Serving the Breakfast Crowd – Spinach & Tomato Egg Breakfast Sandwiches

Even though we made this recipe over the Summer during vacation, I refrained from posting it until now. It is the perfect breakfast sandwich recipe for group gatherings. It is also a great make ahead breakfast for those who need to grab something and go!

When we made it during our vacation, we made it to serve both of those purposes. There were six of us and we needed something to make ahead of time, that could be reheated and eaten quickly before heading out the door for a day full of activity. Kelly and Gilbert came up with this recipe prior to the vacation and did the initial taste trial at home. They were pleased with the results and the recipe made it onto the vacation menu.

Kelly, Gilbert, Andrew, and Emily all participated in the making of the breakfast sandwiches, with Gilbert pulling double duty as the photographer. Eric and I were pleased to stay out of the kitchen for the preparation of this meal and just enjoy the finished product the next morning. The egg sandwiches were delicious and easily customized for those who didn’t want tomato or sliced cheese on their sandwich. We’ll be making these for many vacations and gatherings to come!

Spinach & Tomato Egg Breakfast Sandwich

Spinach & Tomato Egg Breakfast Sandwiches (adapted from thekitchn.com) Total Time Required: 1 hour, Prep Time: 20 minutes, Cook Time: 40 minutes, Serves: 8

Ingredients:

  • olive oil, for oiling the pan
  • 10 large eggs
  • 3/4 cup heavy cream
  • 1-1/4 teaspoons ground turmeric
  • 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
  • 3/4 teaspoon garam masala
  • 1/2 teaspoon paprika
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 3 cups (3 ounces) baby spinach
  • 1 medium bunch fresh cilantro, about 1 cup coarsely chopped
  • 1 to 2 jalapeno peppers
  • 6 ounces sharp cheddar cheese, 1-1/2 cups shredded
  • 1 large tomato
  • flaky salt & freshly ground black pepper
  • 8 English muffins
  • 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
  • 8 slices American cheese

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 375°F. Lightly coat a 9×13-inch baking dish with oil.

Whisk together the eggs and heavy cream in a large bowl until smooth.

Whisk together the eggs and cream.

Add the turmeric, cumin seeds, garam masala, paprika, and 1 teaspoon of salt to the egg mixture.

Add the spices to the egg & cream mixture.

Coarsely chop the baby spinach and cilantro. Add it to the egg mixture. Trim and finely chop the peppers. Add them to the egg mixture.

Chop the spinach, cilantro, and jalapeno to add to the egg mixture.

Grate the cheddar cheese on the large holes of a box grater. Add one cup of the cheese to the egg mixture and save the remaining cheese for sprinkling.

Add 2/3 of the cheese to the egg mixture.

Stir the egg mixture until combined. Pour the mixture into the baking dish, ensuring the greens are spread out in an even layer.

Add the egg mixture to the prepared baking dish.

Slice the tomato into 8 slices. Arrange them in 2 rows of 4 on the top of the egg mixture, spacing them evenly apart. Season each tomato slice with a pinch of flaky salt and a couple grinds of black pepper.

Add the tomato slices to the dish on top of the egg mixture.

Sprinkle the reserved cheddar cheese over the top of the egg mixture.

Sprinkle the remaining cheese over top.

Bake until the eggs are puffed and set, 25 to 30 minutes. Remove the pan from the oven and let it cool for 15 minutes.

Gilbert took the photos for this recipe. Here he is documenting the baked eggs coming out of the oven, as recorded by Andrew.

Meanwhile, increase the oven temperature to 425°F. Split the English muffins and arrange them cut side up on a baking sheet. Melt the unsalted butter in the microwave or in a small saucepan over medium heat, then brush the cut sides of the English muffins with the butter. Bake the muffins until the edges are light golden-brown, 6 to 8 minutes.

Butter and toast the English muffins.

To assemble, cut the baked eggs into 8 pieces. Place each piece on the bottom half of an English muffin.

Time to assemble the sandwiches!

Top each egg piece with a slice of American cheese, then close each sandwich with the top half of the muffin. Return the assembled sandwiches to the oven and bake for 1 minute to melt the cheese.

Add the cheese to the sandwiches.

Make ahead: The sandwiches can be assembled and frozen. Let the cooked eggs and toasted, buttered English muffins cool completely. Assemble and wrap each sandwich in parchment paper. Freeze in a freezer zip-top bag for up to 1 month. To reheat, place the parchment-wrapped sandwich on a microwave-safe plate and microwave on high until heated through, 2 to 3-1/2 minutes.

Eaten immediately or assembled and reheated, these are awesome!

Egg Sandwiches start the day off right!  ~Linda

Spinach & Tomato Egg Breakfast Sandwiches (adapted from thekitchn.com) Total Time Required: 1 hour, Prep Time: 20 minutes, Cook Time: 40 minutes, Serves: 8

Ingredients:

  • olive oil, for oiling the pan
  • 10 large eggs
  • 3/4 cup heavy cream
  • 1-1/4 teaspoons ground turmeric
  • 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
  • 3/4 teaspoon garam masala
  • 1/2 teaspoon paprika
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 3 cups (3 ounces) baby spinach
  • 1 medium bunch fresh cilantro, about 1 cup coarsely chopped
  • 1 to 2 jalapeno peppers
  • 6 ounces sharp cheddar cheese, 1-1/2 cups shredded
  • 1 large tomato
  • flaky salt & freshly ground black pepper
  • 8 English muffins
  • 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
  • 8 slices American cheese

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 375°F. Lightly coat a 9×13-inch baking dish with oil.

Whisk together the eggs and heavy cream in a large bowl until smooth. Add the turmeric, cumin seeds, garam masala, paprika, and 1 teaspoon of salt to the egg mixture.

Coarsely chop the baby spinach and cilantro. Add it to the egg mixture. Trim and finely chop the peppers. Add them to the egg mixture. Grate the cheddar cheese on the large holes of a box grater. Add one cup of the cheese to the egg mixture and save the remaining cheese for sprinkling. Stir the egg mixture until combined. Pour the mixture into the baking dish, ensuring the greens are spread out in an even layer.

Slice the tomato into 8 slices. Arrange them in 2 rows of 4 on the top of the egg mixture, spacing them evenly apart. Season each tomato slice with a pinch of flaky salt and a couple grinds of black pepper. Sprinkle the reserved cheddar cheese over the top of the egg mixture.

Bake until the eggs are puffed and set, 25 to 30 minutes. Remove the pan from the oven and let it cool for 15 minutes. Meanwhile, increase the oven temperature to 425°F. Split the English muffins and arrange them cut side up on a baking sheet. Melt the unsalted butter in the microwave or in a small saucepan over medium heat, then brush the cut sides of the English muffins with the butter. Bake the muffins until the edges are light golden-brown, 6 to 8 minutes.

To assemble, cut the baked eggs into 8 pieces. Place each piece on the bottom half of an English muffin. Top each egg piece with a slice of American cheese, then close each sandwich with the top half of the muffin. Return the assembled sandwiches to the oven and bake for 1 minute to melt the cheese.

Make ahead: The sandwiches can be assembled and frozen. Let the cooked eggs and toasted, buttered English muffins cool completely. Assemble and wrap each sandwich in parchment paper. Freeze in a freezer zip-top bag for up to 1 month. To reheat, place the parchment-wrapped sandwich on a microwave-safe plate and microwave on high until heated through, 2 to 3-1/2 minutes.