Two slices of bread, a fried egg, and thou? Who art thou?

October 13, 2023 10:31 AM

What unexpected ingredient should I try putting in a simple egg sandwich? Especially things I can buy already made. Google is overwhelming me with egg SALAD sandwiches and imitation McMuffins.
posted by bluesky78987 to Food & Drink (69 answers total)

Best answer: Fried slice of spam or, if you're able to get it in the grocery store, the sublime New Jersey delicacy of pork roll/taylor ham.
posted by LeeLanded at 10:40 AM on October 13, 2023 [8 favorites]

Best answer: A bit of cheese and avocado are great. How about buying sliced cheese and guacamole? Maybe that's not unexpected though.
posted by bluedaisy at 10:40 AM on October 13, 2023 [2 favorites]

Best answer: Sriracha

Garlicky hummus

An avocado with salt and pepper
posted by soelo at 10:41 AM on October 13, 2023 [5 favorites]

Best answer: Buttery scrambled eggs and Marmite in a soft white bun, so delicious it feels like they should be sold in the squares of market towns under an old English name.

Am sure would work just as well with two slices of bread and a fried egg. If you don't know Marmite, it's a salty and yeasty spread. Other brands are available and experimentation encouraged.
posted by einekleine at 10:42 AM on October 13, 2023 [3 favorites]

Best answer: AVOCADO AVOCADO AVOCADO
posted by Melismata at 10:47 AM on October 13, 2023 [4 favorites]

Best answer: Kimchee.
posted by bowbeacon at 10:47 AM on October 13, 2023 [13 favorites]

Best answer: Everyone is making the Sydney omelette. Maybe some Boursin cheese?
posted by JoeZydeco at 10:47 AM on October 13, 2023 [1 favorite]

Best answer: Chili crisp.
posted by aramaic at 10:48 AM on October 13, 2023 [18 favorites]

Best answer: How about some smoked trout?
posted by tybstar at 10:48 AM on October 13, 2023 [5 favorites]

Best answer: Fresh figs, sliced (lightly fried
separately, perhaps)?
posted by xaryts at 10:49 AM on October 13, 2023 [3 favorites]

Best answer: A thin smear of pesto. Shredded parmesan is optional.
posted by spamloaf at 10:49 AM on October 13, 2023 [4 favorites]

Best answer: Another egg. Bacon. Brown sauce or tomato sauce. Crisps.

or blue cheese, if your bread is up to it.
posted by runincircles at 10:49 AM on October 13, 2023 [1 favorite]

Best answer: Just literally right now had an egg and cheese with some chili crisp. can confirm this is a Correct Life Move.
posted by We put our faith in Blast Hardcheese at 10:56 AM on October 13, 2023 [8 favorites]

Best answer: Brie and apple.
posted by transient at 10:58 AM on October 13, 2023 [3 favorites]

Best answer: Salsa at your preferred heat level
posted by epj at 11:01 AM on October 13, 2023 [1 favorite]

Best answer: Cherry tomatoes that you cover with a bit of olive oil and salt and pepper and leave in the oven at about 300 for an 30 minutes to an hour.

I have these in my fridge and adding them to just about anything makes it better.

You can also do this with onions or mushrooms.
posted by ReluctantViking at 11:06 AM on October 13, 2023 [3 favorites]

Best answer: scrambled, on toasted bread, with cheese and sriracha is my go-to for a quick delish breakfast.
posted by j_curiouser at 11:09 AM on October 13, 2023 [1 favorite]

Best answer: Mango chutney.
posted by offog at 11:10 AM on October 13, 2023 [2 favorites]

Best answer: Pretty much any savory/umami topping really elevates: Marmite, sharp cheeses, chili crisp, pesto, hot sauce, etc.
posted by so fucking future at 11:10 AM on October 13, 2023

Best answer: Cheese, directly under the hot egg, preferably on hot toast

Mayonnaise if you also have quality fresh-sliced tomato. Ketchup if not

Lettuce or baby spinach or whatever

Pickles
posted by timdiggerm at 11:14 AM on October 13, 2023

Best answer: Chimichurri is one of my favorite toppings.
posted by mcgsa at 11:14 AM on October 13, 2023 [1 favorite]

Best answer: My mom would often make a sandwich out of toasted bread, scrambled eggs, and yellow mustard. I thought it was common/normal but countless friends and roommates have insisted otherwise.

