Cuisine: Polish
•
Course: Main Course
•
Diet: Comfort Food, High-Protein, Gluten-Free

Fasolka po Bretońsku with Jajko Sadzone

The definition of Polish comfort food. Tender white beans in a smoky tomato sauce, crowned with a Jajko Sadzone (a perfectly fried egg with a liquid yolk).
Prep time 25m
Temp 100°C (212°F)
Marinate 12h
Cook time 2h 15m
Rest time 10m
Total 14h 50m
Yield 4
Per serving:
861 kcal
77g Carbs
45g Protein
41g Fat
By Razziel

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Ingredients

  • 400 g
    Dry White Beans
    Dry White Beans
  • 250 g
    Polish Smoked Sausage
    Polish Smoked Sausage
  • 150 g
    Smoked Bacon
    Smoked Bacon
  • 300 g
    Brown Onion
    Brown Onion
  • 3 pcs
    Garlic cloves
    Garlic cloves
  • 15 g
    Lard
    Lard
  • 500 ml
    Tomato Passata
    Tomato Passata
  • 30 g
    Tomato Puree
    Tomato Puree
  • 4 g
    Dried Marjoram
    Dried Marjoram
  • 3 g
    Smoked Paprika
    Smoked Paprika
  • 5 g
    Caster Sugar
    Caster Sugar
  • 10 g
    Sea Salt
    Sea Salt
  • 4 g
    Black Pepper
    Black Pepper
  • 2 pcs
    Bay Leaves
    Bay Leaves
  • 4 pcs
    Allspice Berries
    Allspice Berries
  • 4 pcs
    Eggs
    Eggs
  • 40 g
    Butter
    Butter
  • 10 g
    Fresh Chives
    Fresh Chives
  • 4 slice(s)
    Rustic Bread
    Rustic Bread

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Kitchen Kit

  • Large Bowl
  • Large Heavy-Bottomed Pot
  • Large Frying Pan
  • Colander
Person stirring a pot of beans on a stove with ingredients around | Cook & Keeper - fasolka po bretonsku

Method

  1. The Soak (Night Before)
    Rinse the Dry White Beans in a colander. Place them in a large bowl and cover with plenty of cold water (at least 10cm above the beans).
    Chef's Note: Leave to soak for 12 hours. This step is non-negotiable for that creamy interior texture.
  2. The Bean Simmer
    Drain and rinse the soaked beans. Place them in your heavy-bottomed pot and cover with fresh cold water (2-3cm above the beans). Add the Bay Leaves and Allspice Berries. Bring to the boil, skim off any foam that rises to the top, then reduce heat to a gentle simmer. Cook covered for 60–90 minutes until tender. Do not add salt yet, as it can toughen the skins.
  3. Prep & Fry the Base
    While the beans simmer, prepare your flavour base. Prep: Dice the Smoked Bacon and slice the Polish Smoked Sausage into half-moons. Dice the Onions and mince the Garlic Cloves. Fry: Heat the Lard in a large frying pan over medium-high heat. Fry the bacon until the fat renders, then add the sausage and fry until browned. Add the onions and sweat until soft (approx. 8 mins). Finally, add the garlic and fry for just 1 minute until fragrant.
  4. The Marriage
    When the beans are soft, keep them in their cooking liquid (drain slightly only if there is excessive water—you want it moist). Add the entire contents of the frying pan (meats and rendered oils) to the pot. Stir in the Tomato Passata, Tomato Purée, Dried Marjoram, Smoked Paprika, Sugar, and Black Pepper. Simmer uncovered for 20 minutes to thicken the sauce. Taste, then season with the Sea Salt (start with half, taste, and adjust—cured meats vary in saltiness).
  5. The Jajko Sadzone
    Just before serving, wipe the frying pan clean. Heat the Butter over medium heat until foaming. Crack the eggs in. Fry until the whites are set and crispy at the edges, but the yolks remain liquid. Sprinkle eggs with a pinch of salt.
  6. Finish
    Ladle the thick bean stew into bowls. Slide a hot fried egg onto the top of each portion. Garnish generously with chopped Fresh Chives and serve immediately with slices of fresh rustic bread.
Chef's Note & Storage
The stew tastes better the next day as flavours meld. Store beans in the fridge for up to 3 days. Fried eggs must be made fresh.
Bowl of beans and sausages with a fried egg, garnished with chives, on a wooden table. | Cook & Keeper - fasolka po bretonsku

