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Molletes (pronounced moh-yeh-tehs) are what you make when you want food on the table FAST.
They always remind me of my mom. She used to make them for us when we came home from school.
Refried beans and salsa were always in the fridge. So, this was a super quick and super tasty snack to put together.
Let me show you how to make this simple yet delicious Mexican recipe…
These are the ingredients you’ll need.
Bolillo is a type of Mexican bread that’s crunchy on the outside and soft and pillowy on the inside.
Can’t find bolillo at your grocery store? No problemo.
Use french bread or any type of sandwich roll instead.
- Start by cutting the bolillo in half.
- Smear a thin layer of refried beans.
Refried beans can be made with pinto or black beans. Whichever you prefer is fine.
Homemade refried beans are the best, but you can also use canned beans too.
More Mexican Sandwiches
Torta de Milanesa
Torta de Jamon
Tortas Ahogadas
Pambazo
- Add shredded cheese.
- Place under the broiler until the cheese has melted.
Put a good amount of cheese on the bread. Who doesn’t love melted cheese?!
Types of cheese to use:
Monterey Jack
Manchego Cheese
Oaxaca
White Cheddar
Basically, use any type of cheese that melts well.
- Dice up the tomato, jalapeno, and onion.
- Place in a large bowl.
While the cheese is melting, make the Pico de Gallo. In short, it’s a fresh tomato salsa.
Try to make this ahead of time, if you can. The longer it sits, the better it tastes.
Although, freshly made salsa is good too.
- Add the lime juice.
- Add the salt and cilantro.
- Mix to combine.
Such an easy salsa recipe! Set this aside.
Pro Tip:
You don’t want to top the bread with the pico de gallo until you’re ready to eat the sandwich.
OR, it will make the bread soggy.
Can you see why these open-faced sandwiches are often called Mexican bruschetta?
This is the most traditional Molletes recipe, but feel free to change it up!
You can add chorizo, minced chipotle, scrambled eggs for breakfast, even chopped up carne asada. Yum!
Mexican Snack Recipes:
Mexican Fruit Cups
Mexican Charcuterie Board
After School Mexican Cookie Snacks
Frijoles Puercos
Molletes are ideal as a tasty after school snack, lunch, or breakfast.
They’re 100% yummy, quick-to-make, and always a hit with the kiddos and grown ups alike.
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Mexican Molletes
Ingredients
- 2 bolillo or bread
- 1 cup refried beans
- 2 cups Monterey Jack cheese shredded
- 2 tomatoes diced
- 1/4 onion diced
- 2 lime juice
- 1 jalapeno finely diced
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1 tbsp cilantro leaves chopped
Instructions
- Slice the bolillos in half.
- Smear 2 tablespoons of refried beans on one half of the bolillo.
- Repeat with the other bolillo halves.
- Add Monterey Jack cheese on top of the refried beans.
- Set oven to Broiler.
- Place the prepared boillos on a sheet pan.
- Place the bolillos under the broiler for 7 minutes, or until cheese is melted.
- Meanwhile, make the pico de gallo.
- Mix the tomato, onion, jalapeno, cilantro, lime juice, and salt.
- Set the pico de gallo aside until the bread is ready.
- Top the molletes with the salsa.
- Serve immediately.
Notes
Nutrition
This post was recently updated. You might remember the previous picture. 
I have never heard of a mollete, but it has everything on it that I love. I mean it, I am a huge fan of refried beans and pico!
Yup! Hard not to love once you know what’s in it.
This looks so good! You had me at manchego cheese! 🙂
I love manchego cheese. 🙂
LOVE LOVE (a billion times love!), this recipe! I might not have even been enticed to click on the link in my email but the pictures paired with your description made it unbearable to skip over! I am going, right now, to my kitchen to try these, as I have everything except the Mexican cheese ready. How true that it’s so hard to find Mexican cheese in America!
Thanks for sharing!
I’m glad you clicked over! Hope you like this dish. 🙂
That looks so good, I need to make that
You so should! Easy and yummy is always a good combo.
how have I never heard of this before? this looks incredible!
Never too late to learn new foods. 🙂
These sound yummy, my mom used to make something like this but she added black olives. I can remember her grating 3 kinds of cheese over a bowl at the dining table.
Mmm.. olives sounds like a great addition.
These look so good! I’ll have to try this recipe soon!
Hope you enjoy. 🙂
How I wish I had one of these delicious looking sandwiches right now! This recipe looks so good, and I just may need to make one for lunch tomorrow. Thanks for sharing!
Thank you! I need one of these right now too. 🙂
I can’t believe Ive never tried this. This sounds amazing. I will def. be making this soon! I love a good sandwich.
Hope you do. You’re going to love it.
That looks delicious! Bolillo rolls make everything good!
So true! I love bolillo. Then again, who doesn’t? 🙂
I’m in the same boat as Kristen, I’ve never heard of this before but it looks and sounds amazing!
Thank you! This is a go-to on my busy days.
Love how tasty this is!
It so is! Super tasty.
Made these for a small get-together with friends and it was a hit. Everyone loved the flavor.
That’s awesome! Sounds like your friends know good food. 🙂
In Venezuela, my home country bolillos are known as pan francés. I made your molletes with pan francés and they were simply delicious. Thanks for sharing!
Yum! I had no idea they were made in other countries. Thank you for teaching me!
I remember having this at a restaurant back home but never knew how to make it until now! I’m so excited to give this a try as I’ve craved these in the past. They look so good!
Yes, they are. Hope you try them. This is a really easy recipe!