Make Ahead English Muffin Breakfast Sandwiches

An easy recipe for English muffin breakfast sandwiches that you can make ahead of time for yummy on-the-go breakfasts. Keep them in the fridge for fast & simple meals all week long or prep them a month in advance and store in the freezer for later. Double or triple the recipe if you're batch prepping for a crowd! 

This is a sponsored blog post; while the views expressed here are genuinely mine, consideration was paid to me by Bays® English Muffins to review this product.

Have you ever made breakfast sandwiches ahead of time? It's one of those super helpful habits that looks glaringly obvious after the fact & makes you want to pinch yourself for not trying it sooner. 

Yet, so many folks never do it! Instead, they waste time and money every single morning stopping at their local coffee shop, gas station, or fast food joint to buy a hot breakfast on the go. 

I did that for years before I became a food blogger and semi-recently my better half started making regular stops at the local gas station for sausage, egg & cheese sandwiches (he's normally not a breakfast person). 

When I found out, I came up with this recipe so I could save him time & money + ensure he was eating healthier ingredients. 

So many of us are stressed and swamped with a busy schedule these days. I understand that grabbing breakfast on the way to work or an appointment is convenient. But it also takes time, which is our most precious commodity. 

Imagine munching on that same yummy breakfast at your kitchen table with a steaming mug of coffee or a tall glass of cold brew coffee. Not gobbling it down one-handed as you maneuver your way through traffic. 

And if you're one of the lucky stay-at-home folks (like me), imagine taking a break from fixing a homemade breakfast every morning so you can enjoy washing fewer dishes and more me time.

Sounds awesome, right?

Thankfully, prepping portable breakfast sandwiches ahead of time is incredibly easy. 

Ingredients For English Muffin Breakfast Sandwiches

All you need are a handful of simple, high-quality ingredients:

• Bays English Muffins (my favorite brand)
• salted butter (grass-fed and/or cultured is my favorite)
• thick-cut bacon (I love applewood or peppered)
• eggs (local eggs from hens with access to pasture will have the tastiest yolks)
• sliced cheese (sharp cheddar is my favorite)
• salt & pepper 

More Breakfast Sandwich Ideas (When You Want to Sub or Swap Ingredients):

• use thinly sliced deli ham or breakfast sausage instead of bacon
• switch around the cheeses to change up the flavors: goat cheese, pepper jack cheese, provolone, muenster, mozzarella - lots of options!
• make a vegetarian version with sauteed spinach, swiss cheese & sliced tomato (add after reheating so the sandwich doesn't get soggy since those are both wet ingredients)
• skip the butter and after the sandwich is gently reheated, spread cream cheese on the top & bottom of the English muffin
• add a layer of smashed pan-fried avocado or guacamole and pour a bit of salsa on top of the eggs
• spoon some chimichurri sauce over the eggs for a bit of tangy & herby flavor

Why Use Fried Eggs For Breakfast Sandwiches Instead of Scrambled or Baked?

You might be wondering why I used fried eggs for this recipe. Especially since baked eggs are really popular right now.

Just whisk some eggs together with milk & seasonings then bake them like a casserole or frittata. Easy peasy, right?

The only problem is this method yields a thicker slab of egg that takes longer to reheat. By the time the egg is warm all the way through, chances are the rest of your ingredients will be overcooked. You'll end up with soggy or crunchy bread (depending on cooking method) and cheese that gets everywhere.

Fried eggs are thinner so they reheat faster, which minimizes your chance of overcooking the other sandwich components. This also means you can layer them up for extra protein. I always use two eggs (with crispy bacon layered in between) so I'm satisfied & full for several hours after the meal.

TIP: If you want fried eggs that don't fall over the sides of the English muffin, make sure the pan is plenty hot before cracking in your eggs. This helps the egg whites spread less.

You can also pick up a few silicone egg molds (pictured above) at your local kitchen store. These inexpensive kitchen utensils work great for keeping the eggs a uniform size if you're batch cooking them on the stove for recipes like this.

