Can you air fry breakfast sandwiches? Yes! This air fryer breakfast sandwich recipe has egg, cheese, and bacon. You’ll love this easy breakfast sandwich air fryer recipe for a fast and protein-packed morning meal. Learn how long do you cook a breakfast sandwich in the air fryer, get nutrition info, and more! You only need four ingredients to make this one!
Are you looking for an easy air fryer meal idea? If so, you need this air fryer bacon egg and cheese sandwich in your life.
Packed with whole food ingredients, this air fryer sandwich is more nutritious than a McDonald’s Egg McMuffin. Even better, you can whip up this breakfast sandwich in an air fryer faster than you can hit the drive-thru. It only takes 10 minutes to get this sandwich with crispy bacon, melted cheese, and runny, delicious egg.
SO GOOD. I’m getting hungry just thinking about it.
I’m making this air fryer egg sandwich on toast. However, feel free to try making it on an English muffin instead. (That said, I don’t recommend using a bagel- your egg will fall through the hole!)
Bacon is so delicious here (because bacon), but you could also add a slice of deli ham or Canadian bacon at the end of cooking instead. This is your breakfast, so make it your own. I have several more ideas to make the best air fryer breakfast sandwich in the variations section below.
Jump to:
- 📋 Calories, Net Carbs, Protein
- ⭐ Benefits of Making Breakfast Sandwich in Air Fryer
- 🥘 Air Fryer Breakfast Sandwich Ingredients
- 🍽 Equipment
- 🔪 How to Make Air Fryer Breakfast Sandwich
- ️⏲️ Air Fryer Time and Temperature
- ️🌡️ Leftovers
- 😋 Air Fryer Breakfast Sandwich Variations
- 💭 Expert Tips from a Dietitian
- FAQs
- 👨🏾🍳 More Air Fryer Breakfast Recipes
- The Disclaimer…
- 📖 Recipe
- 💬 Comments
📋 Calories, Net Carbs, Protein
One Air Fryer Breakfast Sandwich has 370 calories, 24 grams net carbs, and 23 grams protein. Nutrition information for your breakfast sandwich will vary depending on the type of bread, cheese, and bacon used.
⭐ Benefits of Making Breakfast Sandwich in Air Fryer
Why make a breakfast sandwich in the air fryer? Here are some benefits of this air fryer recipe:
- Macro balance: Protein can be tough to fit into the standard American breakfast. This air fried sandwich has a nice balance of protein, fat, and carbs. (Want a keto air fryer sandwich? Experiment with using your favorite low carb bread!)
- Simple ingredients: The 4 ingredients used in this sandwich can be found in most major grocery stores in the U.S. There’s no need to make a special trip to a health food store for this recipe.
- Easy to customize: You can make a vegetarian air fryer breakfast sandwich by skipping the bacon or dairy free by omitting the cheese. (I have tips on making a gluten free air fryer breakfast sandwich in the FAQs below!)
- Fast: This quick weekday breakfast idea is perfect when you want something warm to eat without a lot of effort. It’s perfect for singles and couples, since we’re making one sandwich at a time.
- Delicious: Air fried sandwiches tend to be a crowd pleaser. Instead of skipping breakfast, why not start the day with some tasty and nutrient-rich foods?
🥘 Air Fryer Breakfast Sandwich Ingredients
What do you need to make breakfast sandwiches in an air fryer? Just add these breakfast basics to your shopping list:
- Bread
- Large egg
- Bacon
- Cheddar cheese slices
- Salt, pepper, hot sauce, sriracha (optional)
As always, specific quantities of ingredients are located in the recipe card at the end of the article.
The bread you use will hold the egg, so it needs to be sturdy with few holes. That bubby sourdough from the bakery packed with airy holes is not a good choice here.
Squishy white bread may get soggy from the egg, and also isn’t optimal. I used a couple of firm slices of whole grain Ezekiel bread. It works well in this recipe, and you get the added fiber and nutrients present in whole grains.
For the bacon, you want a regular cut slice. Thick cut bacon requires a longer air frying time, so you will need to modify the recipe.
I like to season these up with a little salt and pepper at the end. For extra kick, add some of your favorite hot sauce or sriracha instead.
🍽 Equipment
To make breakfast sandwiches in the air fryer, all you need is an air fryer. I use a 10-Quart Kalorik Digital Air Fryer Oven.
The Ninja Foodi, Philips, Nuwave, Pampered Chef, Actifry, Instant Pot Vortex, Cosori, Breville, and other air fryers can cook sandwiches. However, the air fryer basket must be large enough to hold a slice of bread to make this recipe.
