This healthy pesto breakfast sandwich is the perfect make ahead breakfast option for busy mornings! Not only is it loaded with flavor, but it can also be made in advance for a quick and easy breakfast on the run. Best breakfast sandwiches ever! {Vegetarian, can be made dairy-free and gluten-free}
Table of Contents
Healthy Pesto Egg Breakfast Sandwich
If you’re looking for a tasty and fun way to mix up your breakfasts, this healthy pesto breakfast sandwich is totally crave worthy. The basil pesto paired with the egg, melted cheese and slightly crispy English muffin is seriously divine and such a flavor explosion in your mouth!
These make ahead breakfast sandwiches are so simple to make and can be eaten fresh or stored in the fridge or freezer and reheated for an easy grab and go breakfast on those busy mornings!
Whether you’re serving them up to the kids before school or taking one on the go for work or morning errands, these breakfast sandwiches are sure to be a hit with the whole family!
For more make ahead breakfasts, be sure to try my Healthy Breakfast Burritos or Turkey Sausage Egg Muffins too!
Why We Love This Pesto Egg Sandwich
Who doesn’t love a good breakfast sandwich, especially when there are so many benefits to having them on hand? This breakfast pesto sandwich is:
- Quick and easy: Super easy to make from scratch, these breakfast sandwiches come together in minutes with just a few ingredients. Make up a batch or two and have a delicious breakfast for days!
- The perfect grab and go option: If you often skip breakfast because you don’t have time, these sandwiches are a great option. They are make ahead, perfectly portioned, freezable and quick to reheat!
- Healthy and balanced: This egg pesto sandwich is such a nutritious option! One sandwich consists of 20 grams of protein, fiber-rich whole grains and veggies, in addition to heart-healthy fats. This is the perfect balance for keep you feeling full for hours!
Ingredient Notes
- Eggs and egg whites: Eggs are a great source of protein and will keep you feeling full until lunchtime. The balance of whole eggs and egg whites provide the perfect balance of protein, fat, in addition to vitamins A, D, E, choline, iron and folate. You can also use all whole eggs or all egg whites if preferred.
- Milk: Dairy or plant-based milk can be used in this recipe.
- English Muffins: I like to make these healthy breakfast sandwiches with whole grain English muffins to increase the fiber and nutrient content. Bagels or sandwich thins can be used too.
- Pesto: Use a homemade or store-bought pesto. I love making up a batch of my dairy-free pesto made with olive oil, basil, spinach, cashews and lemon juice to keep in the freezer to thaw out and spread on these sandwiches.
- Cheese: Shredded cheese like mozzarella or cheddar both work well. You can also use a slice of cheese instead of shredded cheese if preferred. Leave the cheese off if you want to keep the recipe dairy-free.
- Tomato slices: These are optional, but if you want some extra juicy flavor, be sure to add a slice in just before serving.
Step-by-Step Instructions
How to Make Homemade Pesto
I can’t get enough of this homemade pesto. It’s my go-to pesto for so many recipes including:
Can you tell that I LOVE this stuff?!
Just blend the ingredients together in a food processor, and you wind up with the most fresh and flavorful pesto EVER.
Quick tip: If you don’t want to make your own pesto, you can definitely sub in your favourite store-bought pesto as well.
How to Make Egg Patties for Breakfast Sandwiches
The egg patties are really simple to make. You may be wondering how we got that circular shape and I’m going to reveal my secret in a sec.
- To start, whisk six whole eggs with some egg whites.
- Next, whisk in a splash of milk — you can use regular milk or desired milk alternative, along with some salt and pepper.
- Pour the mixture into a parchment paper lined 8×8 inch baking dish.
- Bake at 350 degrees F for about 15 minutes or until the centre of the mixture is no longer runny.
- Allow the mixture to cool for a few minutes. Either cut the egg mixture into four squares OR if you prefer the egg to fit perfectly on the English muffin, use a 3.5 inch circular cookie cutter or lid of a mason jar and press down into the egg mixture getting as close to the edge as possible so that you can get four circles from the mixture.
Quick tip: If you opt for the circular egg, you might notice that you’re leftover with some egg scraps. DON’T throw these out! You can chop the rest up and eat it as scrambled eggs for breakfast, served on a breakfast wrap or tossed into some fried rice. Put that leftover egg to good use!
How to Make Freezer Breakfast Sandwiches
- Place each egg square or circle on the four English muffin halves.
- Spread a thin layer of pesto evenly over top of each egg.
- Evenly divide the shredded cheese among the breakfast sandwiches. Top with other English muffin half and bake immediately or place in fridge or freezer for later use.
