Spanish Beans & Eggs That Taste Like You Braised Them All Day—in 20 Minutes
Smoky, saucy chickpeas with eggs nestled in—ready in 20 minutes. The secret is caramelizing the tomato paste until it darkens. Serve with crusty bread for a weeknight dinner that looks like you planned it.
Equipment
- 10-inch skillet (cast-iron or heavy-bottomed)
- Wooden spoon or silicone spatula
- Small Bowl
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 medium yellow onion, finely diced
- 3 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
- 1 tablespoon smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional)
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1 can (15 oz) chickpeas (or white beans), drained and rinsed
- 1/2 cup vegetable broth
- 4 large eggs
- salt (to taste)
- black pepper (to taste)
- fresh parsley, roughly chopped
- flaky salt for finishing
- extra-virgin olive oil for drizzling (optional)
Instructions
- Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a 10-inch skillet over medium heat. Add the diced onion and a pinch of salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, until soft and translucent, about 4 minutes.
- Add the sliced garlic and cook for 30 seconds, until fragrant, stirring constantly.
- Stir in 1 tablespoon smoked paprika, 1 teaspoon cumin, and 1/4 teaspoon cayenne (if using). Cook for 30 seconds until fragrant. Do not burn the spices.
- Add 2 tablespoons tomato paste and stir. Cook for 2-3 minutes, stirring frequently, until the paste darkens to a deep brick red and sticks slightly to the pan.
- Pour in 1/2 cup vegetable broth and stir, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan.
- Add the drained chickpeas, season with salt and pepper, and stir. Simmer for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until sauce thickens. Taste and adjust seasoning.
- Make four small wells in the bean mixture with the back of a spoon.
- Crack each egg into a small bowl, then slide one egg into each well.
- Spoon a little hot bean liquid over the egg whites. Reduce heat to low, cover the skillet, and cook for 5-7 minutes until whites are set but yolks are still runny. For firmer yolks, cook 2-3 minutes longer.
- Remove from heat. Sprinkle with flaky salt and black pepper. Garnish with chopped parsley placed deliberately on top. Drizzle with good olive oil if desired.
- Serve directly from the skillet with crusty bread, warm tortillas, or rice. The bread is essential for sopping up the yolk and sauce.
Notes
Chef's Tips:
- Don't rush the tomato paste – let it darken until it smells sweet and is brick red. This is the flavor foundation.
- Use a heavy pan (cast-iron or stainless steel) to avoid scorching.
- Pull the eggs a little early – they continue cooking off the heat. Aim for jiggly yolks when you remove the pan.
- Flaky salt at the end is not optional – it adds texture and a final pop of flavor.
- Even if a yolk breaks, it's still delicious – it just becomes part of the sauce.