Baleadas
on Nov 20, 2022, Updated Jun 04, 2025
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Baleadas are a Honduran dish of flour tortillas, refried beans, cheese, scrambled eggs, and sour cream that is infinitely satisfying and craveable.
Baleadas are a Central American street food that is one of the national dishes of Honduras. Traditionally, the dish consists of thick and fluffy flour tortillas covered with a thin layer of creamy refried red beans, Honduran cream (mantequilla rala) , and crumbled cheese (queso dura). They are enjoyed at breakfast, lunch, and dinner, and many Hondurans eat them regularly. Sometimes Hondurans make them at home, but they are often eaten at a restaurant or purchased from a stand or food truck.
Baleadas Sencilla, also known as simple baleadas, contain just the above ingredients. A Baleada Mixta, or Baleadas Especiales, includes the addition of scrambled eggs, which is what is going on in this recipe! And a super special baleada (Baleada Super Especial) might include anything from plantains to sausage to chicken to ground meat.
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And the best part is that making baleadas is ridiculously easy, fast, inexpensive, and uses easily available grocery store ingredients.
What's In This Post?
My friend and occasional sous-chef, Guillermo Cruz, shared this baleada recipe with me when we were cooking together. His girlfriend’s stepfather is Honduran, and this is one of the national dishes of Honduras. Guillermo learned how to make baleadas from him, and then taught me — and I am eternally grateful!
Ingredients
- Flour tortillas – If you can find thicker flour tortillas (which are traditional in Honduras), go for it.
- Refried red beans – Creamy refried beans are the base layer of this dish. Some cooks make their own refried beans from scratch. The beans get even better heated with a bit of olive oil blended in before assembling this recipe. The olive oil loosens and smooths out the beans and adds even more flavor.
Kitchen Smarts
Guillermo recommended a brand of refried beans called “Ducal” from Guatemala, which were so flavorful and creamy. I know they made a very big difference in the recipe. They are available online and in markets with a significant Central American clientele.
- Queso fresco – Different kinds of cheeses, or quesos, are used in traditional baleadas. Queso dura is the most popular and a hard, white, crumbly cheese. I chose queso fresco, which has a milder, less salty flavor.
- Scrambled eggs – Lightly scrambled eggs added to these baleadas make them “special.”
- Avocado – This is a common addition. Also, I can think of few taco-like foods that don’t get better with the addition of avocado.
- Sour cream or crema – We used sour cream instead of the looser crema, but either will work fine. If you can find a Honduran cream called Mantequillo Blanco, buy and use that! Very authentic.
- Hot sauce – Optional, but I think it makes the baleada kind of perfect.
How to Make Baleadas
- Prepare the warm ingredients: Heat the refried beans with a bit of olive oil. Warm the tortillas. Scramble the eggs.
- Build the base: Place a warm tortilla on each plate. Spread a heaping tablespoon of refried beans on each tortilla. Add the scrambled eggs.
- Finish and serve: Add cheese and avocado, then the cream. Finish with a squirt of hot sauce if desired. Eat while warm.
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Honduran Baleadas
Ingredients
- ½ cup refried red beans (approximately)
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 6 flour tortillas
- 6 eggs
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper (to taste)
- 1 tablespoon butter
- ½ cup queso fresco (or cotija cheese)
- One avocado (sliced)
- ⅓ cup sour cream (or crema)
- Hot sauce (to serve, if desired)
Instructions
- Combine the beans with the olive oil in a small pot. Heat over medium-low heat, stirring frequently until warm and smooth.
- Meanwhile, heat a small skillet over medium-high heat. Warm the tortillas for 1 to 2 minutes on each side, until lightly browned, warm, and pliable. Stack the tortillas on a plate and cover them with a clean dishtowel to keep them warm.
- Beat the eggs in a small bowl. Season lightly with salt and pepper. In the same skillet that you cooked the tortillas in, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the beaten eggs and scramble, stirring often, just until cooked. Slide out of the pan onto a plate.
- Place a warm tortilla on each plate. Spread a heaping tablespoon of refried beans on each tortilla. Spoon ⅙ of the scrambled eggs on the beans. Top with a heaping tablespoon of the cheese, a few slices of avocado, and a tablespoon of sour cream or crema. Give the baleada a squirt of hot sauce if desired. Eat while warm.
Notes
- Most refried beans are pretty high in sodium, so adjust your salt seasoning in the recipe accordingly.
- Try to find handmade flour tortillas, which are a definite cut above the packaged flour tortillas you can find in most grocery stores. However, those will work just fine if that’s what you can get.