- If serving these egg pesto melts right away, place in oven at 350 degrees F for 5-10 minutes or until cheese has melted and English muffin is slightly crispy.
- If freezing for later, do not heat the breakfast sandwiches. Instead, wrap them in parchment or wax paper and place them in a resealable freezer bag. Freeze for up to 1 month.
Keep scrolling to the recipe card below for the full printable recipe!
Tips for the Best Breakfast Sandwich
- Be sure to not overcook the egg mixture in the oven since it will cook for some additional time when you’re heating up the breakfast sandwiches. Just cook until the centre of the egg mixture is set and no longer runny. If you cook it for too long, the egg may be too rubbery, especially if you plan to reheat it.
- This step is totally optional, but if you want the egg to better fit on the English muffin, I like to cut the egg mixture into circles using a 3.5 inch circular cookie cutter or lid of a mason jar. If you prefer not to use these, you can simply cut the egg mixture into quarters, so that you have 4 squares and place on each English muffin half. They may stick out of the English muffin a bit more, but it’s still equally tasty.
- You can use store-bought or homemade pesto for these breakfast sandwiches. I usually like to make up a batch of homemade pesto in advance so I can just spread on the breakfast sandwiches when ready to prepare, but store-bought is a convenient option as well.
- If you want to switch it up, you can also make these breakfast sandwiches on bagels or sandwich thins as well.
- You can either use the actual egg white from the whole egg or purchase a carton of egg whites. I prefer the latter option so I don’t waste the yolks, but it’s a personal preference.
- I highly recommend lining the baking pan with parchment paper before adding the egg mixture. It helps to prevent sticking and makes it SO much easier to remove the egg mixture from the pan once cooked. If you don’t have parchment, spray the pan really well with cooking spray.
- For best results when serving these breakfast sandwiches from frozen, it’s best to let them thaw in the fridge overnight first before reheating.
Storage & Reheating Guidelines
Refrigerator: Store these breakfast sandwiches in the fridge wrapped in plastic wrap or parchment paper and covered tightly for up to four days or store them in the freezer for later.
To freeze: These breakfast sandwiches are a great freezer-friendly option! To freeze, first slice the English muffin in half. Top with egg and evenly spread one tablespoon of the pesto on the egg. Top with the shredded cheese and remaining English muffin half. Wrap tightly with parchment or wax paper, place the sandwiches in a resealable bag and freeze for up to one month.
How to Reheat Frozen Breakfast Sandwiches
For best results, it’s best to let the breakfast sandwiches thaw in the fridge overnight first before reheating.
To reheat in microwave: Unwrap the sandwiches from the parchment or wax paper and wrap the sandwich in a paper towel. Defrost for 1 minute on warm on 50% power. Flip the sandwich over and continuing to warm in the microwave for 30 seconds-1 minute on high power, or until warmed through.
To reheat in oven: Place in regular oven or toaster oven at 350 F for about 10 minutes or until warmed through.
Recipe FAQs
If you make homemade pesto, you may notice that you have some leftover pesto kicking around after you top up your breakfast sandwiches. This is actually a REALLY good problem to have. There are a few different options for what you can do with it.
Personally, I love to freeze extra pesto in an ice cube tray or these Souper cubes and pop out the pesto cubes and allow it to thaw to use for various meals whenever some extra flavoring is required. The leftover pesto is perfect for tossing with pasta, spread on pizza, mixed in with shredded chicken, served on fish, making pesto eggs or as a spread on sandwiches. It is so versatile.
I’ll admit that I always do a little happy dance whenever I discover that I have leftover pesto because it literally infuses so much flavor into every bite. And who knows, you might just love these breakfast sandwiches so much that you’ll want to use that pesto to make up another batch! They’re pretty tasty!
To make sure your freezer breakfast sandwiches stay tasty and not soggy, just wrap each sandwich in parchment paper or aluminum foil before tossing them into a freezer bag. This keeps the freezer burn and moisture at bay.
And when it’s time to serve them up, remember to remove the parchment paper or foil and place a paper towel underneath the sandwich when you heat it up. The paper towel will help absorb any moisture from the English muffin and prevent it from getting soggy.
Of course! The best way to add veggies is to incorporate them into the egg mixture before baking. Try using chopped up mushrooms, peppers, or spinach to add more nutrients!
Sure! You’ll just have to double the egg mixture and cook up another batch of the eggs in a separate pan.
