8-Layer Loaded Breakfast Sandwich Recipe

If you're a breakfast lover at heart, you know that the weekend is game time—and this eight-layer beast of a breakfast sandwich doesn't mess around. Unlike most of its kind, it's served with the eggs on top so that the runny yolks can trickle down into each layer of savory French toast, melty cheese, crispy bacon, and sautéed veggies when you cut the sandwich down the middle. As if that doesn't already blow all other breakfast sandwiches out of the water, hollandaise sauce and a balsamic reduction make it even richer and more complex.

This recipe comes to us from Erin Alexander of Food52 and is inspired by "The Alameda": a breakfast sandwich at the [Sunny Side Café in Berkeley, California].

Photography by Ty Mecham

To make the hollandaise sauce

1. Melt 1 1/2 cups butter on the stove or in the microwave until piping hot. Warm the bowl of a blender by filling with hot water, then emptying and drying the bowl. Add sweet potato to the pan along with a pinch of salt. Cook for 4 minutes, until potato begins to soften. Add in chopped kale, garlic powder, chili powder, and black pepper.
2. Add egg yolks, lemon juice, cayenne, salt, and pepper to blender and blend at medium speed. With the blender running, slowly drizzle in the hot melted butter until sauce is thick and emulsified. Store in a covered container in a warm spot. If sauce starts to curdle, add a drop or two of hot water and stir.
3. Make 2 small holes in the center of the hash. Crack an egg into each hole and cover pan with a lid. Cook until the whites are set and the yolk is still soft. Serve with chopped avocado, green onions, and red pepper flakes if desired.

To make the breakfast sandwich

1. Add balsamic vinegar to a small saucepan and bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer for about 10-15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Balsamic reduction should be thick enough to just coat a spoon. Store in a covered container in a warm spot.
2. In a wide bowl, whisk together 1 egg, heavy cream, and a pinch each of salt and pepper. Dunk two slices of white bread until lightly coated in the mixture (don’t soak so long that it gets mushy in the center).
3. In a large nonstick skillet over medium heat, melt canola oil and 1 tablespoon of butter. Once butter is starting to bubble, place each slice of bread in the skillet and cook until nicely browned on the bottom. Flip and cook the second side, then set savory French toast aside on a plate.
4. Using the same skillet on medium-high heat, place tomato slices in the pan in a single layer with no overlapping. Cook for 2-3 minutes until browned on bottom, then flip and cook second side for 2-3 minutes more. Set aside with savory French toast.
5. Using the same skillet, reduce the heat to medium and melt 1 tablespoon butter in the pan. Add mushrooms and sauté until tender, about 3 minutes. Add spinach to the skillet and sauté until just barely wilted. Season with a pinch of salt and pepper and set aside.
6. Keeping skillet on medium heat, cook the bacon until crispy on both sides. Set aside on a plate lined with paper towels and cut each slice in half. Turn off heat and drain the bacon fat into a heat-safe bowl. Wipe down the skillet with a paper towel, leaving a thin layer of bacon fat for cooking the eggs, if desired.
7. Return skillet to medium heat and melt 1 tablespoon butter. When butter is bubbling and foamy, carefully crack 2 eggs into the skillet. Cook until egg whites are just set, but yolks are still runny. Gently flip over and cook for about 10-20 seconds. Set aside.
8. Reduce heat to low and assemble the breakfast sandwich in the skillet, starting with one slice of savory French toast, then adding tomato slices, bacon, mushroom and spinach mixture, Swiss cheese, and second slice of savory French toast. Cover skillet and let sandwich warm up until cheese is melted.
9. Set sandwich on a plate and top with the eggs. Drizzle with hollandaise sauce and balsamic reduction and dig in.

Farm Team Tips

This recipe yields more hollandaise sauce and balsamic reduction than you'll use for the breakfast sandwich, so store any leftovers in airtight containers in the fridge and use for salads, roasted veggies, or eggs Benedict.