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This is the archived version of the Milk Street website and is no longer up to date.

Please visit 177milkstreet.com to see the current website with all of the latest recipes!

Molletes with Pico de Gallo

4 Servings

15 minutes

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Mexican molletes are not unlike Italian bruschetti, but the bread is topped with mashed beans and cheese, then toasted until the cheese is melted and browned. They make a great breakfast, light lunch or midday snack. We had molletes in Oaxaca, Mexico, where the bread of choice typically is soft-crumbed, thin-crusted rolls called bolillos that are split open before they’re topped. For our version, we opted for ½-inch-thick slices of supermarket bakery bread with a soft crumb; look for a loaf that measures about 10 by 5 inches and weighs about 1 pound. Pico de gallo (fresh tomato salsa) adds color and fresh flavor to the molletes, so we consider it a necessary embellishment; sliced avocado and pickled jalapeños are delicious but optional.

4

Servings

Tip

Don't walk away from the bread as it broils. Broilers vary in heat output, so keep a close eye on the slices to make sure they don't scorch.

15 minutes

Ingredients

  • 8

    ½-inch-thick slices crusty bread

  • ¼

    cup extra-virgin olive oil

Directions

Reviews
Melissa G.
August 21, 2022
Great for any time
This Molletes recipe is wonderful , It is good as a meal or a snack .
SAMDY D.
December 29, 2025
love to try but. . .
what is supermarket bakery bread?
John W.

I suppose these are, essentially, the origin of very traditional nachos, which I had as a kid growing up in the '60s and early '70s in north Texas. The chips are smeared with a bit of refritos, and topped with cheese and a jalapeño slice, then broiled only until the cheese melted. In Fort Worth Joe T. Garcia's uses a whole tostada for their nachos (serving one for each diner), but other places, like the Original (a standby in mid-century Fort Worth) used basic tortilla chips.

Sandy B.

Sandy B.
Would it be delicious made on a large homemade grilled tortilla instead of thick crusty bread?

JOHN E.

Might be OK but it's outstanding with the broiled bread.


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