I’ve been on a major eggs-for-breakfast (or lunch or high-protein snack) kick for a while now. I even dedicated an entire section on my site to the superfood that is eggs (click here for all the yummy egg recipes). And let me just say that this newest addition of my Prep Ahead High-Protein Breakfast Sammies delivers.
Packed with protein, filled with flavor and a homemade herby cream cheese spread, it’s the kind of sandwich you’ll find yourself craving for breakfast, lunch and dinner.
Which really works out since the whole idea is to prep these in advance to save you from any future moments of hanger. So savory and delish!
PREP AHEAD BREAKFAST SAMMIES THAT CHECK ALL THE BOXES
As a registered dietitian and personal trainer, I’m big on the food-for-fuel approach to eating. Also being a foodie, it’s important to me to never sacrifice flavor. So, you’ll trust me when I tell you these Prep Ahead High-Protein Breakfast Sammies check all of those boxes, right?
I mean, they’re literally made with all the better-for-you ingredients that taste incredible, and all I can say is yum.
Starting with the nutrient-rich egg mixture that’s packed with greens – baby arugula (or spinach) + green onions – cooked in ghee, and seasoned to perfection with salt, pepper and curcumin-loaded turmeric, we’re already off to an *egg*cellent start.
Jokes aside, the egg obsession is for good reason. Eggs are a protein-packed superfood that’s rich in choline, DHA (a key Omega-3 fat), folate, B-vitamins, antioxidants and trace minerals. Whisked in milk (unsweetened non-dairy milk for me), they’re the fluffiest base of these sammies.
Btw, I always buy organic, pasture-raised eggs because they are overall more nutrient dense than conventional eggs, and you can 100% taste the difference.
FLAVORFUL, HIGH-PROTEIN, PREP AHEAD SAMMIES
Ok, now what’s a breakfast sandwich without some crispy bacon? Honestly, it should probably be illegal to serve any b-fast sammy without bacon, and cheese, for that matter.
And although both of those ingredients are key in this recipe (I’m lactose-intolerant and used sliced goat cheese here), a new, unexpected favorite I added to really boost the protein + flavor content in these Prep Ahead High-Protein Breakfast Sammies are slices of smoked deli turkey. Just trust me!
SANDWICHES THAT HIT THE SPOT WITH EVERY BITE
But what might be the best part of this entire recipe is the herby cream cheese spread.
It’s so easy to make and really brings the whole thing together in the most perfect way. All you have to do is blend together chopped green onions, fresh parsley, a couple garlic cloves (rich in antioxidants and great for digestive health!), cream cheese (DF for me), EVOO, lemon juice, and everyone’s favorite: Everything but the Bagel seasoning. Spread on your sourdough English muffin sammies, and you’ll see how it seriously hits the spot in every bite.
I love making these Prep Ahead High-Protein Breakfast Sammies to enjoy fresh, and to have on hand for when I’m really in a pinch and want to enjoy a nutrient-rich and delish meal, but don’t have the time to cook or clean.
You need to get in on this too, for real. Try ‘em and report back. I’d love to hear what you think!
INGREDIENTS YOU’LL NEED:
Bacon:
- Thick-cut bacon, no-sugar-added (I like Applegate)
For the Eggs:
- Ghee
- Green onions (white parts only)
- Baby arugula or baby spinach
- Kosher salt
- Pasture-raised eggs
- Unsweetened non-dairy milk
- Kosher salt
- Ground turmeric
- Freshly ground black pepper
For the Herby Cream Cheese Spread:
- Green onions (green parts only)
- Fresh parsley
- Garlic cloves
- Freshly squeezed lemon juice
- Extra-virgin olive oil
- Dairy Free Cream Cheese (I like Kite Hill)
- Everything but the Bagel seasoning
To Assemble:
- English muffins (sourdough preferred)
- Goat cheddar cheese slices
- Organic smoked deli turkey slices
HOW TO MAKE MY PREP AHEAD HIGH-PROTEIN BREAKFAST SAMMIES
Cook the Bacon:
Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and add the bacon. Transfer to the oven on the middle rack. Turn the oven to 400. Bake until the bacon is crisp, about 18-20 minutes.
Remove the bacon from the oven and transfer it to a paper towel-lined plate. Set aside until you’re ready to assemble the sandwiches.
Reduce the oven temperature to 375.
Make the Eggs:
Meanwhile, make the eggs. In a medium-skillet over medium heat, add the ghee. Once melted, add in the white parts of the green onions, reserving the green parts for the cream cheese spread. Sauté for 2 minutes, until they just start to soften.
Add in the baby arugula or spinach and salt. Stir to combine and cook until wilted, about 2 minutes. Remove from the heat and set aside.
In a large mixing bowl, add the eggs, milk, salt, turmeric, and pepper. Whisk very well until pale yellow and fluffy.
