Essential Breakfast Sandwiches
These make-ahead breakfast sandwiches are a lifesaver! My family loves them. They taste incredible, and you can customize them with cheese, ham, bacon, or sausage for an epic breakfast. Let’s be real, most mornings are hectic. That’s why having these make-ahead breakfast sandwiches ready to go is a total lifesaver! And they’re not just convenient. They’re seriously delicious. We take inspiration from my favorite veggie frittata, loading the eggs with flavorful, perfectly cooked vegetables. Then, pile on the cheese, and if you’re feeling fancy, add ham, crispy bacon, or homemade sausage patties! This recipe makes six satisfying breakfast sandwiches, perfect for a week’s worth of quick and easy mornings. They’ll keep in the fridge for up to four days and freeze beautifully for even longer. Key Ingredients English Muffins: You can’t go wrong with classic English muffins! And if you’re feeling ambitious, our homemade English muffins are a real treat. Sourdough slices, homemade biscuits, or buttery croissants are also delicious options. Eggs and Cream: The secret to our eggs is a splash of cream (2 tablespoons for 10 eggs). Then, we pour them into a 13-inch-by-9-inch dish, and bake until they are puffed and set in the middle.They come out perfectly tender every time! Veggies: I love packing in extra veggies whenever possible (especially when it makes the final product taste better!) That’s what happens with these sandwiches. I quickly cook onion and baby spinach before adding them to my eggs. Mushrooms are great, too. If I have them leftover, I love some roasted mushrooms or these easy sautéed mushrooms. Herbs: If you have them, whisk some chopped fresh herbs into the egg mixture before baking. I love chives, parsley, and dill! Cheese: Use what you love! I used a slice of sharp cheddar in the photos, but anything goes here! Optional Protein: Make ham breakfast sandwiches like in our photos, or add a few slices of cooked bacon. A sausage patty is great, too. Here’s our homemade breakfast sausage, which works incredibly well on these sandwiches. English Muffins: You can’t go wrong with classic English muffins! And if you’re feeling ambitious, our homemade English muffins are a real treat. Sourdough slices, homemade biscuits, or buttery croissants are also delicious options. Eggs and Cream: The secret to our eggs is a splash of cream (2 tablespoons for 10 eggs). Then, we pour them into a 13-inch-by-9-inch dish, and bake until they are puffed and set in the middle.They come out perfectly tender every time! Veggies: I love packing in extra veggies whenever possible (especially when it makes the final product taste better!) That’s what happens with these sandwiches. I quickly cook onion and baby spinach before adding them to my eggs. Mushrooms are great, too. If I have them leftover, I love some roasted mushrooms or these easy sautéed mushrooms. Herbs: If you have them, whisk some chopped fresh herbs into the egg mixture before baking. I love chives, parsley, and dill! Cheese: Use what you love! I used a slice of sharp cheddar in the photos, but anything goes here! Optional Protein: Make ham breakfast sandwiches like in our photos, or add a few slices of cooked bacon. A sausage patty is great, too. Here’s our homemade breakfast sausage, which works incredibly well on these sandwiches. How to Make Breakfast Sandwiches These breakfast sandwiches are really simple and versatile, so you can truly make them your own. You are looking at three easy steps for making them: (1) Quickly cook veggies, (2) Bake the eggs, and (3) Assemble! The eggs will bake in a baking sheet or in a sheet pan in the oven for about 25 minutes, giving you time to choose your cheese and prepare any meat you would like to add. Ham is the easiest choice since it’s already cooked, but bacon or sausage are delicious. Here are my tips for baking bacon (you can use the slightly lower oven temperature already set for the eggs; the bacon will just take a few more minutes). When everything is ready, you can assemble the sandwiches and wrap them for a delicious breakfast another day. I wrapped the sandwiches in the photo below with freezer paper, but aluminum foil works nicely, too. You just really want to make sure they are well protected from the drying air of the fridge or freezer. Remember that you can refrigerate them for up to 4 days or freeze for up to 1 month. The freezer sandwiches work out well — especially if you won’t get to all 6 sandwiches within 4 days. When it makes sense, we prefer refrigerating since freezing seems to pull out some additional moisture. The final sandwiches just seem a bit fresher in the end when refrigerated. That said, I’ve got a few emergency sandwiches in our freezer right now, so don’t let me scare you off. Essential Breakfast Sandwiches PREP 15 mins COOK 35 mins TOTAL 50 mins PREP 15 mins COOK 35 mins TOTAL 50 mins Honestly, my family devours these breakfast sandwiches! They’re so good that they rarely last long. That said, you can absolutely make them ahead and keep them in the fridge for up to 4 days or freeze them for a whole month! I really appreciate that they’re made with real, wholesome ingredients and are incredibly adaptable. This recipe is more of a blueprint than a rigid set of instructions. Feel free to customize it to your liking. A different cheese is a great choice. Skipping the veggies or adding different ones is totally fine. Topping it with your favorite protein is a good idea. We love the classic ham and cheese combo, but you do you! Makes 6 sandwiches You Will Need 1/2 tablespoon olive oil, plus more for oiling the pan 1/2 large onion, thinly sliced 2 cups packed baby spinach 10 large eggs 2 tablespoons cream or half and half 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt 1/4 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper 2 tablespoons chopped fresh herbs, like chives, parsley or basil 6 slices ham, turkey, bacon or sausage patties, optional 6 slices cheese, like cheddar, provolone, or Swiss 6 English muffins or bread rolls, try homemade English muffins Directions 1Position an oven rack in the middle of the oven and preheat the oven to 350°F (177°C). Grease a 9-inch-by-13-inch baking dish or sheet pan (quarter sheet pan). 