White Bean and Egg Skillet
The other day I was talking with a friend about a new cookbook she got Cool Beans by Joe Yonan. I was about to enthusiastically exclaim “I love beans!” but I hesitated and thought I love beans just doesn’t seem like the thing one should exclaim with wide, wild eyes. Instead, I think I said something about how legumes are so amazing because using the word legumes seemed a little more classy and sensible. I really do love beans though. They are such a comforting thing to eat. My favorite is when I plan ahead and take the time to cook dried beans for a recipe. I find myself snacking on them all day. If I don’t make extra its likely that I wont have enough for dinner. Beans cooked fresh are astonishingly better than the canned stuff but require slightly more forethought than I have at this current place in time, so I still regularly enjoy the canned stuff. Beans might be the reason I break down and get an instapot one of these days.
This ultra cozy dish is one of my current favorite things to do with beans. It’s perfect for a slow morning breakfast or a quick weeknight dinner. Served with a crusty bread and a salad dressed with a lemony vinaigrette feels fancy and understated, just what a Monday needs. This is a super easy dish to make.The only tricky part is not overcooking the eggs. Nothing is less appealing to me than rubbery, chalky yolks. The key is to stop cooking them while the whites are still a touch runny. Trust me. The whites will keep cooking and set with the residual heat but the yolks will come out runny and creamy. While I am waiting for the eggs to cook I’ll usually gently poke them with my finger to make sure the yokes still feel soft.
The quantity in the recipe feeds two but this can easily be doubled to feed four, just use a large skillet so you have room for all the eggs you need. If you are just feeding yourself though I’d recommend cooking the full quantity of beans and just setting aside half for another meal later in the week. With the bean and tomato mixture already cooked it will only take a few minutes to warm it up and cook the eggs.
White Bean and Egg Skillet
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil (or bacon grease if you save it)
- 3 garlic cloves, sliced thin
- 1/2 onion, sliced thin
- 1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
- 12 cherry tomatoes
- 1 15 oz can of cannellini beans
- 1 /2 cup water
- Salt and pepper
- 4 eggs
Instructions
- Heat the oil in a skillet with a lid over medium heat. Add the garlic, onion, thyme, tomatoes and cook for about 5 minutes, until the onions and garlic are just starting to caramelize. Add the beans and water and simmer for 2-3 minutes (there should still be a fair amount liquid left in the pan).
- Using a spatula, make wells in the beans, one for each egg, and crack an egg into each well. The extra liquid may make it hard for the beans to scooch out of the way but they are easy to rearrange with the tip of your spatula once the eggs are in place. Sprinkle some salt and pepper on top of each egg and cover and cook until the whites are just about set and the yolks jiggle when you shake the pan, about 5 minutes.
- Serve with crusty bread and your favorite crunchy chili oil.