008 / 75 · Breakfasts with Staying Power
Tomato, White Bean and Egg Breakfast Pan
1 skillet with 4 eggs; half the skillet and 1 toast slice per serving · Active 15 min · Cook 30 min · Total 45 min
Print recipe · PDFWhite beans turn a tomato-and-egg pan into a substantial breakfast with a sauce worth scooping onto toast. The sauce cooks first, so the eggs do not have to wait in a watery mixture while the tomatoes reduce. Oregano and smoked paprika provide a clear savory direction without a long spice list. The method sets both whites and yolks, giving a repeatable result rather than depending on an unreliable description such as “cook until the eggs look done.”
Make a sauce that can hold a hollow
Canned tomatoes vary from thick pulp to almost loose juice. Simmer the sauce uncovered until a spoon pulled through it leaves a brief trail. The beans should sit in sauce rather than float in liquid. This is the moment to correct the texture, before adding eggs. A thick sauce supports shallow hollows and keeps the whites from spreading invisibly through the pan. If the base starts to catch, lower the heat and stir rather than turning a small dry patch into a burnt flavor.
A lid finishes the top
Heat from below cooks an egg unevenly when its top is exposed to cool air. Covering the skillet traps steam, helping the white around the yolk set before the bottom becomes leathery. Keep the heat low enough for a gentle simmer. Four medium-sized hollows spaced evenly around the pan are more manageable than one crowded center. Check the thickest part of the eggs with a thermometer and serve promptly. For two plates, lift two eggs onto each, then divide the remaining beans and tomato sauce around them.
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil (15 ml)
- 1 small onion, finely diced (80 g)
- 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped (6 g)
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika (2 g)
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano (1 g)
- 1 can crushed tomatoes (14 oz/400 g)
- 1 1/2 cups canned cannellini beans, drained and rinsed (240 g)
- 1/4 teaspoon fine salt (1.5 g)
- 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper (0.5 g)
- 4 large eggs (200 g without shells)
- 2 thick slices whole-wheat bread (120 g total)
Set out
10-inch/25 cm skillet with a close-fitting lid, Wooden spoon, Toaster, Food thermometer
Allergens
Egg, Wheat. Check labels and substitutions.
Make it
- Heat olive oil in the skillet over medium heat. Cook the onion for 6–7 minutes until softened. Stir in garlic, paprika and oregano for 30 seconds.
- Add tomatoes, drained beans, salt and black pepper. Simmer uncovered for 10–12 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the sauce is thick enough to hold a shallow hollow.
- Make four evenly spaced hollows with the back of a spoon. Crack an egg into a small cup, then slip it into a hollow; repeat with the remaining eggs. Cover and reduce the heat to low.
- Cook for 7–10 minutes, checking toward the end, until whites and yolks are fully set and the eggs reach 160°F/71°C. Keep the sauce at a gentle simmer and add a minute or two if necessary. Toast the bread meanwhile.
- Divide into two servings, each with two eggs, half the bean-tomato sauce and one thick toast slice.
A useful base for an unpredictable morning
The tomato and bean sauce can be cooked the evening before. Warm it to 165°F/74°C with a splash of water before making the hollows and adding fresh eggs. This moves the slower flavor-building step out of the morning while keeping the final breakfast freshly assembled.
A useful detail
Egg size, skillet depth and lid fit affect the finishing time. Use the temperature and fully set texture as the final checks, not the minute count alone.
Another way
- Use 240 g drained chickpeas instead of cannellini beans for a firmer texture.
- Add 80 g chopped spinach with the tomatoes and simmer until its released water has reduced before adding eggs. This changes the base nutrition estimate.
Keep it well
Best served freshly cooked. Refrigerate leftovers in shallow containers within 2 hours, or 1 hour above 90°F/32°C, and keep at 40°F/4°C or below for up to 3 days. Reheat to 165°F/74°C throughout; the eggs will become firmer. Alternatively, prepare only the bean-tomato base ahead and add fresh eggs when reheating it.