Tex-Mex Omelet with Roasted Cherry Tomato Salsa
Fresh Tex-Mex omelet stuffed with black beans, smashed tortilla chips and cheese, topped with homemade roasted cherry tomato salsa. Good for breakfast, brunch or dinner!
Updated by Kathryne Taylor on October 1, 2024
I intended to write about springtime in Kansas City todayโabout how the hum of my space heater had been replaced by the roar of the air conditioning unit, how the tulips are on fire and the whole city seems to be joining us on our evening walksโbut it snowed yesterday. Unwelcome snow flakes covered our green grass in a patchy white blanket during a most unusual May flurry. Iโm glad to report that it has melted already. What in the world?
It was warm the weekend before last when I walked into my favorite little health food store in Kansas City and found the first of the local cherry tomatoes. Juicy, sweet and ripe through the center, cherry tomatoes are reliably tasty. Theyโre my tomatoes of choice until those gorgeous heirloom tomatoes appear at the market in mid-summer. Anyway, I went back to the store for more local tomatoes after I dreamed up this recipe, but I couldnโt find any more of them. Maybe I spoke too soon on the tomatoes, too.
The recipe I have today is a combination of two food concepts I encountered last week in Oklahoma. Oklahoma isnโt exactly renowned for cutting edge culinary concepts, but then again, I donโt aspire to be a cutting edge chef. Inspiration is everywhere. Both roasted cherry tomatoes and omelets stuffed with smashed tortilla chips were new to me, and I can now say Iโm a fan of both. I found the sweet and juicy, whole roasted cherry tomatoes in Nebuโs salad bar line when my dad took me to lunch at the new Devon tower. They make this fresh homemade salsa taste extraordinary.
Later in the week, I ordered an omelet stuffed with tortilla chips out of curiosity when I went to brunch with friends at Juan del Fuegoโs. A small handful of chips lend salty crunch and extra flavor to the interior of the omelet. Itโs indulgent and lowbrow and wonderful. If youโre familiar with Tex-Mex migas (eggs scrambled with tortilla chips) or if youโve ever tried huevos rancheros with crispy tortillas, youโre probably firing up your skillet already.
Iโve been working on my omelet-making technique all week and I canโt say Iโve perfected it yet, but Iโve typed up my method as best I can below. Donโt worry if your omelet doesnโt turn out perfectly; the worst that can happen is that you end up with scrambled eggs. Any combination of eggs, chips, salsa and cheese is going to be delicious. Serve with coffee, mimosas or spicy bloody marys in the morning or a Mexican beer with lime at dinner.
Oh and the internet (and Julia Child and Jacques Pรฉpin) will tell you that you must use a non-stick skillet to make an omelet, but Iโve been making mine in my 8-inch cast iron skillet without trouble. For it to work, though, your cast iron skillet must be well-seasoned. Another tip: be sure to heat your skillet before adding anything to the pan to further prevent sticking. (Wondering why Iโm so obsessed with my cast iron skillets? Several reasons. Theyโre non-toxic, non-stick and easy to clean once you get the hang of them. Regular non-stick skillets can release toxins when over-heated or scratched; cast iron pans do not. Cast iron pans are affordable and last forever.)
Tex-Mex Omelet with Roasted Cherry Tomato Salsa
Fresh Tex-Mex omelet stuffed with black beans, smashed tortilla chips and cheese, topped with homemade roasted cherry tomato salsa. Good for breakfast, brunch or dinner!
Ingredients
Roasted Cherry Tomato Salsa (quantities below yield enough for 2 saucy to 4 not-so-saucy omelets)
- 1 pint cherry tomatoes
- ยฝ teaspoon olive oil
- ยฝ small white onion, chopped
- โ cup loosely packed cilantro, chopped
- 1 jalapeรฑo, deseeded and membranes removed, finely chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 small lime, juiced, or 2 teaspoons white wine vinegar
- โ teaspoon sea salt
Tex-Mex Omelet (quantities below yield 1 omelet)
- 2 eggs
- 2 tablespoons milk or water
- pinch sea salt
- pinch black pepper
- hot sauce (Cholula recommended)
- 1 scant tablespoon butter
- โ cup Jack cheese or other melty cheese, shredded
- 3 tablespoons black beans
- handful blue corn chips or tortilla chips, broken into small bite-sized pieces
- optional garnishes: sliced avocado, sour cream, hot sauce, etc.
