Cozy up with these indulgent breakfast beans—creamy, cheesy, a little spicy, and topped with the perfect crispy fried egg.
We’ve had these breakfast beans on repeat lately. They’re indulgently creamy and spicy, and I just love the whole eggs and beans thing. The eggs get gorgeously crisp, frilly edges that add the perfect crunch to the soft mash. And the beans soak up that runny yolk... it’s perfectly symbiotic.
If you don’t have Calabrian chili paste, swap in your favorite chili crisp or chili oil. It won’t have the same Italian vibe, but it’ll still bring the heat.
I usually lean on these beans for breakfast for two reasons:
First, when I accidentally overcook beans in the Instant Pot. Mushy beans are perfect in a creamy mash like this (they’re also great in this creamy ricotta white bean dip).
Second, when I’ve cooked a full pound of dried beans and have a few cups left unaccounted for (usually after this herby tuna white bean salad). It's a great way to break out of my standard scrambled eggs + toast breakfast that makes up 99% of my mornings.
Best of all, you can make the smashed beans ahead of time and simply reheat them in the morning with a fried egg on top. Note that you'll probably need a splash of water or stock to loosen the beans to the perfect spoonable consistency.
Get ready for these to become a new breakfast staple.
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Here's how to make these breakfast beans:
a few notes about this recipe:
- If you’ve never truly fried an egg before, you’re in for a treat. The edges get beautifully crisp, the whites just set, and the yolk stays runny. The key is oil basting—and yes, it’s messy. The oil sputters, smokes, and splashes. But stay the course. The perfect fried egg is worth it.
- This is my favorite Calabrian chili paste.
- Swap in any bean you like—cannellini and borlotti are both excellent here. If you need a refresher, here’s a quick guide for cooking dried beans.
- The beans can be made up to 3 days ahead. Just reheat and top with a fried egg.
Creamy Smashed Breakfast Beans with Fried Eggs
Cozy up with these indulgent breakfast beans—creamy, cheesy, a little spicy, and topped with the perfect crispy fried egg.
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Total Time: 20 minutes
- Yield: 4
- Category: Breakfast
- Method: Stove
- Cuisine: Italian
- Diet: Gluten Free
Ingredients
breakfast beans
- ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 small onion, diced
- 1 garlic clove, minced
- 3 cups cannellini beans (or 2 15-oz cans), rinsed
- ½ cup unsalted chicken stock
- kosher salt
- freshly ground black pepper
- ½ cup grated parmesan
fried eggs
- 3 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
- 4 large eggs
- kosher salt
- freshly ground black pepper
- 4 tbsp Calabrian chile paste, for serving
Instructions
- Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-low heat. Add onion and a pinch of salt, and cook until very tender and translucent, about 10 minutes. Stir in garlic and cook until fragrant.
- Add beans and ½ cup water, bring to a gentle simmer. Season with salt and pepper and cook until thickened, about 5 minutes.
- Remove from heat and use the back of a wooden spoon (or potato masher) to smash the beans until mostly smooth. Stir in the parmesan and adjust seasoning. Keep warm and fry the eggs.
- In a medium nonstick skillet, heat olive oil over medium-high heat until it shimmers. Crack eggs into the pan, spacing them evenly apart and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Cook until edges are golden brown, 2- 3 minutes.
- Gently tilt the pan towards you and spoon some hot oil over the uncooked egg whites (and not the yolk if you want it runny) to cook them, about 1 minute.
- Divide the beans among 4 plates and top each with a spoonful of chili paste and a fried egg. Serve hot.
Notes
Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1
- Calories: 445
- Sugar: 1.9g
- Sodium: 315mg
- Fat: 22g
- Saturated Fat: 5.5g
- Unsaturated Fat: 15.8g
- Trans Fat: 0.1g
- Carbohydrates: 39g
- Fiber: 8.6g
- Protein: 24g
- Cholesterol: 198mg
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