Molletes — Mexican bean and cheese sandwiches

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

That’s how they’ve become a staple in Mexican cuisine—using ingredients so common that you can always pick up a plate when you’re running out of steam and need food NOW.

Try freshly made Pico de Gallo if you’re making them for the first time. Yes, hot beans and cheese are great, but I think it’s the Pico that can turn these open sandwiches into more than just a run-of-the-mill meal.

How to make moletes

You have a lot of freedom in beans so I’ll give you some good options. Yes, a can of refried beans will do the trick, but I think it’s worth cooking your own batch because you’ll get a huge flavor upgrade with very little effort.

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

They’re wildly forgiving, so feel free to make them even if you don’t have an exact list of ingredients handy.

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

The above picture is a puree of these charro beans which have been swimming in some kind of soup, so they come together quite easily.

Charro beans have an amazing flavor and are definitely worth a try if you’re new to it.

Ok, do you have any beans on hand? Then it’s time to work on Pico. See the following image:

It’s the easiest way to make a fresh batch Pico de Gallo. All you need is:

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

Chop everything well and combine well. Be sure to take the final taste for seasoning, add more salt and lime juice if necessary.

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

Molete is usually served open-faced balls, but any traditional sandwich roll will work for this recipe. After cutting the rolls in half, it’s worth baking them for a few minutes before adding the toppings – this will help them crisp up.

You can give the rolls a quick butter if you like, otherwise just throw them in the oven at 400F for a few minutes.

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

Bake for 3-5 minutes or until cheese is completely 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’re a huge reward.

Yum!

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

Enjoy!

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Molletes (Mexican Bean and Cheese Sandwiches)

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

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Preparation time: 10 minutes minutes

Cooking time: 10 minutes minutes

Total Time: 20 minutes minutes

Portions: 4

Calories: 661kcal

Author: Mexican Please

Ingredients

• 2 glasses refried beans (or mashed beans)
• 1-2 glasses shredded cheese
• 3-4 pastries
• butter (optional)

For Pico de Gallo:

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

For the refried beans:

• 1 I can black beans
• 1/2 onion
• 2 a clove of garlic
• 2 chipotles in adobo
• 1 spoon adobo sauce
• 1/2 a teaspoon cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• freshly ground black pepper
• 1/2 cup water (or stock)

Instructions

• If you want to make refried beans, start by roughly chopping 1/2 an onion and peeling 2 cloves of garlic. Sauté the onion and garlic in a little oil on 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 adobo chips, 1 teaspoon 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. Blend the bean mixture in a blender or food processor. Add salt to taste.

• If you are making fresh Pico de Gallo, start by washing the vegetables well. Chop 2 tomatoes, 1/2 onion, 1/2 jalapeño and 15-20 cilantro sprigs. Add to mixing bowl along with 1/4 teaspoon salt and juice of 1/2 lime. Mix well and taste the seasoning, if necessary add more salt or lime juice.

• Cut the rolls in half and bake them in a 400F oven for a few minutes before adding the toppings – this will help them crisp up. If desired, you can add a layer of butter to each roll.

• Cover each roll with a layer of beans and grated cheese. Bake for 3-5 minutes or until cheese is completely melted.

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

Notes

Seeing the pastries by hand can make them easier to work with. And if they seem too “bready” to you, you can take out part of the inside of the roll and throw it away.

If desired, you can add a layer of butter to the rolls for the baking period that comes before adding the beans and cheese.

I usually start by using only 1/2 of the jalapeño in the Pico de Gallo, and add the other half if I feel it needs more heat. And I usually twist off and discard the lower, thicker cilantro stems, but I use the upper stems.

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