Other Breakfast Sandwich Filling Ideas
If you want to spruce these breakfast sandwiches up even more, feel free to add any of the following fillings:
- Turkey sausage
- Canadian ham
- Beyond Meat patties
- Turkey bacon
- Regular bacon
- Arugula
Serving Suggestions
Serve this pesto breakfast sandwich as is or add any of these sides for an even more satisfying breakfast:
- Fresh fruit
- Greek yogurt
- Smoothie (try this Strawberry Banana Smoothie with Yogurt)
- Healthy Roasted Potatoes
Recipe Variations
- Switch up the bread: Make a bagel sandwich, or use sandwich thins or whole wheat bread instead of English muffins.
- Add meat: Try ham, bacon or sausage.
- Add veggies to egg mixture: Try finely chopped spinach, mushrooms or peppers.
- Use different cheese: Any shredded cheese or cheese slices will work well in these breakfast sandwiches.
- Try a different flavor pesto: Use a sun-dried tomato pesto or kale pesto. Any flavor pesto would work well!
More Delicious Egg Recipes
- Mini Crustless Quiches
- Crustless Asparagus Quiche
- Egg White Bites
- Spinach Zucchini Frittata
- Egg White Wraps
- Mini Egg Bites
- Overnight Breakfast Casserole
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Healthy Pesto Egg Breakfast Sandwich
Ingredients
For Breakfast Sandwich
- 6 eggs
- ½ cup egg whites or about 4 egg whites
- Splash of milk or milk alternative about 1 tablespoon
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon pepper
- 4 whole-grain English muffins or these Low Carb Bagels (sliced in half)
- 4 tablespoons pesto (can use homemade or store-bought)
- 1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
- Fresh tomato slices optional
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line an 8×8 inch baking dish with parchment paper or spray well with cooking spray.
- In a medium-sized bowl, whisk together the eggs, egg whites, milk, salt and pepper.
- Pour mixture into the prepared baking dish. Bake for 15 minutes or until egg mixture has cooked through and is no longer runny.
- Once egg mixture has baked, allow it to cool for several minutes.
- Remove the egg mixture from the pan and cut into four squares of equal size or use a circular cookie cutter or the lid of a mason jar to cut out four circles from the egg mixture.
- Place each egg square or circle on the four English muffin halves and spread one tablespoon of pesto evenly over top of each egg. Evenly divide the shredded cheese among the breakfast sandwiches. Top with other English muffin half and bake immediately or place in fridge or freezer for later use.
- If serving right away, place in oven at 350 degrees F for 5-10 minutes or until cheese has melted and English muffin is slightly crispy. If freezing for later, do not heat the breakfast sandwiches. Instead, wrap them in parchment or wax paper and place them in a resealable freezer bag. Freeze for up to 1 month.
Notes
- If you make your own homemade pesto and have some left over, you can freeze it in an ice cube tray or these Souper cubes and pop out the pesto cubes and allow them to thaw to use for various meals whenever some extra flavoring is required.
- Be sure to not overcook the egg mixture in the oven since it will cook for some additional time when you’re heating up the breakfast sandwiches. Just cook until the egg mixture until the centre is set and no longer runny. If you cook it for too long, the egg may be too rubbery.
- This step is totally optional, but if you want the egg to better fit in the English muffin, I like to cut the egg mixture into circles using a circular cookie cutter or lid of a mason jar. If you prefer not to use these, you can simply cut the egg mixture into 4 squares and place on each English muffin half. They may stick out of the English muffin a bit more, but it’s still equally tasty.
- You can use store-bought or homemade pesto for these breakfast sandwiches. I usually like to make up a batch of homemade pesto in advance so I can just spread on the breakfast sandwiches when ready to prepare, but store-bought is a convenient option as well.
- If you want to switch it up, you can also make these breakfast sandwiches on bagels or sandwich thins as well.
- You can either use the actual egg white from the whole egg or purchase a carton of egg whites. I prefer the latter option so I don’t waste the yolks, but it’s a personal preference.
- I highly recommend lining the baking pan with parchment paper before adding the egg mixture. It helps to prevent sticking and makes it SO much easier to remove the egg mixture from the pan once cooked.
- For best results when serving these breakfast sandwiches from frozen, it’s best to let them thaw in the fridge overnight first before reheating.
- To reheat in microwave: Unwrap the sandwiches from the parchment or wax paper and wrap the sandwich in a paper towel. Defrost for 1 minute on warm on 50% power. Flip the sandwich over and continuing to warm in the microwave for 30 seconds-1 minute on high power, or until warmed through.
- To reheat in oven: Place in regular oven or toaster oven at 350 F for about 10 minutes or until warmed through.
Nutrition
This recipe was originally posted in July 2019 and were updated November 2023 to include more helpful tips and photos.
Sounds absolutely delicious :) Can’t wait to try it. Thanks for sharing the amazing recipe.
My pleasure!! Hope you enjoy the recipe if you try it out!