Line a 9×13 pan with a parchment sling and grease generously with avocado oil cooking spray. Add in the cooked onions and spinach, arranging it evenly on the bottom of the pan. Pour over the eggs, and carefully transfer to the oven. Bake for 17-20 minutes until the eggs are totally set and have risen.
Remove from the oven and allow to completely cool before assembling your sandwiches. This is less critical if you make the sandwiches fresh, but if you plan to freeze them, all components must be at room temperature. Otherwise, the steam from the eggs will cause the sandwiches to get soggy and icy in the freezer.
Once the eggs have cooled, remove from the pan using the parchment sling. Cut the eggs into 8 even squares and set aside for assembly.
For the Herby Cream Cheese Spread:
While the eggs bake, make your spread. In a high-speed blender, add the green parts from the green onions, parsley, garlic, lemon juice, and olive oil. Pulse for 30 seconds until the mixture has broken down.
Add the cream cheese and blend on low-medium, scraping the sides down intermittently until the mixture is mostly smooth and fluffy.
Transfer the spread to an airtight container and stir in the EBTB seasoning. Set aside in the fridge until you’re ready to assemble the sandwiches.
To Assemble, Store and Cook:
Arrange the English muffin halves on a cutting board, cut side up.
To 8 of the halves, add a square of egg, two pieces of bacon, and a slice of cheese.
If you are freezing or storing the sandwiches in the fridge, top with the other half of the muffin. *Do not add the spread yet!* Tightly wrap each sandwich with a square of foil. Stack the wrapped sandwiches into a gallon-sized zip-top bag and add to the freezer or refrigerator.
*To cook fresh or from the fridge:
Preheat the oven or toaster oven to 400. Remove the sandwich(es) from the packaging, and arrange them on a baking sheet.
Take the top piece of bread off to expose the cheese and place the top on the sheet, crust side down. Once the oven is preheated, transfer to the oven and bake on the middle rack for 7-10 minutes, until the cheese is bubbly and the top of the English muffin is toasty.
Add about one tablespoon of the cream cheese spread to the top piece of bread. To the side with the cheese/bacon/egg, add a slice of deli turkey, folding it so that it all fits on the sandwich. Place the top back on the muffin and press down gently to seal it all together. Enjoy!
*To cook from the freezer:
Remove the sandwich from the freezer the night before and let it thaw in the fridge.
If you are cooking the sandwiches directly from frozen, preheat the oven to 375. Bake on a baking sheet for 10 minutes. After ten minutes, remove the top bun, add it back to the pan, and cut side up. Transfer the sheet back to the oven and continue to bake until the cheese is melted and the bun is lightly toasted, about 5-10 more minutes.
Follow the same instructions for the fridge/fresh method to assemble the sandwich.
RECIPE SUBSTITUTIONS & QUESTIONS
Make any ingredients swaps, or omit as needed, based on any dietary or taste preferences.
You could do turkey bacon instead of regular bacon, and for any of the dairy-free ingredients I used, you could of course use regular dairy options instead, if no allergies or intolerances. For example, feel free to cook the eggs in butter instead of ghee, or use regular milk and/or cream cheese + sliced cheese (cheddar or whatever your favorite cheese is).
For the eggs, baby spinach or baby arugula works. If you prefer to not add the sautéed greens into the egg mixture, you could always top the sandwiches with fresh greens (spinach, arugula, or microgreens) when you’re ready to serve. Omit the turmeric if preferred, or try with paprika instead.
I love the addition of the organic smoked deli turkey slices and haven’t tried with anything else, but I’m thinking maybe oven roasted deli chicken slices could work too. Let me know if you come up with any good options!
SHOULD YOU TOAST ENGLISH MUFFINS BEFORE FREEZING BREAKFAST SANDWICHES?
You don’t have to toast English muffins before freezing these Prep Ahead High-Protein Breakfast Sammies, but you can if you want to! I haven’t tested that with this recipe since they get a little toasty once the full sandwich is cooked together in the oven or toaster oven. Depending on the recipe though, some people prefer to toast ahead of time as this dehydrates the bread and may help it freeze better.
HOW TO KEEP BREAKFAST SANDWICHES FROM GETTING SOGGY?
If you’re not planning to eat right away and will be storing in the fridge or freezer, allow your eggs to completely cool before adding to the sandwich, which will ensure the steam from the eggs does not make the bread soggy. It’s also important to not add any spreads or condiments to your breakfast sandwich until you’re ready to serve them.
