We’ve been making these egg bagel sandwiches for years. They actually started out as one of our camping breakfasts, but somewhere along the way, they followed us home and became a regular breakfast for the boys before school.
Then I made them one morning after my boys had friends sleep over, and apparently that was all it took. 😂 Now they’re expected whenever we have extra boys in the house, and I’ve had more than one parent tell me afterward, “So I hear you make the best egg sandwiches!”
Which always makes Scott and me laugh because there’s really nothing fancy about them. It’s just a fried egg, sausage, and cheese piled onto a toasted bagel. But then one morning we realized there is one thing we do differently—we fry the eggs in bacon grease.
So there you have it. Apparently, that’s our secret. 😂
I usually call them Egg McMuffins, even when there’s not an English muffin in sight. Scott calls them egg sandwiches, egg sammiches, or egg bagels. Because the bagel version is the one we make most often.
I’ve even started making our own sourdough discard bagels, and right now, the Italian cheese ones are the boys’ favorite.
Why You’ll Love This Egg Bagel Sandwich
There’s a reason these have gone from a camping breakfast to something even my boys’ friends request when they spend the night. They’re simple, filling, and just plain good.
- Quick and easy. Once your meat is cooked, these come together in just a few minutes.
- Filling enough for hungry kids. Eggs, sausage, and cheese on a bagel make a hearty breakfast that actually sticks with them.
- Easy to change up. Use bacon, sausage, ham, or skip the meat altogether. You can switch up the cheese and bagel, too.
- Great for feeding a crowd. I’ve made plenty of these at once after sleepovers, and they’re an easy way to feed a kitchen full of hungry boys.
- That bacon grease makes a difference. Frying the eggs in a little bacon grease adds so much flavor without adding another complicated step.
- Perfect for homemade bagels. If you make your own bagels, this is one of our favorite ways to use them—especially those Italian cheese ones!
They’re nothing fancy, but that’s part of why we love them so much. A few simple ingredients make a warm, hearty breakfast that everyone is always happy to see on the table.
Ingredients for an Egg Bagel Sandwich
You only need a handful of ingredients to make these breakfast bagels, which is probably another reason we’ve been making them for so many years. Here’s what we use for one sandwich.
- 1 bagel – We use whatever kind we have on hand. My homemade Italian cheese sourdough discard bagels are the boys’ favorite right now, with everything bagels coming in a close second.
- 1 large egg – One egg is just right for each sandwich.
- 1 frozen sausage patty – Frozen sausage patties make these really quick and easy. I usually fry them in a pan, while Scott just pops them in the microwave.
- 1 slice cheese – American cheese melts really well on a hot egg, but cheddar, Colby Jack, or your favorite sliced cheese works, too.
- 1–2 teaspoons bacon grease – This is our not-so-secret ingredient. Frying eggs in bacon grease is something Scott grew up with—his parents and grandparents did it, too—so we’ve always saved the grease whenever we make bacon.
- Salt and pepper, to taste – Add as much or as little as you like. We don’t salt ours, but we pepper the heck out of them.
If you’ve never saved bacon grease before, this recipe is a pretty good reason to start. It adds a little extra flavor to the egg and carries on something Scott’s family has been doing for generations.
How to Make an Egg Bagel Sandwich
These come together pretty quickly, especially when I’m only making one or two. I usually cook the egg and sausage together in the same pan while the bagel is toasting, so everything is ready at about the same time.
1. Heat the Bacon Grease
Add a teaspoon or two of bacon grease to a skillet over medium heat. Let it melt and coat the bottom of the pan before adding the sausage and egg.
2. Cook the Sausage
Add the frozen sausage patty to the skillet and cook according to the package directions, flipping as needed. I usually fry ours, but Scott takes the quicker route and cooks his in the microwave.
3. Fry the Egg
Crack the egg into the skillet alongside the sausage and season it with salt and pepper. Fry it in the bacon grease until the white is set, then flip and continue cooking until the yolk is done to your liking.
Sometimes I’ll use my little round skillet just for the egg. It’s the perfect size to keep the egg nice and round, so it fits almost perfectly on the bagel.
4. Toast and Butter the Bagel
While the egg and sausage are cooking, split the bagel and toast both halves. As soon as they come out of the toaster, spread them generously with real salted butter—and I mean generously. I think all that butter might be another reason everyone thinks our egg sandwiches are so good. 😂
5. Assemble the Egg Bagel Sandwich
Place the hot sausage and fried egg on the buttered bagel, then add a slice of cheese and top it with the other half of the bagel. The heat from the egg and sausage will soften the cheese as the sandwich sits.
