! The best scrambled eggs are just barely cooked through, still glistening and light and fluffy. NEVER allow your eggs to brown.
- If your pan is too dry, feel free to add more oil or butter.
- Let a non-stick skillet be your friend here. There’s nothing worse than losing half your migas to the bottom of the pan.
- Use the whole egg! You need those egg yolks for maximum flavor folks! You could attempt this Mexican egg dish with just egg whites, but I cannot guarantee the results. Use large eggs, or add a couple extra if yours are on the smaller side.
- Feel free to experiment with your peppers! Red and green peppers will be the most mild in flavor, but if you like to walk on the wild side try adding some jalapeno peppers or even serrano peppers for heat. Mmmmm.
What Do You Serve With Migas?
This is the best part! I love the texture and flavor of crispy corn tortillas mixed with savory peppers, onions and eggs, but I ADORE all of the fun things that I get to serve alongside this easy migas recipe.
Try topping this Mexican-inspired breakfast dish with:
- Our super simple pico de gallo with cabbage.
- This restaurant style salsa—it’s good on everything, but puts this migas recipe over the top.
- Fresh avocado, and lots of it!
- Chopped cilantro for an herbaceous bite.
- Cotija cheese is our favorite Mexican cheese and is the perfect finish to this simple migas recipe.
Try serving your migas with:
- A side of bacon or grilled chorizo
- Refried beans (black or pinto are our favorites)
- Atop roasted potatoes
- Next to anything sweet….it’s all about balance!
Equipment You Need to Make This Easy Migas Recipe:
Migas really are a snap to make—you don’t need much! Just:
Other Brunch Dishes We Love:
- When you’re feeling a little more ambitious than a dish as simple as these migas, how about homemadehuevos rancheros?
- Brunch at home can be even more elegant that brunch out, especially if you serve these lovely shirred eggs with leeks.
- Welcome warmer days with a spring asparagus frittata with crème spring asparagus frittata with crème fraîche.
Migas for Every Meal? Sure...Why Not?
So, you’ve tried our migas and it’s love...we get it! How about the next time you whip up this classic Mexican breakfast dish you snap a picture and post it to Instagram tagging @themodernproper and #themodernproper so we can ooh and ahh over it with you? As always, happy eating!
