Last Updated on February 18, 2022 by Anne-Marie

Looking for new breakfast bagel sandwich ideas? The ultimate breakfast bagel sandwich is guaranteed to break you out of your morning time rut.

Why this recipe works

Most of us are tired of having the same old bagel for breakfast. That’s why you should take the time to treat yourself to this knockout of a bagel sandwich.

It’s all about jazzing up the humble bagel with fantastic ingredients! Serve it up on top-notch bagel bread, a lovely deli cheese slice, freshly sliced tomato with lettuce, buttery spread, fruit jam, and carved slow-roasted sliced ham.

What makes it even more exceptional is warming up the ham in a frying pan so it begins to brown and caramelize. Then let the cheese slowly melt over the ham before placing it on your toasted bagel.

This is a meal worth spending time on those busy mornings. Getting hungry yet?

Ingredients

• bagel
• ham slices
• sliced deli cheese
• butter or buttery spread
• fruit jam
• sliced tomato
• lettuce

How to make the ultimate bagel sandwich

This easy breakfast bagel sandwich recipe will be a hit with the whole family!

1. Toast bagel to your liking. (I like it when the bagel tops are golden brown.)

2. In a frying pan over medium-low heat, warm up several slices of ham until they begin to brown. Turn off the heat but leave the pan on the burner. Place a cheese slice on top of the ham. Cover with a lid to let the residual heat melt the cheese.

3. Place the toasted bagel on a paper towel or plate. Lightly spread bagel half with butter or buttery spread. Then lightly spread the other bagel half with fruit jam.

4. Layer on a couple of slices of tomato and a few lettuce leaves to the bottom half of the bagel. Then place ham and cheese on top. Finally, place on the top half of the toasted bagel.

5. Serve while still warm. Enjoy!

6. Wrap leftovers in plastic wrap and store them in the refrigerator.

Do you have an air fryer? Try making this bagel sandwich recipe in it like I do in my Easy Air Fryer Grilled Cheese Sandwich Recipe!

How to make an egg breakfast bagel sandwich

Add a large egg to this bagel ham sandwich!

1. Over medium heat, cook one egg in a frying pan big enough to fry your egg and brown some sliced ham at the same time.

2. That way, you can save time by cooking everything at once, and you’ll only have one pan to wash.

3. When the fried egg is almost done cooking, turn off the heat and cover the top of the eggs with the ham with cheese slices. (You can cook it all the way through or make runny eggs. Up to you.)

4. Then, cover the pan with a lid. Let the residual heat make melty cheese.

5. Then follow the rest of the directions as written above.

FAQ

How to serve this recipe

Make sure to serve up your bagel breakfast sandwich nice and warm. You can wrap it in aluminum foil and keep it warm in the oven on a baking sheet.

You can serve this hearty bagel sandwich for lunch or dinner, too.

If you’re looking for another bagel dinner recipe, try this tasty Bagel Burger with Miso Sauce Recipe.

Variations and substitutions

The beauty of this recipe is that you can use a variety of ingredient substitutions to make one of the best bagel sandwich recipes.

Bagels: use your favorite bagels such as:

• plain
• whole wheat bagel
• garlic or onion
• gluten-free
• poppy seed or sesame seeds bagel
• even a cinnamon raisin bagel!

Ham: use any type of ham, or instead, you could use sliced turkey or chicken.

Cheese: feel free to use your favorite variety. Some favorites include

• American cheese
• cheddar cheese
• Swiss cheese
• provolone cheese
• mozzarella cheese
• spicy pepper jack cheese

Butter: you can use real butter or a buttery spread.

Fruit jam: now, this is where you can have fun. Try a variety of flavors like fig, orange marmalade, strawberry, or plum. The sky’s the limit!

Tomato: you can also use other sliced vegetables like cucumbers or zucchini.

Lettuce: use any type of lettuce. Or try arugula or spinach leaves.

Can I make this dairy-free?

Sure! You can use a vegan buttery spread like Earth Balance or vegan cream cheese.

Leave out the cheese or use vegan cheese slices.

What else can I put on my breakfast sandwiches?

The sky’s the limit! Here are some fun ideas:

• leftover cranberry sauce from Thanksgiving dinner
• sliced red onion
• avocado slices
• tasty cream cheese spread like dill cream cheese
• pickles
• sliced jalapenos
• pimento cheese spread
• cooked egg whites instead of a sunny side fried egg
• crispy bacon
• a sprinkle of kosher salt and black pepper
• smoked salmon
• classic egg salad
• fresh herbs

More breakfast recipes

Make breakfast special with these delicious recipes:

Muffins: The Best Gluten-Free Applesauce Muffins Recipe, Easy Gluten-Free Banana Muffins Recipe, Gluten-Free Zucchini Muffins Recipe, Raspberry Yogurt Muffins Recipe

Pancakes, French toast, and waffles: Best Fluffy Gluten-Free Pancakes Recipe, Gluten-Free Chicken and Waffles Recipe, Gluten-Free French Toast Recipe

Casseroles: Crockpot Breakfast Casserole Recipe, Overnight Breakfast Casserole Recipe, Blueberry Muffin Cake

Savory dishes: Easy Breakfast Chilaquiles with Eggs, Sweet Potato Pork Hash Recipe