When I’m making these for a whole crew, I’ll cook several sausage patties in one pan and fry the eggs in another. It goes much faster that way, which matters when you’ve got a bunch of hungry boys waiting for breakfast.
Egg Bagel Variations and Substitutions
Sausage is what we use most often because frozen sausage patties are just so quick and easy, but you can put almost anything on these. We’ve made enough egg sandwiches over the years that we’ve tried quite a few combinations.
Bacon, Egg, and Cheese Bagel
Bacon is actually my favorite. It’s a little more work than grabbing a frozen sausage patty, but crispy bacon with the fried egg, cheese, and buttery toasted bagel is hard to beat. Plus, you have fresh bacon grease for frying the eggs.
Ham, Egg, and Cheese Bagel
You don’t need leftover baked ham to make these, either. We’ve used regular deli ham plenty of times. Just warm it up in the pan before adding it to the sandwich.
Try Hot Dogs or Brats
We’ve even made our breakfast sandwiches with hot dogs and brats. Slice them so they’re easier to eat on the bagel, warm them in the skillet, and build the sandwich the same way.
Egg and Cheese Bagel
You can always leave the meat off completely. A fried egg and cheese on a hot, buttered bagel still makes a simple and filling breakfast.
Switch Up the Cheese
American cheese melts nicely from the heat of the egg and meat, but there’s no reason you have to stick with it. Cheddar, Colby Jack, pepper jack, Swiss, or whatever sliced cheese you have in the fridge will work.
Try Different Bagels
Everything bagels are one of the boys’ favorites, and lately they’ve been loving my homemade Italian cheese sourdough discard bagels. But I also really like these on raisin or cranberry bagels.
The sweeter bagels make a completely different breakfast sandwich, especially with the salty bacon, egg, cheese, and butter. It might sound a little different, but that sweet and salty combination is really good.
Tips for the Best Egg Bagel Sandwich
These are pretty hard to mess up, but after making them for years, there are a few little things that make ours especially good.
- Don’t skip the bacon grease. Even when we’re using sausage instead of bacon, I fry the eggs in saved bacon grease. It adds so much flavor to an otherwise really simple sandwich.
- Butter the bagel while it’s hot. Toast the bagel first, then spread plenty of real salted butter on both halves while they’re still warm so it melts right in.
- Cook everything at the same time. If you’re only making one or two sandwiches, cook the sausage and egg together in the same skillet while the bagels toast. Breakfast is ready in just a few minutes.
- A small round pan works great for the egg. You definitely don’t need one, but I love mine because the egg comes out round and just the right size for a bagel.
- Use frozen sausage patties when you’re in a hurry. They’re one of the reasons this is such an easy weekday breakfast. Fry them like I do or microwave them like Scott does when you really want breakfast fast.
- Use two pans when you’re feeding a crowd. Cook all the sausage in one and keep the eggs going in another. It’s much easier than trying to make each sandwich individually.
The biggest thing is to assemble the sandwiches while everything is still hot. That warm egg and sausage soften the cheese, the butter melts into the toasted bagel, and somehow those few simple ingredients turn into the egg sandwiches all the kids keep talking about. 😂
What to Serve With Egg Bagel Sandwiches
These egg bagel sandwiches are pretty filling all on their own, so most mornings we don’t make much else to go with them. When I’m feeding a crowd or we have a little more time, though, it’s easy to add a few simple sides.
Fresh fruit is always an easy choice, especially bananas, berries, grapes, or sliced apples. Hash browns or fried potatoes make it more of a big weekend breakfast, and yogurt is an easy option when you want something quick.
But honestly, around here it’s usually just a hot egg bagel sandwich and something to drink—especially on a school morning. With the egg, sausage, cheese, and a big buttered bagel, nobody is walking away hungry.
Make-Ahead Egg Bagel Sandwiches
These are easy enough to make fresh on a busy morning, but you can also make several at once and save them for later. If you’re already cooking sausage and frying eggs, it doesn’t take much more work to make a few extras.
We’ve made them ahead of time for road trips, particuarly our trip out to Oregon.
All you do is assemble the sandwiches as usual, then let them cool completely before wrapping them individually. Store them in the refrigerator for up to 3 days, then reheat one when you need a quick breakfast.
Can You Freeze Egg Bagel Sandwiches?