Why English Muffins Are The Best For Make Ahead (On-The-Go) Breakfast Sandwiches

Biscuits are heavenly vessels for breakfast sandwiches (especially with sausage) but they're thick, can crumble easily (depending on how much flour is used) and make me want to take a nap after eating one. Can you relate?

For this reason, I like to save them for the weekends or mornings when I need to refuel after a crazy night.

Croissants are equally drool-worthy, but they're more expensive and delicate (all those flaky, buttery layers).  When I'm meal prepping stuff for breakfast, it makes sense to grab ingredients that cost less so I can save money on groceries.

Sliced bread works fine too (and is certainly budget-friendly if you go through a lot of it or bake it yourself), but isn't quite as sturdy as I like for on-the-go breakfast sandwiches with multiple layers. Toasted bread also creates lots of crumbs you probably don't want falling all over your clothes as you drive to work.

English muffins, on the other hand, well...they've got a nice crust on the outside that's slightly chewy and the inside is softer but still sturdy enough to hold onto some sauce (like melted butter) without getting soggy.

The inside sort of nestles the sandwich ingredients and the outside lets you get a good, comfortable grip for biting into it without everything falling apart.

They also freeze and reheat well. And I can eat one without needing to take a nap. Which makes is the perfect vessel, in my humble opinion, for a portable breakfast sandwich with egg, bacon & cheese.

My Favorite English Muffins

I've tried many different English muffins over the years and my favorite (hands down) is Bays English Muffins. Why? They are SO incredibly fresh tasting and the texture is amazing! 

They're also pre-sliced, which makes them easy to use. I can grab a few out of the fridge and toast them up super quick to accompany breakfast, lunch or dinner. They're really versatile and elevate pretty much any meal.

I like to slather them with butter and dunk them in cabbage roll soup or melt some mozzarella cheese on top to make grilled cheese dippers for tomato basil soup. 

They're also awesome vessels for hand-held party appetizers like these gorgonzola pear English muffin pizzas. 

Once you try them you'll be hooked. All my family members love them and I'm always looking for opportunities to share them with others.

Where To Find Bays English Muffins

If you want to grab the ingredients to make these breakfast sandwiches today, make sure to look in the refrigerated dairy case of your local grocery store for Bays English Muffins. They're kept right next to the eggs and milk, carefully chilled for freshness.

I'm a fan of the sourdough and original flavors, but they also have cinnamon raisin and multi-grain. I usually grab multiple packs at a time and stick the extras in my freezer so I never run out.

Are you ready to become obsessed with these English muffins like me?

Visit the Bays English Muffins website for more recipe ideas, plus find out which grocery stores near you carry their muffins. You can also "Like" Bays on Facebook for fun recipe ideas & videos!

Tips & Tricks For Fixing Make Ahead English Muffin Breakfast Sandwiches

• Cook the bacon in the oven (this helps it stay flat & cook evenly without burning - less babysitting required, too). You can toast the English muffins at the same time, but they'll only take 5-ish minutes so set a timer. 
• If you plan on reheating them in the microwave, lightly toast the English muffins before assembling. This gives them a bit more texture so they're not as soft.
• If you plan on reheating in the oven, either don't toast the English muffins before assembling OR remove the English muffin from the oven early (before the rest is heated through) so the bread doesn't get rock hard.
• These breakfast sandwiches are 100% freezer-friendly if you want to meal prep them for a few weeks away (up to a month - maybe longer but you risk freezer burn).
• With that said, they have the best texture & a much smaller chance of being overlooked if you store the sandwiches in the fridge before cooking. 
• So, either make a fresh batch and keep them in the fridge (consume within a week) or take what you need out of the freezer the night before so they can thaw in the fridge.
• I use parchment paper to wrap my sandwiches since it can safely go into the oven OR microwave. I don't use a wet paper towel around my sandwich since I always reheat it straight from the fridge (I keep it wrapped in the parchment paper) but you may want to use that if you're reheating it in the microwave directly from the freezer. I haven't tested that yet - so let me know if it works for you.  
• The first time you reheat the sandwiches in the microwave or oven, don't just set it and forget it. Check on them halfway through and add a little more cook time until they're done. Each microwave & oven is different so a little babysitting the first time will keep you from a super overcooked sandwich. 
• If you need to fix breakfast sandwiches for a crowd, you can double, triple, or quadruple this recipe so you have enough. Make sure you've got plenty of parchment paper for wrapping each sandwich and gallon-sized resealable plastic bags so you can remove as much air as possible & keep them fresh. Note: Wrapping them in the parchment paper & sticking them directly in the fridge is not enough. The bread will get hard after a day or so.  

