Pastrami Breakfast Sandwich
intro
Hearty deli-style sandwich stacked with smoky pastrami, fluffy eggs, melted Swiss, and tangy condiments on toasted rye, ideal for a filling, fast meal.
Ingredients
Steps
Toast the rye bread
Melt 1 tablespoon (14g) of unsalted butter in a large skillet over medium heat (350°F/175°C). Add 4 rye bread slices, toast for 2 minutes per side until golden and crisp at the edges. Repeat with the remaining 1 tablespoon butter and 4 remaining bread slices, then set all toasted slices on a clean plate.
Warm sliced pastrami
In the same used skillet over medium-low heat (325°F/160°C), arrange all thinly sliced pastrami in a loose, even layer. Cook for 90 seconds, flip slices once with tongs, and cook for another 60 seconds until heated through and slightly crisp at the edges. Transfer warmed pastrami to a clean plate.
Mix egg base
Crack all 8 large eggs into a medium glass mixing bowl, add 2 tablespoons (30ml) whole milk, 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, and 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper. Whisk vigorously for 45 seconds until the mixture is fully combined, pale yellow, and no visible streaks of egg white remain.
Cook fluffy eggs
Reduce the skillet heat to low (300°F/150°C), using any residual butter and fat left from cooking pastrami. Pour in the whisked egg mixture, let it sit undisturbed for 30 seconds, then gently push soft egg curds from the pan edges to the center with a silicone spatula. Cook for 3 to 4 minutes total until soft, creamy curds form with no runny liquid remaining.
Build sandwich layers
Lay 4 toasted rye slices on a clean work surface. Spread 1/2 tablespoon Dijon mustard evenly across one side of each of these 4 slices, and spread 1/2 tablespoon mayonnaise evenly across one side of the remaining 4 toasted slices. Layer each mustard-coated slice with 2 slices of Swiss cheese, 1/4 of the warm pastrami, 1/4 of the scrambled eggs, and 3 dill pickle slices. Top with the mayonnaise-coated bread slice, mayonnaise side facing down.
Press and serve sandwiches
Return assembled sandwiches to the skillet over low heat, cook for 1 minute per side, pressing gently with the back of a spatula to compress layers slightly, until the Swiss cheese is fully melted and the bread is warmed through. Cut each sandwich diagonally into two triangles and serve immediately.
Tips
2.For extra depth of flavor, add a pinch of smoked paprika or 1 tablespoon of finely chopped fresh chives to the egg mixture before cooking.
3.If you prefer extra-melty cheese, place a Swiss cheese slice directly on the warm pastrami in the skillet for 30 seconds before assembling to fully melt it.
OMG, I’ve been chasing a good pastrami breakfast sammie since my local bodega stopped making theirs last year, and this? GAME CHANGER. The pastrami gets perfectly crispy around the edges, the runny yolk mixes with the mustard, I added a little pickled onion too and it tasted exactly like what I was missing. My wife even asked me to make it again for our Sunday brunch this weekend!
Made these for my kids before school this week as part of my meal prep, and my kids loved it! I swapped the rye for sourdough because that’s what I had in the pantry, and even my super picky 8 year old asked for seconds. SO good, way better than the frozen breakfast sandwiches we used to buy.
This recipe is so easy to throw together on Sunday for weekday breakfasts! My only note is that I wish there was a little more guidance on how thick to cut the pastrami—mine was a little too thin the first go round so it got extra crispy almost burnt, but I adjusted for the second batch and it was perfect. Total weekday lifesaver.
Made this before an early morning hike last weekend, wrapped it in foil to take with me, and it held up perfectly! Hearty, salty, filling, gave me enough energy to do 6 miles without crashing. Will be my new pre-hike breakfast staple for sure.
Just made this for my lazy Saturday breakfast and oh my gosh, why didn’t I think to put pastrami on a breakfast sandwich before? The Swiss cheese melt? *Chef’s kiss.* I paired it with a vanilla latte and I feel like I’m at a fancy brunch spot without paying $18 for a sandwich.
I’ve made a lot of breakfast sandwiches in my 40 years working in kitchens, and this simple little recipe is a home run. I added a schmear of cream cheese with a little horseradish mixed in to mine, and let me tell you, that little kick takes it to the next level. Don’t skip toasting the bread, that’s non-negotiable.
Really solid sandwich! I’m not normally a fan of mustard on breakfast food so I swapped it for mayo, and it was great. Only reason it’s not 5 stars is I overcooked my egg so the yolk wasn’t runny, totally my bad though, will nail it next time.
Used leftover homemade pastrami from my weekend smoke to make these for the guys during our football watch party last Sunday, and every single one got devoured in 10 minutes. Even added a little drizzle of hot honey on a couple and people were fighting over the last one. 10/10, will make again for every game day.
Wait a second, this only takes 20 minutes? I made this on a busy school morning when we were running late for soccer practice, and I thought for sure it would take way longer. Everyone ate in the car and said it was the best breakfast I’ve made all month. Game. Changer.
Made this in my tiny dorm kitchen with just a frying pan and a toaster, no fancy equipment needed! Grabbed pre-sliced pastrami from the campus market, a couple eggs, and a loaf of rye, and it came out so much better than the dining hall breakfast. Total win for a college student on a budget.
Hosted a little potluck brunch with my girls last weekend and made a big batch of these sandwiches cut into sliders, and everyone asked for the recipe! I served them with mimosas and a side of hash browns, and it was the easiest brunch spread I’ve ever put together. 10/10, no notes.
I added a couple slices of pickled jalapeño to mine for some extra heat, and it was absolute fire. The crunch from the jalapeño, the salty pastrami, the melty cheese? I could eat this every single day for breakfast and not get sick of it. SO good.
Really tasty sandwich, but I found it a little too salty for my taste with the regular pastrami I picked up. Next time I’m going to grab lower-sodium pastrami and I think it’ll be perfect. Otherwise super easy to make, loved the texture of the crispy pastrami against the soft egg.
I’ve been making breakfast sandwiches for years and always defaulted to bacon or sausage, but pastrami is my new go-to protein. It’s so much more flavorful, gets crispy way better than bacon does in my opinion, and pairs so well with all the classic breakfast toppings. Obsessed!
Made this for my husband for his first day at his new job, and he texted me 20 minutes after he left saying it was the best breakfast I’ve ever made for him, and he wants it every Friday before work. Win for the new wife points! So easy to make too, I didn’t even stress about messing it up.