Mexican Molletes: 15-Minute Bean and Cheese Toasts with Pico de Gallo for School Mornings

Heat the oven broiler to high and set a rack about 6 inches from the element. Line a sheet pan with foil.

Serves 4

Ingredients

• 4 bolillo rolls or small crusty sandwich rolls, split lengthwise
• 2 tablespoons softened butter
• 1 1/2 cups refried pinto beans, warmed
• 1 1/2 cups shredded Oaxaca or Monterey Jack cheese
• 2 Roma tomatoes, finely diced
• 1/4 white onion, finely diced
• 1 jalapeno, seeded and minced (optional for kids)
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
• Juice of 1 lime
• 1/4 teaspoon fine salt
• 1 ripe avocado, sliced, for serving

Instructions

1. Heat the oven broiler to high and set a rack about 6 inches from the element. Line a sheet pan with foil.
2. Scoop out a little of the soft crumb from each roll half to make a shallow bed for the beans, then spread the cut sides thinly with butter.
3. Broil the buttered rolls cut-side up for 1 to 2 minutes, until the edges turn golden and crisp.
4. Spread each toasted half with a generous layer of warm refried beans, right to the edges so the bread doesn't scorch.
5. Top with shredded cheese and broil 2 to 3 minutes more, until the cheese is melted and bubbling in spots.
6. While the molletes broil, stir together the tomatoes, onion, jalapeno, cilantro, lime juice, and salt for a quick pico de gallo.
7. Spoon pico de gallo over the hot molletes, add avocado slices, and serve right away, two halves per person.
8. Make-ahead tip: mix the pico and portion the beans the night before; in the morning the whole breakfast takes 15 minutes.
9. Molletes are a Mexico City breakfast and cafeteria staple, born from the crusty bolillo rolls that bakeries sell by the dozen each dawn. Beans, melted cheese, and fresh salsa make a cheap, filling, protein-rich start that kids can help assemble, which is exactly why generations of Mexican families have leaned on them for hurried school mornings.

Nutrition (estimated, per serving)

• Calories: 430 kcal
• Protein: 19g
• Fat: 18g
• Carbohydrates: 49g
• Fiber: 9g
• Sugar: 4g
• Sodium: 820mg