Authentic Mexican Molletes Recipe: A classic recipe for breakfast or afternoon snack, this easy recipe pairs perfectly with a hot cup of coffee or cafe con leche. You can add some variety of toppings to the molletes with salsas, cheese, and different protein choices.

Mexican molletes topped with pico de Gallo on a plate.

In This Post

Mexican Molletes Recipe | Easier Than You Think
Frequently Asked Questions About Mexican Molletes
Authentic Molletes Recipe
What To Serve With Refried Bean Molletes
📖 Recipe
💬 Comments

Mexican Molletes Recipe | Easier Than You Think

One of the many things I often miss from my hometown is the cafeteria-style restaurants we call “cafes”. It's a place where you can sit literally for hours and hours with your friends over a cup of coffee. You can have a really good time with your friends, family, or classmates like I used to do in my old school days.

So much so, a popular phrase in Latin America is: “Todo se arregla con un café”, which means everything can be fixed over a cup of coffee! One of my favorite snacks I enjoyed eating with my cafe con leche was molletes. I usually ate it for breakfast or as a mid-afternoon snack with my friends while working on a school project.

My hometown has a historic downtown where some old Café from my school days are still open after many years of serving the local community. After my recent trip back home and being able to visit a Cafe for a quick coffee date with some friends, I was craving some molletes at home.

So, I decided to recreate the recipe myself and add all of my favorite toppings to make a delicious authentic mollete!

Itacate Tampico, Tamaulipas, where people wait in line to get lunch and dinner with traditional Mexican dishes. — Itacate restaurant, people waiting for a traditional Mexican lunch.

Frequently Asked Questions About Mexican Molletes

What are molletes made of?

Molletes are a traditional Mexican open-faced sandwiches topped with refrying beans and melted cheese. They consist of bolillo rolls (a type of bread) split in half and topped with refried beans and cheese, then baked until the cheese is melted and bubbly. Some variations include toppings like salsa, pico de gallo, avocado, or chorizo. Also, depending on the country's area, you will find other toppings like cochinita in Yucatan. It's a delicious and easy dish to make at home.

What part of Mexico molletes from?

Molletes are found all over Mexico and other areas of Latin America. Even though the word mollete came from Spain, referring to a round crusty roll introduced to Mexico during the viceroyalty times. The molletes became very popular in central Mexico and adapted to our culture by adding local ingredients, e.g. beans.

What kind of bread works best for molletes?

Whenever I make this snack, I like to use homemade bolillos rolls or French baguettes, but any bread store-bought crusty bread is a good substitution.

Do I have to use refried black beans?

No, you can use any type of refried beans you like. Sometimes, I'll swap out the black beans for refried pinto beans. However, black beans are more common for Molletes.

What is the best cheese for this recipe?

In Mexico, we love to make our molletes with a melting cheese called "Manchego" or Oaxaca cheese even Queso fresco, although this last one is not a melting cheese. However, this is always up to you, and you can use any of your favorite cheeses like Monterey Jack, pepper jack, mozzarella, or grated Muenster cheese.

Authentic Molletes Recipe

Here is a list of ingredients you will need to make this recipe for Mexican molletes at home...

Crusty rolls, bolillo bread rolls (like French bread)
Butter (softened)
Refried beans

Optional toppings:

Shredded melty cheese
Pico de gallo salsa (onion, tomatoes, serrano pepper, and cilantro with lime juice)
Chorizo
Salsa
Salt and black pepper
sliced avocados (optional)

Please note: For exact measurements of the ingredients listed above, scroll down to the recipe card at the bottom of this post!

Ingredients like Oaxaca cheese, crusty Mexican rolls, refried beans, chorizo, butter on a cutting board.

JUMP TO FULL INSTRUCTIONS

How To Make Mexican Molletes: Step By Step Tutorial

To make things easier for you, I am going to break down the directions for this recipe into sections.

Toast The Bread

Preheat your broiler in the oven to 400F
Cut the crusty bread rolls in half lengthwise.
Using a spoon, remove some of the inside crumbs.
Spread the softened butter over the bread and place them on the baking sheet.
Broil for about 4 to 5 minutes until they are golden and toasted.

Mexican crusty rolls on a baking sheet, next to butter.

Add The Toppings And Serve!

Remove from the baking sheet and spread the warm refried beans on the bread. Top them with the cheese evenly, and place them back inside the oven to warm and melt the cheese. About 4-5 minutes.

Mexican crusty rolls topped with black refried beans on a baking sheet.

Serve the Molletes (bread rolls) with your preferred toppings like pico de Gallo Salsa, a hot salsa, or pickled jalapeños.
Enjoy!

Note: check the Pico de gallo salsa recipe for instructions.

What To Serve With Refried Bean Molletes

When I make these molletes at home, I like to top them with fresh pico de gallo salsa or red salsa de molcajete. For some added protein, I like to add a few crumbles of cooked homemade Mexican chorizo, other options are slices of cooked bacon or ham, If you would like to enjoy your molletes as an afternoon meal, try enjoying it with a cup of coffee just like we do back in Mexico.

More Authentic Mexican Recipes To Enjoy

If you enjoyed this recipe for molletes, take a look at some of these other authentic Mexican recipes:

I hope you make these Mexican molletes! If this recipe was of any help to you, come back to let me know your experience. Please leave us a comment below and tell us all about it!

¡Buen provecho!

Mely,

For more recipes, follow Us on Facebook, Instagram, and Pinterest. In español Visit Us at Mexico en mi cocina.

📖 Recipe

Molletes Recipe

Mely Martínez

I really enjoyed having Molletes with a cup of coffee for breakfast, or as a mid-afternoon snack with my friends while working on a school project. I hope you enjoy this delicious recipe. Surprise your family today!

5 from 28 votes

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 5

Cook Time 10

Total Time 15

Course Antojitos, Appetizers

Cuisine Mexican

Servings Servings

Calories 595 kcal

Ingredients

▢ 2 Crusty rolls, bolillos or French bread cut in 6 inch length sections each.
▢ 2 Tablespoons butter softened
▢ ½ cup warm refried beans
▢ ¾ cup shredded Oaxaca Cheese or grated Muenster cheese* See notes for substitutes
▢ ½ cup of Pico de Gallo Salsa**
▢ Optional: 1 Crumble cooked chorizo

Instructions

Preheat your broiler. Cut the bread in half lengthwise. Remove some of the inside crumbs. Spread the bread with the softened butter and place on the baking sheet. Broil for about 4 to 5 minutes until they are golden and crispy. You can also toast the bread directly on a griddle at medium heat.
Remove from the baking sheet and spread the warm refried beans on the bread.
Top the bread rolls with the cheese. (Add the cooked crumbled chorizo if using now). Place back into the broiler until the cheese has melted. About 5 minutes. Serve with the Pico de Gallo Salsa or the salsa of your choice.

Notes

* Any melting cheese will work, like mozzarella or Monterrey Jack.

** You can also use other Mexican salsas

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Nutrition

Serving: 2Molletes ( sin chorizo)Calories: 595kcalCarbohydrates: 36gProtein: 26gFat: 39gSaturated Fat: 27gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 62mgSodium: 1942mgPotassium: 238mgFiber: 5gSugar: 4gVitamin A: 730IUVitamin C: 1mgCalcium: 130mgIron: 2mg

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Comments

5 from 28 votes (1 rating without comment)

Authentic Mexican Molletes Recipe

Mexican Molletes Recipe | Easier Than You Think