2Cook veggies: Heat 1/2 tablespoon of olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add the onions and cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Stir in the spinach and cook until wilted and bright green, 2 to 3 minutes. Set aside until warm, not hot. 3Cook the eggs: Whisk the eggs, cream, salt, pepper, and fresh herbs together until blended. Stir in the cooked onions and spinach then pour into the prepared baking dish. 4Bake until the eggs look puffed and set, 25 to 35 minutes. (You can tell they are set if you insert a knife into the middle, and it comes out clean). Cool completely unless you are planning to enjoy the sandwiches straight away. 5Prepare remaining ingredients: While the eggs cool, cook the bacon or sausage (if using), toast the English muffins, and slice or grate the cheese. 6Assemble sandwiches: You have two options for your egg shapes. Use a cookie cutter the same size as your muffins for precise, round edges to cut six patties. Save any egg scraps in the fridge for later use. Or, for minimal waste, bake six rectangular egg patties. They’ll be a bit larger than the muffins, but they’ll still fit comfortably in the sandwiches. 7Top the bottom half of each English muffin with an egg patty, meat (if using), and a slice of cheese. Finish with the muffin top. 1Position an oven rack in the middle of the oven and preheat the oven to 350°F (177°C). Grease a 9-inch-by-13-inch baking dish or sheet pan (quarter sheet pan). 2Cook veggies: Heat 1/2 tablespoon of olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add the onions and cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Stir in the spinach and cook until wilted and bright green, 2 to 3 minutes. Set aside until warm, not hot. 3Cook the eggs: Whisk the eggs, cream, salt, pepper, and fresh herbs together until blended. Stir in the cooked onions and spinach then pour into the prepared baking dish. 4Bake until the eggs look puffed and set, 25 to 35 minutes. (You can tell they are set if you insert a knife into the middle, and it comes out clean). Cool completely unless you are planning to enjoy the sandwiches straight away. 5Prepare remaining ingredients: While the eggs cool, cook the bacon or sausage (if using), toast the English muffins, and slice or grate the cheese. 6Assemble sandwiches: You have two options for your egg shapes. Use a cookie cutter the same size as your muffins for precise, round edges to cut six patties. Save any egg scraps in the fridge for later use. Or, for minimal waste, bake six rectangular egg patties. They’ll be a bit larger than the muffins, but they’ll still fit comfortably in the sandwiches. 7Top the bottom half of each English muffin with an egg patty, meat (if using), and a slice of cheese. Finish with the muffin top. Storing and Reheating 1Wrap sandwiches: Tightly wrap each breakfast sandwich in aluminum foil or freezer paper. Label with a date using a permanent marker. Refrigerate for up to 4 days or freeze for up to 1 month. (The bread texture for the refrigerated sandwiches is slightly better, but freezing is a good long-term option; however, consider thawing the sandwich in the refrigerator overnight for the best results.) 2Reheat in microwave: Unwrap the sandwich and place it on a microwave-safe plate. Cover with a damp paper towel. Microwave for 1 to 2 minutes or until the cheese melts and the egg is heated throughout. 3If you prefer toasted bread, remove the bread from the sandwich. While the bread toasts, place the egg, meat, and cheese on a microwave-safe plate. Cover with a damp paper towel. Microwave for 1 to 2 minutes or until the cheese melts and the egg is heated throughout. Then, reassemble the toasted sandwich. 4Reheat in a toaster oven: Preheat to 350°F (177°C) and heat for 3 to 5 minutes or until it is heated throughout. If you only have an oven, preheat to 350°F (175°C) and heat for 10 to 12 minutes or until heated throughout. Storing and Reheating 1Wrap sandwiches: Tightly wrap each breakfast sandwich in aluminum foil or freezer paper. Label with a date using a permanent marker. Refrigerate for up to 4 days or freeze for up to 1 month. (The bread texture for the refrigerated sandwiches is slightly better, but freezing is a good long-term option; however, consider thawing the sandwich in the refrigerator overnight for the best results.) 2Reheat in microwave: Unwrap the sandwich and place it on a microwave-safe plate. Cover with a damp paper towel. Microwave for 1 to 2 minutes or until the cheese melts and the egg is heated throughout. 3If you prefer toasted bread, remove the bread from the sandwich. While the bread toasts, place the egg, meat, and cheese on a microwave-safe plate. Cover with a damp paper towel. Microwave for 1 to 2 minutes or until the cheese melts and the egg is heated throughout. Then, reassemble the toasted sandwich. 4Reheat in a toaster oven: Preheat to 350°F (177°C) and heat for 3 to 5 minutes or until it is heated throughout. If you only have an oven, preheat to 350°F (175°C) and heat for 10 to 12 minutes or until heated throughout. Adam and Joanne's Tips The nutrition facts provided below are estimates. We included ham in the calculations. The type of meat and cheese used will affect these calculations. The nutrition facts provided below are estimates. We included ham in the calculations. The type of meat and cheese used will affect these calculations. Nutrition Per Serving Serving Size 1 sandwich / Calories 435 / Protein 28 g / Carbohydrate 28 g / Dietary Fiber 2 g / Total Sugars 3 g / Total Fat 22 g / Saturated Fat 11 g / Cholesterol 358 mg / Sodium 1113 mg AUTHOR: Adam Gallagher We’re Adam and Joanne, a couple passionate about cooking and sharing delicious, reliable recipes since 2009. Our goal? 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