High-Protein English Muffin Breakfast Sandwich Recipe
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Breakfast may be the most important meal of the day (or so the adage goes), but it isn't necessarily easy to get a nutritional, satisfying meal in first thing in the morning. Breakfast does at least present the opportunity to get your day off to a well-fueled and tasty start, so long as you turn to the right foods and recipes to get the job done. Breakfast sandwiches offer a versatile way to pack in nutrients, and they can serve as a bridge between breakfast and lunch on the busiest of days, making them convenient and flexible too.
Our high-protein English muffin breakfast sandwich, from recipe developer Julie Kinnaird, is not only delicious, but it's packed with protein to keep you going all morning long. Whole-grain English muffins are filled with crisped prosciutto, melty provolone cheese, and a zesty egg bake packed with arugula, sun-dried tomatoes, fresh basil, and a hint of smoked paprika and garlic. Whole-milk cottage cheese and mozzarella are blended into the mix for extra protein enrichment and creamy texture. The result is a meal-preppable sandwich that tastes good and is good for you — so not only is breakfast the most important meal of the day, but after enjoying these sandwiches, it might just be your favorite meal as well.
Gather the high-protein English muffin breakfast sandwich ingredients
Start with whole-grain English muffins as the sandwich base, which alone will provide about 5 to 6 grams of protein. You will need olive oil to brush on the muffins before toasting, which will seep into the nooks and crannies.
To make the baked egg layer, you will need large eggs, whole milk cottage cheese, shredded mozzarella, smoked paprika, garlic powder, sea salt, and freshly cracked black pepper. After these ingredients are pureed and poured into a baking dish, you will swirl in some chopped arugula, sun-dried tomatoes, chives, and basil, then top with a thin layer of finely grated Parmesan. While the eggs bake, you will pan-fry some thin slices of prosciutto to crisp them up and place atop the baked eggs on the sandwiches. Provolone cheese slices are the final layer before baking it all into melty goodness.
Step 1: Preheat the oven
Preheat the oven to 325 F.
Step 2: Grease a baking dish
Grease a 9-inch glass baking dish.
Step 3: Combine the egg filling ingredients in a blender
In a high-speed blender, combine the eggs, cottage cheese, mozzarella, smoked paprika, garlic powder, sea salt, and black pepper.
Step 4: Blend until smooth
Blend just until smooth, about 20 seconds. Do not overprocess.
Step 5: Pour the egg mixture into the pan
Pour the egg mixture into the prepared pan.
Step 6: Add the arugula, sun-dried tomatoes, and herbs
Sprinkle the arugula, sun-dried tomatoes, chives, and basil over the egg mixture. Use the tip of a knife to gently mix.
Step 7: Sprinkle on the Parmesan
Top the egg mixture off with the Parmesan.
Step 8: Bake the eggs
Bake the eggs for about 30 minutes, until lightly browned and set.
Step 9: Line a baking sheet with parchment paper
Meanwhile, while the eggs are nearly done baking, line a sheet pan with parchment paper.
Step 10: Arrange the English muffin halves on the baking sheet
Open the English muffins and place the halves side-by-side on the pan.
Step 11: Brush the English muffins with olive oil
Brush the olive oil onto the English muffin halves.
Step 12: Remove eggs from oven and increase temperature to 400 F
Remove the eggs from the oven and increase the oven temperature to 400 F.
Step 13: Toast the English muffins
Bake the English muffins for 5 minutes to lightly toast, then remove from the oven.
Step 14: Line a plate with paper towels
Line a plate with paper towels.
Step 15: Add the prosciutto to a skillet
Heat a medium skillet and add the prosciutto slices a few at a time.
Step 16: Cook the prosciutto until crisp
Cook the prosciutto slices on both sides until crisp, and then remove to the plate. Repeat until all slices are crisped.
Step 17: Trim the baked eggs
Once the eggs have cooled enough to handle, trim the browned edges and discard.
Step 18: Cut the eggs into rectangles
Cut the remaining egg mixture into 6 rectangles.
Step 19: Start assembling the sandwiches
Top each English muffin bottom with one of the egg rectangles.
Step 20: Add the crispy prosciutto
Portion the crispy prosciutto and place on top of the eggs.
Step 21: Add the provolone slices
Top the prosciutto with a slice of provolone.
Step 22: Place the English muffin tops on the sandwiches
Place the muffin top halves onto the sandwiches and transfer the baking sheet to the oven.
Step 23: Bake the sandwiches
Bake for 5-7 minutes, just until the cheese has melted.
Step 24: Serve the sandwiches
Serve the sandwiches right away.
What to serve with high-protein English muffin breakfast sandwiches
High-Protein English Muffin Breakfast Sandwich Recipe
These high-protein English muffin breakfast sandwiches feature cottage cheese-infused eggs, crispy prosciutto, and melty provolone cheese on top.
