The pambazo is one of Mexico’s great culinary contradictions. There isn’t just one pambazo recipe. There are at least two warring factions, and they probably don’t talk to each other at family reunions.

The version most people know — the Mexico City pambazo — is a sandwich that barely holds itself together. It starts with a perfectly good roll, only to be dunked in guajillo chili sauce, fried in oil and then asked to hold a mountain of potatoes, chorizo, lettuce and crema without collapsing. It’s not a sandwich so much as a controlled demolition of bread, spice and poor decision-making. Eating one in public requires either supreme confidence or an outfit you were already planning to ruin.

Then there’s the Veracruz pambazo, which is the Mexico City version’s more responsible cousin. It refuses to be dipped in sauce or fried into oblivion. Instead, it’s a soft, flour-dusted sandwich, filled with ham, refried beans, cheese and jalapeños. It’s neat. It’s composed. It won’t betray you by leaking all over your hands and self-esteem. It’s the pambazo you can take home to meet your parents.

Both versions claim the name pambazo, and both trace their origins to 19th-century Mexico, possibly inspired by the Pico de Orizaba volcano, which, like the Mexico City pambazo, kind of looks like it’s about to collapse at any moment.

So, who invented it? Some say it was a chef at the court of Emperor Maximilian I. Others say it was street vendors, just trying to make stale bread exciting again. In any case, one style of pambazo became chaos on a plate, and the other stayed buttoned-up. I’m usually in the Veracruz-style pambazo camp. But one problem I have is that I never see breakfast versions of this great mini sandwich. Problem solved! Here are two breakfast versions of the pambazo.

Bacon and egg breakfast pambazo recipe

Ingredients

• 2 pambazo buns
• 1/4 cup Mexican crema or sour cream
• 6 slices bacon, cooked and crispy
• 3 eggs, scrambled
• 1/2 cup shredded Oaxaca or cheddar cheese
• 1/4 cup refried black beans
• 1 tbsp butter or oil for frying

Instructions

1. Assemble the filling: Spread refried beans on the bottom half of each roll. Add crispy bacon and scrambled eggs. Sprinkle with cheese.
2. Grill the pambazo: Heat butter in a skillet and toast the sandwich on both sides until crispy.
3. Serve: Squeeze some Mexican crema in the middle and serve warm.

Veggie breakfast pambazo recipe

Ingredients

• 2 pambazo buns
• 3 dried guajillo chilis, stemmed and seeded
• 1/2 cup vegetable broth
• 1/4 cup Mexican crema or sour cream
• 1/2 cup sauteed mushrooms and bell peppers
• 1/2 cup spinach, wilted
• 1/4 cup black beans, mashed
• 1/2 avocado, sliced
• 1/2 cup queso fresco or shredded Oaxaca cheese
• 1 tbsp butter or olive oil

Instructions

1. Make the guajillo sauce: Soak guajillo chilis in warm water for 10 minutes. Blend with vegetable broth until smooth.
2. Prepare the bread: Slice rolls in half and dip both sides into the guajillo sauce.
3. Assemble the filling: Spread mashed black beans on the bottom half. Add sautéed mushrooms, peppers and wilted spinach. Layer avocado slices and sprinkle with cheese.
4. Grill the pambazo: Heat butter in a skillet and grill both sides until crispy.
5. Serve: Drizzle with crema and serve hot.

Stephen Randall has lived in Mexico since 2018 by way of Kentucky, and before that, Germany. He’s an enthusiastic amateur chef who takes inspiration from many different cuisines, with favorites including Mexican and Mediterranean.