English Breakfast Recipes

English Breakfast Recipe

The English breakfast is one of the most familiar meals in Britain, cooked daily in homes, cafés, and hotels across the country. While there are endless arguments about what should or should not be included, the basic method is widely understood and remarkably consistent. This recipe reflects how most people currently make a full English breakfast at home, using recognisable ingredients and a practical approach that works in an ordinary kitchen. We get a lot of visits from our American, Canadian and Australian cousins who ask how to make a proper English breakfast at home, so we created this traditional full English breakfast recipe just for them, rather than English people.

Prep time: 5 minutes
Cook time: 30 minutes
Yield: Breakfast for two

Ingredients

• 4 British pork sausages (Cumberland or chipolatas)
• 6 strips of British back bacon
• 4 eggs
• 1 tomato
• 2 cups of mushrooms
• 1 can of baked beans
• 200g black pudding
• 2 bubble & squeak patties (prepared in advance from a Sunday roast)
• Tea or coffee
• Fresh orange juice
• 6 slices of bread
• Butter, jam and marmalade
• Salt, pepper, tomato sauce and HP Brown Sauce

Instructions

1. Start with the British back bacon, as it takes the longest. Grill it at about 200 degrees, turning so it cooks evenly. Cut a few notches in the fat to stop it curling and let it crisp properly.


2. Fry two slices of bread. Fried bread is unapologetically greasy, and that is the point. It works best with a fried egg on top. Put it on a warm plate near the grill to wait its turn.


3. Lightly fry the tomato and mushrooms. They don’t need much, just enough heat to soften and take on some colour. Add them to the warm plate with the fried bread.


4. Fry the British sausages and black pudding in the same pan. Cumberland or chipolatas both work well. Take your time and cook them evenly so they are properly done all the way through.


5. Fry the bubble & squeak patties until crisp and deeply golden on both sides. These should already be prepared from a previous Sunday roast. When they are ready, move them to the warm plate.


6. Before the sausages finish, toast the remaining bread. Add the toast to the warm plate so everything comes together at the same time. Don't butter your toast until you eat.


7. Heat the baked beans gently in a small pan or in the microwave. We prefer to serve them in a small pot so they behave themselves on the plate, but be aware that the ramekin is controversial :)


8. Cook the eggs to your preference, then assemble everything on two large plates. Give each ingredient space so the breakfast feels generous, not crowded.


9. Serve with plenty of tea or coffee and a glass of fresh orange juice.


10. Put butter, jam, and marmalade on the table for the toast, along with salt, pepper, tomato sauce, and HP Brown Sauce if you have it. Sit down and enjoy your breakfast. You’ve earned it.

There will always be arguments about what does or does not belong on an English breakfast, and that is unlikely to change. The important point is not perfect agreement, but a shared understanding of the core. British bacon and British sausages matter, because sourcing is what gives the breakfast its identity. Bubble & squeak belongs on the plate when it is made properly, not as a novelty, but as part of the tradition. Get those elements right, and the rest is largely a matter of taste, or regional variety.

If you are interested in history, heritage and recipes of the traditional English breakfast, check out our official English Breakfast Handbook, lovingly produced by the English Breakfast Society.

Like what you read and appreciate our work? Buy us a coffee using the button below!