The "Breton" Mystery (A Polish Classic)

Despite its name, "Fasolka po Bretońsku" (Beans à la Brittany) is distinctively Polish. While likely inspired by the French Coco de Paimpol beans, the Polish palate transformed the dish entirely. We replaced the subtle French herbs with our beloved Dried Marjoram and swapped fresh meat for a heavy dose of Smoked Bacon and Sausage. It is the ultimate "winter warmer"—thick, smoky, and incredibly filling.

Chef's Secret: The "12-Hour Rule" As emphasized in our method, soaking the beans for 12 hours is non-negotiable. Many home cooks try to rush this step, resulting in beans that are mushy on the outside but chalky in the middle. The long cold soak ensures the beans rehydrate evenly, giving you that perfect "creamy" interior texture that holds its shape in the thick sauce.

❖

Building the Smoky Foundation

The secret to the sauce is not the tomatoes, but the fat. In our recipe, we start by rendering Lard, Smoked Bacon, and Polish Smoked Sausage together. This rendered fat carries the smoky aroma into every spoonful of the stew. We then thicken the sauce naturally by simmering it uncovered for 20 minutes, allowing the starches from the beans to bind with the Tomato Passata, creating a rich, glossy gravy.

❖

The "Sadzone" Crown

While Fasolka is often served alone, our version adds the crowning glory: Jajko Sadzone (Fried Egg). The technique here is specific—the whites must be crispy and laced with brown edges ("lace"), while the yolk must remain completely liquid. When you break the yolk, it spills into the smoky tomato bean sauce, adding a luxurious richness that turns this humble peasant dish into a feast. Serve immediately with rustic bread to mop up every drop.

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Fasolka po Bretońsku with Jajko Sadzone
Cuisine: Polish
Course: Main Course
Diet: Comfort Food, High-Protein, Gluten-Free

Fasolka po Bretońsku with Jajko Sadzone

By Razziel

The definition of Polish comfort food. Tender white beans in a smoky tomato sauce, crowned with a Jajko Sadzone (a perfectly fried egg with a liquid yolk).

Prep 25m
Temp 100°C
Marinate 12h
Cook 2h 15m
Rest 10m
Total 14h 50m
Yield 4
Recipe from Cook & Keeper - www.cookandkeeper.com
Person stirring a pot of beans on a stove with ingredients around | Cook & Keeper - fasolka po bretonsku

Kitchen Kit

  • •Large Bowl
  • •Large Heavy-Bottomed Pot
  • •Large Frying Pan
  • •Colander
Per serving:
861 kcal
77g Carbs
45g Protein
41g Fat

Ingredients

  • 400 g Dry White Beans
  • 250 g Polish Smoked Sausage
  • 150 g Smoked Bacon
  • 300 g Brown Onion
  • 3 pcs Garlic cloves
  • 15 g Lard
  • 500 ml Tomato Passata
  • 30 g Tomato Puree
  • 4 g Dried Marjoram
  • 3 g Smoked Paprika
  • 5 g Caster Sugar
  • 10 g Sea Salt
  • 4 g Black Pepper
  • 2 pcs Bay Leaves
  • 4 pcs Allspice Berries
  • 4 pcs Eggs
  • 40 g Butter
  • 10 g Fresh Chives
  • 4 slice(s) Rustic Bread
Recipe from Cook & Keeper - www.cookandkeeper.com

Method

Step-by-step instructions.