Ingredients
- 8 large eggs
- ½ cup whole milk cottage cheese
- ½ cup shredded whole milk mozzarella
- ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
- ½ teaspoon roasted garlic powder
- ¼ teaspoon sea salt
- ¼ teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper
- ½ cup finely chopped fresh arugula
- ¼ cup finely chopped marinated sun-dried tomatoes
- 2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh chives
- 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh basil leaves
- 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan
- 6 whole-grain English muffins
- ¼ cup olive oil
- 12 slices prosciutto
- 6 slices provolone cheese
Directions
- Preheat the oven to 325 F.
- Grease a 9-inch glass baking dish.
- In a high-speed blender, combine the eggs, cottage cheese, mozzarella, smoked paprika, garlic powder, sea salt, and black pepper.
- Blend just until smooth, about 20 seconds. Do not overprocess.
- Pour the egg mixture into the prepared pan.
- Sprinkle the arugula, sun-dried tomatoes, chives, and basil over the egg mixture. Use the tip of a knife to gently mix.
- Top the egg mixture off with the Parmesan.
- Bake the eggs for about 30 minutes, until lightly browned and set.
- Meanwhile, while the eggs are nearly done baking, line a sheet pan with parchment paper.
- Open the English muffins and place the halves side-by-side on the pan.
- Brush the olive oil onto the English muffin halves.
- Remove the eggs from the oven and increase the oven temperature to 400 F.
- Bake the English muffins for 5 minutes to lightly toast, then remove from the oven.
- Line a plate with paper towels.
- Heat a medium skillet and add the prosciutto slices a few at a time.
- Cook the prosciutto slices on both sides until crisp, and then remove to the plate. Repeat until all slices are crisped.
- Once the eggs have cooled enough to handle, trim the browned edges and discard.
- Cut the remaining egg mixture into 6 rectangles.
- Top each English muffin bottom with one of the egg rectangles.
- Portion the crispy prosciutto and place on top of the eggs.
- Top the prosciutto with a slice of provolone.
- Place the muffin top halves onto the sandwiches and transfer the baking sheet to the oven.
- Bake for 5-7 minutes, just until the cheese has melted.
- Serve the sandwiches right away.
Nutrition
| Calories per Serving | 526 |
| Total Fat | 30.2 g |
| Saturated Fat | 11.2 g |
| Trans Fat | 0.0 g |
| Cholesterol | 301.0 mg |
| Total Carbohydrates | 29.4 g |
| Dietary Fiber | 3.1 g |
| Total Sugars | 2.7 g |
| Sodium | 1,453.8 mg |
| Protein | 34.6 g |
How can I switch up the ingredients in these breakfast sandwiches?
To maximize the quality and variety of proteins in this recipe, Kinnaird chose specific ingredients for their protein content. Whole grain English muffins typically have a little more protein than the standard white variety, though you can opt for whichever kind you like best. If you don't have prosciutto on hand, bacon or ham could be substituted, but they will add a different texture and flavor to your sandwich as well as a slightly higher fat content. When preparing the eggs, you can consider using low-fat cottage cheese instead of the whole milk variety. Low-fat cottage cheese may actually contain more protein than full-fat, but Kinnaird prefers the extra creaminess that it adds to the finished egg mixture.
Because shredded mozzarella is mixed into the eggs, you could also use slices of this cheese in place of provolone, keeping with the Italian flavor profile of the sandwich. Fontina, Gruyere, or white cheddar would also work as perfect options for both melting and flavor pairing.
Can I meal prep these breakfast sandwiches?
These high-protein English muffin breakfast sandwiches are fantastic for meal prepping, which Kinnaird has tested on many occasions for fueling her busy family. The best way to meal prep this recipe is to follow each step up to the point of assembling the sandwiches. Each sandwich can then be individually wrapped in foil and stored in a refrigerator until ready to eat. There are two different methods for reheating these sandwiches. First is to preheat an oven to 350 F, then bake a foil-wrapped sandwich until heated through and the cheese has melted. You can place an individual sandwich directly on a baking rack or on a small oven tray. This will take approximately 10-15 minutes. Keep the sandwich wrapped in the foil, as it will take longer to heat than when freshly made. If you want to bring back the toasty texture of the English muffin, unwrap and bake on the tray for an additional 1-2 minutes. You can also achieve this effect in an air fryer, using a bake or air crisp cycle.
The second method, which saves a bit of time, is to microwave your sandwich. Remove the sandwich from the foil and either wrap with a layer of paper towel or place on a plate with a microwave-safe cover. Heat at a medium-high power starting with 30-second intervals until the cheese has melted and the egg layer is heated through. The short heating intervals will help to ensure that the English muffin does not become overheated and tough. Kinnaird prefers not to freeze these sandwiches, but says that they will stay fresh for up to five days in your refrigerator.