This Fried Egg BLT combines one of my all-time favorite foods – bacon – with one of my must-have comfort foods – over-easy style fried eggs. These two things come together in sandwich form with juicy, ripe tomatoes and crunchy romaine lettuce to form what I believe is the best way to enjoy a BLT: the Fried Egg BLT.
A BLT (Bacon-Lettuce-Tomato) sandwich is a classic and has some personal nostalgia to it. Multiple times throughout the year my Nana would take my sister and me shopping – we’d have a ball! Try on all the clothes, and buy a few things here and there. It always made us feel special. Our shopping trips with Nana included a special lunch where we could order pretty much anything we wanted and Nana always said “yes!” I must get my love for bacon from my Nana because whether on the menu or not, Nana would often order a BLT.
Have you ever seen the face of a teenage waiter when someone orders a dish that the restaurant doesn’t actually serve? I have… multiple times! When the waiter would say (in a confused voice), “Maam, we don’t have a BLT on the menu.” Nana would reply, “Well, it’s very easy to make, can you just ask your chef to whip one up?”
As it turns out the Chef of the restaurant always “whipped one up” and Nana always got her BLT.
My version of the classic BLT – the Fried Egg BLT – is simple to make, packed with bacon, crunchy from crisp romaine lettuce, and ooey-gooey from the warm egg yolk that runs down the sides of the delicious, toasted bread.
How to Prepare a Fried Egg BLT
First things first, start with the star ingredient: Bacon! Fry up the bacon in a non-stick skillet over medium heat according to how you like to eat your bacon. For me, I like slightly chewy bacon, not too crispy. If you’re a super crispy bacon fan – no judgment here! Plan on four slices of thick-cut bacon per sandwich (this is my preferred in-grocery-store brand of thick-cut bacon).
While the bacon is frying, toast your bread to a perfect golden brown and set it aside for assembly later on.
Thinly slice the tomatoes, season them with salt and pepper and tear the lettuce into pieces the size of the sandwich bread you’re using.
Once the bacon is done and removed from the pan, use the rendered bacon fat to fry the over-easy eggs over the same medium heat. Gently crack the egg into the pan with the rendered bacon fat being careful not to break the yolk. The egg whites will sizzle slightly and begin turning opaque immediately. Sprinkle each egg with salt and pepper.
Once the whites of the egg are set, flip the egg to the other side. Turn the heat off and allow the egg whites to finish cooking with the residual heat. It will take about 30 seconds, up to one minute. Repeat the process until all eggs are fried up over-easy style.
Assemble the Fried Egg BLT
Create a sandwich assembly line in this order: 4 slices of bread, bacon slices, tomato, lettuce, and 4 slices of bread.
Spread mayonnaise on each slice of bread, ensuring it goes edge-to-edge.
Next, layer four slices of bacon on top of the bottom piece of bread, followed by two – four slices of tomato, then two pieces of lettuce, and finally top it with one of the over-easy eggs.
Whether you’re looking for a quick, easy, and impressive meal or you’re just in the mood for bacon, this Fried Egg BLT is for you and whatever crowd you’re serving (just not vegetarians).
Fried Egg BLT
Ingredients
- 16 Strips Thick-cut Bacon
- 2 Large Slicing Tomatoes, cut into 1/2 inch thick rounds Recommended: Vine-ripened or Heirloom
- 4 Tbsp Mayonnaise, Divided The quantity can be adjusted depending on your preference.
- 8 Slices Sandwich Bread Recommended: Classic White Bread, Sourdough, or Similar
- 4 Large Eggs
- 8 Leaves Romaine Lettuce
- 1/4 Tsp Salt, Divided
- 1/4 Tsp Black Pepper, Divided
Instructions
Prepare the Bacon
- Turn a non-stick skillet to medium heat. Add the strips of bacon Fry up the bacon to a medium level of crispy-ness. Although, if you prefer very well done bacon, go right ahead! Bacon is personal. I get it. While frying the bacon make sure to turn frequently; about every 30 seconds. It should take 2 – 3 minutes to cook.
- Add 4 strips of bacon at a time, cooking for about 2 minutes per side until they've reached your desired level of crispy-ness.
- Once cooked to your liking, allow the bacon to cool on a paper-towel-lined plate.
- Continue cooking the bacon 4 strips at a time until all 16 pieces are prepared.
Prepare the Lettuce and Tomato
- Remove the stem from the tomato, then slide in 1/2 inch rounds until you have 8 slices.
- Select 8 leaves of romaine lettuce, ideally all similar in size. Remove the top inch and bottom inch from the leaves.
- Set the tomato and lettuce leaves aside on a plate.
Prepare the Bread
- Toast each piece of bread to a golden brown finish.
- Set them aside on a plate.
Assemble the Sandwich
- Create a sandwich assembly line in the following order: Toasted Bread, Mayonnaise, Lettuce, Tomato, and Bacon.
- Set out four plates to serve the sandwiches on.
- Spread mayonnaise edge-to-edge on each piece of toasted bread. Please two pieces of toasted bread on each plate.
- On the bottom piece of toasted bread layer first the lettuce, then tomato, then bacon.
Prepare the Fried Eggs
- Now that the sandwich is almost complete, we need to prepare the fried eggs as the final piece.
- Utilizing the same non-stick skillet you cooked the bacon in, return it to medium heat allowing about a tablespoon of the bacon fat to remain. Let the pan re-heat for 30 seconds to 1 minute.
- Crack your eggs into the pan being careful to not break the yolk.
- The egg whites will sizzle slightly and begin turning opaque immediately. Sprinkle each egg with salt and pepper. Allow the egg whites to set for about 30 seconds, up to 1-minute maximum.
- Once the whites of the egg are set, flip the egg to the other side. Sprinkle this side with salt and pepper. Turn the heat off and allow the egg whites to finish cooking with the residual heat for about 30 seconds.
- Repeat the process until all eggs are fried up in the over-easy style.
Serve the Sandwich
- Layer the fried egg over the top of the bacon on your sandwich and top with the other piece of toasted bread.
- Cut the sandwich in half on a bias, creating a triangle cut.
- Serve warm and immediately.