Something important to keep in mind is that air fryers don’t cook as consistently between brands as ovens. Your air fryer may have a longer or shorter cooking time than mine does. For the best results, keep a close eye on the food the first time you try any new air fryer recipe.
You may need to make tweaks to how long the bacon and eggs are cooked. You may also want to modify the air frying times if you want a firmer egg yolk in your sandwich.
🔪 How to Make Air Fryer Breakfast Sandwich
I recommend air frying one sandwich at a time. If you overcrowd the air fryer with two sandwiches, the bread may not toast evenly. Also, we need to partially cook the bacon first, so everything in our sandwich will be done at the same time.
Begin by placing one strip of bacon on an air fryer tray. Put it on the top rack if you have an air fryer oven. Air fry for 4 minutes at 400F (200C).
Remove the partially cooked bacon from the air fryer. Place a slice of bread on the air fryer tray. Carefully shape the bacon in a circle on top of the bread, and crack an egg into the circle.
It’s fine if a little egg white soaks into the bread or runs outside the bacon circle. However, if the bread is too soggy, spread ½ tablespoon of butter on it before adding the egg in the future. The butter provides a protective layer on the bread.
(You shouldn’t need the butter if you’re using a sturdy whole grain bread.)
Place the topped bread in the air fryer on the top rack position. Time to air fry!
️⏲️ Air Fryer Time and Temperature
How long to cook a breakfast sandwich in the air fryer? What temperature to air fry breakfast sandwiches? Air fry a breakfast sandwich for 6-8 minutes in an air fryer preheated to 350 degrees Fahrenheit (177C).
About 3-4 minutes before the bacon and egg topped toast has finished cooking, add another slice of bread topped with cheese to the air fryer tray. Finish air frying the sandwich until the white of the egg is solid and opaque.
Sprinkle on a little salt, pepper, or hot sauce if desired. Then all that's left to do is put the two slices of toasted bread together and enjoy.
Make sure to eat the sandwich on a plate; the yolk is nice and runny. If you don’t want a runny yolk, cook the egg longer before adding the cheese bread to the air fryer.
The toasted bread is perfect to pick up the egg that runs onto the plate. I could eat this sandwich pretty much every day of the week!
The total time to cook this sandwich is 10-12 minutes (but may be a little more or less, depending on your air fryer). Here is the breakdown:
- Bacon: 4 minutes at 400F (200C)
- Bread topped with bacon and egg: 3-4 minutes at 350F (177C)
- Bread topped with bacon and egg PLUS another slice of bread topped with cheese: another 3-4 minutes at 350F (177C)
️🌡️ Leftovers
We’re only making one air fryer breakfast sandwich at a time, so there should be no leftovers. Since these sandwiches essentially contain a fried egg, they don’t freeze or reheat well.
😋 Air Fryer Breakfast Sandwich Variations
Air fryer breakfast sandwiches are easy to make your own! You can use different types of cheese (pepper jack, provolone, etc.) or make one of these to add to your sandwich:
💭 Expert Tips from a Dietitian
This is a level 1 recipe (may help support fat loss). Normally I place all recipes with flour (including bread) in level 3. However, this air fryer breakfast sandwich is a great example of a portion-controlled way to include bread in the diet for weight loss.
Many loaves of bread in the U.S. include about 20 servings (slices), and they tend to be easy to overeat. I like the Ezekiel bread because it is whole grain and kept in the freezer. You can defrost just the portion you need and the rest stays fresh until you need it.
Each breakfast sandwich is under 400 calories and provides a respectable 23 grams of protein. If you add some fruit to your plate (such as berries), you can have a high-volume meal for under 500 calories. Since we’re making one sandwich at a time, you won’t have tempting leftovers laying around.
To make a lower carb and low calorie breakfast, you could serve your sandwich open-faced. Just make the egg and bacon half of the sandwich, and eat it with a fork. You could put cheese on top of the egg after cooking; the heat from the egg will melt it a bit.
Note: If you’re immunocompromised or in another group at higher risk of foodborne illness, I recommend cooking your egg yolks until firm. Cook the egg separately in an air fryer-safe pan, and add to the sandwich at the end of cooking.
FAQs
Yes, you can make air fryer frozen breakfast sandwiches! Separate each sandwich in half so the bread is on bottom and meat, egg, or cheese on top. Air fry the halves at 350F (177C) for 6-8 minutes. Then put the sandwich together and air fry an additional 2-3 minutes at 350F (177C).