LOVE THESE BREAKFAST SANDWICHES? HERE’S EASY, DELICIOUS BREAKFAST RECIPES:
High-Protein Breakfast Burrito
High-Protein Meal Prep Egg Cups
High-Protein Blender Banana Oat Pancakes
Egg, Sausage & Crispy Cheese Breakfast Tacos
Prep Ahead High-Protein Breakfast Sammies
Ingredients
For the Bacon:
- 8 strips no-sugar-added, thick-cut bacon, (I like Applegate)
For the Eggs:
- 2 tablespoons ghee
- 8 green onions, chopped, white and green parts divided (white parts only)
- 2 heaping handfuls baby arugula or baby spinach, roughly chopped
- 1/2 teaspoon Kosher salt
- 12 large pasture-raised eggs
- 1/2 cup unsweetened non-dairy milk
- 1/2 teaspoon Kosher salt
- 1/4 teaspoon ground turmeric
- 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
For the Herby Cream Cheese Spread:
- Green parts only of green onions, (from chopped and divided onions for egg mixture)
- 1 cup chopped fresh parsley
- 2 cloves garlic, roughly chopped
- 1/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 (8 ounce) container Dairy Free Cream Cheese, (I like Kite Hill)
- 2 teaspoons Everything but the Bagel seasoning
To Assemble:
- 8 English muffins (sourdough preferred), sliced in half
- 8 slices goat cheddar cheese
- 8 slices organic smoked deli turkey
Instructions
For the Bacon:
- Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and add the bacon. Transfer to the oven on the middle rack. Turn the oven to 400. Bake until the bacon is crisp, about 18-20 minutes.
- Remove the bacon from the oven and transfer it to a paper towel-lined plate. Set aside until you’re ready to assemble the sandwiches.
- Reduce the oven temperature to 375.
For the Eggs:
- Meanwhile, make the eggs. In a medium-skillet over medium heat, add the ghee. Once melted, add in the white parts of the green onions, reserving the green parts for the cream cheese spread. Sauté for 2 minutes, until they just start to soften.
- Add in the baby arugula or spinach and salt. Stir to combine and cook until wilted, about 2 minutes. Remove from the heat and set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl, add the eggs, milk, salt, turmeric, and pepper. Whisk very well until pale yellow and fluffy.
- Line a 9×13 pan with a parchment sling and grease generously with avocado oil cooking spray. Add in the cooked onions and spinach, arranging it evenly on the bottom of the pan. Pour over the eggs, and carefully transfer to the oven. Bake for 17-20 minutes until the eggs are totally set and have risen.
- Remove from the oven and allow to completely cool before assembling your sandwiches. This is less critical if you make the sandwiches fresh, but if you plan to freeze them, all components must be at room temperature. Otherwise, the steam from the eggs will cause the sandwiches to get soggy and icy in the freezer.
- Once the eggs have cooled, remove from the pan using the parchment sling. Cut the eggs into 8 even squares and set aside for assembly.
For the Herby Cream Cheese Spread:
- While the eggs bake, make your spread. In a high-speed blender, add the green parts from the green onions, parsley, garlic, lemon juice, and olive oil. Pulse for 30 seconds until the mixture has broken down.
- Add the cream cheese and blend on low-medium, scraping the sides down intermittently until the mixture is mostly smooth and fluffy.
- Transfer the spread to an airtight container and stir in the EBTB seasoning. Set aside in the fridge until you’re ready to assemble the sandwiches.
To Assemble, Store and Cook:
- Arrange the English muffin halves on a cutting board, cut side up.
- To 8 of the halves, add a square of egg, two pieces of bacon, and a slice of cheese.
- If you are freezing or storing the sandwiches in the fridge, top with the other half of the muffin. *Do not add the spread yet!* Tightly wrap each sandwich with a square of foil. Stack the wrapped sandwiches into a gallon-sized zip-top bag and add to the freezer or refrigerator.
- To cook fresh or from the fridge:Preheat the oven or toaster oven to 400. Remove the sandwich(es) from the packaging, and arrange them on a baking sheet.Take the top piece of bread off to expose the cheese and place the top on the sheet, crust side down. Once the oven is preheated, transfer to the oven and bake on the middle rack for 7-10 minutes, until the cheese is bubbly and the top of the English muffin is toasty.Add about one tablespoon of the cream cheese spread to the top piece of bread. To the side with the cheese/bacon/egg, add a slice of deli turkey, folding it so that it all fits on the sandwich. Place the top back on the muffin and press down gently to seal it all together. Enjoy!
- To cook from the freezer:Remove the sandwich from the freezer the night before and let it thaw in the fridge. If you are cooking the sandwiches directly from frozen, preheat the oven to 375. Bake on a baking sheet for 10 minutes. After ten minutes, remove the top bun, add it back to the pan, and cut side up. Transfer the sheet back to the oven and continue to bake until the cheese is melted and the bun is lightly toasted, about 5-10 more minutes. Follow the same instructions for the fridge/fresh method to assemble the sandwich.
