Black bean molletes are one of my absolute favorite black bean recipes to date. Molletes are a traditional Mexican bean and cheese open-faced sandwich and, boy, are they good! This easy vegetarian recipe deserves a spot in your arsenal of budget-friendly recipes!

I’m so excited to share this recipe with you because molletes are one of our absolute favorite meals (sometimes it’s the most simple recipes that taste the best, right?)! Every time I make them, they are gone in a blink. It’s one of my husband’s favorite recipes!

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Step-by-step preparation of black bean molletes

In this post, I will guide you through how to make the BEST Black Bean Molletes, a delicious Mexican recipe, that’s a super budget-friendly meal!

What Are Black Bean Molletes?

Very simply put, black bean molletes are a Mexican bean and cheese open-faced sandwich topped with fresh pico de gallo (or salsa).

Molletes are a pretty popular Mexican breakfast food or snack. I learned this while doing research for this blog post– you can actually get molletes at Mexican McDonald’s. That’s right, in Mexico, you can order McMollete off of the breakfast menu! SO COOL!

But really, if you haven’t tried molletes before you need to get on that. Like now. They are so simple and so delicious!

Is this a Traditional Molletes Recipe?

This recipe is inspired by traditional Mexican molletes, but it definitely has a few twists.

The Bread

Traditionally molletes are baked on bolillo bread rolls (a Mexican version of the baguette). In this recipe, I use very inexpensive hamburger buns to keep the costs low– but you can use whatever type of roll you like.

The Beans

I substituted the refried beans, traditionally used, for a healthier (and more inexpensive) version: seasoned blended black beans.

The Cheese

I use pepper jack cheese on my black bean molletes for a little kick of added flavor, but traditional Mexican molletes typically use white cheese like Oaxaca cheese, chihuahua cheese, or Monterey jack.

Ingredients That You’ll Need

Below are the ingredients that you will need to make the best black bean molletes.

Black Beans

In this recipe, we will transform a simple can of black beans into a delicious black bean spread to go on top of your molletes.

Butter

Don’t skip out on buttering and toasting the top of the bread before topping with

Hamburger Buns

As I mentioned above, traditionally, hamburger buns are not used in molletes. But they are super inexpensive and easy to pick up, so we love making our molletes on the generic buns you can find at any grocery store.

You might be asking yourself, “Hey, this recipe only uses 6 buns what do I do with the other 2?”

I am so glad that you asked. If you are using larger buns, you will probably use 6 buns, but if you are using the typical store brand 8-pack of hamburger rolls, here is what I do with the 2 remaining rolls.

Make a sandwich
Store them in the freezer for homemade croutons (check out this recipe for Bacon Cheeseburger Salad with Sesame Bun Croutons )
- Add them to soup or a salad
Toast up some garlic bread
- I can’t be the only one whose mom did this!
Make french toast

Pepper Jack Cheese

Pepper jack cheese adds a great little kick of flavor to this recipe! If you don’t love pepper jack cheese or are making this recipe for more sensitive palates– cheddar or Colby jack are also great options.

Pico De Gallo

I love making homemade Pico De Gallo! It’s so fresh! It tastes like sunshine and summer! If you are looking to save time or use up ingredients you already have on hand, then feel free to either use jarred salsa or storebought Pico De Gallo. (We love Aldi’s Mango Pico De Gallo!)

Time-Saving Tips for Black Bean Molletes

When it comes to budget cooking, I look at budgeting in two ways 1) Do I need to prioritize saving money? OR 2) Do I need to prioritize saving time?

Sometimes saving time is a bit more important than money.

As a teacher, I prioritize time-saving meals more during the school year than during the summer break. I am sure that you can relate to this area in your life as well!

Black Bean Mollete Time-Saving Ingredient Swaps:

Maybe you need to use some of these swaps or even just 1 or 2. But these are my absolute favorite semi-homemade time-saving swaps.

Refried Beans

Instead of mixing up your own batch of black beans to spread on your rolls, just use a can of refried beans. You can even find black bean refried beans at some stores.

Store-bought Pico De Gallo

Pick up Pico De Gallo at your local grocery store for a very low-effort meal! You can typically find it fresh in the refrigerated section of your store.

Pre-shredded Cheese

I love to buy blocks of cheese to shred myself to cut down on costs. But there is NO shame in grabbing a bag of pre-shredded cheese!

Step-by-Step How to Make Black Bean Molletes

Step 1: Blend the Black Beans with Seasoning!

Instead of using traditional refried beans, I opted to create a blended black bean spread in this recipe. It’s a bit healthier than the can of refried beans, and if you use your spice cabinet, you can make a delicious and inexpensive spread.

Step 2: Butter and Toast the Buns

Don’t skip out on buttering the buns!

We want to butter and toast the inside of the buns for a few minutes in frying pan prior to adding the beans and cheese. This is going to make a huge difference in the taste and also in how the buns hold up with the toppings. I used unsalted butter because it was what I had on hand but you can use salted butter too!

Step 3: Top the Buns with Beans And Cheese

Add your bean mixture and shredded cheese on top of your toasted rolls or buns.

Step 4: Bake the Black Bean Molletes

In a preheated oven, bake your black bean molletes for 8-12 minutes (depending on the crispiness that you like!).

I find that about 8 minutes melt the cheese with a little toast, and by 12 minutes they are pretty toasty! Of course, this is going to vary depending on your oven and how “toasty” you enjoy your toast.

Step 5: Make Pico De Gallo

As your molletes are baking, start to make your Pico De Gallo. In a bowl, add your tomatoes, cilantro, salt, onion, and lime juice to make the perfect batch!

Step 6: Enjoy Your Delicious Mollete Masterpieces!

Hello, and welcome to my favorite step: it’s time to eat!

Top the hot, crispy black bean molletes with cold Pico De Gallo for the BEST ever combo! Thats all!! I typically serve my molletes with salsa and chips or fresh fruit–all in all we keep this meal pretty simple!

Enjoy! 🙂

More Easy Vegetarian Recipes

Looking for more easy, vegetarian recipes for lunch or dinner? Vegetarian meals are a crucial part of keeping our grocery budget way under $100 for a family of two per week! If you are looking for delicious and inexpensive recipes, I’ve got you covered! Check out some of our favorite vegetarian recipes with lots of flavor!