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Vegetarian, South and mountains

Provençal white beans with poached eggs

Provençal white beans with poached eggs is a vegetarian stew simmered with tomato, garlic, and sage, topped with one poached egg per serving. It takes 45 minutes for 4 people, costs €2.20 per person, and rates as easy. The key is adding the sage at the very end and poaching eggs that stay set on the outside, runny in the middle.

White beans simmered the Provençal way, topped with a poached egg, simple and comforting.

Provençal white beans with poached eggs
Total time
45 min
Difficulty
Easy
Cost per person
€2.20
Calories per person
540 kcalcalculated by Kiloach, your weight coach
Season
Winter, Fall

The white beans soften slowly in a tomato sauce scented with garlic and sage, turning almost creamy as they cook. The sauce thickens on its own from the beans' starch, no cream or flour needed. The poached egg on top breaks open at the first touch of a spoon, mixing into the sauce and making it even richer.

This is a simple weeknight dish you can pull together from pantry staples, and it feels especially good on cold autumn and winter evenings. It works well for a quiet dinner alone or as a couple, and it can also work for a family weeknight meal if the kids are on board with poached eggs. Count on 45 minutes start to finish, with no need to hover over the stove.

The ingredients

4 people

Pantry

  • White beansoften in the pantry 800 g
  • Crushed tomatoesoften in the pantry 400 g
  • Vinegaroften in the pantry 1 tbsp
  • Olive oiloften in the pantry 3 tbsp
  • Saltoften in the pantry 1 pinch
  • Pepperoften in the pantry 1 pinch

Fruits and vegetables

  • Onion 1
  • Garlic 3 cloves
  • Sage 6 leaves

Dairy

  • Eggs 4

Allergens Eggs

The step by step recipe

  1. Sauté the onion and garlic in the olive oil. 6 min

    Stir occasionally.

  2. Add the tomatoes and rinsed beans, season with salt and pepper, and let simmer. 20 min

    The beans thicken the sauce as they cook.

  3. Stir in the chopped sage.

    A few leaves are enough.

  4. Poach the eggs in simmering water with vinegar. 3 min

    Create a swirl with a spoon.

  5. Serve the beans with one poached egg each.

    Finish with a twist of pepper on the egg.

Our tips to get it right

  • Rinse the white beans well before adding them, this removes excess canning starch and keeps the sauce from turning too sticky.
  • Check that your eggs are fresh before poaching, really fresh eggs hold their white tighter around the yolk.
  • Let the sauce simmer uncovered for the last quarter of cooking only, so it reduces without drying out.

The variations

  • Swap the sage for fresh thyme or rosemary if that's what you have on hand.
  • For a spicier version, stir a pinch of Espelette pepper into the tomato sauce.
  • To save time, use canned, already cooked white beans and cut the simmering time down to 10 minutes.

What to serve it with

  • A slice of toasted country bread
  • A green salad with lemon dressing
  • A glass of fresh tomato juice

Storage

Keep the beans in a sealed container in the fridge for up to 2 days, without the poached eggs, which don't hold up well. Reheat the sauce over low heat, adding a splash of water if it has thickened, and poach fresh eggs right before serving. Freezing isn't recommended because of the poached eggs.

Questions about this dish

Can you use dried white beans instead of canned or fresh ones?

Yes, but you'll need to soak them and cook them ahead until tender. Once the beans are cooked, the simmering time with the tomato sauce stays the same.

How do you keep a poached egg from falling apart in the water?

Use a very fresh egg and create a gentle swirl in the simmering water before sliding the egg in. The vinegar in the water also helps the white set faster.

Can you make the bean sauce ahead of time?

Yes, the tomato bean sauce can be made the day before and gently reheated when you're ready to eat. Add the chopped sage only when reheating so it keeps its fresh flavor.

What can replace the poached egg if you're not a fan?

A fried egg with a runny yolk gives a similar result and is easier to pull off. You can also serve the beans on their own with a drizzle of raw olive oil.

How long does it take to make a Provençal white bean stew with poached eggs?

Count 45 min in total, prep and cooking included. The recipe is rated “easy”.

How many calories are in a Provençal white bean stew with poached eggs?

About 540 kcal per serving, for a recipe meant for 4 people. Calories are calculated by Kiloach, your weight coach, the app that partners with Mon Chou.

How much does a Provençal white bean stew with poached eggs cost?

About €2.20 per serving, or €8.80 for 4 people, based on average supermarket prices.

What allergens does this recipe contain?

This recipe contains eggs. Always check the labels of the products you buy.

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