BEST Breakfast Sandwiches (Easy + Freezer-Friendly)

These easy breakfast sandwiches are the perfect recipe to kick off the New Year—made with homemade breakfast sausage, they’re protein-packed, freezer-friendly, and the perfect grab-and-go item to start your morning!

I don’t know about you, but 2024 absolutely flew by for me. And since a lot of you made resolutions to eat healthier in 2025, I decided to share one of my favorite recipes—the ultimate breakfast sandwich. Not only do these keep you satiated, but they’re easy, delicious, and super customizable!

What You’ll Need

• Ground chicken, turkey, or pork. For traditional breakfast sausage, ground pork is best, but you can also use ground chicken or turkey for a lighter option.
• Fresh sage. For a subtle aromatic flavor.
• Maple syrup. The sausage won’t taste sweet—this will just balance the other flavors and give it color while it cooks.
• Fennel seeds. You might not know it, but fennel is one of the trademark flavors in Italian sausage! If you don’t have fennel seeds, ground fennel will work as well (or you can omit it and increase the other seasonings).
• Garlic.
• Kosher salt.
• Cayenne pepper. To give the sausage a bit of heat.
• English muffins. You can also use croissants, bagels, sourdough, or brioche buns.
• Eggs or egg whites. I like to scramble eggs for breakfast sandwiches, but you can also fry them if you prefer.
• Sliced cheese. I recommend pepper jack cheese (but you can also use mozzarella, cheddar, colby jack, etc.)

Breakfast Sandwich Tips and Tricks

1. Don’t overwork the sausage. Making meatballs and homemade sausage can be tricky—a lot of people don’t realize that you have to properly combine the mixture. If you overwork the sausage, it will be too tough, but if you undermix it, it’ll be crumbly and won’t stick together. You’ll know to stop when the sausage leaves a film around the bowl and begins to resist your hands when you mix it.
2. Make a test patty. It’s difficult to know if your seasonings are right until the sausage is cooked. To remedy this, pinch off a small bit of sausage and cook it in the pan. Once done, give it a taste and adjust the seasonings of the uncooked sausage as needed.
3. Customize your toppings. You can really use whatever you want, but here are some ideas!
   • Pesto.
   • Avocado or guacamole (you’ll want to add this right before serving, otherwise it can brown or lose its texture)
   • Salsa.
   • Spinach.
   • Bacon.
   • Prosciutto or ham.
   • Hot sauce.
   • Ketchup.

How to Store Breakfast Sandwiches

One of my favorite things about this recipe is how freezer-friendly it is! They’re perfect to meal prep at the beginning of the week—this way, you can grab a sandwich during your busy mornings for an easy breakfast. Here are the best ways to store them:

1. In the fridge. Wrap the sandwiches in aluminum foil and place in the fridge. They’ll last for up to 5 days, but are best eaten within 2 to 3, otherwise the bread can get soggy.
2. In the freezer. Wrap the sandwiches in aluminum foil and freeze for up to 3 months. To serve, thaw the sandwiches overnight and reheat in the microwave for 60-90 seconds. You can also microwave them from frozen, but they will reheat unevenly.

Hope you guys give this recipe a try—happy cooking, and have an even happier New Year!

BEST Breakfast Sandwiches (Easy + Freezer-Friendly)

These easy breakfast sandwiches are the perfect recipe to kick off the New Year—made with homemade breakfast sausage, they're protein-packed, freezer-friendly, and the perfect grab-and-go item to start your morning!

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Servings: 6 sandwiches

Author: Mae Martin

Ingredients

For the breakfast sausage

• 1 pound ground chicken, turkey, or pork
• 2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh sage
• 1 tablespoon maple syrup
• 1 teaspoon chopped fennel seeds
• 1 clove grated garlic
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper, optional

For the sandwiches

• 6 English muffins
• 6 large eggs or egg whites
• 6 slices pepper jack cheese
• Other toppings of choice: avocado, pesto, spinach, bacon slices, salsa, etc.

Instructions

• Make the sausage. Place the ground meat in a bowl with the rest of the sausage ingredients. Use your hands to incorporate everything evenly, mixing and folding until the sausage forms a ball and begins to resist against your hands. At this point, stop mixing—it should be pretty sticky and will have formed a film on the sides of the bowl. If you overwork the sausage, it will become too tough.
• Preheat a cast iron skillet over medium heat and add a bit of neutral oil to coat the pan. In the meantime, divide the sausage into 6 equal pieces, flattening them with your hand to form a patty. Once the skillet is preheated, place a few sausage patties onto the pan and press them down, being sure not to overcrowd them.
• Flip the patties once golden brown, around 2-3 minutes, and finish the other side until fully cooked through (it should register 160℉ for pork or 165℉ for chicken/turkey on an instant-read thermometer). Top cooked sausage patties with a slice of cheese and set aside to melt.
• If desired, toast your halved English muffins face down in the residual sausage drippings until golden brown. Alternatively, you can also put them in a toaster.
• Assemble the sandwiches. Crack your eggs or egg whites into a bowl, season, and cook them to your preference—I like to scramble mine, but you could fry them as well.
• Once the eggs are done, it's time to assemble. Place one of the cooked eggs (or ⅙ of the scrambled eggs) on the bottom of an English muffin, then add a sausage patty with cheese on top. At this point, add any toppings of choice—I like spinach, bacon, and avocado. Repeat with the remaining sandwiches.
• If not serving immediately, wrap each sandwich in a bit of aluminum foil. They be stored in the fridge for up to 5 days but are best when eaten within 2 to 3, otherwise the bread can get soggy. They will also last up to three months in the freezer.
• When ready to serve, thaw the sandwiches in the fridge overnight and microwave until hot, about 60-90 seconds. If needed, you can microwave the sandwiches from frozen, though they will heat unevenly. Serve warm with ketchup or hot sauce, if desired.