The Makings Of This Iconic Breakfast Sandwich Belong In Your Oatmeal

If you love breakfast, you're probably a fan of traditional breakfast fare, from sausage and potatoes to waffles and pancakes — a wide array of options that make it difficult to decide what to pair with your perfect homemade microwave latte. Many breakfast lovers are learning there's no need to limit yourself to just one of your favorites in the morning, and have created innovations such as the simple two-ingredient sausage pancake or — even better — savory oatmeal.

True breakfast connoisseurs know oatmeal is just as delicious drizzled with some chili crisp oil as it is stirred up with brown sugar; the oats have a lightly sweet earthiness that easily skews sweet or savory. This information makes it almost mandatory to add the ingredients from your favorite breakfast sandwich into your next morning bowl of oats. Think crisp, crumbled bacon, shredded white cheddar cheese, and a couple of sunny side-up eggs draped over a bowl of creamy, hearty oats.

The bacon is, as always, the star of the dish, bringing smoky richness to each bite. Meanwhile, the warm, golden yolk from the egg flows into the oats for the creamiest texture ever. You can use your favorite cheese, of course, but white cheddar adds something a little artisanal to the dish, in addition to salty, cheesy goodness. Cook the oats in chicken or veggie broth and season with plenty of salt and pepper to round out the flavors and bring everything together.

Though Martha Stewart prefers to keep her breakfast sandwiches simple, the point of easy recipes is experimentation. You can play with flavors without worrying too much about ruining the dish, provided you combine ingredients that make sense together. For instance, it makes sense to swap out crumbled bacon for crumbled sausage, use pepper Jack cheese instead of white cheddar, or to prepare your eggs differently. Poached eggs offer more liquid, golden yolk, for example, while scrambled eggs provide a tighter, drier consistency some may prefer.

Additionally, any ingredient that might find its way into a breakfast sandwich likely also tastes good in this savory oatmeal bowl. Sauteed peppers, onions, and mushrooms provide fiber, in addition to bright flavor and lightly chewy texture. Chopped tomatoes, salsa, or pico de gallo with lots of cilantro could be delicious combined with chorizo and Cotija cheese to mimic a breakfast burrito or Tex-Mex breakfast sandwich. For a vegan twist, use black beans to evoke the flavors of a black bean "sausage" patty, along with a sprinkle of Tajín and diced avocado.

It could also be deliciously fun to blend sweet and savory flavors, such as a drizzle of maple syrup over a sausage-based bowl, or a dab of blueberry jam with a bacon-forward dish, mimicking the flavors of a McGriddle or a breakfast sandwich built on a blueberry bagel. Fresh fruit, such as raspberries, apples, or peaches, is also a tasty option for brightening up your bowl.