Watch The Recipe Video

If you're a visual learner, make sure to watch my short recipe video by clicking below. It illustrates the super easy process of making these Bacon, Egg & Cheese English Muffin Breakfast Sandwiches!

More Make-Ahead Breakfast Recipes To Try:

• Overnight Steel Cut Oats (Hot or Cold)
• Egg Bake Breakfast Casserole
• Peaches and Cream Muffins

meal prep, how to make, easy, to freeze

breakfast

American

Yield: 6 sandwiches

Author: Elaina Newton - The Rising Spoon

Make Ahead English Muffin Breakfast Sandwiches

prep time: 15 Mcook time: 25 Mtotal time: 40 M

ingredients:

• 6 Bays English Muffins
• 4-5 tablespoons of butter, divided
• 6 slices of thick-cut bacon
• 12 eggs
• 6 slices of sharp cheddar cheese
• Sea salt & black pepper, to taste

instructions:

How to cook Make Ahead English Muffin Breakfast Sandwiches

1. Separate the English muffin halves and place on the middle rack of the oven, then turn it to 400 degrees. As the oven preheats, it will lightly toast the muffins. Set a timer for 5-8 minutes & keep an eye on them.
2. Place the bacon on a large rimmed baking sheet and grab the rest of the ingredients + parchment paper for assembling.
3. When the muffins are toasted, pull them out and stick the bacon in the oven. Set a timer for 15 minutes. When that goes off, flip the bacon and cook for another 5-7 minutes or until it's crisp to your liking. Immediately remove from the baking sheet and place on a paper-toweled lined plate to soak up excess grease.
4. Spread the insides of all the English muffin halves with butter (I used about 3 tablespoons total).
5. Heat a large skillet on medium or medium-high and add 1 tablespoon of butter (bacon grease also works). Fry the eggs in the skillet in 2-3 batches, adding another tablespoon of butter if needed, and flipping halfway through until the egg whites are cooked completely. You can leave the yolks soft or cook them longer (your choice).
6. Assemble each sandwich as follows: place a fried egg on the bottom half of the English muffin, sprinkle with salt & pepper, then a piece of cooked bacon on top (I break mine in half), then a slice of cheese, add another fried egg, sprinkle with more salt & pepper, then place the other half of the English muffin on top.
7. Let the sandwiches cool completely, then wrap each one tightly in parchment paper. Place the sandwiches into a gallon-sized freezer bag, push out as much air a possible and seal tightly. Store in the fridge and consume within a week OR in the freezer for a month.
8. To reheat from the fridge: keep wrapped in parchment paper and microwave for 1 minute or until warm completely through (do it in 15-second increments the first time so you don't overcook it). Alternately, place in a 375-degree oven (still wrapped in parchment paper) and heat about 15-18 minutes or until just warmed through.

NOTES:

When reheating the sandwiches in the oven, check the English muffin at 10 minutes to make sure it doesn't get too toasted/hard. If it does, remove it a few minutes early and let the rest of the sandwich heat up separately. If eating the sandwiches immediately, microwave for 30 seconds and heat in the oven at 375 degrees for 3-5 minutes or until the cheese is melted and everything is heated through.

https://www.therisingspoon.com/2019/05/make-ahead-bacon-egg-english-muffin-breakfast-sandwiches.html

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