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Add this to your 5 minute recipes! This pesto-slathered healthy breakfast sandwich can be whipped up in minutes and offers a delicious spin on breakfast.

5 Minute Pesto Breakfast Sandwich | Healthy breakfast sandwich
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In the nearly 8 years of A Couple Cooks, we’ve never created 5 minute recipes. Because on one hand, calling something a 5 minute recipe can make it seem dumbed down and trivial, the exact opposite of our pretty simple philosophy. Cooking takes time, and it’s worth making time for. On the other hand, this breakfast sandwich absolutely deserves its 5 minute recipes moniker because it is truly quick. This is barely a recipe, but we’re posting it because if you’re anything like us, you’re always in need of creative ideas in the kitchen. With that in mind, we’ve got a 5 minute –yes, really 5 minute — healthy breakfast sandwich for you for those days you’re in need of a quick fix.

Related: Easy Vegetarian Recipes for Beginners | 28-Day Healthy Meal Plan

5 Minute Pesto Breakfast Sandwich | 5 minute recipes

Making this breakfast sandwich

This 5 minute breakfast sandwich truly takes 5 minutes. That means you can whip it up in less time than it takes to run through the fast food drive through. And if you’re in a pinch, brinner to the rescue! It can double as a quick dinner for nights when you have no time to think. It pleases kids, and it’s easy enough for beginner cooks like college students. Basically: it pleases everyone!

Even better, healthy breakfast sandwich is seriously delicious. The flavor is incredible even though the prep time is super quick. What’s makes this healthy breakfast sandwich so special?

  • Adding basil pesto brings big flavor in no time. Make sure to buy a high-quality pesto brand that you love.
  • It’s a spin on a healthy breakfast sandwich; there’s no bacon, sausage or hollandaise, just 1 egg and some real, fresh flavors.
  • You can use any baby greens; throw in a handful of greens from your farmer’s market.
  • Speaking of, the farmer’s market is a great place to buy local eggs; eggs from happy chickens always taste better!

Step it up with biscuits

Of course, if you want to step this vegetarian breakfast sandwich up a notch, serve it on our Flaky Buttermilk Biscuits! Pretty out of this world, if we do say so ourselves. (Of course then it’s not 5 minutes…but you can make them in advance!)

Related: 10 Amazing Vegetarian Sandwiches | Easy Breakfast Ideas | Breakfast Pizza

Looking for healthy breakfast recipes?

Outside of this breakfast sandwich, here are a few of our favorite healthy breakfast and brunch recipes:

This recipe is…

This 5 minute breakfast sandwich is vegetarian. For gluten-free, substitute gluten-free bread or muffins.

5 Minute Pesto Breakfast Sandwich | Healthy breakfast sandwich recipe
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5 Minute Pesto Breakfast Sandwich

5-Minute Pesto & Arugula Breakfast Sandwich | A Couple Cooks
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5 from 2 reviews

Add this to your 5 minute recipes! This pesto-slathered healthy breakfast sandwich can be whipped up in minutes and offers a delicious spin on breakfast.

  • Author: Sonja
  • Prep Time: 2 minutes
  • Cook Time: 3 minutes
  • Total Time: 5 minutes
  • Yield: 1 1x
  • Category: Main Dish
  • Method: Stovetop
  • Cuisine: American

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 teaspoon olive oil
  • 1 egg
  • 1 multi-grain English muffin
  • 2 to 3 tablespoons high-quality basil pesto, purchased or homemade if in season (or use vegan cashew pesto)
  • 1 handful baby arugula (or other baby greens)
  • Kosher salt

Instructions

  1. Heat 1 teaspoon olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Crack the egg into the pan and sprinkle with a few pinches kosher salt. When the whites are mostly cooked after a minute or two, flip and cook another 30 seconds, then remove from the heat.
  2. Meanwhile, toast the English muffin. Spread both sides generously with pesto. When the egg is done, slide it onto one half of the English muffin.
  3. Add a handful of arugula to the still hot pan and return to medium heat; add a pinch of kosher salt and cook for a few seconds until wilted down. Remove from the heat and place the arugula on top of the egg.
  4. Top the sandwich with the other half of the English muffin and serve immediately.

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About the authors

Alex & Sonja

Hi! We’re Alex & Sonja Overhiser, authors of the acclaimed cookbooks A Couple Cooks and Pretty Simple Cooking—and a real life couple who cooks together. We founded the A Couple Cooks website in 2010 to share seasonal recipes and the joy of home cooking. Now, we’ve got over 3,000 well-tested recipes, including Mediterranean diet, vegan, vegetarian, pescatarian, smoothies, cocktails, and more!

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15 Comments

  1. Gail Bogossian says:

    What about scrambled egg sandwiches? I make sure they’re not runny and use wonder bread and mayo.

  2. Anonymous says:

    Enjoy looking at easy recipe especially good elderly persons quick easy don’t have spend ages in kitchens keep it up keep every happy thanks again

  3. Ani M. says:

    It was delicious! I added some green onions too!






  4. Kimberly Baldwin says:

    Any tips on what to replace the egg with if you are strictly vegan?! Love all of your recipes so much!!

  5. Mason says:

    Made it today and it was delicious!

    1. Sonja says:

      So glad to hear it!!

  6. sabrina says:

    certainly a big step up from an egg mcmuffin! Pesto and arugula are nice additions to the basic breakfast sandwich, so thank you for this recipe!

  7. Catherine says:

    Arugala is my absolute favorite sandwich green, and this recipe sounds amazing. If I had time I’d probably add a roasted tomato slice as well for a little added acidicy! Thanks so much for posting this, though, I never would have thought to put egg and pesto together!

    1. Sonja says:

      Ooo love the idea of adding a roasted tomato slice — delicious! Yes, the eggs work well with the pesto — let us know if you try it out!

  8. Ashley says:

    This is the #1 breakfast that I crave! I had a variation of it today =)

    1. Sonja says:

      Right? I agree, egg sandwiches are the best: for breakfast, lunch, or dinner!

  9. Kelsey @ Appeasing a Food Geek says:

    Love a good breakfast sandwich! This one sounds like a winner with that pesto and arugula. Heart eyes all around! xo

    1. Sonja says:

      Thank you! Yes, the egg and pesto combination is a winner in our book — and breakfast sandwiches can’t be beat, right?!

    2. Food lover says:

      This is a really awesome recipe for picky kids. I threw on some provolone cheese and used a bagel for my buns. Really customizable and really tasty.