Full English Breakfast

The full English breakfast is a proud British tradition: a generous plate of sausages, bacon, eggs, tomatoes, mushrooms, beans and toast. It is filling, savoury and perfect for a lazy weekend brunch or whenever you want a proper cooked breakfast.

Why You Will Love This Full English Breakfast

• A complete, satisfying meal on a single plate
• Uses simple ingredients and a clear cooking order
• Easy to adapt with vegetarian or oven-baked options

Ingredient Notes

Sausages: Choose good-quality pork sausages with a high meat content. Bacon: British back bacon has a meaty centre and a strip of fat. Beans and toast: Classic baked beans in tomato sauce and thick buttered toast round out the plate.

Timing Is Everything

The success of a fry-up comes down to order. Start with the sausages, which take longest, then add bacon, cook the tomatoes and mushrooms in a second pan, warm the beans and make the toast, and fry the eggs last. Keep finished items warm in a low oven.

Serving and Variations

Serve on warm plates with brown sauce and a mug of strong tea. For a lighter version, bake the sausages and bacon on a tray, or swap them for vegetarian alternatives. Add black pudding, hash browns or fried bread for the full traditional experience.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is included in a Full English Breakfast?

A traditional version includes fried or scrambled eggs, bacon, sausages, grilled tomatoes, mushrooms, baked beans and toast. Black pudding and fried bread are popular additions.

How do I time everything so it finishes together?

Start with the items that take longest, such as sausages, then add bacon, mushrooms and tomatoes. Keep cooked items warm in a low oven and cook the eggs and toast last.

Can I bake the breakfast instead of frying?

Yes. Sausages, bacon, tomatoes and mushrooms can be roasted together on a tray in a hot oven, which uses less oil and keeps the work down to eggs and beans on the stove.

What can I use instead of black pudding?

You can simply leave it out, or swap in a vegetarian sausage, hash browns or an extra egg. Mushrooms are a good meat-free addition for flavour.

Is there a vegetarian version?

Yes. Use vegetarian sausages, extra mushrooms, grilled halloumi and beans. The eggs, tomatoes and toast stay the same, and it is just as filling.

Can I prepare parts of it ahead?

The beans and grilled tomatoes can be reheated easily, but the eggs and bacon are best cooked fresh. Prepping the sausages and chopping the mushrooms ahead saves time in the morning.

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Print Recipe

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Full English Breakfast

Author: Anjali Cooking Method: Pan Frying Cuisine: European Courses: Breakfast Recipe Keys: Dairy High Protein Non Vegetarian

Difficulty: Intermediate Prep Time 10 mins Cook Time 25 mins Total Time 35 mins

Servings: 2 Estimated Cost: $ 9 Calories: 940

Best Season: Fall, Winter

Dietary:

H High-Protein N Nut-Free

Description

A full English breakfast is the ultimate hearty British fry-up: sausages, back bacon, fried eggs, grilled tomatoes, mushrooms, baked beans and buttery toast, all served on one plate. The secret is timing, so everything lands on the table hot together. This recipe gives you the cooking order and times so each element is cooked properly without any juggling stress.

Ingredients (serves 2)

Servings

Meat and Eggs

• 4 whole good-quality pork sausages (British-style, about 300 g; a high meat content gives the best flavour; use vegetarian sausages for a meat-free plate)
• 4 rashers back bacon rashers (about 150 g; unsmoked or smoked, whichever you prefer)
• 4 whole large eggs (free-range if possible, at room temperature so the whites set evenly)

Grilled Vegetables

• 2 medium medium tomatoes (halved; ripe but firm tomatoes hold their shape when cooked cut side down)
• 8 whole button mushrooms (wiped clean with a damp cloth rather than washed, and left whole)
• 2 tablespoons butter (salted or unsalted; used for the tomatoes, mushrooms and toast)
• ¹⁄₂ teaspoon salt and freshly ground black pepper (to season the tomatoes and mushrooms)

Beans and Toast

• 1 can baked beans in tomato sauce (1 can, 400 g; warm gently and stir now and then so they do not catch)
• 4 slices thick-cut bread (white, wholemeal or sourdough, for toasting and buttering)

Instructions

1. Prepare and Warm the Plates

   Preheat the oven to 90 C and put two plates and a baking tray inside to warm. Take the 4 eggs out of the fridge so they come to room temperature. Halve the 2 tomatoes and wipe the 8 mushrooms clean with a damp cloth.
   Tip: A full English is all about timing, so get everything prepared before you light a hob. Warm plates keep the food hot for the 25 minutes it takes to cook.