Instructions
- Make the salsa: Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Line a small, rimmed baking pan with parchment paper for easy clean-up. Toss the cherry tomatoes with ยฝ teaspoon olive oil and a sprinkle of sea salt on the baking pan. Roast for 15 to 20 minutes, until the tomatoes are juicy and collapsing on themselves.
- In a bowl, mix together the chopped onion, cilantro, jalapeรฑo, garlic, lime juice or vinegar and sea salt. Once the tomatoes have cooled enough to handle, use a serrated knife to chop them. Pull off the tomato skins as you go for a smoother salsa. Mix the tomatoes into the mixture. Taste and add more salt or lime juice if necessary.
- Make the omelet: In a bowl, whisk together the eggs, milk or water, sea salt, black pepper and a few dashes of hot sauce. You want the egg mixture to be super scrambled. Heat an 8-inch, well-seasoned cast iron skillet or non-stick skillet over medium-low heat. Once the pan is hot enough that a drop of water sizzles on contact, toss in the pat of butter and swirl the pan to coat. Pour in the egg mixture and let it set for about ten seconds. Use a heat-safe spatula to gently scoot the set eggs toward the middle of the pan, then tilt the pan so runny eggs take their place. Repeat this process until there is hardly any runny eggs to scoot around. Use your spatula to gently release the underside of the omelet from the pan. Tilt the pan a little forward and back to make sure itโs not stuck anywhere, then use a quick flick of the wrist to flip the omelet back into the pan. Let it set for a few seconds, then scoot it off the pan onto a plate.
- Immediately top ยฝ of the warm omelet with a sprinkle of cheese, followed by black beans, smashed tortilla chips, and more cheese, then gently fold the other half on top. Spoon a generous amount of salsa (warm the salsa first if necessary) over the middle of the omelet as shown. Serve immediately.
Notes
If youโre in a hurry, skip roasting the tomatoes and make pico de gallo using the salsa recipe below, or gently warm store-bought salsa instead. If an omelet seems too tricky, just make scrambled eggs.
Nutrition
The information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionistโs advice. See our full nutrition disclosure here.
P.s. I have more Cinco de Mayo recipe ideas over here!
Iโm so impressed at your omeletโs fluff! Iโve never gotten mine to look like that. Need to work on it.
The roasted tomato salsa sounds divine. Honestly, I could probably just eat a large bowl of that!
Thanks, Joanne. I think the trick to fluffy omelets is to whip the eggs a ton!
What a great idea for breakfast for dinner! I just might have to slather hot sauce all over it, because, wellโฆ.yum! Although I know it wouldnโt need it, those cherry tomatoes look so fresh and flavourful! And tortilla chips insideโฆ.so creative. This is so my friday night meal.
Thanks, Katy! Iโm all for smothering this omelet with hot sauce. The more, the better.
I love this! It look so good! I am totally thinking about making this for dinner tonight!
First of all, the salad looks alluring and delicious! It beckons of warmer weather here in the mid-west and the fresh produce to come. Secondly, I love your incorporation of the roasted cherry tomatoes! I never would have imagined doing that. Excellent idea, and another beautifully done post.
Thank you, Dan. Hope youโll try roasted cherry tomatoes soon.
Corn chips INSIDE?! Now that is a great idea! I have a cast iron skillet but will confess that I rarely use it. (Horrible, right?!) I always use my non-stick because I have a TERRIBLE habit of needing to wash my pots and pans before I sit down to my meal. I just donโt feel right leaving a dirty cast iron skillet in the sink to soak. Silly I knowโฆ. Iโm a quirky one! Youโve convinced me to start using it more thoughโฆ mine could definitely use a little seasoning!! :)
Chips inside, yes! I appreciate your enthusiasm for the concept, AngelaโI was pretty psyched about the idea. I wish I had your habit of cleaning up before sitting down to eat. I make a huge mess and deal with it later. I donโt soak my cast iron pans, though. I just try to give them a good rinse when theyโre still warm, scrub any stuck food off with a little bamboo dish scraper from Crate and Barrel, and dry them.
Yum! This looks amazing, and such beautiful photos! xx
Being vegan, I donโt eat eggs, but I bet a chickpea flour omelet would be just wonderful with this roasted tomato salsa! The flavors sound so bright and fresh โ perfect for the lovely spring weather!
Great suggestion, Jodye. I would like to try a chickpea flour omelet! Sounds delicious.
Love the sound of this omelet! Yum!
