Breakfast Sandwiches with Tomato Jam

Substitutions & Swaps

🥐 Croissants

• Brioche buns - Brioche has the same buttery richness as a croissant and holds up better to all the fillings without falling apart mid-bite.
• English muffins - The nooks and crannies catch every bit of tomato jam and smashed avocado, and the chew gives you a more sturdy handheld sandwich.
• Sourdough toast - The tang of sourdough plays beautifully against the sweetness of the tomato jam, and thick slices give you good structural integrity.
• Ciabatta rolls - Ciabatta has an open crumb that soaks up the egg and jam without getting soggy, and the crust holds a satisfying crunch after toasting.

🥓 Bacon

• Prosciutto - Thin slices of prosciutto crisped quickly in a dry skillet deliver a salty, delicate crunch that feels a little more elevated for a weekend brunch spread.
• Turkey bacon - Leaner than pork bacon but still gets crispy enough to give you that crackle in every bite, good if you want to lighten the sandwich slightly.
• Breakfast sausage patties - A sausage patty adds a savory, fennel-forward depth that bacon does not have, and the shape fits the sandwich neatly without sliding around.
• Pancetta - Pancetta crisps into tight little curls with a nutty, porky flavor that is more refined than standard bacon and pairs really well with fontina.

🧀 Fontina

• Gruyere - Gruyere melts just as smoothly as fontina and brings a slightly nuttier, more complex flavor that pairs beautifully with soft scrambled eggs.
• Havarti - Havarti is creamy and mild with a gentle buttery quality that melts into the eggs seamlessly without overpowering the tomato jam.
• Fresh mozzarella - Torn fresh mozzarella stirred into the eggs gives you stretchy, milky pockets of cheese that feel almost like a breakfast version of a caprese.
• White cheddar - A sharp white cheddar adds a bolder bite that stands up to the acidity of the tomato jam in a way that milder cheeses do not.

🍅 Tomato Jam

• Store-bought fig jam - Fig jam has a similar sticky-sweet spreadability and its earthy sweetness complements bacon and eggs surprisingly well when you are short on time.
• Sun-dried tomato spread - Blending oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes with a splash of balsamic gives you a concentrated tomato flavor that mimics the jam without any cooking required.
• Calabrian chili paste - If you want heat over sweetness, Calabrian chili paste spread thinly on the croissant gives you a fruity, spicy kick that cuts through the richness of the avocado and eggs.
• Roasted red pepper spread - A thick roasted red pepper spread brings sweetness and a slight smokiness that echoes the charred tomato notes in the original jam.

🥑 Smashed Avocado

• Whipped ricotta - Whipped ricotta with a squeeze of lemon and cracked pepper spreads just as luxuriously as avocado and adds a creamy, slightly tangy layer that works with every other component.
• Hummus - A thick swipe of good hummus gives you the same creamy base as avocado with an earthy, nutty backbone that holds its own against the acidity of the tomato jam.
• Herbed cream cheese - Softened cream cheese mixed with fresh chives and basil (already in the recipe) pulls double duty as both a spread and a way to tie in the fresh herb garnish.
• Pesto - A thin layer of basil pesto in place of avocado keeps the herbal freshness of the sandwich alive and the olive oil base keeps everything cohesive and rich.

🥐🍳🍅 Tips & Tricks for the Best Breakfast Sandwiches with Tomato Jam

The ultimate weekend breakfast sandwich loaded with soft scrambled eggs, crispy bacon, smashed avocado, and the most addictive homemade tomato jam.

• Make the tomato jam up to a week in advance. The jam actually improves as it sits in the fridge because the flavors meld and deepen overnight. Getting this done ahead of time means you only need 30 minutes of active prep the morning of brunch.
• Cook your scrambled eggs low and slow over medium-low heat. High heat causes eggs to seize and weep liquid, resulting in rubbery curds. Keeping the heat low and dragging a silicone spatula slowly across the pan creates large, creamy, custardy curds that hold their texture in the sandwich.
• Pull the scrambled eggs off the heat while they still look slightly underdone. Carryover cooking continues inside the pan even after the heat is off. If the eggs look perfectly done on the stove, they will be overcooked and dry by the time they hit the croissant.
• Add the fontina to the eggs while they are still slightly runny. Adding cheese too early causes it to melt into the pan rather than into the eggs. Waiting until the eggs are nearly set ensures the cheese melts evenly into the curds without making them greasy.
• Toast your croissants cut-side down in a dry skillet rather than under the broiler. A skillet gives you direct contact heat, which creates an even, golden crust without drying out the interior layers of the croissant. The broiler can scorch the edges before the cut surface browns evenly.
• Smash the avocado with lemon juice immediately after cutting. The citric acid in lemon juice slows the oxidation that turns avocado brown. Mixing it in right away coats every surface of the avocado so it stays vibrant green until you are ready to build the sandwiches.
• Let the tomatoes burst and char before adding the garlic. Charring the tomatoes first concentrates their natural sugars and adds a subtle smokiness to the jam. Adding garlic too early causes it to burn before the tomatoes have had time to break down properly.
• Spread mayonnaise on the bottom croissant before the avocado. The mayo acts as a moisture barrier that prevents the toasted croissant from getting soggy once the avocado and eggs are layered on top. It also adds richness that ties the creamy elements together.
• Put the tomato jam on the top half of the croissant, not the bottom. Placing the jam on the top keeps it separated from the avocado layer, which means every bite gets a distinct pop of sweet and tangy jam rather than having it all smear together before you take a bite.
• Cook your bacon until genuinely crispy, not just cooked through. Soft bacon turns chewy and greasy once it sits inside a warm sandwich. Crispy bacon holds its texture against the moisture from the eggs and avocado and provides a necessary textural contrast.
• Add arugula and fresh herbs right before serving, never before. Arugula wilts quickly from the residual heat of the eggs and bacon. Adding the greens at the last second keeps them fresh, peppery, and structurally present in every bite.