If your mornings need something more exciting than plain eggs on toast, this Pesto Egg Sandwich is it! You get fluffy eggs, bright basil pesto, and melty shredded mozzarella tucked into a warm English muffin for the perfect balance of protein, carbs, and flavor. It’s meal-prep friendly, freezer-friendly, aaand a taste-bud friendly. 😉
As a dietitian, one of the types of recipes I get asked about a lot are meal-prep friendly breakfast ideas. And there's nothing better on busy mornings than knowing there's a batch of savory & satisfying pesto eggs breakfast sandwiches waiting in the fridge or freezer. Just pop one in the microwave or oven until the cheese is nice and melty, add your favorite sandwich toppings and enjoy!
What I like most about this recipe is you're replacing breakfast sandwiches you'd find in the freezer section at the grocery store with something that gives you more control over what goes in it!
If you like this recipe, you may also enjoy my Chicken Maple Sausage Egg Breakfast Sandwiches, Cottage Cheese Egg Bake, or Kale & Mushroom Egg bites.
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Key Ingredient Notes and Substitution Ideas
This recipe is made with simple ingredients. Below are some notes and substitutions. You can find the measurements at the bottom of this post.
- Eggs - I use large eggs for this recipe. I use the whole egg and not just the white because there are several nutrients found in the yolk of an egg including fat-soluble vitamins A, E, D, and K.
- Cottage Cheese - cottage cheese is a great way to amp up the fluffy texture and add extra protein and probiotics.
- Milk - to keep the eggs moist and add protein.
- Seasonings - I use garlic powder, red pepper flakes, kosher salt, and black pepper to season the eggs.
- Pesto - pesto is usually a mix of basil, pine nuts, lemon juice, parmesan cheese, garlic, and olive oil. It's a delicious way to add flavor to sandwiches. Store-bought pesto works here, but if you want to make homemade pesto, that's great too.
- Mozzarella Cheese - shredded mozzarella cheese pairs perfectly with pesto and eggs and it helps the sandwiches bind together when it gets heated and melty.
- English Muffins - English muffins are perfect for meal prep sandwiches because the grooves let all the flavors soak in. They also freeze well without getting soggy when re-heated.
How to Make Pesto Egg Sandwiches
Below are the directions for how to make this recipe with photos I hope are helpful. Check the recipe card at the bottom for the full recipe!
- Step 1: Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C) and prepare a 9x13 inch baking dish with an olive oil cooking spray to prevent the eggs from sticking. Add the eggs, cottage cheese, milk, and seasonings. Whisk until well combined. Bake in the oven for 20-25 minutes until the eggs are set in the middle. Cook time will vary depending on your oven.
- Step 2: When the eggs are done baking, let them cool at least 10 minutes. Then cut them into 12 evenly sized squares.
- Step 3: Toast the English muffins (optional). You can do this in the oven on a sheet pan at 375℉ (190°C) for 6-7 minutes cut side up. Coat the top of the English muffins with the pesto.
- Step 4: Layer the sandwich by stacking 2 egg squares and add the mozzarella cheese. Sometimes I add half the mozzarella between the egg squares. Top with the pesto coated top of the English muffin. Wrap each sandwich individually tightly in parchment paper. When ready to eat, remove from the paper and microwave for 1-2 minutes or heat in the oven at 350°F (175°C) for 5-10 minutes until cheese is melted.
Hint: if you don't like your breakfast sandwiches as thick, you can use just one square of the eggs in each sandwich and make 12 total!
Dietitian Tip
While store-bought frozen breakfast sandwiches have their place in my kitchen, I prefer to meal prep my own when I have the time! Homemade breakfast sandwiches give you more control over the flavor so you can adjust them to your personal preferences. Another benefit of making this pesto breakfast sandwich at home is that they don't contain additives or preservatives that many store-bought versions do.
Variations
One of the best parts about making breakfast sandwiches at home is you can customize them to your taste. Below are some ideas!
- Spicy - add sriracha, hot sauce, or more red chili pepper flakes for a kick.
- Higher-Protein - add a slice of turkey, turkey bacon, or homemade maple chicken sausage patties for more protein.
- More Vegetables - add vegetables into the egg mixture. Some great options are sauteed mushrooms, spinach, red bell peppers, kale, red onion, or tomatoes. Black beans also work!
