This pork roll egg and cheese sandwich is my all-time favorite breakfast! This New Jersey native meat is delicious and packed with flavor, perfect for your next breakfast sandwich!
Jump to:
If you're from Philly/New Jersey you know exactly how good this sandwich is. A pork roll egg and cheese (or Taylor Ham if you prefer) is the holy grail of breakfast sandwiches. The salty goodness of the pork roll combined with egg and cheese and smushed together with a bagel- Chef's kiss! I grew up eating these and I miss being able to order them off a menu.
Pork roll looks a lot like Canadian bacon but they are not quite the same! Think of pork roll as the saltier cousin to Canadian bacon. Pork roll really adds a ton of flavor to a seemingly boring egg & bagel sandwich. I promise you won't be disappointed!
If you are looking for a little bit healthier version of a breakfast sandwich, make sure to check out my meal prep breakfast sandwiches!
Why You Have to Make a Pork Roll Egg and Cheese Sandwich
- It's the best breakfast sandwich in the world- I know that's bold to say, but I truly stand by my statement. This is the best breakfast sandwich!
- Easy to make- no fuss here, this breakfast sandwich is super easy to whip up.
- If you're not a fan of pork roll you can swap for bacon, sausage, ham, or another breakfast meat you enjoy.
- This sandwich is nostalgic- If you're from PA/NJ and you no longer live there, this sandwich will bring you right back to your roots! I actually found pork roll at my local meat shop in Southern California which was pretty surprising to me!
Recipe Ingredients
Here are some notes on a few ingredients- please see the full ingredient list in the recipe card below!
- Pork roll- the star of the show! This is the brand I love. Some pork roll comes pre-sliced and some don't. Technically it is already cooked, so you really just heat it up in the process.
- Cheese- I recommend American cheese for this sandwich but you can use any cheese you like!
- Bagel- I prefer my pork roll egg and cheese sandwiches to be on bagels. Another popular carb vessel is a kaiser roll. You can really use whatever you want!
Step by Step Instructions
Step 1: Preheat a large skillet over medium heat with a little bit of butter or oil. Score the pork roll 3-4 times around the edges. Place the pork roll in the skillet and cook until browned to your liking on both sides, about 4-7 minutes total (pork roll is already cooked so you're just heating it up). Remove from the skillet and place on a toasted bagel.
Step 2: Reduce the skillet heat to medium-low and crack the eggs into the skillet. Break each yolk with the corner of your spatula (or leave for runny eggs). Sprinkle with each salt and pepper. After about 2 minutes, flip the eggs and immediately place a slice of cheese on top of each egg. Cover with a lid for about 30 seconds to 1 minute to help melt the cheese.
Step 3: Remove the eggs from the skillet, placing them on top of the pork roll on the bagel. Top with the top half of the bagel. Serve with ketchup on the sandwich or on the side.
Frequently Asked Questions
Many people from south jersey and Philadelphia refer to the breakfast meat as pork roll, while those from north jersey call it taylor ham. The names are interchangeable.
Nope! Canadian bacon isn't cured like pork roll is, and pork roll is
Any that you want! You can swap the eggs for egg whites, the bagel for toast, or a kaiser roll. You can use whatever cheese you like (or no cheese). You can even swap the pork roll for another breakfast meat you like (although then it's not a pork roll egg and cheese, but whatever floats your boat)!
Tips and Tricks
- Make sure to score the pork roll before cooking it, it tends to bubble up and the middle doesn't brown. Scoring helps keep them flat as they cook.
- Cook the eggs however you enjoy, I like over-hard but you can cook them for less time and keep the yolk intact for an over-easy/runny egg.
- Toast your bagel beforehand so you don't have to wait to do it after your eggs/pork roll is cooked.
Storing & Freezing
This sandwich can be stored in an airtight container or wrapped up in the fridge for 1-2 days. Reheat in the microwave until warm.
Want to try more savory breakfast recipes?
If you made this recipe, I would love to know what you thought! Leave me a star rating and a comment below - I read them all! ⭐️ Your reviews not only help my business but other bakers as well!
Want an exclusive first look at all my recipes? Join my email newsletter which sends Bake & Bacon recipes straight to your inbox as soon as they go live, so you never miss a recipe!
Want to keep up with Bake & Bacon outside of the blog? Follow me on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, and Youtube. Tag me on any social media and use the hashtag #bakeandbacon so I can see what you are baking!
📖 Recipe
Pork Roll Egg and Cheese Sandwich
Ingredients
- 4-6 slices pork roll
- 4 large eggs
- 2 slices cheese I prefer american cheese
- 2 bagels
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Preheat a large skillet over medium heat with a little bit of butter or oil. Score the pork roll 3-4 times around the edges. Place the pork roll in the skillet and cook until browned to your liking on both sides, about 4-7 minutes total (pork roll is already cooked so you're just heating it up). Remove from the skillet and place on a toasted bagel.
- Reduce the skillet heat to medium-low and crack the eggs into the skillet (use non-stick spray or butter/oil if needed). Break each yolk with the corner of your spatula (or leave for runny eggs). Sprinkle with each salt and pepper. After about 2 minutes, flip the eggs and immediately place a slice of cheese on top of each egg. Cover with a lid for about 30 seconds to 1 minute to help melt the cheese.
- Remove the eggs from the skillet, placing them on top of the pork roll on the bagel. Top with the other half of the bagel. Serve with ketchup on the sandwich or on the side.
Notes
- Make sure to score the pork roll before cooking it, it tends to bubble up and the middle doesn't brown. Scoring helps keep them flat as they cook.
- Make the eggs however you enjoy, I like over-hard but you can cook them for less time and keep the yolk intact for an over-easy/runny egg
- Toast your bagel beforehand so you don't have to wait to do it after your eggs/pork roll are cooked.
Nutrition
This post contains affiliate links which means if you purchase something off of one of those links I make a small commission at no extra cost to you. Thanks for supporting my blog!
Stephen says
the name of this is wrong. Taylor ham, egg and cheese.
Kelly Hamilton says
To each their own!