Chef's Note:
The stew tastes better the next day as flavours meld. Store beans in the fridge for up to 3 days. Fried eggs must be made fresh.
Bowl of beans and sausages with a fried egg, garnished with chives, on a wooden table. | Cook & Keeper - fasolka po bretonsku
  1. The Soak (Night Before)
    Rinse the Dry White Beans in a colander. Place them in a large bowl and cover with plenty of cold water (at least 10cm above the beans).
    Chef's Note: Leave to soak for 12 hours. This step is non-negotiable for that creamy interior texture.
  2. The Bean Simmer
    Drain and rinse the soaked beans. Place them in your heavy-bottomed pot and cover with fresh cold water (2-3cm above the beans). Add the Bay Leaves and Allspice Berries. Bring to the boil, skim off any foam that rises to the top, then reduce heat to a gentle simmer. Cook covered for 60–90 minutes until tender. Do not add salt yet, as it can toughen the skins.
  3. Prep & Fry the Base
    While the beans simmer, prepare your flavour base. Prep: Dice the Smoked Bacon and slice the Polish Smoked Sausage into half-moons. Dice the Onions and mince the Garlic Cloves. Fry: Heat the Lard in a large frying pan over medium-high heat. Fry the bacon until the fat renders, then add the sausage and fry until browned. Add the onions and sweat until soft (approx. 8 mins). Finally, add the garlic and fry for just 1 minute until fragrant.
  4. The Marriage
    When the beans are soft, keep them in their cooking liquid (drain slightly only if there is excessive water—you want it moist). Add the entire contents of the frying pan (meats and rendered oils) to the pot. Stir in the Tomato Passata, Tomato Purée, Dried Marjoram, Smoked Paprika, Sugar, and Black Pepper. Simmer uncovered for 20 minutes to thicken the sauce. Taste, then season with the Sea Salt (start with half, taste, and adjust—cured meats vary in saltiness).
  5. The Jajko Sadzone
    Just before serving, wipe the frying pan clean. Heat the Butter over medium heat until foaming. Crack the eggs in. Fry until the whites are set and crispy at the edges, but the yolks remain liquid. Sprinkle eggs with a pinch of salt.
  6. Finish
    Ladle the thick bean stew into bowls. Slide a hot fried egg onto the top of each portion. Garnish generously with chopped Fresh Chives and serve immediately with slices of fresh rustic bread.
Recipe from Cook & Keeper - www.cookandkeeper.com

Chef's Notes & History

The "Breton" Mystery (A Polish Classic)

Despite its name, "Fasolka po Bretońsku" (Beans à la Brittany) is distinctively Polish. While likely inspired by the French Coco de Paimpol beans, the Polish palate transformed the dish entirely. We replaced the subtle French herbs with our beloved Dried Marjoram and swapped fresh meat for a heavy dose of Smoked Bacon and Sausage. It is the ultimate "winter warmer"—thick, smoky, and incredibly filling.

Chef's Secret: The "12-Hour Rule" As emphasized in our method, soaking the beans for 12 hours is non-negotiable. Many home cooks try to rush this step, resulting in beans that are mushy on the outside but chalky in the middle. The long cold soak ensures the beans rehydrate evenly, giving you that perfect "creamy" interior texture that holds its shape in the thick sauce.

❖

Building the Smoky Foundation

The secret to the sauce is not the tomatoes, but the fat. In our recipe, we start by rendering Lard, Smoked Bacon, and Polish Smoked Sausage together. This rendered fat carries the smoky aroma into every spoonful of the stew. We then thicken the sauce naturally by simmering it uncovered for 20 minutes, allowing the starches from the beans to bind with the Tomato Passata, creating a rich, glossy gravy.

❖

The "Sadzone" Crown

While Fasolka is often served alone, our version adds the crowning glory: Jajko Sadzone (Fried Egg). The technique here is specific—the whites must be crispy and laced with brown edges ("lace"), while the yolk must remain completely liquid. When you break the yolk, it spills into the smoky tomato bean sauce, adding a luxurious richness that turns this humble peasant dish into a feast. Serve immediately with rustic bread to mop up every drop.

Recipe from Cook & Keeper - www.cookandkeeper.com