Common or not, I think it's a delicious option!
posted by J-Garr at 11:14 AM on October 13, 2023

Best answer: Bacon, lettuce, tomato, and egg is delicious. Or any combination thereof (as long as it contains bacon).
posted by hydra77 at 11:17 AM on October 13, 2023 [1 favorite]

Best answer: You can get cooked frozen sausage patties (usually in regular flavor or maple) at most grocery stores and they are easily microwaved or air-fried.

You can also get ready-to-heat breaded chicken patties, and this is the breakfast sandwich I mass-produce for road trips, camping, etc - Ballpark makes an "everything" bun now, and I do some of them just with mayo and cheese but a tangy-sweet-hot sauce (okonomi sauce, Bulldog, sriracha ketchup, BBQ, Frank's etc or any of the above mixed with mayo) just absolutely pops. Occasionally I will make a "cordon bleu" version with the egg, chicken patty, deli ham, smoked gouda or provolone, and mustard.
posted by Lyn Never at 11:20 AM on October 13, 2023 [4 favorites]

Best answer: I'll throw in my 2c that mixing up cream cheese with chopped green onions, red onions and sliced kalamata olives is pretty good on eggs.

That being said, everyone else here is knocking it out of the park. Imma try most of this.
posted by Reasonably Everything Happens at 11:25 AM on October 13, 2023 [3 favorites]

Best answer: Goat cheese and fresh arugula (plus salt and pepper, of course).
posted by mcduff at 11:25 AM on October 13, 2023 [4 favorites]

Best answer: I have found that sweet/spicy savory jams and jellies are extremely good on egg sandwiches! Rose City Pepperheads is a very tasty local jam maker, and you can make your own if you’re ambitious.
posted by Kpele at 11:38 AM on October 13, 2023 [3 favorites]

Best answer: Gochugaru or gochujang
Mirin and MSG if you're scrambling
posted by SaltySalticid at 11:44 AM on October 13, 2023 [1 favorite]

Best answer: Smoked cheddar or smoked Gouda, and New Mexican red chile sauce.

Maple mayo seems to be a delicious trend I've seen lately as well.
posted by soleiluna at 11:48 AM on October 13, 2023 [1 favorite]

Best answer: kimchi

For a milder experience, I very often start with tomato. In summer it's just a slice of a lovely ripe heirloom, but during winter it might be tomato "pesto". And bacon.

A swipe of mustard is fine too.
posted by mumimor at 11:52 AM on October 13, 2023

Best answer: sharp cheddar and sliced pickes.
posted by vunder at 11:53 AM on October 13, 2023 [2 favorites]

Best answer: An eggo brand blueberry flavor waffle or french toast sticks, pre toasted.
posted by phunniemee at 11:54 AM on October 13, 2023

Best answer: Taco seasoning
Curry powder
Those fried onions you get in a tin or other crunchy texture
posted by St. Peepsburg at 12:01 PM on October 13, 2023

Best answer: Peppadew peppers or, if you can't find it, jarred roasted red pepper.
posted by Tim Bucktooth at 12:10 PM on October 13, 2023

Best answer: Green Greek olive spread ,. just olives ground up with olive oil,a nice layer of that with a
sprinkle of oregano..
posted by hortense at 12:11 PM on October 13, 2023 [1 favorite]

Pickled red onion or kimchi
posted by meowmeowdream at 12:18 PM on October 13, 2023 [2 favorites]

Best answer: Grape jelly! No seriously try it. Even better: grape jelly and Cholula hot sauce. If no to grape jelly, try marmalade.

