Recipe

Full Cuban-Style English Breakfast with Black Beans and Tostones

Name: Full Cuban-Style English Breakfast with Black Beans and Tostones
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 45 min
Ingredients: 400 g cooked and drained black beans (reserve 100 ml of their broth); ½ medium onion, chopped; ½ small green pepper, chopped; 2 garlic cloves, crushed; 1 tablespoon vegetable oil; ½ teaspoon ground cumin; Salt to taste; 1 pinch of oregano (optional); 8 fresh eggs (2 per person); 250-300 g crispy Cuban pork chicharrones, already prepared; 2 completely green green plantains (plátano macho); 2 medium avocados, firm and ripe; 2 medium tomatoes, halved; Enough vegetable oil to fry the eggs and tostones, and a few drops for the tomato; Salt and pepper to taste; 8 slices of Cuban bread (or crusty bread); 40 g butter; 4 servings of strong coffee from a Cuban percolator (35-50 ml per person); 600 ml hot milk; Sugar to taste for coffee with milk (optional); 800 ml cold guava juice (200 ml per person), strained if natural; 4 teaspoons of guava jam (optional)

Cuban reinterpretation of the full English: fried eggs, refried black beans, tostones, chicharrones, avocado, and pan-seared tomato.

CiberCubaNovember 6, 2026

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Preparation15 min
Cooking30 min
Total time45 min
Servings4 servings
DifficultyMedium

This dish is a contemporary fusion proposal: it takes the structure of the famous full English breakfast and fills it with flavors from our cuisine. Well-crispy pork chicharrones take the place of bacon and sausages, and refried black beans with criollo sofrito replace the English baked beans in tomato sauce.

It is not a historical Cuban breakfast nor a continental breakfast, which is usually lighter (bread, pastries, butter, jam, fruit, and coffee or juice). It is a hearty dish, ideal for a family Sunday brunch, accompanied by what never fails on a Cuban morning table: buttered toast, coffee with milk, and a good glass of guava juice.

Method

Check that the beans are cooked and the chicharrones prepared, and have all ingredients at hand. If the chicharrones are cold, reheat them at the end in the oven or air fryer to regain their crispiness.
For the refried beans, sauté the onion and pepper in 1 tablespoon of oil for about 4 minutes. Add the garlic and cumin (and oregano, if using) and stir for 30 seconds. Incorporate the beans and 60-100 ml of their broth, cook for 5-7 minutes, and mash about two-thirds with a fork or spatula, leaving whole beans. Season and keep them hot, thick, and never soupy.
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For the first frying of the tostones, peel the green plantains and cut them into rounds about 3 cm thick. Fry in batches in oil at 160-170 °C for 5-7 minutes, turning them, until tender and barely golden. Drain and, while still warm, flatten them with a tostonera to 1 cm thickness. Set aside.
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For the pan-seared tomato, sear the four halves cut-side down in a lightly oiled skillet for 2-3 minutes, flip briefly, season with salt and pepper, and set aside.
Toast the slices of Cuban bread and spread with butter. If desired, set aside the guava jam separately.
Do the second frying: fry the flattened tostones in batches in oil at 180 °C for 2-3 minutes, until golden and crispy. Drain and sprinkle with salt. Remember: never add water to hot oil.
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Fry the eggs in batches in another skillet with moderately hot oil, until the whites are completely set and the yolk to your liking; for the safest option, cook the yolk completely as well. Meanwhile, reheat the chicharrones without letting them soften.
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Prepare 4 strong coffees in the percolator, add about 150 ml of hot milk per person, and sweeten if desired. Serve separately 4 glasses of very cold guava juice.
Just before serving, peel and slice the avocados. On each large plate place 2 fried eggs, a portion of refried beans, 2-3 tostones, a small portion of crispy chicharrón, half an avocado in slices, and half a pan-seared tomato. Accompany with buttered toast, coffee with milk, and guava juice, and enjoy immediately.
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Tips and variations

Organize yourself well: the timings assume you already have the black beans cooked and the chicharrones prepared. Making chicharrones from scratch takes much longer; if you need them, prepare them in advance with their independent recipe.

Refried beans, not puree: they are cooked beans, refried in sofrito and mashed only partially. They should be thick, with whole beans, never soupy or like baked beans.

Tostones: always use very green green plantains (plátano macho), not ripe ones. Never pour water into hot oil.

What is left out: mushrooms and English black pudding are omitted to avoid overloading the dish; the pan-seared tomato is kept. Guava jam goes with the toast, not with the beans.

With moderation: it is a heavy breakfast, so serve moderate portions of chicharrón and fried items.

Storage: refried beans last 2-3 days in the fridge well covered; reheat them with a splash of water or broth. Tostones, eggs, and chicharrones are best freshly made.