You can make air fryer Jimmy Dean breakfast sandwiches using the frozen sandwich instructions above. Split each sandwich in half and air fry (bread side down) at 350F (177C) for 6-8 minutes. Then put the sandwich together and air fry an additional 2-3 minutes at 350F (177C).
To make air fryer egg in a hole, cut an egg-sized hole into a slice of bread and put it in an air fryer baking pan. Crack an egg into the hole and air fry at 350F (177C) for 6-8 minutes. (Adjust the air frying time as needed to get the egg done to your liking.)
To make a gluten free air fryer breakfast sandwich, you can experiment with using your favorite gluten-free bread. For the best results, choose a sturdy GF bread that doesn’t have large holes.
👨🏾🍳 More Air Fryer Breakfast Recipes
Looking for more air fryer recipes for breakfast? I've got you!
- Air Fryer Frozen Hash Browns
- Air Fryer Sweet Potato Toast
- Frozen Waffles in Air Fryer
- Air Fryer Baked Oatmeal
And if you want to air fry ALL THE THINGS, don’t miss our entire collection of Air Fryer Recipes!
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The Disclaimer…
All recipes on this website may or may not be appropriate for you, depending on your medical needs and personal preferences. Consult with a registered dietitian or your physician if you need help determining the dietary pattern that may be best for you.
The nutrition information is an estimate provided as a courtesy. It will differ depending on the specific brands and ingredients that you use. Calorie information on food labels may be wildly inaccurate, so please don't sweat the numbers too much.
For more information on how the three recipe levels may help with a weight management goal, refer to my overnight oats no sugar post. Let's get cooking!
📖 Recipe
Air Fryer Breakfast Sandwich Recipe
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 slices bread
- 1 slice bacon
- 1 large egg
- 1 slice cheddar cheese
- salt and pepper (optional)
Instructions
- Place one strip of bacon on an air fryer tray. Put it on the top rack if you have an air fryer oven. Air fry for 4 minutes at 400°F (200°C).
- Read the article to choose the best bread for this sandwich. Place a slice of bread on the air fryer tray. Carefully shape the bacon in a circle on top of the bread, and crack an egg into the circle.
- Place the tray back in the top rack position. Air fry for 6-8 minutes in an air fryer preheated to 350°F (177°C). 3-4 minutes before the end of the cooking time, add another slice of bread topped with cheese to the air fryer tray. The white of the egg should be solid and opaque when cooked.
- Sprinkle on a little salt and pepper (or hot sauce!) if desired. Then simply put the two slices of toasted bread together and enjoy!
Clancy says
I so wanted this to turn out right because it looked so easy and delicious. It was a fail for me in my NuWave Bravo Smart Oven. The major fail was the entire egg ran out of the bacon circle onto the tray making a mess. After three tries, I gave up. I used a thick slice of whole grain bread, a tad bit thicker than Ezekiel's bread slices, and a regular size bacon slice. Any thoughts or suggestions? I don't understand how the egg wouldn't run out?
Summer Yule says
Hi Clancy, I'm sorry to hear that 🙁 I'm guessing the bread might be the issue. If the whole grain bread is soft similar to white bread, it might not hold the egg well, even if it is a thick slice. The egg mostly stays in place by the combination of the carefully placed bacon circle and a harder, sturdy piece of bread like Ezekiel. After placing the egg and bacon, it's important to keep the tray flat and not move it around too much until it is cooked. You can see in the photos that the egg sometimes runs a little off the bread. That's fine, but you shouldn't be losing most of the egg white or anything like that.
With a softer bread, I might try spreading with a thin layer of butter (to keep it from getting soggy). I might also try pressing a little indent in the middle with my fingers to help keep the egg from running off. I hope those ideas help you out 🙂 Summer
Clancy says
Thank you so much for your quick response. I like your recommendations and I think I’ll try using your suggestion using a thick cut slice of bread from a whole loaf of bread that I can slice myself. I did try the butter idea but the result was the same. After reading your ideas, I measured the thickness between the whole grain I used against a slice of Ezekiel’s and the whole grain was a tad thicker. As I said, I so want this to work and if I find it works out I’ll let you know. Thank you for the effort you put into creating your recipes and for teaching everyone how to eat healthier without losing tastiness.
Summer Yule says
Hi Clancy, Thank you for your kind words! I made a video of putting the egg on the bread: https://youtube.com/shorts/uCwWcdRbh90
I used Dave's Killer Bread this time and a piece of bacon that was not very cooperative (ha!), but still got it to work. I hope that helps in case I wasn't communicating something well in writing.