If I’m being a normie about this hypothetical sandwich, watercress, which is the objectively best green for eggs (as seen in the famous egg and cress).
posted by Mizu at 12:24 PM on October 13, 2023

Best answer: Zhoug sauce, I get it from Trader Joe's
posted by sepviva at 12:30 PM on October 13, 2023 [2 favorites]

Best answer: Romesco sauce is a go-to around here.

An IQF hash brown is not really original or wild, but man, its a good addition. The combination of both happen to be pretty delightful.
posted by furnace.heart at 12:35 PM on October 13, 2023 [2 favorites]

Best answer: Good & Gather brand Tomato, Garlic and Calabrian Chile Spread from Target. So good.
posted by OrangeDisk at 12:36 PM on October 13, 2023

Best answer: Avocado on toast. Flaky Maldon sea salt and freshly-ground pepper on the avocado. Lightly-fried egg on top. Cover with arugula, a little more crunchy salt, slice of tomato, and another piece of toast. Done.
posted by They sucked his brains out! at 12:50 PM on October 13, 2023 [2 favorites]

Best answer: Finely sliced pickled onions. Ideally the big Garners kind that are dark, not silverskin ones.
posted by In Your Shell Like at 1:04 PM on October 13, 2023 [1 favorite]

Best answer: Egg with lightly sauteed spinach and mushroom. Can also add any combination of tomato, bacon and hot sauce.

Hard-boiled egg, satay sauce and cucumber, better in a wrap or ideally roti/naan rather than sandwich type bread. You might be able to do egg and peanut butter as a variant.
posted by Athanassiel at 1:06 PM on October 13, 2023 [2 favorites]

Best answer: There was a restaurant in Ann Arbor that I used to visit occasionally for lunch (called Mikette). They went out of business due to the pandemic, I think, but they would make a grilled cheese of 2 slices of well-buttered Texas toast, with gruyère in between, then they would pour some truffled mornay sauce over the top of that, and THEN they would crack an egg on top an stick it under the broiler and top it with fresh-cracked black pepper and fresh chives.

I still dream about that thing.

You didn't specify where the egg should be, so it seemed like fair game. (You could also fry the egg, if you didn't want to use a broiler.)
posted by tempestuoso at 1:08 PM on October 13, 2023 [2 favorites]

Best answer: Add ham and cheese and you'll have a croque madame, a French variation on grilled cheese.
posted by demi-octopus at 1:16 PM on October 13, 2023

Best answer: I've fallen in love with Penzey's Justice in or on my breakfast eggs. Just the right amount of onion-y goodness, it helps elevate a simple sandwich to something more professional, without having to worry about too much prep work.
posted by Kyol at 1:29 PM on October 13, 2023 [1 favorite]

Best answer: A slice of Velveeta cheese...
posted by Czjewel at 1:51 PM on October 13, 2023 [1 favorite]

Best answer: My favourite sandwich is fried eggs and prosciutto with Tapatio hot sauce
posted by Chenko at 1:55 PM on October 13, 2023

Best answer: I think just about anything that's not too sweet can go with a fried egg, though I prefer more savory items.

Scallions
Dill
Cheese (though I'd put grated cheese on both hot or cold but only sliced cheese on a cold sandwich)
Olive tapenade
Red onion
Bacon
Thinly-sliced apple or pear
Aoli
Avocado or guac
posted by The Wrong Kind of Cheese at 2:10 PM on October 13, 2023 [1 favorite]

Best answer: A thick slice of gruyere and a handful of arugula. Serve on a whole wheat English muffin
posted by potrzebie at 2:11 PM on October 13, 2023

Best answer: If you have runny yolk, mix it with hot sauce, say Franks or Tabasco or cholula or Valentina or sriracha.

