English Muffin Breakfast Sandwich (Meal Prep)

HIGH-PROTEIN JALAPEÑO POPPER EGG BAKE BREAKFAST SANDWICHES

Makes 8 egg-bake squares or 8 breakfast sandwiches

This is one of those meal-prep breakfasts that makes weekday mornings almost stupidly easy.

The base is made with whole eggs, egg whites and cottage cheese, which creates a fluffy egg bake with plenty of protein without needing to stack your sandwich with extra sausage and cheese.

For this jalapeño popper version, I added smoky turkey bacon, jalapeños, reduced-fat cheese and white beans for extra protein and fiber.

And before you panic about beans in your breakfast sandwich: you blend them directly into the egg mixture. You cannot taste them. They simply make the egg bake more filling and add fiber without changing that fluffy, cheesy texture.

Make the full batch on Sunday, turn them into sandwiches and your breakfast is handled for the week.

MACROS

Macros are estimates and will vary depending on the specific cottage cheese, bacon, shredded cheese, English muffin and cream cheese used.

Plain Egg-Bake Base

Per square, when divided into 8:

• Approximately 94 calories

• 11.4g protein

• 1.6g carbohydrates

• 0g fiber

• 4.4g fat

Jalapeño Popper Egg Bake

Per square, when divided into 8:

• Approximately 200 calories

• 22g protein

• 7g carbohydrates

• 1g fiber

• 8g fat

  
  

Complete Jalapeño Popper Breakfast Sandwich

Made with one Dave’s Killer Bread English muffin, one egg-bake square and one tablespoon whipped cream cheese:

• Approximately 365 calories

• 29g protein

• 35g carbohydrates

• 3g fiber

• 11g fat

  
  

INGREDIENTS

For the Egg-Bake Base

• 10 ounces liquid egg whites

• 6 large eggs

• 1 cup 2% cottage cheese

• ½ teaspoon garlic powder

• Salt and black pepper, to taste

  
  

For the Jalapeño Popper Egg Bake

• 1 package Godshall’s turkey bacon, cooked and chopped

  The package used for these macros contained approximately 10 slices.

• ½ of a 15-ounce can white beans, drained and rinsed

• 1 jalapeño, Dice half of the jalapeño to mix into the egg bake and thinly slice the remaining half for the top.

• ½ cup reduced-fat shredded cheddar or Mexican-blend cheese

  
  

For the Breakfast Sandwiches

• 8 English muffins

• 8 jalapeño popper egg-bake squares

• 8 tablespoons whipped cream cheese

• Extra sliced jalapeños, optional

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F.

2. Lightly spray a 9-by-13-inch baking dish with olive oil spray. Line the pan with parchment paper, leaving enough hanging over the sides to lift the cooked egg bake out later. Lightly spray the top of the parchment paper as well.

3. Add the eggs, egg whites, cottage cheese, drained white beans, garlic powder, salt and pepper to a blender.

4. Blend until the cottage cheese and beans are smooth and fully incorporated. You do not need to overblend—just blend until everything is combined.

5. Pour the egg mixture into the prepared baking dish.

6. Sprinkle the chopped turkey bacon and diced jalapeño evenly throughout the egg mixture. Gently press any pieces down with a fork if they are sitting completely on top.

7. Sprinkle the shredded cheese over the top and finish with the sliced jalapeños.

8. Bake for approximately 30–40 minutes, or until the eggs are set in the center and no longer jiggle. The exact cooking time can vary depending on your oven and the moisture in your toppings. I like to cook until JUST set because they will be cooked again the morning of...

9. Allow the egg bake to cool in the pan for at least 10–15 minutes.

10. Use the parchment-paper edges to lift the egg bake out of the pan. Cut it into 8 equal squares.

HOW TO MAKE THE BREAKFAST SANDWICHES

For the best texture, lightly toast the English muffins before assembling. This helps prevent them from becoming soggy in the refrigerator.

Spread one tablespoon of whipped cream cheese on the inside of the top half of each English muffin.

Place one jalapeño popper egg-bake square on the bottom half and close the sandwich.

Wrap each sandwich tightly in aluminum foil. Store the wrapped sandwiches in the refrigerator or place them inside a freezer-safe bag for longer storage.

OTHER WAYS TO FLAVOR YOUR EGG BAKE

Use the same egg, egg-white and cottage-cheese base, then switch up the mix-ins depending on what you have or what sounds good that week.

Greek Spinach and Feta

Add:

• 1 cup chopped spinach

• ½ cup roasted red peppers, patted dry and chopped

• ½ cup crumbled feta

• 1 teaspoon Greek seasoning

• Optional cooked chicken sausage

  
  

Make sure the spinach and peppers are not holding too much water before adding them.

Southwest Egg Bake

Add:

• ½ can black beans, drained and rinsed

• ½ cup corn

• ½ cup diced bell peppers

• ½ cup reduced-fat Mexican-blend cheese

• 1 teaspoon taco seasoning

• Chopped green onions or cilantro

  
  

Serve it on an English muffin with avocado, salsa or Greek yogurt.

Broccoli Cheddar and Turkey

Add:

• 1 cup finely chopped steamed broccoli

• 4–6 ounces diced turkey, turkey sausage or Canadian bacon

• ½ cup reduced-fat shredded cheddar

• ½ teaspoon onion powder

  
  

Drain the broccoli well before adding it so the egg bake does not become watery.

Make Your Own:

A good general formula is:

• The full egg-bake base

• 1–2 cups vegetables

• 4–8 ounces cooked meat, if desired

• ½ cup shredded or crumbled cheese

• Your favorite seasonings

  
  

Cook watery vegetables such as mushrooms, zucchini or spinach before adding them. Allow them to cool and drain away any extra liquid so your egg bake stays fluffy instead of soggy.

STORAGE AND REHEATING

Refrigerator

Store the cooked egg-bake squares or assembled sandwiches in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3–4 days.

You can also keep several egg-bake squares separate and serve them with fruit, avocado or toast instead of turning the entire batch into sandwiches.

Freezer

Wrap each sandwich tightly in aluminum foil and place the wrapped sandwiches inside a freezer-safe bag. Freeze for up to 2–3 months.

For the absolute best cream-cheese texture, freeze the sandwiches without the cream cheese and add it after reheating. They can still be frozen fully assembled, but the cream cheese may be slightly softer after thawing.

Reheating From the Refrigerator

Remove all aluminum foil before microwaving.

Wrap the sandwich loosely in a paper towel and microwave for approximately 60–90 seconds, flipping halfway through if needed.

For a crispier English muffin, finish the sandwich in an air fryer at 350°F for 3–5 minutes.

Reheating From Frozen

For the best result, move a frozen sandwich into the refrigerator the night before.

Once thawed, remove the foil and microwave for 60–90 seconds, or until heated through.

You can also reheat the sandwich in the oven while it is still wrapped in foil at 350°F for approximately 20–25 minutes, removing the foil for the final few minutes if you want the English muffin toasted.

Never place aluminum foil in the microwave.