I love anything with egg and a fancy omelet such as this one would make my day! My dinner tight is taco and now am thinking I should whip up some of that salsa as well :)
We met your Dad and Mom tonight. He flirted with our two little girls and told us about your blog. Heโs a proud Dad.
Thanks for visiting, Hayley! My parents are pretty great. :)
That salsa is calling my name, love it!
Thereโs nothing better than a nice fluffy omelette! Weโve been having some crazy fits of weather here as well, 90 one day and raining the nextโฆ
Yesssss, ha-pleaaaaase.
I am sooo going to prepare it for lazy Sunday brunch :-)
Very nice recipe. Thank you. Have a good weekend!
Thank you, Liz!
Oh my goshโฆthis looks and sounds fantastic! One could eat it for breakfast OR dinnerโฆor lunch! Its a pretty versatile dish. Kinda perfect for this Cinco de May weekend! So, I posted it on our Cinco de Mayo Pinterest board: http://pinterest.com/deliciouskarma/cinco-de-mayo
Youโre a genius! This sounds so good. I love huevos rancheros โ I bet the crunchy tortilla chips in this omelet are great! Love your push of cast-iron cooking, too. My mom has been cooking in the same cast iron skillet for like 30 years that she bought used, but I had to buy mine brand-new and it still sticks to certain foods. I have been seasoning it well for a few years now, but maybe Iโm doing something wrong โ I would never try an omelet in mine. I saw some cast iron at an antique storeโฆ I should have bought a well-used one!
Thanks, Sophie! Iโm pretty obsessed with my cast iron pans. Mine can be kind of finicky, sometimes they seem to have a more non-stick surface than at other times. One trick Iโve found that really does make a big difference is to heat the pans dry, then once they are hot enough to sizzle when a drop of water hits the surface, I add oil and start cooking. Hope that helps.
The roasted tomato salsa looks amazing, just bookmarked!
This salsa is screaming at me!I LOVE roasted cherry tomatoes! YUM!!
This sounds so good! Dang, I want this tonight!
This is definitely on the menu for supper tonight. I have leftovers from our Cinco de Mayo party which can be incorporated perfectlyโฆthank you for sharing!
yummilicious
This looks delicious but also just genuinely COOL. Which means I imagine itโll be tasty but also make me feel special and awesome after I eat it. Thanks for translating your eating experiences into this recipe for us!
I am obsessed with this salsa!!!! Nothing says summer like fresh cherry tomatoes! Reminds me of being a kid and eating them right off the vine at my parentsโ house. I am also loving how you put chips in the omelet. Genius! Ok but you kind of made me nervous about my non-stick pan that is starting to look like it is losing the non-stick coating. I must switch to cast iron.
I have been obsessed with omelet breakfasts lately! But none of mine hold a flame to this beauty, Kate! I must try.
I just love KC in springtime, but I couldnโt believe the news of that snowstorm late last week. What on earth? In the meantime though, I definitely must try this, Kate. I love the idea of those crunchy chips inside the omelet โ this would make for such a fun Friday night dinner!
I love the idea of the crunch inside the omeletteโฆ I just had lunch but I guess I could have an omelette like this one right now!
Thanks, Didi! Hope youโll give the omelet a try soon.
Umm, I want this right now. Blue plate and all? Can we make that happen? You should also probably come over + help me with my [lack of] omelette skills. Cool?
Doh! That would beโฆ.โBlue plate and all!โโฆ.not a question, haha :)
Cool! I would totally teleport over and make omelets with you if I could, Ashley.
That blue plate is fiesta ware! Made in my state!
I agree with your cast iron skillet sentimentsโฆthe true workhorse pan. Glad spring has sprung in your neck of the woods..
This is amazing! One of our favorites! Weโve already made this three times in the past couple weeks. My husband said itโs his favorite omelet and heโs an omelet connoisseur!
Thanks, Sheena! Iโm really glad you both love the omelet, especially because I havenโt gotten much feedback on the recipe! Maybe people are too intimidated to try making omelets? Regardless, Iโm happy you appreciate it.
WOWEEEEEE! We are so happy to have just stumbled across your BEAUTIFUL site! The photos and recipes are just divine. Look forward to following along! :):) e + c
Thanks, girls!
1. Bottom of the bag, undipppable tortilla shards
2. Bit of leftover salsa
3. Iโm hungry
4. hmmmโฆthinking this might be a good omelette idea.
5. If itโs good for Cookie and Kate itโs great for me.
Delicious!