In any case, hot sauce, melted cheese and crunchy peanut butter.
posted by k3ninho at 2:20 PM on October 13, 2023

Best answer: Spinach, griddled onion, mozzarella and then dip in marinara sauce.
posted by kathrynm at 2:21 PM on October 13, 2023 [1 favorite]

Best answer: Leftover curry
posted by icy_latte at 2:42 PM on October 13, 2023

Best answer: I've heard very good things about Bacon Mustard and cheese.
posted by kbuxton at 4:19 PM on October 13, 2023

Best answer: I grew up eating fried egg sandwiches that were bread, a thin smear of miracle whip and one egg fried with a LOT of black pepper. I'm neutral on the miracle whip but the black pepper really upgrades a fried egg.

Bonus: simplicity!
posted by Vatnesine at 4:28 PM on October 13, 2023 [1 favorite]

Best answer: A paper-thin layer of seasoned Japanese nori seaweed. Even better cut up into small strips, mixed into the egg before cooking; the stuff kinda bulks up with the egg's moisture.
posted by Rash at 5:26 PM on October 13, 2023

Best answer: Black forest ham, cheese, lettuce, tomato, mayo & onion.
posted by Serene Empress Dork at 6:12 PM on October 13, 2023

Best answer: Mayo, Trader Joe’s Italian Bomba Sauce, and cheese.
posted by MadamM at 8:19 PM on October 13, 2023

Best answer: Bacon bits.
Bacon jam.
A layer of potato chips, perhaps of the bacon-flavored variety.
posted by Iris Gambol at 8:21 PM on October 13, 2023

Best answer: Has nobody mentioned smoked salmon?

And another umami bomb option: whenever we get takeout Indian I always save any extra tamarind / onion chutney to spread liberally on a fried egg / melted provolone sandwich. The tanginess of the onion and tamarind complement the richness of cheese and egg yolk perfectly.
posted by sesquipedalia at 9:08 PM on October 13, 2023

Best answer: I like a fried egg sandwich with a thin smear of dijon mustard.
Scrambled eggs in a corn tortilla with greens, ideally arugula, and salsa, are excellent. Or scrambled eggs and kimchi.
posted by theora55 at 8:00 AM on October 14, 2023

Best answer: I've written professionally and spoken on several occasions about breakfast sandwiches. One of the best surprise sandwich ingredients I've had is a strawberry aioli, which also comes in a spicy version, from The Breakfast Den in Philadelphia (LGT PDF). I've also had several chicken cutlets as a meat, and it sounds unconventional, but it works. And also near me, The Biscuit Lady offers several peanut butter & jelly egg sandwiches.

Overall, if you eat meat, experiment with options: corned beef, pastrami, roasted turkey. And in terms of sauces, there's a fun interplay between sweet-ish and savory to see what works for you.
posted by knile at 9:27 AM on October 14, 2023 [3 favorites]

Best answer: Try Viet style with pickled carrot and daikon with sliced cucumber,
mayo, over easy fried or sunnyside up eggs with splashes of maggi sauce with sprinkling of cilantro and chili.

But I admit that my goto is bacon, avocado and egg with a sprinkle of everything seasoning if I got it laying around.
posted by jadepearl at 7:06 AM on October 15, 2023

Best answer: Lobster! Caviar!
posted by nicwolff at 10:18 PM on October 15, 2023

Best answer: Lettuce, tomato, sliced onion, mayo and a slice of fake-ass American cheese on sourdough.
posted by slogger at 10:22 AM on October 16, 2023

Best answer: If you are in Texas with access to an HEB, please purchase store brand bacon smoked gouda in the cheese shop and put a slice of that on there over the egg with bread and butter pickles on top of that. Sweet and salty deliciousness!
posted by BlueBear at 2:14 PM on October 16, 2023

Best answer: Chili crisp and sliced green onions. Hard fry the egg in a cast iron pan for lovely crisp edges.
posted by Frenchy67 at 7:03 AM on October 18, 2023

Best answer: Branston pickle
posted by ewok_academy at 7:49 AM on October 18, 2023

Best answer: I just had toast with pesto and scrambled eggs, pesto is also good on a fried egg sandwich.
posted by theora55 at 7:30 PM on October 19, 2023 [1 favorite]