2. Start the Sausages

   Place the 4 sausages in a large cold or lightly warmed frying pan over medium-low heat. Cook for 12 to 15 minutes, turning every 2 to 3 minutes, until evenly deep golden brown. They are done when no pink remains in the centre and the juices run clear, or they reach 71 C on a thermometer.
   Tip: Slow and steady wins here. High heat splits the skins and leaves the middle raw. You do not need oil, as the sausages release their own fat.

3. Add the Bacon

   About 5 minutes before the sausages are done, push them to one side and lay the 4 bacon rashers in the pan. Fry for 2 to 3 minutes per side, until the fat turns golden and the edges are crisp.
   Tip: Back bacon is lean and cooks quickly, so watch it closely. Cook it longer for crispy bacon or less for a softer chew.

4. Keep the Meat Warm

   Move the sausages and bacon to the warmed tray in the oven. Leave the fat in the pan, as you will use it for the eggs.
   Tip: Do not cover the meat with foil, as trapped steam makes the bacon soggy.

5. Brown the Tomatoes and Mushrooms

   In a second large pan, melt 1 tablespoon of the butter over medium-high heat until it foams. Add the tomato halves cut side down and the whole mushrooms in a single layer. Cook for 5 to 6 minutes without moving them, until the cut sides of the tomatoes and the undersides of the mushrooms are deeply browned.
   Tip: Leave them undisturbed so they caramelise instead of steaming. Moving them around too early gives pale, watery results.

6. Turn, Season and Finish

   Turn the tomatoes and mushrooms over and season with 1/2 teaspoon salt and a good grinding of black pepper. Cook for another 1 to 2 minutes until the tomatoes are soft but still holding their shape and the mushrooms are tender. Move them to the oven.
   Tip: Season after browning, as salt drawn onto the surface early pulls out water and stops the browning.

7. Heat the Beans

   Tip the 400 g can of baked beans into a small saucepan and warm over low heat for 4 to 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until piping hot and bubbling gently at the edges.
   Tip: Keep the heat low and stir often. Beans stick to the bottom of the pan and burn very easily, and they thicken as they cook.

8. Make the Toast

   Toast the 4 slices of bread until golden brown. Spread the remaining 1 tablespoon of butter over the hot toast so it melts in, then cut each slice in half diagonally if you like.
   Tip: Butter the toast while it is hot so it melts in properly. Time the toast to pop out just as the eggs are ready.

9. Fry the Eggs

   Return the pan used for the sausages to medium heat, adding a small knob of butter only if there is little fat left. Crack in the 4 eggs and fry for 2 to 3 minutes. Tilt the pan and spoon the hot fat over the whites until they are completely set and the yolks are still soft and runny.
   Tip: Spooning the hot fat over the top cooks the whites evenly without flipping the egg and keeps the yolk runny.

10. Plate and Serve

    Take the warm plates out of the oven. Divide the sausages, bacon, tomatoes, mushrooms, beans, toast and eggs between the two plates and serve immediately with brown sauce and a mug of hot tea.
    Tip: Keep the beans in their own corner of the plate so the sauce does not run into the toast and eggs. Add black pudding or hash browns if you want a bigger fry-up.

Nutrition Facts

Servings 2

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Amount Per Serving

Calories 940kcal

% Daily Value *

Total Fat 52g80%

Saturated Fat 18g90%

Cholesterol 480mg160%

Sodium 2200mg92%

Potassium 1400mg40%

Total Carbohydrate 66g22%

Dietary Fiber 12g48%

Sugars 14g

Protein 52g104%

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* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily value may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.

Note

Cook the items in order of cooking time and keep warm in a low oven. Use good quality sausages for the best flavour. For a vegetarian version swap sausages and bacon for veggie sausages and halloumi. Traditional extras include black pudding, hash browns and fried bread.

Keywords: English breakfast, fry up, British brunch, sausages and eggs