Molletes — Mexican Bean and Cheese Sandwiches

You probably have everything on hand to make a batch of these delicious Molletes, have you tried them yet?!

That’s how they’ve become such a staple in Mexican cuisine — they use such common ingredients that you can always whip up a plate when you’re running on fumes and need food NOW.

Give the freshly made Pico de Gallo a try if it’s your first time making these.  Yes, piping hot cheesy beans are awesome, but I think it’s the Pico that can transform these open-faced sandwiches into more than just a meal on the run.

How To Make Molletes 

You’ve got lots of leeway on the beans so I’ll list a couple good options.  Yes, a can of refried beans will do the trick, but I think it’s worth whipping up your own batch because you get a massive upgrade in flavor for very little effort.

I always seem to have some of these chipotle-infused refried beans in the fridge and that would be a delicious option for these Molletes. 

They are wildly forgiving so feel free to make them even if you don’t have the exact ingredient list on hand. 

Of course, if you open up the fridge and see a batch of Charro Beans on the shelf then you are welcome to use those as well.  That’s what I ended up using for this batch.

The above pic is a puree of these Charro Beans that were swimming in some broth so they blend together quite easily.

Charro Beans have tremendous flavor and are definitely worth trying if you’re new to them. 

Okay, got some beans on hand?  Then it’s time to work on the Pico.  Take a look at the following pic:

That’s the easiest way to whip up a fresh batch of Pico de Gallo.  All you need is:

2 tomatoes
1/2 onion
1/2 jalapeno
juice of 1 lime
15-20 sprigs cilantro
1/4 teaspoon salt

Give everything a good chop and combine well.  Be sure to take a final taste for seasoning, adding more salt and lime juice if necessary.

You’ll end up with a vibrant bowl of Pico de Gallo that will regularly find its way into your kitchen.  More options for using freshly made Pico de Gallo. 

Molletes are typically served open-faced using bolillos, but any traditional sandwich roll will work for this recipe.  Once you cut the rolls in half it’s worth baking them for a few minutes before adding the toppings — this will help crisp them up.

You can optionally give the rolls a quick coating of butter, otherwise just throw them in a 400F oven for a few minutes.

Then give them a healthy layer of beans and shredded cheese.  You can use just about any type of melting cheese for Molletes — this batch was Mozzarella.

Bake for 3-5 minutes or until the cheese is thoroughly melted.

Add some Pico de Gallo to each Mollete and dinner is served!

Easy right?

But don’t let the simplicity fool you — with some flavored beans and freshly made Pico they are massively rewarding.

Yum!

And yes, for an even quicker version I will sometimes just make them with beans, cheese, and a few drops of hot sauce.  And maybe some avocado too 🙂

Enjoy!

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Molletes (Mexican Bean and Cheese Sandwiches)

You probably already have all the ingredients you need for these Molletes (Mexican Bean and Cheese Sandwiches). Try them with some freshly made Pico de Gallo — so good!

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Prep Time: 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 10 minutes minutes

Total Time: 20 minutes minutes

Servings: 4

Calories: 661kcal

Author: Mexican Please

Ingredients

• 2 cups refried beans (or bean puree)
• 1-2 cups shredded cheese
• 3-4 bread rolls
• butter (optional)

For the Pico de Gallo:

• 2 plum tomatoes
• 1/2 onion
• 1/2 jalapeno
• 1 lime
• 15-20 sprigs cilantro
• 1/4 teaspoon salt (plus more to taste)

For the refried beans:

• 1 can black beans
• 1/2 onion
• 2 garlic cloves
• 2 chipotles in adobo
• 1 tablespoon adobo sauce
• 1/2 teaspoon cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• freshly ground black pepper
• 1/2 cup water (or stock)

Instructions

• If you want to make the refried beans start by roughly chopping 1/2 an onion and peel 2 garlic cloves. Saute the onion and garlic in a glug of oil over medium heat for 5-7 minutes.  Drain and rinse one can of black beans. Add the black beans to the onion mixture along with 2 chipotles in adobo, 1 tablespoon adobo sauce, 1/2 teaspoon cumin, 1/2 teaspoon salt, freshly ground black pepper, and 1/2 cup water (or stock). Simmer for a few minutes until heated through.  Combine the bean mixture in a blender or food processor. Salt to taste.

• If you’re making fresh Pico de Gallo start by giving the veggies a good rinse.  Chop up 2 tomatoes, 1/2 onion, 1/2 jalapeno, and 15-20 sprigs cilantro.  Add to a mixing bowl along with 1/4 teaspoon salt and the juice of 1/2 lime.  Combine well and take a taste for seasoning, adding more salt or lime juice if necessary. 

• Cut the bread rolls in half and bake them in a 400F oven for a few minutes before adding any toppings — this will help crisp them up.  You can optionally add a layer of butter to each roll.

• Top each roll with a layer of beans and shredded cheese.  Bake for 3-5 minutes or until the cheese is thoroughly melted.

• Top with freshly made Pico de Gallo and serve immediately.  Enjoy!

Notes

Smooshing the bread rolls with your hand can make them easier to work with.  And if they seem too “bready” you can pull out some of the interior of the roll and discard.
 
You can optionally add a layer of butter to the bread rolls for the baking period that comes before adding the beans and cheese. 
 
I usually start by using just 1/2 jalapeno in the Pico de Gallo, and adding the other half if I feel like it needs more heat.   And I typically twist off and discard the bottom, thicker stems of the cilantro but use the upper stems. 
 
 

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