- Add Toppings - I love adding mashed avocado and spinach right before eating the sandwich. I don't recommend freezing with avocado so if you want to add to your slices of bread, do so after heating the sandwich.
Equipment
You'll need a good baking dish for these Pesto Egg Sandwiches. The eggs will bake in a 9x13 inch casserole dish.
Storage
- Refrigerator - Store in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days. Reheat in the microwave, oven, or air fryer.
- Freezer - wrap them tightly in parchment paper or foil and store in a freezer-safe container in the freezer for up to 2 months. To avoid freezer burn, put the wrapped sandwiches in a freezer-safe bag or container.
- To reheat, remove from the wrapping and heat in the microwave for 2-3 minutes or heat in the oven or toaster oven for 10-15 minutes at 350℉ (175°C) .
Expert Tips
- Be sure to spray your baking dish before pouring the egg mixture in so that it doesn't get stuck to the pan!
- If you are freezing the breakfast sandwiches, wait to add your favorite toppings like avocado or hot sauce to the slice of bread after you re-heat them.
FAQ
While healthy means something different to everyone, these are nutrient-rich option. The eggs are a complete protein which means they contain all 9 essential amino acids. Eggs also provide important nutrients like fat soluble vitamins A, C, D, and E. Cottage cheese adds more protein and some calcium. The pesto provides healthy fatty acids and the English muffins are a good source of carbohydrates which are your brain's preferred energy source.
Absolutely! If you're freezing, I do recommend English Muffins as the best option for maintaining it's structure and not getting soggy when re-heated. But sourdough or another sturdy bread will work too.
You CAN, but I did test it using a mixture of eggs and egg whites and it takes an extra 10-15 minutes to bake and the texture is a bit more like a custard than an egg bake.
Absolutely! I suggest using a melty cheese. Some great options are cheddar, Monterey jack, or provolone.
Related
Looking for other dietitian recipes like this? Try these:
Perfect for Pairing
These are my favorite dishes to serve with a Pesto Egg Sandwich:
I hope you enjoy this recipe as much as I do! I would love to hear from you! If you made this recipe, please leave me a review below or tag me in a photo or story on Instagram. Your reviews help support me and make it possible for me to continue to create the recipes you know and love. 🙂 IG: @mallorythedietitian
📖 Recipe
Pesto Egg Sandwich with Melty Mozzarella, Meal Prep
Equipment
Ingredients
- 12 large eggs
- ½ cup cottage cheese
- ¼ cup milk
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 6 English Muffins
- 3 tablespoon pesto (½ tablespoon per sandwich)
- 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese (~2 tablespoon per sandwich)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C) and prepare a 9x13 inch baking dish with an olive oil cooking spray to prevent the eggs from sticking. Add the eggs, cottage cheese, milk, and seasonings. Whisk until well combined. Bake in the oven for 20-25 minutes until the eggs are set in the middle. Cook time will vary depending on your oven.
- When the eggs are done baking, let them cool at least 10 minutes. Then cut them into 12 evenly sized squares.
- Toast the English muffins (optional). You can do this in the oven on a sheet pan at 375℉ (190°C) for 6-7 minutes cut side up. Coat the top of the English muffins with the pesto.
- Layer the sandwich by stacking 2 egg squares and add the mozzarella cheese. Sometimes I add half the mozzarella between the egg squares. Top with the pesto coated top of the English muffin. Wrap each sandwich individually tightly in parchment paper. When ready to eat, remove from the paper and microwave for 1-2 minutes or heat in the oven at 350°F (175°C) for 5-10 minutes until cheese is melted.
- Hint: if you don't like your breakfast sandwiches as thick, you can use just one square of the eggs in each sandwich and make 12 total!
Notes
- Be sure to spray your baking dish before pouring the egg mixture in so that it doesn't get stuck to the pan!
- If you are freezing the breakfast sandwiches, wait to add your favorite toppings like avocado or hot sauce to the slice of bread after you re-heat them.
- Refrigerator - Store the leftovers in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days. Reheat in the microwave, oven, or air fryer.
- Freezer - wrap them tightly in parchment paper or foil and store in a freezer-safe container in the freezer for up to 2 months. To avoid freezer burn, put the wrapped sandwiches in a freezer-safe bag or container.
- To reheat, remove from the wrapping and heat in the microwave for 2-3 minutes or heat in the oven or toaster oven for 10-15 minutes at 350℉ (175°C) .
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