Yes! Once the sandwiches are completely cool, wrap each one tightly and place them in a freezer bag or freezer-safe container. They’ll keep well in the freezer for about 2 months.
How to Reheat a Breakfast Bagel
For a refrigerated sandwich, unwrap it and microwave until the egg and sausage are heated through and the cheese is melted.
For a frozen egg bagel sandwich, thaw it in the refrigerator overnight for the best results, then reheat it in the microwave in the morning. You can also warm it in the oven or air fryer if you want the bagel to crisp back up a little.
Frequently Asked Questions
These egg bagel sandwiches are pretty flexible, so don’t be afraid to make them your own. Here are a few common questions about making, storing, and switching them up.
What is the best bagel for a breakfast sandwich?
You really can use any kind you like. Everything bagels are one of my boys’ favorites, and they especially love my homemade Italian cheese bagels right now. I also love raisin and cranberry bagels when I’m in the mood for that sweet and salty combination.
What cheese is best on an egg bagel?
We usually use American cheese because it softens so nicely between the hot egg and sausage. Cheddar, Colby Jack, pepper jack, or Swiss are all good options, too.
Can I make an egg bagel without sausage?
Absolutely. Bacon is actually my favorite, but we’ve also used deli ham, hot dogs, and brats. You can skip the meat altogether and make a simple egg and cheese bagel, too.
Do I have to fry the egg in bacon grease?
No, you can use butter or your usual cooking fat instead. But frying eggs in bacon grease is something Scott’s family has done for generations, and we think it’s one of the things that makes these sandwiches so good.
Can I make breakfast bagel sandwiches ahead of time?
Yes. Let the sandwiches cool completely before wrapping them individually, then keep them in the refrigerator for up to three days. Reheat them when you’re ready to eat.
Can you freeze egg bagel sandwiches?
Yes. Wrap the cooled sandwiches individually and freeze them for up to two months. I prefer to thaw them in the refrigerator overnight before reheating them the next morning.
How do you keep an egg bagel from getting soggy?
Toast the bagel well and let the egg and sausage stop steaming before assembling sandwiches you’re saving for later. If you’re eating them right away, pile everything onto that hot, heavily buttered bagel and don’t worry about it. 😂
Easy Egg Bagel Sandwich
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp bacon grease
- 1 egg
- 1 sausage patty (or bacon, ham, etc.)
- 1 bagel
- 1 slice cheese
Instructions
- Heat 1–2 teaspoons of bacon grease in a skillet over medium heat.
- Add the frozen sausage patty and cook according to the package directions, flipping as needed.
- Crack the egg into the skillet alongside the sausage. Season with salt and pepper, then fry until the white is set. Flip and continue cooking until the yolk is done to your liking.
- While the egg and sausage cook, split the bagel and toast both halves.
- Spread the toasted bagel generously with real salted butter.
- Place the hot sausage and fried egg on the bottom half of the bagel, then top with a slice of cheese.
- Add the top half of the bagel and serve immediately while hot.
Notes
Slow Down and Savor It
It still makes me laugh that something we’ve been making for years has become such a big deal with the boys and their friends. To us, it’s just breakfast—a hot egg, some sausage or bacon, plenty of butter and cheese, all piled onto a toasted bagel.
But I suppose those are often the foods everyone remembers most. Nothing fancy, just something warm and homemade waiting for them in the kitchen.
And someday, I have a feeling I’ll miss those mornings when a house full of hungry boys was waiting for me to make the egg sandwiches. ❤️
More Breakfast Recipes
If you’re looking for a few more homemade breakfasts to add to the rotation, here are some of our favorites.
Apple French Toast Casserole with Streusel Topping – A warm, cozy breakfast casserole with apples and a buttery streusel topping. It’s especially good when you have older bread that needs to be used up.
Best Pancake Recipe (Classic, Homemade & From Scratch) – Our classic homemade pancakes made completely from scratch. They’re simple, dependable, and perfect for a slow weekend breakfast.
Apple Cinnamon Doughnut Muffins – Soft apple cinnamon muffins with all those cozy fall flavors. They’re an easy option when you want something you can bake ahead for breakfast.
Cinnamon Bun Rolls (Cinnabon Copycat Recipe) – Soft homemade cinnamon rolls with plenty of cinnamon-sugar filling. Save these for a morning when you have a little more time to linger over breakfast.
Egg Lasagna: An Easy Breakfast Lasagna for a Crowd – If you have more than a few hungry people to feed, this hearty breakfast casserole is made for a crowd.
